DAISY {Eric Matthews}

03

Chapter three

'he's very calm and loves cuddles'

Valerie lazily doodled in her notebook her attention only being caught when Mr Feeny entered the classroom. After a weird interaction with Cory, the headteacher made his way to Mr Turner to let him know of Shawn's absence during his history test. This was Cory's queue to get up and cover for his best friend like normal.

"Oh, that's my fault, my fault. I was supposed to tell you that Shawn had a severe case of uh..." Cory trailed off briefly while he thought, "Help me out here" he suggested looking between the two teachers. 

"Sloth?" Mr Feeny inquired, Valerie struggling to hold in a laugh still sitting at her desk, her doodling long forgotten. 

"Yes, Hong Kong sloth," Cory claimed enthusiastically, at this Valerie let out a giggle. Waving his hand dismissively, Turner said walking out, "That's it." 

"Not you're best work Mr Matthews" Feeny commented. Valerie finally stood from her desk and moved over to Cory wrapping her arm around his shoulder, "Come on Cor, let's go." 

*

Back at home, Valerie was just making herself a snack in her kitchen when her father came in. Patrick Thomas was a tall man with blonde hair and tired blue eyes; his work at the hospital meant a lot to him and so he spent much time there. He one day hoped his daughter would follow after him and his wife and become a doctor. He immediately went over to the kettle to set it to boil. 

"Hey Dad, are you going to work?" Valerie asked, her mother was still at the hospital working a long shift today while her father had had the morning off. 

"Yes after this coffee, I am off. Make sure to get some studying done tonight, okay, you want to make sure you're grades stay as good as they are," he leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead before moving to grab himself a cup for his coffee. With a small smile at her Dad, she bid him goodbye, "Go save lives, Dad." He returned her smile, albeit a much brighter one than hers. 

Up in her room, Valerie settled onto the middle of her bed, her new kitten immediately joining her and curling up at her side. A more sincere smile graced Valerie's face at this action before it fell. Valerie pulled up her backpack from the floor at the foot of her bed and spilt its contents before her. Val's initial reaction was to reach for her sketchbook and continue a drawing she had started the day before, but she paused hand hovering over it. Shaking her head she threw it to the side and reached for a textbook instead, beginning to study for any upcoming tests she may have. 

*

Dressed up in her cheerleading uniform ready for practice, Valerie walked up to two of her best friends just in time to hear one of them complain about having to go see the guidance counsellor. 

"I'll tell you one thing though, Shawn Hunter is not going to waste an hour of his life listening to some bald-headed, long-winded, leisure suit-wearing know it all." He gestured dramatically and nodded his head to Valerie in acknowledgement of her arrival. Behind Shawn, a beautiful young woman came up and let out a gasp of excitement, "Oh! My name's on the door!" 

Anticipating Shawn's change in opinion  Valerie shook her head and watched as a smile grew on Shawn's face, "Hi, Shawn Hunter. Guide me."