A Fighter's Secrets (Jori Fanfic) [Discontinued]

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious or any of its characters.

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Chapter 5: Tori's POV

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A sharp pain throbs in my head as a low groan passes through my parted mouth. My eyelids were heavy bricks, unwilling to open. I was blind to the world. My body was crawling in agony, every single muscle burning with just the slightest movement. It also wasn't helpful that I didn't take any pain killers in the past hour.

"Tori? Could you keep it down?" My dark eyes flash open in annoyance.

She broke the peaceful silence.

"I'm trying to do work," Trina clarifies, her eyes darting from me to her orange PearBook. Her fingers click away on the keyboard as I scowl, trying to get comfortable on my bed. It wasn't easy, being bruised and all.

"Well excuse me for being in pain," I retort sarcastically. She huffs, not bothering to look at me. "What are you doing in my room anyway?" My eyes flicker up to the ceiling, its blandness soothing my overheated head. I try to stop thinking all together but to no avail. My thoughts had a mind of their own. Ugh.

The match kept replaying in my head, reminding me that this punishment was all my own doing. You could have been faster. Didn't you see that coming? My subconscious mocks. Another groan leaves me.

"Tori!" she shrieks. Her stern eyes fall on me, noticing my mentally vulnerable state. The coldness leaves, her eyes softening. "I'm only here because Mom wanted me to look after you while she got all the needed medical supplies. We didn't know you'd get beat up this bad."

A hoarse laugh bursts from my mouth, my eyes crinkling. My sister looks upon me in concern, so unlike her usual rude and obnoxious self. "What's the matter, Tor? Is something wrong?"

My eyes cast downwards, refusing to meet her gaze. I lick my dry lips. "Treen, this was all my fault," I croak. Her eyes widen. "I could have been...better. Faster. I could've avoided all this," I motion to my beaten body. "Sure I won, but in reality, I lost. No one goes a full round with Shelby Marx but I allowed it, the whole thing lashing back at me."

She sits next to me, gripping my hand. It was bandaged, the knuckles swollen. "Tori, this isn't your fault. We all knew that Maya Feckner was training to pummel you but you used strategy instead of lashing out without reason. You did well and everyone thinks so too." The brunette squeezes my hand affectionately.

Smiling weakly, my eyes trail down to my shin, currently wrapped in cloth. Turns out that that kick I received really did some damage to my leg. Something about me leaning on it too much and placing weight on it.

Thankfully, the worst of it was just a little bleeding. The rest of my injuries were small scratches and bruises. Many, many bruises. "Trina, do you think I can heal enough to be beat Arana Ollie?"

Trina purses her lips. "I don't know, Tor. Maybe Rod can push back the match for another week?" she suggests.

I shake my head, my eyes glazing over. "No. If I push back the fight, that means she gets more time to train while I sit here in this bed, not gaining anything. I think it's better if I just get it over with." A fiery sensation pools into my right shoulder, making me bite my tongue. "Is Mom going to get here soon?" I ask through gritted teeth. "I don't think I can last much longer."

Right at that moment, the door downstairs loudly swings open, along with the fast clatter of footsteps. They echo closer, alerting us of another presence. Trina offers a forced smile. "Looks like she's here now. Don't worry, Tori. She'll fix you right up."