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07/03/2017 02:50 PM
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your final rites. [june m.t.]
Your Final Rites  Having just turned 21, Dakota had gifted Tori one of the best things she could have thought of. Tickets to a local show. Ticket, to be more accurate. Dakota hadn't bought a ticket for himself, knowing Tori liked to do things alone sometimes. Knowing that, months prior, she had set them on a mission for this exact band and failed. She had tried to scrounge up enough money to get them everything they needed for the show, and had ended up sitting on a curb somewhere, smoking a joint. She headed to the show alone, enjoying the nighttime darkness on her way to the Werehouse, where the show was being played. The band was some new local band, rumored to have a bunch of supernaturals members. She knew supernaturals existed, she just wanted to see if it was true, and if they were as good as she heard people say. Tori arrived on time and made her way inside with no issues, grabbing herself a drink from the bar before exploring the venue a bit. She had a few minutes before the first set, and knew it wasn't the band she'd come for so she wasn't too worried. When the band she had come to see took the stage, Tori found herself a spot somewhere between the stage and the door. Close enough to hear, but not close enough to have tons of people pushing up against her. The members came out together, causing the crowd to dissolve into cheers. She couldn't help but grin; she could only guess the band was decent based on their apparent following. After getting a good look at each member, Tori's breath hitched in her throat. One of the three members.. she could have sworn she knew. And well, had heard he had died? Tori shook her head, trying to clear the confusion. She had heard the band was made of supernatural members, so did that mean he was something else when they met... or did it happen after?? Tori only snapped out of her stupor when someone bumped into her, hitting her just hard enough to jostle the drink she was holding in her hand. The drink spilled all over her hand and wrist, thankfully not covering too much of her arm. She groaned, shaking her head. Tori switched her drink to her other hand, shaking the liquid off her hand as best she could. She had wanted to go to the bathroom, but didn't want to miss the set that was about to begin. " We are Final Rites," the unfamiliar male spoke, Tori's focus on the members as they briefly introduced themselves. They thanked the crowd for coming out and mentioned one or two others things they felt important. Tori watched the one she swore she knew, trying to check for tell tale signs of what had happened to him. Before she knew it, the set and the show were over, and it was time for her and the others to leave. Not one to stick around, Tori had taken her cue and had headed for the door. Her mind was still racing and wondering about the male she'd seen on stage. Was it really him? Tori hadn't made it too far past the door into the alley when she heard someone calling after her, " Hey," Tori could just barely recognize the voice. " Hey, wait up!" They hollered again, and everything in Tori screamed to keep walking but she somehow found herself standing still. She turned on her heel as she felt the other approaching her. When Tori's eyes found his, her breath caught in her throat. It was him. Would he even remember her? " I saw you in the crowd during our set. Did you enjoy the show?" Landon Caswell asked her, the well talked about smirk finding its way across his lips. She almost couldn't speak, the sight of Landon before her still a bit of a shock. But Tori let her eyes roll, "Yeah, I guess I did," she told him. She watched him watching her, trying to gauge her reaction, her interest. She wasn't entirely obsessed with them, as it seemed most others were after seeing one of their shows. They were good, but Landon Caswell alive and well was too much for her. It was throwing her off. Especially since it seemed like Landon did not remember her, and in fact had no idea who she was. He just thought she was some girl in the crowd. " I'm Landon, from Final Rites," Landon officially introduced himself, reaching into his pocket to produce a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Tori watched him, just nodding at his introduction. She didn't much care for it, she already knew who he was. Everyone did. Landon set the cigarette between his lips, finally offering her a hand and a charming smile. She looked down at his hand before back up at him, giving him a nod as if to say 'I'm alright'. Landon gave her a look, and she knew it was a result of no one having acted in such a way towards him. She was sure girls tripped over themselves to get their fingers on his skin, but she wasn't one of them. She didn't care. Tori watched Landon give her a slow nod, as if coming to accept that she wasn't like other girls. She wasn't swooning, and wasn't going to. He brought the lighter up to his lips, and she watched him light his cigarette and inhale. " Well, did you like the show enough to come to another?" Landon asked before exhaling, his blue hues watching her, even in the dark of the night. Tori considered this, and considered the show his band has just put on. Tori was about to respond when from behind them, his two other bands mates burst out the side door and into the alley. The quiet calm of their conversation in the darkened alley was disrupted, his bandmates creating a cocoon around him as they hugged him in an almost drunken stupor. She could only assume it was the adrenaline rush from their performance. It had been one hell of a show, after all. With Landon's attention on his bandmates as they hugged and high-fived, praising each other and how good they had done, Tori turned and began to walk away. It was perfect timing, really, saving Tori from having to lie to him. " Wait, I never got your name," she heard Landon call after her, only causing her to smirk to herself. " And you won't," she answered back, without turning around. She kept walking towards the end of the alley, the darkness of shadows eventually swallowing her.
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05/31/2017 02:30 PM
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RoadTRiPPY [May M.T.]
  Dakota Jameson and Tori Reyes has become quick friends. Sure, they were a couple years apart, but Tori kinda thought that was part of the appeal. Even with four years between them, they still somehow managed to be into the same things and somehow go through some of the same things. It was no wonder that when it got warmer, they tended to become wilder.
It was March 14, also known as their birthday, or the day between their two respective birthdays that they claimed as a day for joint celebration. It was Tori's last year at SIM and her last couple of months, and she had been acting with less care than usual, if that was possible. Tori had come up with the idea to do a little road trip to Boston, and spend the day seeing what trouble they could get into. It took little to no convincing to get Dakota to agree to the trip and without much more discussion, it became a plan.
