Heart of Glass (A Pierce the Veil Fanfiction)

XIV

Valerie's POV

I woke up contorted in a weird way and had a light headache that wasn't quite a hangover.

Thank God. I couldn't deal with a hangover right now, ugh.

I opened my eyes to see the dark. I lifted my head and finally saw the light streaming through the sheer curtains. My body shifted and I felt Jaime shift under me. I had been lying face down. on his back and he was laid out across the head of the bed with one foot on the night stand and the other dangling off the bed. All blankets were on the floor and I was awkwardly curved with my feet under his legs. He picked up his head that had been dangling over the edge and let out a fatigued groan. We shifted together until we were fully untangled and I rubbed my eyes.

"We should get up." I stretched out my limbs while Jaime sat at the edge of the bed and yawned. I stood up and pulled him up by his wrists while he just sat and groaned again. Eventually, I got him up and walked back to the corner where my clothes lay neatly piled up. I pulled on my jeans and walked toward the bed.

"Come help me make this bed, lazy." Everyone was still sleeping and Mike stirred in his bed. His body flipped over facing the window and he got up.

"Hey, Mike." He waved with a yawn and trudged into the bathroom. Jaime helped me make up the bed, replacing the blanket where we found it and I couldn't help but notice him staring at my body.

"Jaime, what are you looking at?" I shifted uncomfortably before placing my arms across my waist. I knew what he was staring at and he just walked to me with his arms open.

"Come here." He hugged me and I let a few shameful tears streak my face.

"Don't cry, you're beautiful and strong, the way you've always been. I'm proud of you." He saw the scars that had faded from years ago. He knew about my wrists but my waist was news to him. I pulled my jeans up a little higher to cover the scars that peeked up from under my jeans. I wiped my tears and shot him a genuine but sad smile.

"Is that why you've always been so afraid of going to the beach? Is that the reason for all the cover ups and waist wraps? I know how you feel about the water and it makes me sad when you don't go in." I looked away and nodded. He had finally figured it out. I loved being with the waves because they made me feel closer to my father. They may've taken him, but his spirit's in the ocean now and I loved feeling his spirit. Jaime shook me by the shoulders.

"Val, there is nothing to be afraid of! you're gorgeous and don't let a few scars stop that. People might look and stare but those people are ignorant and don't know your story. Anyone worth your time would respect your scars and story as well as your recovery. Besides, I know how much you love your belly button." He smirked at me and it was true. I loved my belly button and had even wore a belly shirt here. One I took from my mother that she no longer wore. it had short sleeves and was fitted with a mock turtleneck. I loved bathing suits and bikinis but I hated the scars on my waist. The skin was softer there and it didn't heal as fast as my wrists.

"Hey, stay there. Mike!" Jaime called for Mike and he walked out the bathroom with his face wet. Jaime waved him over and I just stood in the corner, leaning against the wall as he stood there and pointed at my belly.

"Shouldn't she get it pierced?" Mike analyzed me for a second before giving a thumbs up and a cheeky smile. "Definitely. But what's that?" He pointed at the quote that ran down my side, hidden by my arm. I got the tattoo on my sixteenth birthday.

"In every moment of darkness, there's always a light waiting to burst through." I read it off and the words were all black with a tiny black heart as the period that had a red dot placed in the middle to look like a glow. He examined the quote and smiled.