The Sophomore || Tori Kelly

Victoria's Secret

sunday dinner

Tori and her family sat around the dinner table of Tori's childhood home like they did every Sunday. It was sort of a tradition that saved Tori money on food for a couple of days. "So honey, how are your classes going? It's been three weeks now," Laura asked, as Tori pushed her food around her plate.

"Okay," she simply replied. The 19-year-old spent most of the previous day hung up on her kiss with André and all of the church service in tears, so ashamed of herself.

"Tori, what's going on? You were emotional all service and now you're barely eating. What's up?" Laura pried. Tori looked up and glanced between her parents and brother. Laura could see that Tori wanted to talk, but felt embarrassed. "Downstairs, now," Laura sternly said afraid that she had made a mistake by sending Tori to college. The student and her mother headed through the living room, down the steps, and made a B-line for Tori's old bedroom. Tori plopped onto her bed as her mother took the bench in front of her keyboard. "What's his name?" Laura asked.

"What?" Tori replied, completely off guard.

"You heard me. Just because your hair is now blonde, does not mean you can act like one. What is the name of the guy that's got you all messed up? And why does he have you all messed up?" Laura reiterates more thoroughly.

"His name is André. He's a basketball player," Tori finally revealed. Laura watched her daughter take off the hot, high necked sweatshirt, to uncover the huge hickey on her neck that had gotten worse over the hours.

"Tori, you didn't," Laura gently whispered, as she came closer to inspect the bruise. Once again ashamed, Tori turned her head and stared at the ceiling trying to keep in the tears that had threatened to fall.

"No. But we were close," Tori cried. Laura took a deep breath and sat back with her hand over her heart.

"Thank you, Jesus," she quietly praised before going back into mommy mode. "Well, what happened?" Laura asked. Tori rolled up her sleeve to show the nastier bruise on her arm.

"I was at a party with some friends and this guy got rough with me, but André stepped in to help. And while he was getting me ice and making sure I was okay, we kissed, and then he left this on my neck," Tori cliff notes it. Laura felt her pressure rise to hear that someone hurt her child, but she had to remain calm and collected for Tori's sake.

"Were you scared or nervous when he kissed you?" Laura asked. Tori shook her head and started to cradle her jacket.

"No... it just felt sort of natural. Which scared me especially because I wanted it to go farther," Tori tearfully expressed. Laura moved from the bench to the bed and coddled her sweet child.

"Hey, it's okay. Sex isn't bad. You know that, right? It will just be better with the man you are married to," Laura reminded. Tori nodded and wiped her tears onto her already wet sleeve. "Tori, look at me," she said, moving Tori's face up to hers with her chin. "Your father won't love you less. I won't love you less. God won't even love you less. But, this feeling that you have of conviction and remorse will on grow stronger, if you decide to go further with this young man, because of who you are," Laura softly spoke. Tori knew her mother was right. Because, no matter how great André's lips felt on hers or how soft his hands were, the shame she felt afterward overshadowed her pleasure. She could only imagine what premarital sex would do to her.

"Thank you, and can we not tell Daddy about this. I don't want him to show up on campus with a bible in one hand and a shotgun in the other," Tori kind of joke. She was kidding about the bible part, not so much the gun part though. Laura agreed and Tori slipped her sweatshirt back on before following her mother back to the dinner table.