ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

61.

...

Next Day

...

"You just gonna stand there , or help me?" Tori asked, putting a few of her office items into a box. Today was her last day working at Empire. As relieved as she was to get away from the heartless and homophobic Lucious Lyon, she felt some sadness about leaving Anika and the other people she met behind.

She was dressed in her usual attire again; a navy blue suit with her rings and a tie. Anika stood across from the desk, walking slowly around the room. "Well I don't think it would seem right for me to help you leave." She said, walking up to one of the shelves. "What? Missing me already?" Tori asked.

Anika scoffed, then noticing a picture sitting on the shelf. It was a picture of Tori and an older woman whom she resembled. It seemed to be her mother. Tori's hair was brown and a little longer than it is now, in the picture it was barely brushing her shoulders. She looked younger, too.

"Is this a picture of you and your mom?" Anika asked. "Yeah, that's her." Tori said. "How old is this?" Anika asked. "Before I went to college. In the middle of highschool." She said. "Oh..." Anika said awkwardly. She's never seen a picture of her mother. Tori kept it private the same way Cookie kept her mother private. Sometimes the pain was too much to share, and you just wanted to forget about it.

"Well, she's pretty." Said Anika. "Yeah, she created a fine daughter too. Now you see who I get it from." Tori said, grinning to herself. "You know what day is coming, right- Yeah I know. Don't remind me." Tori said, sighing afterwards. Anika decided to leave the subject alone.

She turned away, walking back around the room. "Well next month I'll be flying back home." Anika said. "Yeah, on your little couples retreat." Tori said. "You know, you can have one of those too." Anika said. "Then invite me on the next one you two go on. We can make it a threesome." Tori said, winking at her.

Anika crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. "I'm serious, Tori." Said Anika. "Baby, you thought I wasn't?" Tori asked. "Oh my God." Anika said, shaking her head. "You can have the time of your life with someone if you get over me." Said Anika. Tori let out a single chuckle. "Tori." Anika said in a serious tone. "Look, even though you did things that hurt others, you don't have to stay that way. You can still change. Aren't you tired of it, living in a loop like this?" Anika asked.

Tori shrugged. "I don't know." She said. "It'll take time." She continued. "It's worth it." Anika said. "You're still worried about my happiness after I caused you so much misery, huh Anika?" Tori asked. "I don't have to be in love with you to still have love for you, you know. After you admitted your true feelings and helped me with the situation with Cookie, I saw another side of you. All of what happened is in the past. We were still young and childish." Said Anika.

Tori nodded slowly. "And Cookie doesn't mind you, now. So that's even better." Said Anika. "I'll be honest, you're real lucky you got to her first. Because otherwise I would have had her." Said Tori. Anika smacked the side of her shoulder, and Tori started laughing. "Damn, relax!" She said, holding the side of her arm.

"She's never had experience with dating a woman before. I'm her first." Said Anika. "Shit, well that's even better. I would be able to give her an experience, believe me. Handcuffs and all-" Anika smacked her arm again. "Yo, quit hitting me- You are such an asshole- Alright, alright I'll stop." Tori said.

Anika huffed. "And don't you have a boyfriend anyway?" She asked. Tori raised an eyebrow. "A what?"  She asked. "I mean what about that guy who was so desperate to get with you that night as Leviticus?" Anika said, grinning. "Oh." Tori said. "Yeah, no. I made him spend every dime he had on drinks for me and a group of girls I said I was 'there with'. Then I told him I was going to the bathroom and left with them." Tori said, having a satisfied look on her face.