"Are you sure, your okay?" Michael asked, as he and Tori sat in the house alone.
"Is that the time already?" Tori ignored him, with a nervous chuckle. "...Three?" Michael asked. "Nice afternoon, isnt it?" Tori nodded. "Okay, whats going on? Your babbling." He made her face him on the sofa.
Tori sighed, as looked at him.
"There's something, I need to tell you" She nodded. "Whats happened?" He asked. "Its not whats happened...its whats going to happen" She told him. "Your scaring me Tori" He nodded. "I got a phone call, two days ago. Before he arrived here..." She started. "It was the woman from the publishing office ; Karina" Tori told him.
"Okay..." Michael followed along. "I emailed her my work, the night before and well...she called me hours after it and told me its going to get published" She told him. Tori watched as his eyes lit up. "Yes!" He cheered. "That is fucking amazing, I knew you would do it!" He grabbed her and hugged her.
Tori smiled as she hugged him back. He took her face, and kissed her. "Ach, Im so proud!" He told her excitedly. Tori nodded, as she took his hands. "Only thing is..." She then told him. "...I have to go to New York to the office..." Tori nodded slowly. The smile, still sat on Michael's face. "Mhm" He smiled. "Meaning...I'd have to go..." She spoke.
"When?" He smiled. "The end of the month..." She told him. "Next week?" He asked. "Yeah...but its for...a while." She then told him. The smile began to slowly disappear. "A while?" He asked. "Like...a while. Possibly...more than a few months" She managed to get out, her now drying throat.
The smile on Michael's face was now gone.
"...What?" He asked. Tori sighed, as she looked away from him. "I cant come to Europe with you guys, I need to go to New York." She then told him. "As in forever?!" He asked her, his voice getting a little higher. "Michael!" Tori stared at him. "Your kidding right?!" He asked. "I have to do this! I thought you understood" She told him.
"Of course I understand! You've been wanting your writing to be noticed since...that day we started working together in English!" He told her. "I just...I...your leaving?" He asked. "This is huge, Mikey. My work is going to be places! This isnt just a creative writing piece, up on the storyboard in the English corridor" Tori told him wide eyed.
"I get that! I do..." He sighed. "Then why are you acting out?" She asked. "Your leaving." He looked at her with sad eyes. "Your leaving me again, and...I thought we were getting good again" He told her. "We were..." She nodded, making Michael stare at her. "We are! ... " She corrected herself. Michael looked away, as he sighed.
Moving to the edge of the sofa, he looked around the room. "Mikey..." Tori looked at him. "You cant leave..." He turned to her. "So, I wont go and publish my work?" She asked him. "Of course you should! but...!" He stood up. "Is this because of the night?! Is this the cameras? We can handle it, we can deal with is! I'll get you a guy to keep you safe.....!" Michael began to blab himself.
"Michael...Michael!" Tori grabbed his hand. "This isnt about the other night. Us, or traveling. This is about me, and my writing." Tori nodded.
Silence sat with them for a moment.
"Do...you want coffee? Smoothie...I'm going to get us something" He turned away. "Mikey" Tori stood up. "I'll be back...in a bit" He nodded, frowning before walking out the door. Tori sighed, as tears sprung to her eyes.
Michael looked around outside, as his vision became blurry. He wiped his eyes, before sniffing and clearing his throat.
-
Tori had been staring at the clock for what it seemed, hours. Sighing, she sat and picked at her nail polish and nails.
Someone knocked at the door, and she jumped up. "Thank god, its been nearly an hour and a half!" Tori walked to the door. "Why are you knocking?" She asked, opening the door. He mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened.
"Oh my gosh!" She gasped, and grinned. "Hey, little cuz" "Caleb!" Tori laughed, as she hugged him. "Awh! Its so good to see you!" Calum hugged her back, tight. "Oh wow! What are you doing here?" She asked, pulling him in and closing the door. "Well, I was actually passing through believe it or not. Your mom was talking to my mom last night and she happened to tell her about your published work" Caleb smiled.
"My soon to be, published work" Tori nodded. "Still amazing" He chuckled, looking around and pulling his bag over his shoulder more. "But how did...you know I was here?" She asked confused. "I've been talking with Spencer over the past few days" He nodded. "Of course.." Tori nodded with a smile.
"What, she didnt tell me, is exactly why you guys are here" He frowned with a smile. "Uh..." Tori began. "Have you heard from...Hanna?" She asked. "No, Im also guessing she doesnt know I'm here" He told her. "No...she doesnt. Just like I didnt know" Tori chuckled as she walked into the lounge. "How have you been then? Not spoke in a couple months" He told her.
"Yeah...I'm good." She sat down, and offered him to sit next to her. "I heard about you, and Ryan" He nodded. "Hm, and still dont know why I'm here?" She asked him with a smile. "I didnt meet him, but I'm sure he was nice...even though he couldnt have been that nice if you cut things off" Caleb smiled putting his bag onto the floor.
"How have you been?" Tori asked. "Getting there. Going to places here and there..." He smiled. "Cool, its so good to see you, Caleb" Tori nodded. "Yeah, you too. I've missed you" He smiled. "Yeah..I've missed you" She nodded."Do you want, tea, coffee, water?" Tori offered. "Beer?" She then joked, and he laughed.
"You can get me a beer later, but water will do" He told her. Tor nodded as she got up and headed to the kitchen. Getting a bottle of water from the fridge, she then walked out and gave it to him. "Thanks" He nodded, taking it from her. Opening it, he sipped some before sighing.
"So tell me, Tori-Leigh..." He screwed the cap back on. "Why are you here?" He asked her. Tori sighed. "Its...Michael" She told him. A smile appeared on his face. "I know why you are here....I'm asking...why your here" He told her. The both of them stared at each other. "Michael?" He then asked, and nodded. "Its complicated" She told him. "It always is with you two" He chuckled, but frowned.
"Caleb..." Tori looked at him. "Its true." He told her. "Did you just come here to tell me off?" Tori asked. "More like...slap some sense into you" He told her, frowning. "And there he is. Over protective Caleb" Tori mocked. "Really?" Caleb sighed. "Caleb, I'm serious. Everything is fine!" She informed him. "Is that why your having second thoughts about moving to New York?" He asked, frowning sounding irritated.
"Spencer!" Tori scoffed, and tutted as the door opened.
"Hey, Tori...I got you a refresher from starbucks...ran into some fans too. Dont worry, I didnt put vodka..." Michael walked in and stood with two cups in a cup holder staring at her and Caleb. "I...was joking bout the vodka" He then nodded, making Tori smiled.
"Caleb." Michael nodded. "Hello Michael" Caleb stood up. "Wow...what you doing here?" Michael asked. "Visiting my cousin" He smiled, as he glanced down to Tori. "Cool..." Michael smiled, as he sat the cup holder with the cups onto the table. "Its nice to see you" Caleb told him. "It is?" Michael asked, surprised because he'd never got on with Caleb.
Caleb gave him a reassuring nod.
"I think its time we do some talking, hm?" Caleb turned to Tori.
Perfect....
