Nico Vaughan, the junior class "Nice Girl" wants to be free from her abusive and obsessive ex-boyfriend.
Valen Henford, the school's resident "Rich Guy meets Bad Boy" wants to spend his senior year with the girl he's been in love with for years.
W...
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"It was never the way she looked
always the way she was
I would have fallen in love with her
with my eyes closed"
(Atticus).
|◁ II ▷|
The sound of a classic rock song by The Cult wakes me up. It ends shortly, playing just a few words. I reach for my phone and open the text from Nico.
Dammit. I overslept.
I hop out of the bed, shooting Nico a quick text. I need it to be noon. My parents are home, and they want some kind of bonding thing tonight. I need all the time I can get with Nico.
I manage to get myself presentable and smelling nice by the time I have to leave to go to her place. I make sure I have the paper with the music, and I walk out of my room.
And then I go right back into my room to grab my helmet. Now that my parents are home, I can't put my helmet on that piece of furniture in the foyer.
Mom informed me last night that it's called a "console table."
I don't care.
I hurry down the stairs, and I almost make it to the door before Dad calls my name. I groan, not bothering to hide my annoyance. When I turn, I'm met with two parents who look wounded by the noise of frustration that just exited my mouth.
"Valen," Mom greets briefly. "We got stuff to do for the gala. Baby, you can't go out today."
"And we need to spend time with you today, remember?" Dad adds, giving his wife a small arm squeeze.
"We're doin' that tonight, though, right?" I try. "I really got to go out today. Like, right now."
"Why?" Mom demands. "We just got home. We want to see you, baby."
I sigh, careful not to crush the paper in my anger. "There's two weeks til the gala. We'll have plenty of time to chill together."
"Valen," Mom warns, her arms crossing.
I've got to pull out all my cards. "I'm late. I'm supposed to be at my girlfriend's house at noon. Bye."
I walk out the door without another word, leaving my shocked parents inside.
After bulldozing the speed limit for ten minutes, I get to Nico's townhouse.
