Hey, guys. Okay, so I know alot of my stuff is usually really romantic-y or mushy, and most of the time I try to stick in a bunch of humor. Not here. This fic actually means a ton to me because I once had a friend in a similar situation a while ago. Anyway, I saw the lyrics to this song, and I thought that it would be just about perfect for a one shot. I think that the song has alot of emotion in it, so if you can (you don't have to) please listen to it, either before you read, or during, or whatever. It gives the one-shot something... extra. I donno. I hope I don't like, bring anyone to tears, lol... But yeah, here's the link to the song:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lDeA0MxNXCo
And here's the one-shot. Enjoy:
| | Victoria | |
She saw me, I know she saw me, when she ran by my stunned figure into my brother’s room. I didn’t miss what she was so blatantly trying to cover up: an enormous bruise running up her forearm. Her face was streaked with black mascara and tears and she made no attempt to shut the door behind her as she ran into his arms.
She sobbed, “Nick, I can’t do this anymore… I’m just...” her voice muffled as she let him hold her.
My back to the wall that extended between our rooms, I sat down, listening in.
“Tory,” Nick whispered into her hair, “you can’t,” his voice shook, “you can’t let him do this to you.”
“But he’s my –“
He exploded, “No father does that! No father hurts his daughter!”
Don't know why Tory came by
But I could see by the look in her eyes
Tory'd been driving 'round the town for a while
Playing with the thought of leaving
I yawned, slowly pushing myself out of bed and rubbing my eyes. The grumble of an old car passing by several times had driven me to the point where I knew there was no way I’d be able to fall asleep again. I slid off of my bed and slowly made my way to the window, straightening out the wife beater I wore that had wrinkled under me in my sleep. Pulling open the curtains, my eyes wandered up the street, locating the source of the grumbling. An old Buick drove by the house twice, back and forth, while I stood there. I knew that Buick, with it’s chipping red paint and rusty metal. It belonged to my brother’s girlfriend.
“Nick!” I groaned, knowing he was fast asleep and wouldn’t hear me through my closed bedroom door. I left my room, letting my arm hit my brother’s door in a feeble knock, then headed downstairs. The house was silent as it seemed I was the only one awake. I checked my disheveled self in the foyer mirror, combing my fingers through my messy hair, then stepped out into the windy New Jersey outside and shielded my eyes from the sun. I waited for the car to drive by, before clearing my throat and yelling as loud as I could, still half asleep, “Tory, stop!”
The car slowed and turned into the driveway. I could see the girl at the wheel, her eyes brimming with tears as she set the car to Park. Her dirty blonde hair was unkempt and she looked like she hadn’t had sleep in ages. Walking forward, I opened the driver’s door and let her step out.
Don't know why, but Tory just smiled
And mentioned something about how you were right
Must have been hard to see through the tears she was hiding
She said "I might not be seeing him soon."
"I've got a few things I've been waiting to do."
Her eyes were red, tired, as she looked up at me with a sad, thankful smile.
“Joe, I…” she looked down at her feet, wrestling with her thoughts, “is Nick around?”
“No, he’s asleep,” I said, analyzing her every move, she seemed uncomfortable, but happy, I felt like I was messing up some happy event, “Tory, what’s up?”
“I’m leaving…”
“Your – what?” I spun around, about to get Nick.
“No!” she cried out weakly.
“What do you mean ‘no’? Tor, he’s your boyfriend, you mean everything to him… you’re leaving! He has to know!”
Her eyes pleaded with me, “Joe, don’t. Just tell him I might not be seeing him soon.”
My eyes searched hers for answers.
“Last night, he was right, I have to get away. My dad, he’ll keep hurting me if I don’t leave, and your house… it’s too close. I’ve been waiting so long to get away from this, and Nick, he told me I could. Joe, I don’t want to hurt him-“
“You are now...”
“No, you don’t understand, if… if I’m forced to say goodbye to him, face to face, I won’t leave. I know myself too well. It took me years to get away from my father.” No longer able to hold it in, my brother’s crying girlfriend stood before me, wiping away each teardrop that crossed her cheek. “Maybe one day, I’ll be back, but, Nick… he showed me how much I have waiting for me, and I want to see it myself. So just, please, just tell him goodbye for me.”
I stared at her, mouth open to argue, but no words escaped. I simply nodded.
Hey, Tory came by
Tory came by tonight
Hey, Tory came by
She says to say goodbye
Looked outside at the car in the drive
And the suitcase on the back seat inside
Sure it's so she can't look out behind at the road
She said "I might not be seeing him soon."
"I've got a few things I've been waiting to do."
“She what?!” I watched my younger brother pace his room, pulling at his hair.
“She said to tell you goodbye,” I added quietly.
“Just like that?! She’s leaving just like that?” he breathed heavily, “she didn’t even want to see me?”
“She did, but, she said she couldn’t.” I couldn’t stand to watch Nick’s face contort with a rage backed by the pain of a lost love.
He crossed the room, ripping open the curtains that hung in front of his window. I exhaled in disappointment, realizing that Tory had only now decided to go. Her car was backing out of our drive, an enormous suitcase on the back seat, covering the window.
“No!” Nick screamed, lunging for his door, but with equal strength I held him back, remembering what Tory had told me.
“Nick! Man, stop! Look,” I pushed him onto his bed and pinned him down with all of the strength left in me, “it’s the only way she can get away from her dad. You know it yourself! She won’t leave if she sees you.”
He turned away, avoiding my glare, acknowledging the truth.
Hey, Tory came by
Tory came by tonight
Hey, Tory came by
She says to say goodbye
Don't look down, she seemed alright
You might be asking where is Tory tonight?
Somewhere out on the highway I'm sure she'll be fine
The sun was setting over the street’s horizon. I sat with my hands pressed against my eyes, on Nick’s bed. For the last few hours he had stood, staring out of the window, eyes empty of emotion. I couldn’t take this any longer. “Man, stop looking down…”
His head snapped to look at me, angry, not so much at me but at the girl who had driven away only hours before. “She’s by herself…” he began.
“She seemed alright, happy almost,” I stopped, digressing, “I mean, happy to get away… from her dad. It was the right thing. You know it too.”
“I don’t even know where she’s going.” His voice trembled as he finally let himself sit next to me on the bed. “I don’t know where she’s going to stay, who she’s going to see. Is she gonna be okay? I just, I don’t know.” He looked at me, then down at his hands. They were balled into fists, knuckles white. “I love her so much.”
The pain showed through in his voice, I had no idea what to say. Tory was somewhere on the highway, heading to nowhere in particular and we could only pray she’d be okay. I glanced one more time at my brother who had finally given in to tears. “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” was all I could think to say.
Comments appreciated. =)