No Going Back

xx

"Valerie."

"Val."

"Valerie!"

Jolting awake, I groaned in pain as my forehead hit another forehead. "What the hell Lijah!"

He rubbed his forehead and playfully glared at me. "I came to get you because we have a new comer."

I nodded, and threw the covers off of me. I looked like shit but I didn't care, I was crying for what seems like hours yesterday when I should've been training but I couldn't think straight.

It was like whenever I tried to leave my room, the slight possibility of running into Nathan or Veronica scared me. I didn't even know what to say or what I would say.

Elijah took my hand in his unexpectedly but I wasn't complaining. When everyone was downstairs, Elijah kept me company and we sort of just bonded.

Stepping off the last step, my eyes widened in shock as I saw someone I never expected to see lying on the couch.

"Holy fuck, Reina!" Ignoring the fact that I missed Elijah's hand in my own, I ran over to Reina moving the hair out of her face.

Her eyebrows furrowed together and she groaned before opening her eyes only to close them again.

In an instant, she bolted up and began to panic. I couldn't help but let out a tearful laugh as I looked at her, this was real. She was here.

Her eyes snapped to mine, "Val?" As I nodded she literally tackled me in a bone crushing hug.

I laughed lightly, and we stayed like this for awhile before I finally pulled away and sitting us both on the couch.

"What are you doing here?" She wiped her eyes and took several deep breaths before explaining.

Veronica helped explain and despite the fact that I couldn't even look at her, I was thankful she was the one to talk to her.

I gave her a sad smile and quickly pulled her into another hug. "I've missed you so much."

She let out a tearful laugh, sniffling. "I've missed you too. Everyone is beyond worried about you."

I sighed tiredly, of course they were. I was worried about them too, I just wanted to know how they were doing and if they were okay.

I tried my best not to think about them but that was impossible, they were never not on my mind.

"But right now can someone please tell me what's going on?" She asked and I smiled sadly at her.

Carter and Daniel then approached us. "That would us."

Reina gave me a look to which I nodded at her in reassurance. "It's okay."

She nodded and I watched as they led her down the hallway that was next to the stairs. It was then I realized, I never really explored this place.

Awkwardly, Nathan, Elijah, Veronica and I sat in the living room.

"Valerie we have to talk about it eventually." Nathan spoke up and I cringed not mentally prepared.

Noticing my anxiety, Elijah slipped his hand into my mine and I let out a thankful sigh.

"Valerie, we didn't say anything until yesterday because we weren't sure and now that we are ... I don't know really." Veronica tried to explain but I could tell she was just as nervous as me.

I let out a sigh, "I don't know what to think. I don't even know who I am anymore. I feel like I've been living nothing but a lie and I feel like someone took a shovel to my chest and dug out apart of me."

Elijah gave my hand a squeeze in comfort and I willed myself not to cry. "Apart of me always knew there was a possibility that Dave wasn't my dad but now that I got the confirmation, I can't help but want to deny it."

Veronica gave me a sad smile. "I'm sorry, is it a bad time to say that I'm glad to have met you? Dahlia always told us about you and there was a time I believed you were a fairy tale."

I couldn't help but laugh. Mom talked about me with them? "Did she? I had no clue."

Nathan nodded, "Valerie. We didn't want to hurt you but we needed to know if it was you."

I nodded, not meeting his or Veronica's gaze. "I understand."

We sat like that for awhile, in silence until I couldn't help but doze off leaning against Elijah.

₩₩₩

Reina is currently in the kitchen with everyone else while I'm in the living room with Nathan and Veronica.

After I woke up from a small nap, we've all been talking and just trying to smooth things out.

"So you and Elijah?" Veronica hinted wiggling her eyebrows at me.

I laughed shaking my head, "That's nothing honestly. I mean if you think about it, we're just really good friends."

And yet I didn't believe a word I said.

Were we just friends? Because if we were, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.

"Uh huh sure." Nathan joined in making me roll my eyes at the two.

"Guys we're honestly just friends ... I think." I whispered the last part under my breath thankful that they didn't hear me.

"Okay sure whatever. Come on let's go eat." Veronica said holding her hand out to me as she stood up.

I nodded smiling, taking her hand in mine allowing her to pull me up and lead me to the kitchen.

I knew that things we're only beginning and things were about to get worse.