Trying to Find a Way

Chapter thiry-one

"Troy! Calm down!" I scream as he runs around the house.

Currently he is trying to clean and wash everything in sight.

The thing is, Tory is coming today. This is a huge thing that Troy as been praying for his whole life.

Last night we spent basically the whole night getting the guest room as perfect as it could get.

Troy was getting mad at me because I put the sheets on the wrong way. He is on the edge on his seat.

He looks at me.

"I can not calm down! I'm seeing my sister who I thought was dead; I can not calm down." He screeches and stops in front of me.

I was laying on the couch due to the fact we barely got sleep.

I get up and hug him.

"She's going to love everything you've done." I look up into his eyes.

He's been working non stop. Bags are starting to form under his eyes.

I caress my hand under his eye.

"You look tired." I whisper.

He nods.

We decided to take a nap.

++++++++++++

"You just let them sleep together?" An unusual voice says quietly.

I don't know this voice.

Troy turns and soon I don't feel him beside me anymore.

I shoot up to see from the couch and girl with dirty blonde hair hugging Troy.

Troy has her in the tightest hug I've ever seen.

All I think of is how I'm not in his arms.

"I can't believe it's you." Troy cries.

It's Tory.

How was I so stupid!

I look over at Jordan who has tears in her eyes. She has the biggest smile on her face.

All I can feel is happiness.

After what feels like seconds, but it was longer, they release the hug.

There focus is on each other.

I finally get a good look at Tory.

Tory is about my height, not very tall.  Her eyes are really bright and like I said before, she has dirty blonde hair that goes down to her mid-back.

I walk over to Jordan; she gives me a half hug.

"Thank you." I say.

A confused look spreads across her face.

"For what?" She asked me.

"For taking me in, for being the mother figure I never had." I explain.

She smiles and gives me a full hug.

"I'm so glad Troy met you.  He used to bring home the weirdest girls home." She looks down at the ground and laughs.

I smile at her.

"So you're the love of my brothers life." Tory asked me.

"I guess I am." I say while redness creeps up my cheeks.

She puts out her arms for me to shake.  We both shake hands.

Hopefully we'll become good friends.

"Since this is a happy occasion and we are all here, lets go out to eat!" Jordan explained.

We all agree.

Troy helps Tory with her suitcases. 

There was a lot of suitcases.

While he was helping her settle in, I go and get ready for the night out.

I go to the closet that Troy and I share and grab my favorite outfit.

Because it is sunny out and is warmer out, I put on my white shirt and my black pants.

The white shirt has a graphic on it of a design I don't recognize.

I pull it on and add my sandals for the shoes.

Walking out of the bedroom, I see Tory already changed into a strapless dress.

She is so pretty.  I wish I could look like her.

I head to the bathroom and straighten my hair and put make-up on.

After I finsih, I meet the rest of the family in the kitchen.

"Wait she gets ready here?  Wouldn't she go to her house and get ready?" Tory asked.

I look over at Troy with wide eyes.  I'm frozen in place.  We don't talk about my past anymore.  It's only about the present and the future.

My heart starts to pound at one-hundred miles per hour.

Flashes of Bea, my mom, and my father flash in front of me.

Troy's arm goes around my waist.

"It's okay.  They aren't going to hurt you anymore; you're with me.  I love you; it's okay." Troy whispers into my ear.

Tory has an unknown expression on her face. 

"Tory, Carolina has had a..... very bad past.  She lives with us now." Jordan tried to make it simple.

"What do you mean a bad past?  Was she into drugs because if she was, she can't live here." Tory replied.

"Tory honey, her family was abusive." Jordan said.

I could tell she was getting angry but the flashes continued.

I hundle into Troy.  He rubs my back.

"Oh.  I'm sorry, I didn't know." Tory said with guilt in her voice.

When I finally start to relax, we leave.