Valentine

I pull out the socks from my feet and then go turn off the tap. I sprinkle some lavender bath salts in it and then start getting out of my clothes. The get together was soooo boring. I step into the tub naked and relax under the warm water and the distinct smell of lavender. I don’t understand why I had to go to this thing? Seriously would it just not be good if I stayed back here than go around a lawn and smiling at old hags when I didn’t want to? But no! My family has to show the world what a good family we are.

Dad’s company threw a get-together… apparently they do it every month so I know I’ll have to endure this once every fucking month. There was hardly anyone my age there. The children were usually ranging from five to twelve years old. And Christopher was there too so I had to keep brushing him off. God that guy is repulsive. He is good looking but I just get the right vibes from him. And his pompous nature was even more revolting… a trait genetically transferred from his parents.

To short it up, it was a hellish 3 hours. I couldn’t be happier to get into the car to come back here. I just wish I had Liam or Mona or Talia… They were the only people whom I could talk to… well as much talk as I can. Then I just started to sit on my bed when she took to me to this new salon or whatever where there were more old hags either getting a spa, or a manicure or pedicure. The woman painted my nails a horrible pink saying it would look good… it does not. There were a couple of girls in the room who were around age and one of them was in the same school as I but she did not like me.

I did not say anything to strike up a conversation with her either. I just sat there bearing the chatty woman who painted my nails pink and answered in monosyllables. Obviously when we returned home, my mom was very quick to lecture me on being friendlier towards people and complaining how closed up and rude I was to the women to talk to me. I stood there listened to her and then went upstairs to my room.

I was so angry that I knew if I stay in my room I am bound to break something so I put on my running clothes and headed out for a good run. The burn in my calves and lungs was what I needed at the moment. God I so whished that Liam was here. I could always count on him to be there and just relax when my parents were being overbearing. But of course now I was half way across the world.

My cell chimes beside the tub and I wipe my hand and reach for it. Liam. “Hey, I was just thinking about you” I said into the phone. “Really? I was too thinking of you. How are you? Last night was okay?” he asked. “Yeah…” I trail off. Should I say him about Zayn? I know how he will react. He will tell me to call the police but I know I can’t. Something about Zayn tell me he does not make empty threats. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” he asks. He always understands when I am lying. “No… just tired after some stupid brunch thing filled with pompous assholes” I change the subject.

Even thinking of Zayn angers me. How can he forget what he was doing last night? I mean he wasn’t that drunk. Although I did not expect anything else, I knew he’d say something like this in the morning. Even I thought of acting like it did not happen but him not remembering stung me. I realize Liam is saying something so I try to pay attention to him and not Zayn. “You remember that redhead girl in my chemistry class? The one with green eyes? She asked me out” he says happily. “No way! Really? Wow, you must be stoked. You had a crush on him for sooo long” I say. I am happy we’ve moved to this topic.

“Yeah I did not think it was true. I honestly thought some of her friends put her up to it but she said she liked me for a while but she was not sure if I like her. I was speechless…” he continues about what he is planning for their first date and I help him with it. occasionally suggesting him not to creep her out. He laughs but I know he is nervous. Liam has had been in only one relationship before and even that did not end well. Finally when I see my toes starting to prune I decide to hang up and get out of the water.

I dry myself and put on my jammies before passing out, tired as hell.

~

I wake up to the shrill voice of my mother screaming and my father shouting but I don’t even try to decipher what they are talking about. I just get up from my bed and put a loud music on blast and start brushing my teeth. Soon there is a rapid knocks on my door. “It’s open” I say with a mouth full of froth. “What have I told you about that god forsaken music?” my mother turns off my music system. I roll my eyes. There is something fundamentally wrong with my family! It really makes me think is this normal? Does every family look like this? No, Liam’s parents were so nice. They are like the happy families in the movies. And then you have my family… all appearance.

“Well if I didn’t have the music, I’d have to listen to you and dad shout at each other and accuse each other of cheating and dwelling on why you both married each other” I say. I see the color change from my mother’s face. “How dare you talk to me like that? I do everything I can to provide for this family and then I am talked to like this? That too from own daughter?” her eyes well up with tears. If I was younger, this might have worked. I would have thought that I really hurt my mom and then I would do anything to make it up to her… and she being the woman she is would try utmost to make me look like an ideal daughter in front of her peers.

But I am not young or naïve any more. I know that these tears are as fake as the ‘I love yous’ she says to my father. I don’t even bother replying her. I take my necessities and go into the bathroom, closing the door at her face. I can distinctly hear her voice complaining to my dad that me being manner less has definitely been his contribution but I ignore it. I just get on with my business and dress up in ripped jeans and a loose white V-neck t-shirt. I go down to see my ‘happy’ family sitting quietly and eating breakfast. I am hungry but I don’t want to sit here while there is a good chance I’ll be lectured again. So I just grab homemade granola bar and an apple and start heading out.

“Where are you going young lady? Your oats is here” my dad says in a clipped voice. I know my mother said him to say me. I roll my eyes and internally groan. “I’m late. I have an early class. I’ll head out” I lie. I know they will buy it because it is regarding my studies. Education is very important for my parents and i always get decent grades so they are likely to believe that I don’t want to miss a class. Honestly I think I’ll just roam around somewhere because I don’t want to go to school these past days were shit. “Oh well, do you want me to drop you?” he asks already getting up from his seat. “Nah, it’s okay. I don’t mind the walk” I protest. He nods and sits back down. My mother scrunches up her nose. I know that she doesn’t like me using words like nah, wanna, yeah… more reasons for me to use them actually.

I leave the house and my mother walks out waving me goodbye. I see then she is greeting our neighbors, smiling, touching her swollen belly, probably talking about what she’d name him or something. I shake my head, dismissing her and putting on my headphones before starting to walk.