Much to their displeasure, they were up early in an attempt to maximize their day. They met up, loading up the car with their days' provisions and climbed into their respective seats. Tori, settling into the driver's seat, looked over at him as she buckled in.
"Roadtrip essentials?" she questioned, raising a brow. He looked at her for a moment, almost clueless, before it seemed to dawn on his face what the f*** she was actually talking about and he reached to pull something out; just as she did. Within seconds, they had both produced small containers of sorts. Each looking at the other confused, they were both quick to clarify, "Blunts," they said in unison. There was only a slight pause before the two of them dissolved into laughter. When they finally collected themselves, Dakota looked at her, "So who was supposed to bring the snacks?" Tori's eyes went wide, "Because I brought those too.." Dakota finished, and Tori laughed. "I brought snacks, too," Tori told him through more laughter. After taking stock of their collective stocks, they set off towards Boston.
Multiple blunts and probably too many snacks later, Tori looked over at Dakota. "What exit are we looking for again?" she asked, through the smoke cloud that had developed. Dakota shrugged, grabbing for the map that had somehow ended up at his feet.
"Where are we right now?" Dakota asked in reply, his eyes and fingers roaming the map in search of their current location. Tori looked up at the exit sign they were about to pass, "Providence," she said, "Rhode Island," she finished, looking over at him with wide eyes. They burst into laughter and with a quick glance, Tori threw on her blinker and got off for Providence, Rhode Island. This wasn't exactly the adventure they had planned, but Tori knew they'd be able to find something to do.
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05/14/2017 12:52 PM
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Perfectly Baked [APRIL M.T]
❰ ❰ Perfectly Baked It had been a couple months since Tori had started working at Morning Glory because Charlotte was either kind enough, or stupid enough, to give Tori a chance. Surprisingly to Tori, she found she actually semi-enjoyed it. She'd never admit it to anyone, but she had begun to let herself think she might actually be here for longer than a handful of months. Charlotte pretty much let her treat the guests as she liked, probably preferring Tori's response over her own. Only when Tori became too harsh or sassy for Charlotte's taste did she ever step in, and ask Tori to assist Ben in the kitchen with something.
Tori had woken up, feeling far more sassy than usual. Today was the 20th of April and it had become one of her favorite days. It wasn't like she didn't smoke most days, but it just gave her an extra excuse, not that Tori Reyes' ever really needed it. As Tori wandered around her room, getting ready and hatching her scheme for the day, she packed herself a beautiful bowl and got herself nice and stoney before heading to Morning Glory. She could only imagine the guests and situations she'd encounter today, and walked into work with a grin on her face.
Tori found her place at the front desk, smoothing down the front of her shirt and tucking her hair behind her ears. She knew it wouldn't be long before Charlotte came down and made an appearance, asking her about someone or telling her to do something. She turned her attention to the computer at the front desk, occupying herself with checking the days activity. She normally didn't concern herself with the occupancy and number of events going on in the day, because she usually didn't care. Tori noticed they were nearly completely full today, with not just one but various different events going on throughout the property. Tori noticed something called the 'Baked Convention' and wondered what kind of 'baked' they were talking about.
As if completely on cue, Tori heard Charlotte hollering from the other room. "Tori, Tori, are you here yet? I asked you to come see me first thing thi-" she paused as Tori heard her come around the corner into the lobby. Tori didn't turn, instead keeping her attention on the computer screen. "Damn it, Tori, seriously?" Tori could hear the complete frustration in Charlotte's voice. It wasn't until Charlotte got into Tori's field of vision and snapped her fingers for Tori's attention did Tori start and look up at her, "Excuse me? What?" Tori asked, her expression showing complete confusion. Why was this woman snapping at her like that? She was just trying to get herself ready for the day.
"Honestly, Tori, it's like you literally leave the planet sometimes," Charlotte told her in clear frustration.
"Tori? I'm not Tori," Told told her, still visibly confused.
"I-You-Uuughh, Tori!" Charlotte managed, as Tori's brows knitted together.
"I'm April? Tori's twin sister," Tori told her. "I'm in town for the week and she's home with a stomach bug, so she asked me to cover for her. She didn't think you'd notice, but I guess I kind of already blew that..." Tori spoke, her eyes seeming to find the ceiling in an effort to look anywhere but at Charlotte.
Her brain flicked back to Charlotte's entrance, and her eyes found Charlotte's as her expression shifted to curiosity. "What did you want to see Tori about, anyway? What's going on today?" Tori asked, uncharacteristic as it got, as she became her twin sister April.
"What's not going on?" Charlotte answered back, her expression seeming to crumple with exhausting and stress. "Nearly a full house, with probably too many events going on at once," Charlotte told her, almost seeming to mentally kick herself for having accepted all of it.
"Well, tell me what's going on and I'm sure we'll be able to get through the day together," Tori told her, offering her an encouraging smile. Her smile was met with a confused look of Charlotte's, as if she was wondering if she'd walked into the Twilight Zone this morning. April was almost the complete opposite of Tori. Tori was sure she was thanking the heavens that Tori's twin sister April had come into work today, of all days. Tori had to do her best not to burst out laughing or break her 'character', as she wanted to keep the charade up as long as possible. She could only imagine being able to stay April throughout the day, potentially solidifying the idea that Tori had a twin sister.
