Valentine

Okay that Raven girl was nice but kind of weird. It was really awkward. We didn’t really speak much once we left the open cafeteria. She did show me a couple of places around the campus and I have to thank her for that but other than that there was nothing much spoken. I have never really been the one to initiate a conversation and she didn’t seem too eager to share her part either so we just strolled around for a couple of minutes before the bell range and then we both headed our own way.

My next class was P.E. It was not something I was looking forward to. I am slim and fit but I have never really actively participated in extra-curricular activities but when I asked around here, I got to know that you have to pass in P.E. or else they will fail you. It was really ridiculous. But I didn’t have much choice so I changed into the designated uniform and left the locker. The girls were not really interested to talk to me. Maybe it was because they saw me with Raven or maybe they just don’t like me… I don’t know. That reminds me… she never told me why people didn’t talk to her. I would ask her but that would mean I will have to share something from my side too which will lead to more and I did not want hat… or specifically I could not do that. As soon as I entered the court a ball hit my head making me fall down on the ground. I see the room around me spinning and I am sure I will pass out any second but after a few good minutes I feel someone help me get up. “I am so sorry. I did not mean to hit you. Are you okay?” the guy asked but my vision was still a little blurry so I took my time to actually put a face to the voice of the person who threw a basketball at me. The guy has blonde hair styled in spikes and clear blue eyes.

My head is still spinning a little so I don’t say anything. The guy with the gym teacher helps me to the bleachers and soon I am handed an icepack to put on my head. This day couldn’t get better.“I am really sorry. I never meant to hit you. It was an accident. I hope you understand…” he kept on babbling but now I was focused on terrible pain on the side of my head. I am sure there will be a bump in my head very soon enough. “Look… whoever you are –” I start but he interjects me. “Niall. My name is Niall” “Okay, look Niall… it is okay. You don’t have to apologize again and again. I am fine” I say and turn away from him. “So you’re new here?” he asks not getting the hint that I wanted him to go away. Why were people so damn oblivious in Bradford?
I hold the ice pack to my head and pray that there is not a bump in my head. When I see he hasn’t moved I finally answer him. “Yes, it’s my first day here” “Yeah? What’s your name?” he asked and took the seat next to me. This was not a conversation I wanted. I did not want any type of conversation at all actually. Why couldn’t people just let me be like in my previous school? “Valentine” I answer in a clip tone and hope he understands what I mean to actually say him but he opens his mouth to say something else… probably make a cheesy joke about my name like most guys did but another boy called out to him and he waved me a quick bye before jogging to the group of boys shooting hoops.

I was excused from the class due to my injury so I changed into my clothes and wandered around the school premises before finding a large tree at the corner of the campus. It provided shade so I sat under it and read a book I had brought with me just in case I bunked any of my classes. I don’t know how long I sit there because when the last bell rings indicating the end of my first school days I realize I have not just miss gym but also the next classes after that. Well there is nothing really that I can do about it so I pick my bag up and leave. I was standing at a corner in the parking lot when the blonde guy came to me again. I internally groaned.

“Hey Valentine? Are you okay?” he asks. He has taken a shower because I notice the tips of his hairs are still wet. “Call me Val and yeah I am okay. You don’t have to keep asking me that” I answer and look around hoping my mother will come to pick me up soon enough. “Okay… Val, I still feel terrible about it… maybe I could redeem myself by taking you out sometimes?” he asks and I turn my head to look at him. He is scratching his neck and looking down at his converse. I was not looking for another relationship I knew was going to fail. “That is a very lovely offer but I think I am going to pass” I say and he looks up at me. “Okay… Well there is a party near the Fairview Lake tonight. If you wanna come… it’d be cool. Here’s my number if you forget the address or something” he said and handed me a piece of crumpled paper. I nodded not responding. After that he jogged away to where his friends were. I sat on the corner staircase.

I called my mom but there was no answer. I reached her voicemail and left a message hoping she gets it and comes to pick me up. I don’t even know this place that nicely so I am not that sure I can find my way back by walking. I feel someone approaching me but I don’t turn to look because it is probably that Niall guy. “Who is going to pick you up?” Raven asks. I look up at her. She doesn’t look like she wants to offer me a ride but she also is here standing in front of me right now. “Waiting for my mum” I simply answer. She takes a seat near me. I don’t want to initiate a conversation right now but sitting here in silence feels too awkward so I finally ask her “Your mum’s gonna pick you up?” I ask and instantly a shadow falls over her face. Something shifts in her and I am not exactly sure what. “No. my brother” she speaks but her voice sounds different. I decided it is best if I maintain silence. After half an hour of sitting there and watching kids disperse I tried calling my mom again and reached her voice mail. This time I did not bother leaving a message. I knew what had happened. She was probably at a spa relaxing or she had found a young piece of British meat for her amusement already. Either way the bottom line was I was walking home today.

Just as I was about to get up a Black SUV pulled up in the empty parking lot and the rude guy from the morning came out. Raven got up beside and hugged him once and then they started moving towards the car. Wait… this was her brother? Both sister and brother were weird but who was I to comment. My family was probably far weirder than that. I got up too pulling the strap of my bag and starting to walk when Raven’s voice interrupted again. “Hey wanna thumb a ride with us?” she asks peeking her head out the window. I see the guy scowl at me. “No, I think I’m gonna take a walk, thanks for the offer though” I say and take another step when she speaks again. “It is getting dark, this place is not safe. You should come with us” she insists. She doesn’t look like she is too eager about the idea either but something in her voice tells me this place is actually not safe after dark. “The girl doesn’t wanna go, she doesn’t have to go. Stop trying to force her” he bites out. I don’t think he even remembers me.