There is a huge difference in the weather of Boston and Bradford. The air is always chilly. I should have brought a jacket with me. again the thought of not going to classes and going to some other place fleets around in my mind but then I think of the last time I did I shouldn’t have done and how much trouble I was in because of that. Seriously. And my mind travels to Zayn and the anger and sting reclaims my mind. I need to go to school and drown out my thoughts by listening to the stupid professors. I reach the school grounds and see a known black SUV dropping off a black haired girl. She scowls and waves at the person in the car.

I don’t need to see to know who that person is. I don’t know if I should walk to the building when he is there. His car is right in front of the stairs that will lead to the building. Fuck. I think if I wait here for a few minutes then he’ll go and then I can go to my class. I don’t even know why I am hiding. But I don’t want to see him. Yes I do. Oh god this is confusing. I see him getting out of the car and talking to Raven. She scowls again and tries to turn but he holds her hand and says something – I am too far to hear – which only makes her angry. She just turns away from him and briskly walks away from him.

I still stand in the shadows, waiting for him to go but he looks around as if searching for someone. He kicks the wheels of his car a few times. “Hey Val” I gasp and turn to see the blonde guy… Niall. “Hey” I say. I just realize how I must look to someone right now, creeping behind a tree. What is my excuse to creep around in the shadow? “Lost something?” he asks. “Um… yeah… uh… my ring. It fell somewhere here” I fumble with my lie. He buys it. “Want me to help you find it?” he offers but I shake my head. “It wasn’t that expensive. Leave it” I say and he nods. I know that he won’t move till I do. I sneak a quick glance at the staircase and yes the black SUV and a Zayn is still there. “Let’s go” I say and smile forcefully. He smiles and walks beside me.

The nearer we draw to Zayn, the sweatier my palm gets and it is really stupid of me. Why am I getting nervous? He probably doesn’t even remember me by now. He certainly doesn’t remember the kiss. Niall is speaking about something but I am not paying attention to him. My focus is on Zayn and how to avoid him. I am grateful I left my hair down because as we walk past Zayn, I lower my head, my loose hair acting the role of curtains shielding my face. And yet when we passed him I couldn’t help but look at him. When I raise my head enough to glance at him, I see his hard eyes already on me. His eyes shift between Niall and I. I feel queasy under his stare. The bruises have certainly lightened. But a bruise on his neck looks dark, recent. My eyes widen in shock… perhaps? Because that mark that I mistook for bruise is a hickey. I know it. And it is recent. I look into his eyes.

His eyes are still assessing Niall. I turn my head in repulsion. That guy is really a pig. Then again… I did not expect anything else from him. “So do you wanna come?” I turn my attention to Niall. I forgot he was here. “Huh? What?” I ask. I have no idea what he was talking about. “The party?” “Um… yeah… when was it again?” I ask. I still feel Zayn’s eyes on the back of my head but Niall seems oblivious to it. “Tomorrow. Do you wanna come? If not I understand” he shrugs. Honestly after the incidents that took place last time I was in the party, I really don’t want to go. “I’ll let you know latter” I say after a pause. He is actually decent so I don’t want to be downright rude to him but I certainly don’t want to go to the party.

We part ways once inside the building and I go on about my classes, silent all through. The classes are really tedious and there were times when the teacher’s accent was so strong it was hard to understand what he was saying. Lunch break starts and I take out my apple. Again I walk out to see Raven sitting alone with a book in her hand and the other tables full. I see Christopher waving at me but I ignore him. I don’t want to sit with him. DO I want to sit with Raven? After everything that has happened to me because and with her brother? Does she even know about it? Probably… Does she like being a part of a gang? I want to ask her these things but if I’ve met a girl who is as reserved as I am, if not more, then it is Raven so I don’t think that she will be too keen on sharing her life’s details with me, a stranger.

When I see Christopher walking my way I know I have to make a quick decision. I don’t know any other people here and I can’t see Niall otherwise I would go to him so I finally sprint to raven’s table. “Hey” I say smiling falsely. She looks up from her book and gives me small but genuine smile. I see the blueish stains below her eyes. She must have been awake for a really long time. She even looks tired. I take the seat opposite to her and look over my shoulder to see if Christopher is still coming my way. I smirk when I see him retreating, awkwardly glancing at our direction. “Trying to get away from him huh?” Raven asks and I nod sheepishly. “Sorry” I mutter. She shrugs.

“Eh it’s all right” Raven says but I feel bad. “So, Raven…” I start but I have no idea what to say. I am so bad at making conversations. And she is looking up at me waiting for me say something. “Um… so you and your brother… how’s that?” I want to mentally slap myself for this. Why did I open my mouth in the first place. I know very well I can’t make conversations then why did I try. Why couldn’t I just stuff the apple in my mouth and keep quiet?

“Don’t waste your breath. He is hot and all but he can’t be in a serious relationship. He’s incapable of it. And you just want to be one of the girls who he fucks then go ahead, throw yourself at him…” her words makes the bubbling potion of rage that Zayn had brewed in me burst. That’s it. I am taking any shit from this brother-sister duo. I stand up stomping my legs and slapping hard on the table. “I am not even remotely interested in your drunk, filthy brother. And it is definitely not I who threw myself at him. It was him. I did not kiss him. He kissed me. So just get your facts straight before you start going around pointing fingers at people” I shout but not loud enough for people around to hear me. I am actually thankful that others are away. I grab my apple and pick up my belongings before walking away.


A/N: EARLY UPDATE! AND RAVEN Vs VALENTINE. 'o'.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
AND JUST A QUICK QUESTION - WHOSE P.O.V DO YOU ENJOY READING MORE?
VAL OR ZAYN?
P.S. THIS STORY REACHED 1000+ READS! YAY!!!

Notes