"Let me grab us some coffee and we can pre-game," Charlotte finally told her, nodding to herself as she headed to the kitchen. Tori waited until Charlotte had rounded the corner from the front desk and heard her footsteps getting quieter before she let a very quiet laugh out. This was going to make for a very, very good day. With another thought, Tori waved her hand and a small plate of freshly baked cookies appeared. Charlotte was going to lose it, and love April.
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04/03/2017 12:36 PM
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Salem Bound [March M.T]
 Salem Bound 1986. May 31st.
3:12AM. Saturday morning."Tori, sweetheart, wake up," Tori barely heard the words, too entangled in her dreams to realize she was being nudged awake. Finally processing the words and movement, Tori's eyes slowly opened. She blinked, her hand reaching up to wipe the sleep from her eyes. Her eyes focused on the face in front of her, the lips curled in a smile and the familiar twinkle of their eye. Tori's mother gently shook her again, as if to further waken her and prevent her from returning to sleep. Tori made a sound and shifted in her bed, her hands moving to push the covers off her. "Today's the big day," Tori's mom spoke cheerfully, giving her a smile and a wink. "Get ready and then come downstairs. We're having breakfast before we leave," her mother told her, matter-of-factly. It didn't matter that it was 3am, or this might be one of the saddest days in any of their three lives, her mother would be damned if they didn't have a last meal together. Tori was grinning by the time she rolled herself out of bed, headed for her bathroom. She took a quick shower, got dressed, and grabbed the last of her bags. She looked around her bedroom one last time, remembering the memories she had made here. Like any of their houses, it had only been a year or twos worth, but it was always sad to leave a place that held importance to her. To know that no new memories would be made in that space, and it would never be occupied by her again. The chip in the doorway that they made on the day they moved in, having bumped her bed frame against it. The scuff on the wall she had made one night during a sleepover, her and her friend having spun in circles until dizziness tumbled them to the ground, or into the wall. The closet they'd used for a Narnia adventure, that had somehow become way bigger on the inside. She'd later realize that her magic had potentially been responsible for that mystery. Tori shut the bedroom door and headed downstairs. 3:47AM. Their shuttle for their ride to the airport had arrived, and within minutes, Tori's belongings were loaded into the back. It wasn't everything she owned, of course, but it was most of it. Her clothes, and all the personal belongings she'd need to set up her own slice of home in Salem, without her parents. Anything she wanted to keep but didn't urgently need, she let her parents pack up to take to Brussels. They weren't happy about having to lug the stuff across the water, but they did it for Tori. But that also wasn't to say that a few garbage bags of things didn't go to Good Will. The ride to the airport was mostly quiet. Tori and her parents had spent the night before together, having a special dinner and evening to prepare for their big split. Tori was acting much older than the 11 year old she was, seeming to care little to none that she was leaving her parents and would be on her own for a few years. She was excited, and it was her persistence that led her parents to moving to Brussels without her, while she pursued her magic career in Salem. Tori wanted to go alone, she wanted her own adventure. She knew there would be people at Salem to watch after her, so she wouldn't completely and entirely be left to her own devices. Tori watched the island pass before her eyes as the shuttle headed for the airport. It was bittersweet, knowing she was headed for a new adventure and a new chapter in her life, but leaving behind a wonderful piece of paradise, and her parents. Her parents were starting their own adventure, and Tori tried to remind herself of that. They'd have all the time in the world, not having to look out for her. Her mind wandered to all the time she'd spent with her parents, all the time they'd spent with her. She tried to push the thoughts and memories from her mind, already feeling the unfamiliar pang of missing someone. Having her parents by her side through her entire life, the only other time she'd experienced this feeling was after Penny's death. The feeling itself easily stirred memories of Penny's death, and Tori quickly changed her train of thought. Having lived in so many states, Tori began to wonder what she'd be walking into when she landed in Massachusetts. It would be a whole new state, a whole new town, and with no parents to hold her hand or have her back. Tori focused on being excited, knowing that this would have happened sooner or later in life. At least this way, Tori would be getting a phenomenal and magical education, as well as having people to watch over her. Tori and her parents arrived at the airport in what seemed like moments. Tori had been so lost in her wandering thoughts that she hadn't actually even realized them pulling into the airport until they were parking. The Reyes family piled out of the shuttle and with some help, unloaded Tori's belongings. They thanked the driver and headed inside to check in. Checking in was easy and, with little hassle, Tori's parents went with her as far as possible into the airport. With her passport and ticket in hand, Tori said a final goodbye to her parents. 'It's not a goodbye, it's a 'see you later'!' her mother insisted, making sure she got half a dozen more kisses in before letting Tori head through security. Her dad wasn't nearly as emotional as her mother, but it was sad just the same. Tori reminded herself that she would see them soon, and she was headed for an exciting new adventure. Tori was almost in a daze as she passed through security and made her way to her gate. She settled into an empty seat by the door of the gate and took a breath for what felt like the first time all morning. She took a slow look around her. She was actually here, doing this, without her parents. She tried not to think about whether she should be excited or terrified, far too aware that excitement could change to fear or terror quite easily. It happened when the realization of what you'd just gotten yourself into dawned. Tori was trying to keep that feeling at bay. 5:34AM. Tori almost didn't hear the words over the loud speaker, even being so close to one. Her flight to Boston, Massachusetts was beginning to board. She brought the ticket in her hand up from her lap, looking at her boarding zone and seat number. She was apart of the boarding zone they had just called. Tori gave a heavy exhale, as if gathering all the energy in her body for this maneuver. She stood from her seat and turned, reaching for and grabbing