Wow, we're moving along rather nicely wouldn't you say? I've got so many ideas of what to do and where to go. I can't wait to put them down on paper. Again, please remember to also thank MaybeWolf, for all his amazing and hard work. This chapter, and every other chapter would be so boring compared to what it is now. Also, a big congratulation goes to MaybeWolf for his number one Rori story Thank You For Drinking. I so glad his epic tales are so epic. Now, without further ado, chapter 4!
Saturday morning comes suddenly for Robbie Shapiro, but that doesn't mean he's excited about it. Time seems to stall as he spends his day unpacking, leaving him trapped in an abyss of half empty boxes. Only a few thoughts swirl around his head as he tries to make his new surroundings feel like home. He can't believe his life could be altered so drastically, so quickly. When his mother left, she took pretty much everything including his sister, leaving him all alone. It was so sudden, he didn't even have a chance to say goodbye. Honestly though, he thinks it was for the best. What do you say to a parent who's abandoning you? Bitterness seeps into his daydreams as he pictures his mother behind a desk and explaining the reason for his dismissal. He's sure that saying I'm sorry, your weirdness was too much for me to handle isn't a valid reason.
Every so often, a voice streaks across the room and pulls him from his delusions. Robbie finds himself wishing that he were alone, but unfortunately Rex interrupts his unpacking every few moments. Consequently, Robbie finds himself gritting his teeth as he returns from changing the channel for Rex, for what feels like the hundredth time today. To say it is frustrating is an understatement. As the puppet continues to complain about how boring this hellish process is, Robbie's movements carve a path of frustration in his wake.
As the sun hangs in the middle of the sky, Robbie finally finds himself sitting down and eating lunch. It's been a waking nightmare, but he's finally moved into his new home. Heaving a sigh, Robbie peers around the room. He realizes that he's totally unpacked and the room hardly feels full. It's incredibly humbling to realize all of your life's belongings just barely fill a single room. He finds it hard to believe that after seventeen years of his life, all he has to show for it is a few scant possessions, $14 in a checking account, and a portable ventriloquist doll.
Robbie's not sure how long he's been wandering that darkened corner of his mind when Rex's voice drags his somewhere close to reality. Blinking with a start, Robbie realizes that somebody is knocking at the front door. Hauling himself upright, Robbie considers bringing Rex with him, before deciding against it. Trudging to the front door, Robbie slides it open and is greeted by the startling beauty of Tori Vega. She suppresses a smile as Robbie's breath catches in his throat and he splutters slightly.
"Hey, what's going on?" Robbie greets, mechanically raising an arm to greet her. He lingers in the middle of the doorway for a few seconds before realizing where he is and what he blocking.
"Er…Do you want to come in?" Robbie asks, stitching the words to his previous sentence in a way that never quite seems to fit. Tori finds her lips curling up ever so slightly, laughter tickling the inside of her throat as she watching Robbie's nervous movements.
"Sure. Did you get my message on The Slap? Everyone's at my house working on the play and we really need Rex and you there." The lies drift through Tori's lips and Robbie is none the wiser. He simply whirls around and trails behind Tori as she walks into the place that he supposes is home now.
"Oh, sorry. After last time, I still haven't gotten Internet in this place. Just let me go get Rex, I'll be right back." A smile twitches onto Robbie's face for a second before he strides across the room and disappears into his room. Tori lingers in the living room, looking around at all the floral wallpaper and miscellaneous decorations. Between the gaudy decor and the lack of modern technology, she finds herself thinking about how unbearable it must be for Robbie to stay here. A picture on the wall reminds Tori of Cat's horror stories. Based off that, she imagines that the two smiling faces on the wall are not exactly as they seem. Speaking of which, if what Cat had said was true, Tori assumes she should have heard their bickering by now.
"Hey Robbie. Where are your grandparents?" She calls, raising her voice so that the words cut through the wall. In the other room, Robbie's ears pick up the sound as he lifts Rex into his arms. He bites down on a smile that threatens to split his lips for a moment. He's sure that Tori would tear off into the distance if she knew how much those little touches meant to him.
