The Sophomore || Tori Kelly

Just A Dream

Tori picked up her head and looked around with no one to be found, before the door opened and a light flickered on. "Come on, sleepy head. We're back," André smiled, reaching over and unhooking her seatbelt. Tori grabbed her phone and allowed her man to help her out of his lifted truck. She looked back to see an empty backseat as André shut the door. Her clothes were different from five seconds ago, and André didn't have a beard. That was a terrible dream. We're having a son? Why is he leaving? How do I stop that? Maybe if I do nothing it won't happen. Oh my gosh. Tori mentally panicked. She saw that Michelle was already at her door with a heavy car seat and took deep breath as she grabbed her keys.

Tori quickly opened the door, dropped her stuff on the couch, and went straight for the bathroom. Her nerves were irritating her stomach and forced her spill the rest of the contents of her stomach. Disgust filled the college kids body at the sight of her regurgitated everything, causing her to flush the toilet, and start the shower. As the water heated up, Tori took the time to brush her teeth and take off her makeup. She was very disappointed that she didn't get to meet André's parents but happy that they didn't see her in such a terrible state and get the wrong idea, like she was pregnant or an alcoholic or something. This was a fluke. It could happen to anyone.

11 PM

Tori sat on the counter with Michelle standing next to her sipping on starwberry litmonade. It was a mixture of Patron and strawberry lemonade. It was JoJo's recipe, but Tori made it more often. Michelle sat her cup on the counter and went to help André set up the pack and play as Tori downed the last of her drink and poured herself another cup. André noticed and swipe the cup as Tori went to put it to her lips. "Slow down, speedy Gonzalez," he said, pouring the cup in the sink and putting the pitcher back in the fridge.

"I feel much better, now," she giggled, slightly buzzed. "All I needed was hair of the dog," Tori smiled. The basketball player could see his girl was a little past tipsy and plucked her off of the counter.

"I bet you do feel better. Your drunk again," André muttered, carrying her to her room. "Go to sleep," André said lying Tori down. She locked her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

"Don't leave me," she started to cry, against his lips. André pulled his hands to her waist and kissed her for a couple more moments before pulling out.

"Tori, I'm not going anywhere, but you're drunk. I'm not going to do anything with you," he declared. Tori let him free and curled into a ball with her back facing him.

"How did I ever get so lucky?" Tori mumbled in a state of almost sleep. André pecked her head and pulled the covers over her. He felt bad that she felt so helpless. But he didn't know what to do. What could he say? He used drugs to cope. It would be hypocritical of him to tell her that she couldn't drink away the pain. What he didn't realize was that the very thing that he was afraid to say was the very thing that might save her life.

11:18 PM

André and Michelle sat in the living as Michelle rocked her baby back to sleep. "You talked to her outside. Is she gonna be okay?" André asked as they stared at the paused TV screen. Michelle shrugged.

"I think so. I mean... she was violated in the most disrespectful and degrading way possible. She'll come out of this but not without a few bumps and bruises," Michelle said.

"Well, what can I do? She sleeps all day, drinks all night, and if people are here she pretends like she fine even though I know she's drowning in herself," André asked. Michelle looked over to her big brother. She could see the fear and love in his eyes. She hated seeing both of them go through this, but what could she say? She didn't know anything about this. Her shame and her humiliation were as her parents loved to call it "self inflicted", so she didn't really know the kind of pain Tori felt. And she had a beautiful baby girl at the end of the day. All Tori had were some pictures and videos that could get out and taint her image.