her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and with her ticket in hand, joined the short line that had formed. Tori's ticket was scanned and she was allowed passage to board the flight without issue. She almost couldn't believe it. She realized it was because in the back of her mind, she had just thought something would go wrong. Thought.. or hoped, she couldn't figure out. She didn't want to figure out. She loved her parents, but this was her newest adventure. But she missed her parents, and began to wonder if she had made the right choice. Her parents certainly would have stopped her if she wasn't making the best choice for herself.. right? Tori focused on her breathing and finding her seat. Her only condition when her parents booked her flight was that she wanted a window seat. It didn't matter how long the flight was, nearly 13 hours, or what time it left, which was currently potentially too early for her. Boarding first was nice, but it left her plenty of time to dwell in her thoughts. Tori was going to school, for an education, there was no way she'd made the wrong call. But had she messed up by not making her parents move to Salem, or at least fly there with her? Tori pulled out her Discman and slid her headphones over her head. She adjusted the ears and took the music player in her hand, pressing the power button. She'd listen to music until all these old folks finished boarding. 5:59AM. The flight crew had made it through boarding and overhead luggage checking, as well as the flight instructions and safety precautions. Even though Tori had been younger, she had flown a couple of times. But being alone, and beginning to doubt her potential to be without her parents, it was almost like she was flying for the first time. Alone. They had begun their take-off procedures, and Tori considered the long flight ahead. Tori pulled the balled up blanket out of her backpack, and settled it over herself. She snuggled into the blanket, the one her mom had made her when she was first born. Somehow, it smelt like her mother. She hugged it close to herself, letting her eyes close and willing herself to sleep for the long flight ahead. --- 6:38PM. Tori stirred awake to the sound of the seat belt sign pinging. Her eyes fluttered open, and her small hand reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes for the second time that day. Had she really slept the entire flight? A small smile of relief came over her lips, listening to the announcement that came over the speakers. The descent was easy, and Tori relaxed back in her chair as she focused on the scene unfolding before her. The land below her was beautiful, just as she always thought when seeing it from above. She knew that the state and towns below were a new experience and chapter, just waiting for her. But she had already started to miss her parents, and couldn't imagine the years ahead without them constantly by her side. She lost her best friend, and this almost felt like that all over again. Shortly after Penny had died, they'd packed up and moved. And the only reason she'd made it through that, was because of her parents. Tori disembarked with her bag, and headed to the designated baggage claim terminal that the captain had mentioned. The airport so far seemed like any other airport she'd been in, minus the extra bells and whistles for each specific town or location. Tori navigated the airport with the posted signs, making her way to the luggage claim. She knew it would take the staff a few minutes to unload the airplane, so she had time. 7:16PM. Turning the corner into the baggage claim, her eyes immediately flicked up to the numbers of the terminals around the room. Giving up almost instantly and settling to explore her way to the right terminal, her eyes came down to focus on the people who had assigned drivers to pick them up. Leo W., Phoebe H., Phillip G., Tori R., Shannon K.. Tori froze. Her eyes went back to the last sign she had read. Tori R? She looked up to the person holding the sign and almost choked. Before her stood not a random hired driver, but her mother and father. Her mother almost dropped the sign she was holding when Tori met her eyes, her heart in her throat. She nearly ran full force at her parents, colliding into them like attracting atoms. She couldn't believe her eyes and almost dared not to pull away from them in fear that it would be an illusion that vanished. Surely her magic wasn't that strong yet. Tori finally pulled away from them, either of them keeping a hand on her. She looked between the two of them, almost too stunned for words. It was definitely them. Down to the same clothes they'd been wearing when they dropped her off at the airport. "How did you.... Why did you..." Tori could barely get a coherent sentence together. They both chuckled, her mother pulling her into another hug before kissing her forehead. "We couldn't just let you make this move yourself," Her mother started, "We caught another flight shortly after you left, and thankfully managed to beat your flight here," her mother told her. Tori couldn't believe it, staring at her parents in front of her. Her little 11 year old brain could barely handle all of the emotions she was feeling right now, thankful being the heaviest and brightest one. Tori finally managed to detach herself from her parents, and together they made their way to the proper baggage claim. The belt had just begun to move and within a few minutes, her father had collected her three bags from it. Tori's hand clutched her moms, almost reluctant to not be holding onto one of them. She knew it might have been silly, but she couldn't care less. Her parents had hopped a flight and beat her to Boston, Massachusetts to be able to surprise her. She couldn't help but feel like one of the luckiest girls in the entire state. Knowing it would eventually end only made her want to cherish the time even more. 7:31PM. Tori and her parents once again loaded into a shuttle after her belongings, and headed from Boston to Salem. She was torn between sitting between them or sitting by the window, inevitably opting to sit by the window. The sun looked like it was about to set, and Tori wanted to see her first sunset in Massachusetts. The drive from Boston to Salem was beautiful, and Tori barely realized the time because she was so distracted with absorbing her first experience and sights of Massachusetts. She knew this wasn't where she'd be settled and living, but she was enjoying it none the less. It was her new surroundings, her new town, her new state, her next chapter. She couldn't wait to see what Salem had in store for her, and what the culture would be like. She'd done a little research, and knew some of the history of Salem. Attending school for witches and magic only made her more excited for her upcoming experience. 