VALERIE

Fifty Four

Valerie flipped the page of a gossip magazine and then continued reading what was on the next page. Pure adulterated crap.

"The fuck." She murmured to herself while reading an article about how to lose weight by only eating Chicken Noodle soup for a week.

What alerted her was the sound of a knock coming from her balcony, rolling up from her bed she cautiously strolled to open the double French doors, "Nick?" She questioned as he rushed in, bumping her arm on accident as he did so.

He was breathing heavily, probably from scaling the side of her house to get onto the balcony, he squatted on the floor and pulled his head down towards his knees, his hands wrapped around his neck as he attempted to relax himself and catch his breath.

"Why didn't you just come upstairs to my room instead of scaling up here?" Valerie asked as she shut the doors.

Nick stood up straight, he turned his back to face Valerie and then inhaled.

"Do you love me?" He asked huskily, Valerie quickly nodded her head without hesitation.

Nick frowned, "Do you trust me?" He asked and once again she nodded her head as she was biting down on her bottom lip.

Nick smiled this time and placed his clammy and dirty hand onto her shoulder, "Then come with me."

Valerie nodded, "Sure but I have to ask my dad first."

Nick shook his head, "No, that isn't what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Valerie questioned him, looking unsure of himself Nick dropped a shoulder,

"I meant, let's runaway."

"You're crazy." She laughed. Nick didn't.

Valerie's laughter subsided when she realized he was dead serious.

Taking a deep breath she shook her head, "Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?" She insisted,

"Because if you don't, we won't see eachother again. And I don't think I can handle that."

Valerie scrunched her nose up, "What do you mean?"

"I mean-" Nick paused, "Just if you love me do this for me, no, do this for us, Valerie please trust me."

Valerie hesitated. She couldn't just up and leave her father like everyone else had. She was rebuilding her own life as well and here Nick was asking her to leave with him again. But this time for good.

She could've said no, just to stay for herself and for her father possibly live a normal life but who wants normal?

Instead Valerie gave her boyfriend the widest most devious smirk and her eyes gleamed with mischief, and in return he pushed her against the wall hard and stuck his hand down her skirt.

//

"You're bleeding." Nick laughed pushing Valerie away from the coffee table.

"The bleedings incidental." She replied staring up at the ceiling with wide open eyes and dilated pupils, "I'm so cool." She whispered for herself to hear.

Valerie laying on the floor groaned before springing back up and attacking Nick onto the floor, messing up his line causing some of the coke to blow everywhere.

He laughed, feeling her roll over next to him he grabbed onto her hand and intertwined his fingers with her.

"I've missed this."