Rolling into the patch of sunlight cast into the bed through the window I sighed happily. Throwing my hand out I waited for it to connect with a warm tattooed body, Tony. Feeling only empty sheets I rolled over, slowly opening my eyes. The bed was empty, a mess of black and white sheets and dark purple quilt. Sitting up abruptly I began to panic. Where had Tony disappeared to? Glancing around my room I shook my head in confusion. Everything was the same, except the fact that Tony was gone. With a small sigh I began to swing my legs over the edge of the bed and froze, pressing a hand to my mouth to stifle a laugh. Tony lay on the floor next to my bed, one arm was thrown over his chest and the other out to his side. His dark hair was splayed around his head. He looked so peaceful and I couldn't bear to wake him. Pulling the blanket off my bed I gently laid it over him, since although the sun was shining in through the window the room was still chilly. I watched as he subconsciously pulled the blanket around himself. Leaping over him I pulled a on a pair of grey UGG boats and opened my bedroom door. Raking my golden hair into a messy bun I snuck a glance back at Tony before closing the door, leaving him in my room. Padding down the stairs I looked into the living room and thanked God that my brother was barely at home. Bottles and red plastic cups were scattered around everywhere and I wondered how six people could consume so much alcohol. Sitting midway down the stairs I looked through the railing to the couches where Mike, Jaime, Vic and Kellin were sprawled and sleeping. Smiling I wondered, not for the first time, what Katy would do if she were in my position. What Katy would do if four of her favourite band members were sleeping in her living room. What Katy would do if Tony Perry had said he loved her less than ten hours ago. A goofy smile split my face and I leaned my head against the stair railing.
"Tori?" A quiet voice came from behind me.
Turning around, Vic stood at the top of the stairs looking down at me.
"Hey", I replied quietly, "What's up?"
"Nothing much", he sat down on the step next to me, "You're up early?"
"Vic, it's like ten o'clock", I laughed quietly.
"Yeah but look at everyone else, dead to the world", he motioned to the other guys sleeping around the living room.
"I guess. Why're you up?" I asked quietly.
Vic shook his head and laughed, "I have no freaking idea."
I laughed with him, a comfortable silence falling over us. We sat like we were old friends, it was easy being with Tony and his friends. They were friendly and easy to talk to.
Finally Vic broke the silence, "Where's Tone this morning?"
My eyes flickered to my bedroom door and back to Vic and his eyes widened, "You didn't?"
"No, no, no, no!" I shook my head, attempting to dismiss whatever thoughts were in Vic's head, "If you go in there now you'll actually find him sleeping on the floor."
Vic grinned, "What?"
"Wait, what are you thinking?"
"Well after that dare last night you two never came out of your room and I just thought", he trailed off.
"No", I laughed, "We just talked."
"Oh", Vic smiled, "Well then-"
Vic was cut off by the loud message tone of my phone, sitting on the kitchen bench.
"Turn that freaking thing off!" Mike yelled from the couch, tossing a pillow at the bench and pulling one over his head.
Jumping up I jogged down the stairs and to the bench, grabbing my phone I opened the message and began to read. It was from an blocked number:
You filthy skank. You should just go jump off a cliff cause no one likes you. xx
Strolling back to the stairs it took a moment for the words to register in my brain, and the message to sink in. Feeling my legs give way I collapsed onto the bottom step. My whole body felt numb, from head to toe.
"Tori?" Vic's voice sounded distant.
Who could be sending me nasty messages? Who would be sending me nasty messages?
"Tori what's wrong?" Suddenly Vic was at my side, his voice concerned.
Looking up at him slowly I passed him my phone, staring straight ahead whilst he read the message.
"Who's this from?" He asked, his hand resting on my shoulder.
I shook my head, "I-I don't know. Blocked number."
"Do you know who this could be from? Do you have any enemies or anything?" He asked.
I shook my head again, throwing my arms up in frustration and anger "I have no freaking idea who would send me this."
Leaning against the railing I sighed, taking my phone back from Vic and rereading the message.
"Oh", I said suddenly sitting up, "I'll call Katy."
"Katy?" Vic asked.
"Yeah, my best friend. She'll know what's going on. She knows everything about everyone", I said absentmindedly as I dialled Katy's number.
Pressing the phone to my ear Katy picked up immediately, "Hello?"
"Hi, Katy?"
"Hey Tor, what's up?" Katy sounded different somehow.
"Well I just got this message from a blocked number and I was wondering if you would know who would send it?"
"What does it say?" She asked.
"Um, something about me being a 'filthy skank' and jumping off a cliff cause nobody likes me", I recalled.
"Oh well, um, nah I don't know who sent it. But maybe they're right", she mumbled and my jaw dropped.
It took me a second to process what she had said and another second to realise what was wrong with her, she was drunk. And by the sound of her voice, not just tipsy but hammered drunk.
"Excuse me?" I said, I could deal with nasty anonymous text messages but having my best friend be straight up nasty was not going to happen.
"Well, I mean, your banging a guy you met like two days ago. That's kinda skanky", she mumbled.
"You can talk", I spat, feeling my blood begin to boil, "This coming from the girl who dragged me to a concert for a band I didn't even like then ditching me to hook up with some random. Oh or the time when you dragged me to Hannah McQueen's party and then left with Johnny Kalifer. I had to sleep in Hannah McQueen's out door hammock. It rained that night."
"That was one time!" she yelled into the phone, "And I came and picked you up the next morning!"
"Katy that's beside the point", I sighed angrily, "You have no right to call me a skank when I have done nothing but support you since high school."
"But Tori-" Katy tried to protest but I cut her off.
"Goodbye Katy", I pressed the end call button and slumped against the stair case, my pulse thundering.
"Tori? Are you ok?" Vic's voice was cautious.
Whirling around I looked at him, "No. I'm not ok. First I get a horrible text message and then my best friend agrees with it. She called me a skank Vic. My best friend. The one person I thought I could rely on. The one person I thought I could trust."
I could feel tears welling in my eyes but I told myself I would not cry. I would not give Katy the satisfaction of my tears. Slamming my phone down on the staircase I got up.
"You'll be ok", Vic said quietly.
"Will I?" I murmured in response before ascending the stairs and storming down the corridor.
Slamming my bedroom door I fell against it, sliding down it until I was sitting on the floor with my knees pulled to my chest. How could Katy say those things to me. I had always been by her side, through everything, and here she was agreeing with someone's hateful text message. Hell, she was probably the one who sent it.
"Tori?" A sleepy voice asked.
Looking up from my lap Tony was standing in front of my bed, shirtless with lidded eyes.
"Tony?"
"Tori? Are you ok?" Tony's quiet voice broke through my anger.
All at once warm, salty tears were flowing down my face and Tony's tattooed arms were wrapped around my shoulders. Never had I ever felt safer or more alone.