8:17PM. Pulling up to the Salem Institute of Magic was like nothing Tori Reyes had ever experienced before. It was almost like you could feel the magic of the Institute. She wanted to run and explore every inch of the grounds. But it was short lived, as her parents had other plans. They dropped her belongings off then got back in the car, and headed back out into the surrounding area. They wanted to have dinner with Tori before they caught their late flight to Brussels. Tori was more than okay with this, even if her itch to explore SIM would only worsen by the minute. The image she had of the Salem Institute of Magic was almost like a single photograph in her mind at the moment. It was the only image, the only real life reference she had for her new school. And with the limited time they had there before her parents got them back into the car, she hadn't been able to see much more than that snapshot. Tori focused her eyes on the Salem outside her car window. She was excited for the new town, the new culture, the entirely new experience; even if it would be alone. Each place she had visited and lived had been different, no two towns alike. They each had their own culture, their own way of doing things, their own community or lack-thereof in some towns. She had loved, and hated, each placed she'd lived in for various reasons. The shuttle driver brought them to Witchcraft Heights. Tori's parents had surrendered to asking the driver if he knew any decent places in the area for a late dinner. The driver ended up bringing them to a diner, called 'The Witching Hour'. It only brought a small grin to 11 year old Tori's face. The grin almost seemed to stay in place as her and her parents walked through the door and across the threshold. She swore she could feel the crackle of magic in the diner, her eyes scanning the patrons one by one. She knew some obviously had to be tourists, like them, but other had to be.. witches and.. wizards? Tori wasn't even sure what to call them, as she had never discussed it much with her parents. A woman named Doris came to their assistance, and within moments the Reyes family was headed to a booth. On the way to the tooth, Tori couldn't help but notice someone they passed who seemed to be on their way out. He was older, obviously, with sandy brown curly hair and a look on his face that she couldn't seem to place. She also couldn't decided if he was one of the tourists, or not. She couldn't help but watch him until he left, instead seeing him stop momentarily at the end of the diner counter. "Hey man, that f***in' burrito was fuc-king delicious," he called into the kitchen through the service window. Tori's brows knitted together. She wasn't entire sure he was old enough to be speaking like that. Than again, it wasn't entirely her business or concern. Tori shrugged, turning her attention back to the booth they'd just arrived at. Tori shuffled into the seat first, her mother sliding in next to her. Her father took the other side of the booth. Doris gave them their menus, mentioned the server who would be with them, told them a menu favorite, and disappeared. Tori blinked and shook her head, opening The Witching Hour menu in front of her. She had no idea what she wanted, or what they even had, and began to read the many descriptions of items on the menu. She wondered where the burrito was.. ❝ Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass; and I'm home bound ❞ #
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02/24/2017 08:57 PM
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Is this love or just make believe? [Feb M.T.]
February 14th, 1982; Age 6
Sunday
Pensacola, Florida
Tori's small hands were knotted anxiously together as she crept down the hallway from her room. It was Valentine's Day, and Tori was all of six years old. She tip toed down the seemingly long hallway, watching her parents door and listening as she passed it. She was determined not to wake them, and make it down to the kitchen. She figured once she was downstairs, it would be a little easier not to wake them. Tori made it to the top of the stairs and let out a small sigh; the first hard part was over. She had planned to make both of her parents breakfast in bed, and surprise them on this Valentine's Day. She was old enough to do something for them, and this is what she wanted to do.
Tori's hand grabbed the railing as she made her way slowly down the wood stairs. She had gotten used to their house here, in Florida. She liked the stairs, but not that the front door was directly in front of it. Her dad never let her slide down the stairs on a mattress, afraid she'd slam into the door. She had to resolve to bumping down the stairs on her butt, which was fun for a while until her butt bones started to hurt.
Tori made it safely to the landing at the bottom of the stairs, in front of her most hated and loved door. She had to admit their front door was really cool, being rounded at the top, with glass panels along the door. Turning her attention and focus to the kitchen, Tori almost let out a whine. Her father was already awake, and had already seemingly cooked breakfast. Tori frowned, crossed her arms, and marched over to her father.
"You're not supposed to be up," Tori told him matter-of-factly, looking up at him.
"Tori, you know I'm always up this early," He told her, laughing and leaning down to kiss her on the forehead and scoop her up in his arms. "Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart," he told her, kissing her on the cheek before putting her down. "As my number one Valentine," he bent down to her level to whisper, "I made you breakfast."
Tori couldn't believe it. She didn't know if she was mad or really excited. She was lucky to have her dad, even though his job made them move around so much. He always made it an adventure for them, and she was starting to really believe it. She had already seen more than some kids she had met at school this year. Some of her classmates had never left the state, or even the town they lived in. And here she was, Tori Reyes, Traveler of States.
"But what about mommy?" Tori finally asked, having decided she was mad that she couldn't surprised them, but was really excited about what her dad had made her. "And what did you make?" Tori asked, just unable to see over the counter. She wasn't the biggest fan of the counters in this house.
"Well, Tori, I thought we could make mommy breakfast together," He told her, wiggling his eyebrows. "And I made you plenty. Go sit and I'll bring it to you," the words were barely out of his mouth before she was headed to the table. She climbed into the chair and scooted closer to the table, her focus going back to her father who was now bringing over what seemed like every breakfast dish. He brought over her current favorite breakfast which was french toast, along with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice, milk, and a bowl of mixed fruit. And when Tori thought he had brought everything over to the table, he brought her over a small plate of freshly baked pastries. She looked up at her dad, "You made all this?" She was blown away, even for a six year old.
"Of course. You didn't think I couldn't cook, did you?" He grinned at her and she only returned it, before turning her attention to the feast he had set before her.
