“Has anyone seen Tony?” Anthony said as he stepped off the last couple of stairs and walked into the living room where Jaime, Mike and Vic stood around as they tried to wipe away the sleepiness that still lingered. They all shook their heads at him before he frowned and walked in the opposite direction in search for his cousin. Both Jaime and Mike made their way into the living room while Vic went straight to the patio instead like he did every morning. He got to the railing and gave his body a good stretch as he stared up ahead at the beach. He spotted a figure up ahead but he couldn’t quite tell what it was. He rubbed his eyes to get a better look just as he heard footsteps approach him. Mike stopped beside him and scanned the beach when Vic dropped his hand back at his side and let his vision clear up again.
“Well there he is!” Mike said in triumph.
“Huh?” Vic said in confusion as he turned to look at his brother.
“Tony, don’t you see him. He’s up there, at the beach.”
“Are you sure? It looks too big for it to be him, besides what would he be doing in the middle of the beach?”
“I don’t know but let’s go check it out.” Mike said before he quickly made his way down the few steps and on to the sand. “You coming?” He asked Vic, making no attempt at stopping. Vic let out a sigh and jogged to keep up to his pace. They finished the distance to where they saw the two bodies lying on the sand. Mike squatted down in front of Tony’s head and noticed the girl that Tony was cuddling with. They both noticed his arm around her waist and rested on her hip and her head on his chest and figured it must be some girl he hooked up with last night. Mike examined the girl further and something about her made her oddly familiar to him. “Is this..?” He started to ask as he moved his hand to sweep her hair out of her face.
“Tori.” Vic finished without needing to see the face in front of him. He just had a feeling it was her from the beginning.
“Way to go Tony!” Mike said excitedly causing both Tony and Tori to wake up. Their eyes fluttered open and their cheeks immediately went red at the realization of how close they actually were and that they were spotted. Both their heads tilted back and went a darker shade of red as soon as they saw Mike and Vic standing there, looking at them. “Good morning!”
“Uh- hi guys.” Tori said as she averted her eyes to Vic who looked at Tony uncomfortably.
“What time is it?” Tony asked as he rubbed his face and started to get up from the floor.
“Nearly one.” Vic said through his teeth, sounding annoyed before turning his back against everyone and started making his way back to the house. As Mike helped Tori up from the floor her eyes flashed to Tony as she watched her a bit before giving her a small smile and tried to catch up to Vic.
“Soo you and Tony finally-“ Mike started as he slightly poked Tori on the side with his elbow and raised his eyebrows at her.
“What? You mean-no!” She quickly spit out making him chuckle as she stared at him.
“Care to explain why you two were cuddling then?”
“We were not cuddling Mike!”
“Oh Victoria, you think I don’t know what cuddling is? He had his arm around you and your head was on his chest, I saw it. How did that happen?”
“I don’t know we were just talking.”
“So I’m guessing you finally told him?”
“Yeah but it was really awkward by the way the subject was brought up.”
“What do you mean? What were you guys talking about?”
“..Your brother.”
“Vic?” He asked as he pointed up ahead, confused as both Tony and Vic made their way inside the house. “Why him?”
Tori parted her lips to start to explain but instead bit her lip and shook her head as she looked away from him. “It’s complicated Mike and a long story.”
“Tori what’s going on?”
“Nothing.” They stepped onto the porch and as Tori was about to finish the walk to the door Mike stopped her and turned her around so she could face him.
“Tori I know something is going on, I can see it. Is something wrong with Vic? When I asked him he shrugged me off and I’m getting worried. Please talk to me.”
She stared at Mike’s eyes and she could clearly see the worry in them as he waited for a response.
“Vic and I-“ she started to say but was stopped as they both heard yelling coming from inside. She saw Mike run inside as she stood frozen, listening to Tony and Vic yelling inside.

“Why are you being such an asshole?!”
“I’m not doing anything! So back off.” Vic tried to walk away from Tony but he stopped him and pulled him back. “Let me go Tony!”
“No, not till you tell me why you can’t talk to Tori.” At the sound of her name her head snapped back up and she slowly inched closer to the door before going in. She could see Jaime and Anthony standing on the other side as they tried to figure out what was going on with the two. “Are you just going to stand there and ignore me? Come one Vic!”
“What do you want me to tell you Tony! You want to know that I hurt her, how she hates me because I had s-“
“NO!!!” Everyone’s head quickly turned in her direction from the yell. She stared at both Tony and Vic who stood in the center and could feel herself get sick just knowing that her secret was about to be revealed.

Tony noticed the stray tears running down her cheeks and clenched his jaw as he slowly turned back to Vic. “What. The fuck. Did you do. To her!” He said through his teeth as he balled his hands into fists besides him and stepped up to Vic. Mike quickly stepped in between them and moved Tony away as Vic continued to stare at Tori. She shook her head at him before running towards the stairs and making her way upstairs and towards her room. As soon as Tony noticed her run upstairs he felt a rage run through him and he pushed himself to try to get Vic but Mike was too quick and stopped him. “You’re pathetic, hurting someone like that. You better fix this shit!” Tony pushed away from Mike and stormed out to the back to blow off some steam at the beach.
“What did you do Vic?” Mike asked silently as everyone wanted to know the same thing.