“Oh shut up, will you Zayn? Val get in” she insists and I finally get in the back seat of the car. So his name is Zayn. I have to admit it is nice to a name to his face. Oddly, his name suits him. Dark and dangerous just like him. I see him scowl at from the rearview mirror and I am almost tempted to stick my tongue out at him but I hold my tongue. I say them my address and Raven whistles. “You one of the rich kids then huh?” she asks. “My family suffices my needs” I answer modestly. I have never been the one to gloat. Maybe that was the reason I could never mix in with the crowd my family hung out with.

The rest of the ride is quiet. Neither of them try to initiate a conversation with me so I don’t go out of my way to talk to them either. Finally they drop me off and I mutter a thank you but the car does not stay that long to even hear me say that. I turn and enter my house and find my mother with a lime green pack on her face and cucumber slices on her eyes with a girl massaging her feet. Spa at home. “Mom I am home” I say although I think she might not listen but to my surprise she takes the cucumber off her eyes and look at me. “You’re home? I thought the school did not get over till 4:00?” “Mom it is 5:30” I spit out bitterly and her eyes harden. “Young lady that is no way of talking to your mother” she scolds. This is my fucking family. “Whatever” I grumble and go to the kitchen to fix some food. Finally I agree on a packet of chips and cola. I take it upstairs to my room and slump on my bed eating the junk and watching television.

Time passes and it is already past nine. I am bored bone. I had already completed any homework and also some extra studies. I skipped dinner because I wasn’t hungry. I could hear shouts and cusses downstairs so I pulled out my headphones from my school bag and put them on. Just a crumpled piece of paper fell out of the pocket. I picked it up to find a number scribbled on it. Niall.

For a moment I consider it. I have two options right now. Either I stay home and listen to all the rude things parents say to each other and go to sleep here like I usually do or I sneak out the back and go to the party Niall invited me to. I never sneaked out before only because I never really had any friends so obviously I never got invited to a party. Even now I think Niall only invited me to be polite but I was going to take him up on it. I text him on my phone asking him where is the party because I honestly don’t remember and soon he texts me back the address. He even asked me if I wanted him to come pick me up but I declined. There was no way in hell that my parents were allowing me to go to a party after dark. It was not what good girls did or a girl from a ‘good family’ did.

I change into a short peach shift dress which hinted at my curves rather than hug them because I did not want to attract too much attention to myself at this party. I style my blonde hair into loose curls and pick the heels in my hands. I tip toe to the staircase to see if they were in their room but as my luck would have it they were in the kitchen shouting at each other. The back door was next to the kitchen so there was no way I could go from there and you could easily see the front door from the kitchen so that was out of option as well. I went back to my room and opened the window to find a pipe to the right. I don’t think about it. I just do it. I dropped my shoes on the ground and started to climb down the pipe. I half expected it to break ad break my ribs and back but nothing like that happened.

The party was only a few blocks away so I could easily walk there. I gather my shoe and sprint through the yard till I am sure they can’t find me if they run out now. Finally I put my shoes on and walk to the house the party is actually happening. The yard is full of high school students, drinking and loud music pours out of the house. I enter the house and soon Niall spots me. He instantly hands me a red plastic cup and drink it at one swig. “Wow!” he whistles. “I was thirsty” I bite out still affected by the bitter liquid. He fills up my cup again and this time I take small sips. “I am glad you changed your mind and came tonight” Niall speaks over the loud music. “Yeah me too” I say awkwardly. He talks to me for a while and asks me some few basic questions. I answer them out of courtesy but soon he is called away by some of his friends and I am left alone. I have never been much of a dancer so I roam around the house. It is at the end of the street near a river or a lake… I don’t know exactly.

Behind the house there is forest area so I decide to walk there because the screaming music is tearing my eardrum. It is quite dark outside and the only source of light here in the woods is the moonlight. I reach in for the pocket of my dress to pull out my iphone but I realize that I left it at home. Great. I start walking back to the house when I hear distant whispers. I am not the kind of person who eavesdrops on someone but I hear a guy begging. “Please Malik. I know I am late to pay you but I am on it trust me. I will pay you, just give me another chance” intrigued I walk slowly towards the sound careful not to make any sound. A guy beaten and bruised kneels in front of a group of men. “Oh No Miller you don’t get another chance. You knew what you were going to get when were behind payment again. You are going to get what you deserve” that guy… Zayn stands in front of the guy holding a gun. Before I have the time or sense to do something he pulls the trigger and the guy falls to the ground. My eyes widen. “Fuck” I gasp. I don’t wait to see if someone heard me. I run. I run blindly.

But today luck is not on my side. Strong pair of arms grips my waist from behind and throw me over their shoulder.


A/N: CLIFFHANGER!!!!
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
OKAY, HONESTLY I TRIED TO UPLOAD THE CHAPTER 2 DAYS AGO BUT MY LAPTOP KEPT SHUTTING DOWN WHENEVER I TRIED TO SO HERE IT IS TODAY.
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Notes