"We should make mommy pancakes!" Tori proclaimed, her mouth full of what looked like a little of everything; french toast, eggs, and bacon. Her father could only laugh, the sight of her too much to handle.
February 14th, 1993; Age 17
Sunday
Salem, Massachusetts
It was finally, officially, Valentine's Day. Tori Reyes was celebrating the only way she felt like celebrating. Alone.
Tori had further decided that she'd spend the day in the Village, roaming around and treating herself to whatever she felt like. She'd go where she wanted, spend as much time doing whatever she wanted, and leave when she wanted. That was one perk of being single on Valentine's Day. Technically.
After the magic shop and the candy shop, her feet had eventually lead her to the coffee shop in the Village, Leviosa. She was only slightly concerned when her feet carried her across the threshold and into the coffee shop. She knew she had no reason to be, really, as she had nothing to hide. As far as secrets went, she had few and they were well protected.
Tori managed to order, pay, and received her goodies without a sight of anyone she really knew. She made her way to the table furthest from the door, wanting as much privacy and silence as possible. She was also only slightly excited to see that from her seat, she could see the entrance of the shop. If anyone she knew came through that door, she'd know before they did. And well, because, people watching. She was only far too willing to deny that she had anyone she hoped to see. Especially on Valentine's Day. Tori got distracted by picking her scone apart and eating it, and almost missed the entrance of someone she actually knew.
Professor Charles Sage.
Tori almost choked on the piece of scone that she had just put in her mouth. She grabbed for her coffee, taking a small sip to help wash the scone down. After a moment, she leaned back in her seat and sipped her coffee slowly. He was one of her teachers, and seeing a teacher in the real world was like seeing a dog on two legs. She watched Charles, only too intrigued to catch him interacting with his daughter. It was a topic that they had never really talked about, even with all their time spent working on assignments in his office. She'd never admit it or let Charles admit it, but she did care for her grades. Having him for the first time as one of her teachers in her final year at SIM only made her a tad anxious, and led her to spending some time in Professor Sage's office, as she worked on a few assignments.
Tori watched the two of them interact, his lips moving as he spoke, and her mind wandered back to a few days prior. She had realized a bit too late that Valentine's Day this year was on a Sunday, and if she had wanted to do anything for Professor Sage, she'd have to do it Friday when they had class. And she planned to do exactly that.
Friday before class, Tori had officially set everything into motion. She walked with Dakota to her class like usual, and said goodbye to him before heading into class. She found her normal seat and settled in, unpacking her notebooks and pens. She had glanced at the front of the room when she walked in and noticed Professor Sage hadn't arrived yet, so once she was unpacked, she settled her focus on the door. She watched as students trickled in, waiting for the most important one on the class. Without Professor Sage, they wouldn't have class that day. And as glorious as that sounded, she wanted her plan to play out.
After what seemed like forever after class should have started, but was really only a minute or two, Professor Sage bustled into the classroom, briefcase in one hand with papers and files under his other arm.
"Sorry, class. I got a little held up. You know what this holiday does to people," Professor Sage said, giving a chuckle as he moved to set his belongings down.
Tori watched him carefully from the front row, watching as he moved about in a frantic chaos. He hadn't even realized, and Tori saw the exact moment he did. He almost froze, finally finding the stuffed teddy bear, accompanied by a bottle of whiskey and a small box of chocolates on his desk. Tori could see the blood rush to his cheeks, and bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. Some of her other classmates weren't as disciplined as she was, and burst out laughing and clapping, hooting and hollering. 'Professor Sage has a secret admirer!' one shouted, and Tori lost it. She joined the rest of the class and laughed, watching as he hauled the items off his desk and into his top drawer.
"Enough, enough!" he called, trying to regain control of his class.
Tori could see his cheeks flush, the blood rushing to the surface of his skin. His attempt did nothing, so he turned his back to his class and began to write the day's agenda on the board. He knew they'd eventually tire themselves out and quiet down, so he let them. Once Professor Sage turned around, Tori noticed three hands immediately shoot up. One guy behind her didn't even bother to wait to be called on, instead speaking anyway, "Who's the note from? Your girlfriend!?" Professor Sage did his best to keep his composure at the question, and Tori did her best to keep hers. This was far too entertaining. She could still hear 'ooooh's and fake kissing noises from the back of the class. They were having plenty of fun giving Professor Sage a hard time over what seemed like his little Valentine's Day secret admirer.
"Alright, class. Come on," he insisted. "Let's get lecture started, so I can give you your assignment for the day," he said, and the mention of an assignment seemed to quickly shut them up and resolve them into groans.
The lectures was one of the shortest to date, with a more lengthy group assignment. Tori was not thrilled about that, but looked up every so often to see what Professor Sage was occupying himself with. Once or twice she saw him looking or reaching into his top drawer, most likely playing with the gifts he had hauled in there. It only made Tori grin; seeing him rattled even a little was so fun.
February 14th, 1994; Age 18
Monday
Salem, Massachusetts
Tori had not spent most of the day wondering how her night was going to play out. She had been at work, focused on the stupid and idiotic guests that had come in for the week. Some had asked for the weirdest requests for their room, like whipped cream and balloon animal balloons. She could only laugh at some of the requests she got, and would even laugh at the people who asked over the phone. "Are you serious?" she's always ask. One out of ten times, they were joking. Which Tori found even weirder, and sometimes filled the request even after they claimed it was a joke. "......yes," would usually follow, and Tori would laugh again and agree to it. They were so embarrassed that Tori couldn't help but go with it and enjoy it. She never knew why they'd request these things if they were so embarrassed, instead of just bringing their own things to party with. Valentine's Day, man.
