Bittersweet

vii.

That Monday morning was no different to any other. Val dragged herself out of bed and desperately began searching for some clean clothes. A pair of black jeans that hadn't been washed in a week, a raggedy old tank top and a flannel was what she chose to clothe herself before quietly tip-toeing down the hall and sitting at the top of the stairs.

She waited a slow and silent five minutes until the front door shut and the house became somewhat alive. Lucas and Glenn raced for the bathroom but to Val's advantage of being sat right there, she won the race, winning a deserved groan from both boys as she locked the bathroom door.

She giggled, but her smile was instantly dropped once she turned and stared at herself in the mirror. The bruise that covered her cheek bone was slowly fading but still evident. Her day old mascara stained her eyelids and under-eye and her hair was a mess; almost resembling a birds nest. 

She did the best she could to make herself look somewhat presentable by brushing her teeth, fixing her makeup, brushing her hair and plaiting it and showering herself in perfume and deodorant.

A knock interrupted her meaningful staring competition with her own reflection and snapped her back in to reality. Letting out a breath of air, she moved and swung the door open and began to walk out but her face hit the chest of a taller man.

"You need a ride to school?" Charlie asked before blowing out a mouthful of smoke, making sure to point it away from Val's face.

"Uh, Richie is actually coming to pick me up, but thank you."

Val rushed away from Charlie quickly before he could ask her anymore questions. She skipped down the stairs, grabbing her boots and book bag at the end of the stairs before jogging to the kitchen.

"Morning, Val," Lucas greeted with a grin, stirring a pot of food over the stove.

"Staying for breakfast?" Glenn asked as Val took a seat in the stool beside him, reaching down to pull on her boots.

"No, I'm in a rush, Richie's picking me up." 

Glenn scoffed. "Gay boy."

Val took that as her invitation to leave, knowing Glenn's disliking for Richie. She stood, sending a smile towards Lucas which he gratefully returned before watching her kick the kitchen door open and march out.

"You're an asshole," Lucas scolded his friend before grimacing at the grin that covered Glenn's face from cheek to cheek.

Outside, Val leaned against the wall, lighting a cigarette in anticipation. She waited impatiently for Richie to come speeding around the corner, which he did - to her luck - just as she finished her cigarette.

"Get in, loser!" he laughed as he pushed the passenger door open. 

Val climbed in, a small smile tickeling her lips. "You are such a clichè."

The ride to school consisted of Richie bitching about other gays and annoying girls and Val's chest tightening and the feeling in her throat like she was about to start crying taking her over every time she thought of walking in to Todd Watson's math class that afternoon.

They pulled in to the school parking lot and spent a short minute searching for and finding a parking spot. Richie huffed as he finally got all his stuff together, but Val was froze still, staring straight, unable to move.

"Val," Richie asked quietly, finally getting her attention, "are you okay?"

Her head snapped towards him and she swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back tears. "Richie, there's something I need to tell you."