Hard Habit to Break

Chapter 22

 Tori zipped up her suitcase, pulling it from the top of the bed. It hit the floor with a thunk, the sound mimicking the way her heart sounded as it dropped to her feet at the idea of leaving. She ignored her heart because it was not to be trusted and quickly surveyed the room one more time, checking inside drawers and even under the bed, ensuring she hadn't forgotten anything before heading to the bathroom across the hall to do the same thing.

"Got everything?" asked Robin, dragging her own suitcase behind her from the room next door as Tori exited the bathroom.

"I think so." Tori shrugged.

No. She didn't have everything. She would never have everything. Not really. She was leaving behind something she really wanted, something she desperately wanted to stuff in her suitcase and bring home with her. But she had what she needed for now.

"I'm sure Eddie can ship anything back if you forgot something. I'm sure I did. I always do. No matter how many times I check I always manage to leave something behind."

Steve's voice came calling up the steps, "You ladies ready yet? We gotta head out in fifteen minutes for the airport."

"Yes dingus. We don't need you checking up on us, Dad! We are fully capable of being on time!"

"Since when?" scoffed Steve.

Robin held her hands out in front of her, miming strangulation, "I swear, I love him, but sometimes...sometimes I just want to wrap my hands around his throat and cut off his air supply until he can't say anything else annoying. Anyway, you all good?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because Eddie declared his undying love for you and asked you to give up your whole life to be with him because he's never stopped wanting you even after all these years and that is like, epically, disgustingly romantic but also terrifying. Oh, and you found out he didn't cheat on you even though you've been thinking for the last month that he did and that was probably the one thing you were holding onto that was keeping you from repeating your past with him. And not only didn't he cheat, but the guys pretty much verified that you are all he thought about. Gag but also sweet. And now you have to decide if you're going to take the safe path and hide in Hawkins, become a librarian, and get a few cats or race down the unknown one into the chaos that is Eddie's life where you'll be photographed in your sweats at the coffee shop and possibly mauled by insane women because you took the man they lust after in their dreams. And you'll have to tour and travel on a bus with four guys who don't have the best hygiene so the smell...god, I don't even want to imagine. But you would get to live in this house which, let's face it, is pretty damn amazing, and be right next to the beach at all times. Huge perk! And that view of the mountains from the library and the bedroom, forget about it. And you would have Eddie, which we both know, is all you've ever wanted. So now you have this monumentally, life altering choice in front of you. It's enough to make anyone not so good at the moment."

Tori simply stared at her best friend because when she got on one of her rants there was no stopping her. There was also no point in responding because most of the time, she would just respond to herself, leaving nothing left to say. And yeah, she'd pretty much said it all. It was a monumentally life altering decision and she still didn't know what she was going to do.

Robin's shoulders sagged, the air in her body releasing in a big whoosh, "I don't envy you, Tor. That's a lot to consider."

"Yeah. It is."

"So...?"

"So what?"

"Have you considered it?"

"Rob," Tori said, her eyes rolling toward her friend. "I've known about this for all of a few days. It's a lot. I told him I need some time."