“Oh my gosh you too!” He threw his hands up in the air and hurried up the stairs so he could get away from the questioning. He couldn’t take everyone looking at him knowing what he did and how he was feeling about the situation as well. He stopped in front of Victoria’s door and brought his hand up to knock. He could hear her crying inside and it tore him up knowing he was the cause. He let out a sigh and shook his head before making his way to his own room. He wanted to have things back to normal but he knew that she wouldn’t want to talk to him at least not right now. He threw himself on his bed and stared up at the ceiling as he thought about the whole situation. Why did he have to let that happen? He heard his door open and he looked up hoping it would be Tori but instead it was his brother.
“What Mike?” He said frustrated, dropping his head back down and stared back at the ceiling.
“What the hell is going on with you Vic? And I swear to God if you say nothing I might just smack the shit out of you because I know you’re lying.”
He let out a sigh as he felt the bed move with Mike’s weight as he sat down.
“Why do you do this?”
“Do what?”
“You shut me out. I know something is going on with you and you won’t trust me with whatever it is. I want to help you Vic and you’re starting to worry me with how distant you’re becoming with me.” He finally sat up in bed and turned to look at his brother and he could see how hurt he was feeling because of his actions.
“I’m really sorry Mike. I didn’t realize I was being like that with you, it’s just been too much on my mind.”
“Talk to me about it, you know I’m always here for you just as I know you are there for me.”
“I know, I know.”
“Well?” Vic let out a deep breath and turned to face his brother as he waited.
“Ok well you remember that party we threw for Tori?”
“Her going away party? Yeah, what about it.”
“Well I don’t know if you remember how she had gotten?” Mike stared off as he tried to remember that nights events.
“Yeah! She had gotten all drunk and I sent her inside the house.”
“Yes, you asked me to watch her and I did. I took her upstairs to the den and she started to drink from some bottle she managed she bring upstairs with her. She was crying- about Tony and saying she was pathetic and stuff like that and I couldn’t take seeing her like that because I knew it wasn’t true. I was getting upset about the situation because I couldn’t believe Tony could be so blind you know. One thing led to another and I kissed her- I didn’t expect to it just happened and she started to kiss me back and it got…heated.”
“Vic please tell me you two didn’t-“He silently nodded and looked down at his lap in defeat. “Wow! But she liked-“
“ I know! She liked him, she will always like Tony and everyone will always want them together even though he will never notice it. Will anyone ever stop to see what I want, what I feel?”
“Wait you lost me, do you like Tori?”
“No Mike, I love her! I have loved her all these years but I screwed it all up!” Mike looked at him as he tried to piece everything together and waited for him to continue. “After that night I was a coward, I let the guilt eat me up and I couldn’t face her because I knew I did wrong by taking her virginity. I knew well who she wanted and I didn’t realize until that night how I actually felt towards her and I let my emotions control me. I did a bad thing Mike and I knew that and because of it I couldn’t even talk to her or even say goodbye. I hurt the one person that I really cared about all for my selfish purposes and now she won’t ever look at me. I screwed up Mike.” Mike heard Vic’s voice crack as he finished his sentence. He brought his arm around him and patted his shoulder as he tried to comfort him, he never realized he was holding all this in and letting it eat him alive all these years.
“What about Julie?”
“Julie?” Vic asked confused as he looked up at Mike.”
“Yeah, your girlfriend.” He closed his eyes and let out a sigh at the realization. “You don’t like her the same way as Tori do you?”
“No. Is it bad for me to say that?”
“No, I don’t think so. I understand why you feel like this towards Tori.”
“But there is nothing I can do about it now. I should just forget about it and move on with Julie, shouldn’t I?”
“Are you stupid?!”
“Mike ther-“
“Of course you will not just go back to Julie and I will not let you. You need to talk to Tori first, get this all straightened out. Tell her what you just told me and if it’s not meant to happen it won’t but you need to at least tell her. Don’t expect things to get better just like that. You need to do it, I won’t let you live on with your life thinking what if.”
“You think she will listen to me? After all these years?”
“Yes, she misses you Vic. I could tell, whenever she says your name.”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
“Wow, I didn’t know.”
“Yeah well now you do and I think it’s time you should head on over there and fix this.”
“Thanks bro! I feel better telling someone.”
“No problem. Now go!”
“Ok, ok!” Vic stood up from his bed and walked out of his room with Mike behind him. He patted his shoulder for good luck and went downstairs, leaving him alone in front of the door. He felt his nerves start to kick in as he raised his hand and finally knocked.
“Tori, can we talk?” He waited a moment for her response but got nothing but silence. “Tori?”
“She’s not here.” Anthony shouted from downstairs.
“What?” Vic said as he hurried downstairs for some answers. “Where is she?” He asked as Tony walked inside the house.
“She wanted me to give this to you and Tony.”
“What’s going on?” Tony asked, looking confused as he walked over to Vic. Anthony handed over a folded piece of paper to them and they both looked at each other before Vic took it in his hands and opened it up so they can both read it.
I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye in person. I don’t want you two to be fighting anymore and I feel like I’m just getting in the way by being there. Tony I know I promised you I wouldn’t leave again but I knew that I had to. Please forgive me and please don’t blame this on Vic, what’s going on between him and I are between us and I don’t want that to affect the friendship that you two have. I’m heading back home please don’t try and look for me, enjoy the rest of your summer. And Vic..I’m sorry.