Tori, on the other hand, always came prepared. Usually. What good was a plan if it fell through because you forgot, or didn't have something? So dumb.
10:37 PM. Tori approached the familiar front door and exhaled the breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "F***, okay," she mumbled to herself. She could see the lights on in the house and with it being Monday, she knew he was up. She raised a fist and knocked on the door, waiting patiently as she heard his footsteps close in on the door. Moments later, the door unlocked, opened, and light flooded out. Her eyes found his and she couldn't help the small smile that came across her face.
"Hey, I brought.. a late dinner?" Tori almost asked, peaking behind him and into the house. She could see the papers strewn across the couch and coffee table and nodded, "I figured that you might have forgotten to eat," Tori raised a brow, knowingly. She raised the bags in her hands as evidence.
He returned her smile, "You figured right," he said, and Charles Sage moved aside to let her in.
Tori crossed the threshold and headed to the kitchen, setting the food down on the counter. She knew his kitchen as well as she knew her own by this time, and moved around his kitchen, grabbing plates and silverware for them.
"What'd you bring?" Charles called from the living room. She could hear the papers rustling as he cleaned up the table and couch for them.
"You'll see," Tori answered, grinning to herself as she unpacked the Chinese food she'd just picked up. She loaded the cartons onto the plates before gathering everything, and some napkins, and heading over to the coffee table in the living room.
"General Tso's chicken, dumplings, pork fried rice, chicken lo mein, aaand of course white rice," Tori spoke, unloading the cartons from the plates onto the table and pushing a clean plate in front of him. She set his silverware and napkin by his plate and with a snap of her fingers, a whiskey on the rocks appeared for him and white wine for her.
"There, I think that's everything," Tori said, looking around and nodding before focusing her attention on him.
"Oh, and," Tori seemed to remember something, and with that, she leaned in and kissed him deeply on the lips. She broke the kiss but kept her face close to his, their lips nearly touching. "Happy Valentine's Day, handsome," Tori said, kissing him again.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Tori," Charles replied and smiled, returning her kisses with one of his own. "And thank you for dinner," he said, chuckling. She knew him well. She opened each of the containers of Chinese food, pushing them his way.
"Dig in," Tori said, and that was all the encouragement Charles needed. Within moments, Charles was shoveling food into his mouth and Tori grinned, loading up her own plate with chicken, lo mein, and rice.
"I almost forgot," Tori said, digging her fork into the lo main on her plate, "I made apple crumble for dessert," Tori grinned devilishly as she looked at Charles, watching as the biggest and most childish grin covered his face. "And ice cream," Tori added, wiggling her eyebrows. He nodded and returned to his food, seemingly eager to finish it if only to have dessert.
- - - - -
11:17 PM. Tori shifted the pillows on the couch around, trying to get them in a more comfortable position. She had put a movie in for them to watch, had just plated them up some pie and ice cream, and had even poured them glasses of milk. Tori noticed something brightly colored peaking out from between the couch cushions and with some reaching and wiggling, Tori pulled the thing free.
Tori almost laughed at the thing she was clutching in her hands, looking up to see Charles walking back into the living room. She held up the stuffed teddy bear holding a bright pink candy heart that said 'be mine' on it. "You still have this?" Tori asked, remembering the stuffed teddy bear from the Valentine's Day incident in class the year prior.
Tori could have sworn she saw a light blush creep across Charles' features, "Well, yeah. It's cute," Charles defended. Tori laughed and shook her head, "It is, isn't it?" Tori looked at the stuffed teddy bear in her hands and back at him as he settled in on the couch next to her. "I mean, that's what I had hoped," Tori said, setting the teddy bear on the couch next to them. She could feel Charles' eyes on her and looked at him, grinning. She could almost see the gears turning, his mind working.
"It was you! You left that and the whiskey on my desk last year!" Charles said, looking a mix between confused and surprised. Tori laughed and nodded, leaning over to kiss him on the lips. "I'm glad you enjoy it," Tori told him, moving closer to him to snuggle with him. "But as for this Valentine's Day, we still have a movie to watch," she told him, grabbing for the remote and hitting play.
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[ This blog post is viewable to friends only ]
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12/13/2016 01:20 PM
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then there was one: Columbus, GA; 1984 [Nov.M.T.]
   
"Boys are stupid," Tori spoke plainly, looking sideways at her best friend.
The latest military move had landed them in Georgia, and Tori surprised herself by actually liking it. She usually gave most places a chance, and Georgia hadn't started out too good. It actually started out pretty terribly, and her consideration period had passed before things had turned around for the better. She made a friend. One good friend. Penelope. Penny, for short. Tori had been so surprised to find someone with so many things in common with herself. In all the states before, all the people she met and friends she made, no one had quite as much in common as Penny did with her. They got along great and were so in tune that even their parents thought it was weird. But Tori and penny loved it, and they had instantly become best friends. They were frequently together, whether at school or hanging out at home. They had just left the former, and were headed to the latter.
"But Justin wasn't... He was amazing," Tori looked the other way so she could roll her eyes.
Justin was Penny's now ex-boyfriend. They were 9 years old, as if ex-boyfriends were supposed to be a thing. "Penny, come on. You don't need him. You have plenty of time to find your soul mate," Tori told her, knowing this did matter deeply to her friend. And she knew Penny knew she meant what she said. She gave Penny crap sometimes, but they knew when it was time to be serious.
