VALOR

Part 1

Valerie checks her watch, realizing she'd spent too much time in the kitchen, and headed to her bedroom to get ready for what the day had in store for her. She sits down at her vanity to get ready as she opens the letter from AJ she's kept sealed for too long and begins to read...

***
Valerie,

I'm writing this because it feels like this will be the end and I want to make sure I say all the things I never got to tell you. How much I love you, and why I've done this anyway. If you're reading this, I'm sorry. Please don't cry. I couldn't handle it if I made you cry. But you need to know why I did this in the first place, and I guess it starts with the day I met you.

...

I remember that day like it was yesterday. I had been transferred out of Faith Charter six weeks away from the end of my eighth-grade year, smack in the middle of the state-wide exams,  and I had relegated myself to the fact that the next six weeks would be awkward and pointless. I got food from the lunch line of the cafeteria and debated whether to make an effort to make any friends or not. Would it be worth it? Jason saw me looking around confused, and I told him I was new and didn't know where to sit at lunch, so he took me to his table in the hopes that I'd make some new friends. 

"Hey guys," he said, introducing me as we set down our trays, "this is AJ Parker. He just transferred from Faith Charter. AJ, this is Daniel and Valerie."

We all exchanged hellos pleasantries, and then you piped up. "Okay, so I have to ask—you went to Faith Charter for how long?!"

Your auburn hair hung long and sloppily, falling out a ponytail that had clearly taken a beating, shorter pieces having fallen out and sticking out from the sides of your face like spider legs. You had the slightest freckles across your cheeks, and your blue-green eyes were a dull, almost grey color, but somehow still shone. 

"Um, like, I was there I think ten years? From kindergarten until... well, now."

"Yeesh!" You said, biting down into a hot dog. "At least you're out of there," you said, doing that thing where you talk with your mouth half-full, "That place is a hellhole."

I looked at you quizzically. "You've been?" 

"Kind of," you said, swallowing. "My mom put me on the waiting list because she wanted me to get the 'best education,' but I took one tour of the place and told her I refused. Too many Sunday-morning Christians starting fights and beating each other with sticks on the playground."

You didn't mean anything by it because, after all, it was a statement of fact. "Yeah..." I said, gulping. 

Daniel, saying his usual "fuck you" to the dress code with his ball cap, turned to face me. "So, where are you going to high school? Wolf Creek or Lincoln?"

"Wolf Creek," I replied. 

"Cool," you said "that's where we're going, too. I'm just sad that Padme is going to Lincoln."

"Ugh," said Jason, "I'm going to miss her so much."

I turned to Jason, confused. "Should I ask who..?"

"A friend of ours," he said. "Don't worry about it."

I remember feeling detached--you guys all had stories and memories together, years' worth of moments you'd already shared. Then the school bell rang, and the boys all got up and left. But you stayed behind. "So, AJ," you asked, "what class are you headed to?"

"Uh..." I pulled out my schedule and traced my finger down to the line for fourth period. "Civics with a Mr. Brady."

"Oh, cool," you said, "I'm headed to the same building, I'll show you where it is."