A Different Breed ▻ Legacies [1]

4

In her room, Valerie looked in her mirror as she placed on some lipstick. Hope was lying on her bed, reading a book, "And where are you going all dressed up?" Hope asked her friend curiously.

Valerie placed her lipstick down before turning to Hope with a smile on her face, "A party." She replied, "I'm going to party and drink for the party for the both of us."

Valerie walked toward the door and just as she was about to turn the knob, Hope spoke up, "What are you up to?" Hope questioned, causing Valerie to turn to her, "You only put on that color of lipstick when you're trying to get with someone. Is it Josie?"

Valerie smiled and shook her head, "Nope. I'm so done chasing after a girl that wants nothing to do with me." She replied before finally opening the door to their room, "See you after."

As Valerie walked down the empty hallway, she ended up spotting Josie, who seemed to be heading in the same direction, "Headed to the party?" Valerie asked the brunette, who nodded in response, "So am I. Let's walk together."

Valerie and Josie began to walk through the woods in silence until Josie finally spoke up, "Listen, Val. We never got to talk about what happened after me and Penelope broke up." Josie told her and Valerie couldn't help but let out a dramatic sigh.

"And we don't have to," Valerie immediately stated, "We were drunk and hooked up. I know, it'll never happen again. I'm totally fine with that."

Josie opened her mouth to speak, reaching her hand out to grab Valerie's hand before she walked away. Valerie was too far away, causing Josie to sigh in defeat as she watched Valerie walk away.

__________

As the party went on, Valerie oddly didn't seem to be in the party mood. She sat on a log near the fire, a cup of alcohol in her hand. She glanced around, noticing everyone seemed to be having fun. Well, everyone except her.

"I was wondering where you were," A familiar voice commented, causing Valerie to turn to see Rafael walking closer to her before taking a seat beside her on the log, "After all, you're the one who told me to come."

Valerie smiled at Rafael as she took a quick sip of the drink in her hand, "Yeah, sorry. For once, I'm not really in the party mood. Plus, it seems like all anyone is talking about here is you. I mean, listen to them."

Rafael glanced around and focused, only to be able to hear conversations that people ten feet away from him are having, "Woah," He muttered under his breath before turning his back to look at Valerie, "Does everyone here know what happened to me and how I triggered my curse?"

Valerie shook her head, "I don't," She replied, "I don't bother listening. If I'm going to hear the story, it's going to be from you, no one else."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them as Rafael got ready to tell Valerie the story of what happened to his girlfriend, "I had gotten a track scholarship to UVA," He began to explain, causing Valerie to turn to him, "She was going to follow me out after graduation. She was honestly the best person I knew. Pretty much loved her in the way people say only exists in movies," He paused for a minute, fixing his eyes on Valerie, "Or in the way you said your mother loved that guy Klaus. Have you ever felt that way?"

Valerie was silent for a long moment as she locked eyes on Josie, "Some would say yes, but I say otherwise. I've had a crush on this girl since I first started going here. She never seemed to feel the same way." She began to tell Rafael, "My best friend, Hope, and my mom like to say Josie and I are living the real-life version of Stydia." Rafael gave Valerie a puzzled look, causing her to chuckle, "It's a ship name for this couple on this show we all binge-watched together during holiday break last year."

"Oh," Rafael chuckled, finally understanding what she meant. It became awkwardly silent between them for a moment until Rafael spoke up, only to make it even more awkward, "So you like girls, huh?"

"I'm attracted to both boys and girls," Valerie informed him with a smile on her face.

"And do you still like that girl?" Rafael questioned curiously.

Valerie was quiet for a brief moment, shrugging her shoulders, "I don't really know honestly," She replied quietly, "I have zero chance with Josie and she only wants to hook up with me when she's going through a break up. And the crush that I try to stop having on her always ends up getting the best of me and I end up falling for her charms once again."

"So get over her," Rafael suggested quietly and as Valerie turned to face him, she realized their faces were just centimeters away from each other.

"And how do I do that, huh?" Valerie asked, seeming to be just as quiet in her tone of voice as Rafael was.

"Find someone new. Someone way better." He replied, moving a bit closer to her apart.

"And who might that someone be?" Valerie questioned, their lips almost touching.

"Look out!" Was all they heard before a cup filled with beer was thrown on them, most of it going on Valerie.

Soaked in alcohol, both Rafael and Valerie moved away from each other and turned to see Penelope standing with a few of her friends about twenty feet away from them, "What the hell was that!" Valerie shouted at Penelope, who, just like the rest of the group, was trying to suppress their laughter.

"My bad, my magic went haywire. I was trying to float it in the air." Penelope smirked at Valerie, lifting her hands up in mock surrender, "Don't go sending my spirit into a prison world because I pissed you off and your lucky ass is part of the Bennett witch bloodline."

Valerie scoffed, rolling her eyes at Penelope's comment, "It was one time! Alex really pissed me. I got suspended for it and had to spend the whole time being a third wheel to my mother and Klaus on their romantic trip to Rome. I learned my lesson. Never again."

She stood up and lifted her hand up, about to cast a spell on Penelope, "But it doesn't mean I won't kick your ass instead," She threatened, "Bruciare Supe--" She began to say, but Rafael grabbed her hand and pulled it back down.

"Hey, calm down," Rafael warned her lowly, "She isn't worth it, and that's a lot coming from me."

Valerie began to calm down, slowly nodding her head in agreement, "I-I better go." She stammered before walking off, Rafael calling after.

AN: I love mentioning Klaus and Ophelia here and there in this story so freaking much tbh. And I don't even know why 😂