"They left on some trip to the Caribbean. My grandmother said she didn't want to be around the puppet…" He replies, stepping back into the living room, with Rex cradled in his arms. Tori's eyes flicker to the wooden boy, her mood darkening slightly as she realizes how much it must hurt Robbie that Rex had put such a divide on his family. Even his grandparents hated the puppet so much that they were forcing Robbie to abandon the one person he considered his best friend.
"Eh, she's just jealous. The woman's got no sense of humor." Rex states indignantly, still feeling bitter about being shipped away. In spite of her misgivings about the puppet, Tori finds her laughter trickling into the air at the sound of his ramblings.
"Well we better get going. The others are waiting." With those simple words, Tori twirls around and steps back into the hallway. Robbie's sure she's something like poetry in motion, a guardian angel trying her damndest to wrench him from the hell of his existence. Following her lead, Robbie walks through the open door, before pausing to lock it behind him. Tori comes to a halt in front of her car, as Robbie walks over to his. She'd debated the idea of giving him a ride, but didn't want him to feel trapped at her house.
As Robbie throws his car into gear, he finds Tori is already dipping and weaving through traffic. Considering she only passed her driving test a month ago, he's impressed to say the least. As he watches Tori's car at the edge of the horizon, Robbie finds it harder and harder to concentrate on following her. Rex just won't leave the CD player alone. As the music skitters from song to song, Robbie's thick brow crashes over his eyes. Rex always does this and he wonders if he's ever heard a full song in his own car before. Fortunately enough, Tori's house veers into view less than ten minutes later and Robbie's free of any further torture.
Arriving a few moments after Tori, Robbie grips Rex lightly and steps out of his car. He's truly glad to be out of his grandparent's apartment. The Vega's picturesque home feels like the perfect location to waste a night. Trudging towards Tori's house, Robbie had always felt like it was more welcoming than his own home had ever been. To call it his home away from home would be an understatement. Robbie felt like it's a shelter from the chaos that infects the rest of his life. Any time his Mom was freaking out about something, or entertaining another faceless stranger, he could always come here. Stepping through the doorway, it feels like he's back in his element. He's somewhere that he actually belongs.
"Surprise!" The word bounces off the walls from every direction as Robbie's friends surround him. Caught totally off guard, Robbie draws his limbs tightly against his body in a protective stance. He's not used to being the subject of everybody's attention and isn't sure how he's supposed to act.
"What's going on?" He asks, clutching Rex close to his chest as though the wooden boy will act as a shield. Tori steps through the small crowd, her chocolate orbs shining brightly. She's noticed the confusion and apprehension swirling within Robbie's eyes and realizes an explanation is in order.
"We're throwing you a goodbye party for Rex!" She explains, faltering momentarily as Robbie's face shifts into something unrecognizable. Shaking the uncertainty aside, Tori links an arm through Robbie's and drags him into the center of the room alongside her.
"Wow, I don't know what to say. I can't believe you guys would do all this for me." Robbie's voice cracks and strains. A realization that these people are actually his friends, and not just tolerating him, stings his eyes. A crooked smile finds its way onto his lips as Tori drifts in front of him, that same warm smile still on her lips.
"Of course we would. You're our friend." Beck replies, tossing an arm over Robbie's shoulder with a casual ease. As Beck leads him towards a table of food and drinks, Robbie can't suppress the grin that's threatening to engulf his face. The expression feels foreign on his lips, but armed with the knowledge that his friends will be there no matter what tomorrow might hold, Robbie can't bring himself to care.
If you felt that the Rori was a little light in this chapter, I completely concur. You'll just have to wait for next chapter. I'm fairly confident that will make up for the miniscule amount here. Actually the next two chapters should be completely packed with Rori goodness. Again any suggestions and criticisms are definitely encouraged, and feel free to drop a review at the same time.
