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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"Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic." (Oscar Wilde).
|◁ II ▷|
I wave bye to Rachel as her sister's car drives off, feeling absolutely amazing. Friends always make me so happy. My smile dims as I think back to Amber. She left late last night instead of spending the night. She said she had other plans.
No matter. It's okay. It'll be okay.
I hurry back inside and text Valen, making sure he can still pick me up for lunch. After I finish pulling my pullover and leggings on and fix my hair and makeup, I hurry back downstairs, finding Valen and my mom talking and smiling. His eyes shift to me, and his smile grows.
"Bye, Mrs. Vaughan!" He calls as we head out the door.
Valen shuts his car door and turns my seat heater on. "How about we make lunch at my house today?"
"That sounds great," I grin. "Then we can make some chocolate chip cookies!"
Valen laughs and pulls the car out of the neighborhood.
"Oh, just to warn you," Valen says after parking the car at his house. "Ben, the twins, and Phoenix are over. Is that okay?"
"Of course," I smile.
When we get inside the house, the boys don't get up from the couch. I hear the sounds of some kind of video game going. Valen and I head to the kitchen to make lunch.
I start getting the batter ready for the cookies as Valen gets each plate made with sandwiches and fruit. He finishes fixing the plates before I finish the batter, and he comes over towards me to watch.
I glance up at him and grin, and he smiles back down at me.
"Little taste?" He asks softly.
I breathe out a soft laugh and take the teaspoon I used for the vanilla to get a small scoop of batter. I hold it out for him, and he takes it with a nose scrunch.
Just a minute later, the boys enter the kitchen.
"Damn, I've been smelling cookies for a while," One of the twins comments.
I take a moment before deciding it's Collins.
"Lunch is ready," Valen announces, helping me stop Benson and Collins from trying to stick their fingers in my batter.
The guys hurry to grab their plates with little complaining and head to the table. Phoenix grabs his plate last and waves.
I wave back. "I haven't done much learning yet, but I've been learning how to finger spell!"
I spell his name, struggling for a second on the "h" in it. Phoenix's face lights up, and he gives me a clap and a smile.
We walk into the dining room and sit at the table. Technically the kitchen table could've held all of us, too, but I think Valen's noticed how much I love having meals at the big, fancy table. I smile as I sit next to him, and he smiles back.
