A Pal Love Story: Parker and Val in the Biodome

We Never Got to Eat the Froyo

Parker's POV

After ten minutes of getting our breakfast for us, I start to head back to our room to dig into said breakfast. Well, I use the term breakfast loosely. I got us froyo.

I know, it's not an ideally healthy breakfast to have and we need to fuel our minds since we're scientists and all, but why not try out the froyo machine first things first? I'm sure Val won't mind.

I only walk a few steps before I notice Val heading towards the cafeteria probably looking for me. She sure gets ready fast.

"Val! Val!" I call, waving my hands to try to get her attention but to no such luck. She continues to walk the wrong way even though we are the only ones here and I'm yelling pretty loudly.

I start to walk towards her, but I freeze in place when I spot another boy walking towards her and trying to get her attention, too. I immediately recognize that boy to be Drake- the bane of my existence.

The guy is super tall, pretty hot, and apparently smart enough to get into this program. He's probably everything Val could ever want and more. I hate him so much because I don't stand a chance against him.

I watch him walk over to Val and lean coolly against the wall, striking a bad boy pose. He (probably) says some stupidly violating pick-up line, at which Val rolls her eyes and ignores him. She continues to walk away but not before he speed walks and stops her in her path.

I enjoy watching Val reject the guy until he scoops her up by the waist into a romantic staring contest. He stares deep into her eyes and she stares right back. 

For a moment, I consider walking away defeated. For one single moment, I almost give up any chance of ever getting with Val. Her perfect choice is standing there, dipping her like they're in a salsa, and I'm over here carrying a bag of froyo. But then my mind smacks itself and it reminds me that this isn't over. 

I will get Val to like me back.

Challenge accepted.

I turn back around only to have my spirit crushed by the sight of Val and Drake kissing.

My stomach sinks and splatters all around my feet, my heartbeat ceasing to exist. They're kissing. Drake and Val are kissing. What am I going to do?

As if the pain isn't already great enough, I look back up for a second to make sure my mind isn't playing cruel tricks on me. Nope they're still kissing... and Val is struggling.

She's trying to push him off of her. He's forcing this kiss on her. She doesn't want to kiss him. She doesn't want to kiss him!

I almost start jumping for joy before remembering the situation at hand. I throw the bag of froyo onto a table while sprinting full speed at the appalling sight of Drake and Val kissing.

I run over and throw Drake's shoulder behind me and catch Val from falling with him. 

"Go. Call the cops," I whisper softly to her. It takes her a minute to process what's happening, but once she does, she runs back to our room while calling the police.

I turn around and am suddenly met with Drake's fist in my face. I can feel my nose start to bleed but I don't care. The look of fear on Val's face is permanently sealed in my brain and I never want her to look like that again. If that means beating someone up, then I'll beat them up.

Especially if that person is Drake.

"Hey dude. You don't have to be so bitter just because I kissed Val. I know you really don't want to hear this but I think she liked it. I know I did," Drake spouts. 

"I think when someone's enjoying a kiss, they don't generally try to push the person off," I reply.

I watch as he gets more mad by the second and then finally lunges at me.

Remembering my many tae kwon do lessons from so long ago, I dodge his punches and watch as he stumble over completely from the misses. Then, when he's not looking, I swing my elbow at his back and feel him collapse from underneath me. I turn him over and punch him really hard a few times before leaving him to pass out. 

After fifteen long minutes of waiting, Drake gains consciousness as the police arrive and arrest him, but before they can drag him away he pulls them over to me and whispers, "Just know this. Val doesn't know me, but I know her. And unlike you, I know all about her past."

The words send shivers down my spine, but for only a second. The second ended once I remembered he is being arrested.

Val and I go through many interrogations for a few hours, and then we finally return back to our room.

Val sits down on the edge of the bed and stares blankly at the wall. Not knowing what to say, I go over and sit next to her. I put my arm around her and wait for one of us to say something.

After a while of silence, I feel Val curl up into a ball under my arm and hug me. She bursts out into hyperventilating tears and I just rub her back.

"Shhh. It's ok now," I whisper.

She continues to cry for a few minutes before stopping and looking up at me. Her sad, sparkling eyes glow at me and I become speechless.

"Thank you," she says. 

"F-for what?" I stutter, still not able to break my focus from her eyes. 

"What do you mean for what? For saving my butt back there and beating up Drake. I was terrified and I didn't know what to do and you just swooped in and saved me. I don't know how to even express my gratitude," she rambles.

"It was nothing really. Anyone would've done what I just did. It's fine really," I say, not even trying to be humble or anything. Who wouldn't beat up someone who's forced themselves onto the person they love?

"No it's not nothing. I seriously don't even know what to do. How could I ever repay you back for this?" she asks.

I continue to stare into her eyes and after gaining the confidence, I put my hand under her chin and guide her lips up to mine. 

They finally meet and it takes everything in me not to faint. We continue to kiss for a few seconds before we part. Even though we're separate now, I can still feel the electricity shooting through me.

"I think that was enough for me," I say while smiling. She giggles a little.

I pop up and suddenly remember something I forgot, "I don't know about you, but after the day we just had, I would love to have some froyo right about now."

She smiles widely and starts to nod her head, "Yeah. Let's have some froyo."

I go out and quickly grab the very melted froyo sitting on the table and then jog back and close the door.

"I am so ready to dig into this old froyo. Aren't you?" I ask. I don't get an answer. 

I turn around and notice Val isn't on the bed anymore. The bathroom door's open so she's not in there. 

I start to panic as I look in closets and under beds. Where did she go? Is she ok?

Did someone take her?