"I know.. it's just.. I don't.. ugh," Penny seemed to fumble. Tori giggled a little, and that gained her a glare from Penny.
"Sorry! But I do understand," Tori offered her a small smile, bumping Penny's shoulder gently with her own.
"You'll survive this, I promise."
"You're probably right, Tor. Check in with the parentals then my house?" Penny asked as they came to a corner. Tori nodded, "See you in 15,"
Tori continued walking straight while Penny went left. Tori looked at the houses and yards as she passed, noticing the decor or lack there of. Some had little gnomes, some had a lot of gnomes. People in Georgia seemed to like gnomes. Admittedly, some were kind of cute... but then again, some were downright creepy. Hurrying home, Tori walked through the front door like any other day. They had lived there for a while, realizing oddly that they had just about hit the year mark. She had a good feeling about Georgia, especially having found Penny.
"Tori?" Tori heard her name, her father's familiar voice saying it. "In here!" She called, settling into the couch for a moment. She knew he probably wanted to talk to her about something, so she prepared herself. Did the Principle call home again? She literally hadn't done anything, she hadn't even seen the Principle today.
"I wanted to talk to you for a minute," her father spoke after he entered the room.
"Okay?" Tori eyed him; he seemed to be acting a little weird. He wasn't going to give her the sex talk again, was he? That was so beyond awkward enough for the first time.
"I know we've had this talk before," Tori's brows furrowed, she didn't like where this was headed. "And I hate having to tell you this," Tori paused, this didn't exactly make sense..
"But we're moving again," he spoke, producing a letter from seemingly thin air.
"W-what.." Tori sputtered.
He just.. he didn't.. he.. what... Tori's brain fritzed, unable to process and accept what her father had just said. She couldn't move, she wasn't leaving. Not now. She finally found someone who she really connected with, was really enjoying school, and had been behaving the best she had been in years. This wasn't happening. Not again.
Tori shook her head, somehow managing to stand in all her shock. She grabbed her backpack and headed to the door.
"Tori," she heard. But she ignored it, stumbling out of the house.
She felt like she was dreaming; like she wasn't actually in control of what was happening. Her dad's stupid job wasn't doing this to her again. When was it going to stop? Tori walked blindly down the street, knowing her feet would lead her. She looked up what seemed like a few moments later, and she was staring at Penny's front door. It had been more than 15 minutes, and knew Penny would instantly know something was up. She couldn't wait to tell her best friend what was happening. Maybe they could figure a way out of this. Maybe Penny's parents would adopt her, and she could live in Columbus, Georgia with Penny until they got older and moved into their own place. Yeah, that might work. She needed Penny in her life. Knocking on the door, she heard footsteps approach the door before Penny's dad opened it and appeared.
"Hey, Tori," Penny's dad said. Tori nodded and smiled politely, "Hello." He stepped aside and let her into the house, "She's upstairs. Listening to music, probably," he gave her a smile and shut the door behind her. Tori made her way to the stairs and up them, headed to Penny's room. She had come to know this house quite quickly, navigating it easily. Tori made her way down the hall, letting herself into Penny's bedroom. She could hear the music Penny was playing, and half expected Penny to be taking a nap on her bed. But she wasn't. Tori perked a brow, looking around Penny's room. She couldn't find her. But her dad had said she was up here... Tori's eyes saw the light on in Penny's attached bathroom. The bathroom Penny had was nearly half the size of her room, complete with a luxurious bathtub. Tori couldn't understand it. What 9 year old needed that?
Tori knocked on the bathroom door, realizing it hadn't been closed all the way. "Penny?" Tori called, "You naked?" Tori asked, because that was the actual concern.
Tori waited, waited for an answer. After a moment passed, Tori knocked on the door again. "Penny?" Tori called more questioning, hand on the door ready to open it. With no response, Tori carefully pushed the door open, in case Penny was actually naked in there.
Tori nearly screamed, her body choosing instead to almost entirely shut down. Penny was indeed in her bathroom, and in her tub. But she was clothed. There was only a few inches of water in the tub, and it was all tinged red by the blood that was spilling from Penny's left wrist. The gash down Penny's wrist was a few inches long, and who knew how deep. Tori couldn't see the blade responsible, and she didn't want to. Her eye instead caught something on the sink, and she instantly grabbed for it. A piece of paper.
Mom, Dad, and Tori,
First Justin, then my own parents? I couldn't survive this. I'm sorry.
All my love, Penny
Tori nearly threw up. She clutched the note to her chest, stumbling out of Penny's bathroom and into her room. In Penny's room, she found her voice. She screamed, like her soul was being ripped from her body and snatched to the fires of the Underworld. Tori didn't have words; she couldn't manage any. She heard Penny's parents downstairs, dashing like mad up the stairs to uncover the reason for the screams. She couldn't speak when they came hustling in the bedroom door, and could only manage to point in the direction of the bathroom. The thought of the horror they'd find in mere seconds only made the dread in her being multiply. Her own father was going to split the two of them up, and now Penny was dead. . . What was the point? What was the point in caring for anyone if all they did was disappoint you, hurt you, let you down, abandon you, and lie to you? Tori shook her head, her hands clutching Penny's suicide letter to her chest like it was a lifeline. Penny's mother was the one to scream next, and Tori lost it. Tears silently streaming her face, voice absent, heart pounding, suicide note in hand, Tori ran. She ran out of Penny's room, out the front door of Penny's house, and kept running.
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