Call Me Romantic (BxB)

Chapter 14

{♡  VAL ♡}

The ceiling is gray in the dark and Val starts to think about color theory remembering Nash's rants that primary colors mix to make a beautiful shade of something completely new. Anything, thinking about anything is better than thinking about him. She just wants to escape the void that is tugging at her feet, begging her to slip back into the depths of a depression. Even colors lead to Mark, his favorite color being a mute green. She looks over at her clock at 5 p.m. on a Sunday. She doesn't want to go to school, and the thought of it makes her sick to her stomach. If he even dares to sit where he used to be next to her shell fansites about all the ways she’ll murder him. Probably bash his head— breathing in then out deeply, “Relax.” she tells herself.

Her door swings open Ophelia comes in without a normal smile she'd have on. Val reaches over to her nightstand and turns on her light, "What are you doing here?" Her voice is more raspy than she thought it would be. It only gives away how much she has been crying.

"I wanted to check up on you. You haven't been answering your text." Ophelia replies with a frown, “I got worried that you might've done something. Like you used to...”

"I don't do that anymore." Val crosses her arms, sits up, and leans against her bed frame. Ophelia steps into her room more, letting herself in. Ophelia knows more about Val than anyone, her secrets, all her problems and burdens. She knows how much Val struggled with her own body, hurting it in any way possible because Val lacks self-care.

"You're not fine; your hair is messy, you haven't gotten out of bed, you aren't answering my text, and you just look awful.”
Ophelia's head turns to the multiple glasses of water on her nightstand. "Are you eating?"

Val's eyes lift to Ophelia, who only has shown care and worry about her. "It's hard to keep down anything," Val admits in a low voice ashamed that she hasn't been all over a boy.
Ophelia sits next to Val before leaning against her shoulder and hugs her. A lot of people say they would be a cute couple, but they are just like sisters though they love to joke about getting married.

"Why don't we just get you out of bed, okay?" Ophelia suggested, and Val sighed but didn't protest anymore. The wood stairs creak as Val and Ophelia step downstairs. Nash is sitting on the couch with some packets of homework. When he looks up at Val, his lips curl into a soft smile. Val just looks away, moving on, because she knows it's a pity smile.

"Hey, Nash," Ophelia greets, and Nash nods to her silently like if he was going to talk he'd set off an alarm. Sienna walks out of the kitchen; her clothes have a light, soft style wearing a summer dress despite not being close to spring. "Oh! Val, you're finally awake, sleepy head!" Sienna smiles as her hands are placed on her hips.

"I've been up.' Val replies with a slight annoyance.

"Right, well, dinner is almost ready. Val, don't be rude; ask your friend if she liked some too." Sienna teased, shaking her finger before walking away into the kitchen again. Val rolls her eyes and turns to Ophelia, "Wanna stay for dinner?'

"If it's embers cooking, yes. Of course, I'd love to stay." Ophelia agreed, shaking her head, her brown straight hair on one shoulder.

This dinner is uncomfortable and awkward; with Val who's a talker, being silent from heartbreak and Nash being an introverted, it's hard to make conversation. Add to that, Ophelia doesn't talk to Val's moms, not much anyway. Normally all they get out is the ‘Is Val home?’ even that's awkward.

"So, how's school?" Ember starts as she chews the stake she made. Sienna gives her the looks as she talks with her mouth full like a strict mother.

"School," Val replies as she pokes at her mashed potatoes. Nash stays quiet, but he looks over to Val. He knows what's up, but he chooses not to say anything to spare the tension that's already fogging the air. Their moms don't know about the breakup.  Ember makes a scoffing noise. "What about school?" she asks with one of her thick black eyebrows wrinkled. Val shrugs. Ember's lips frown on one side as she realizes that her daughter is up for conversation.

Ember turns to Nash with slightly more hope, "How about you? Anything interesting?” not soon after she takes more of Nash's cheeks growing pink. "Besides being forced to play a sport with two guys I don't like, Nothing interesting,” he answers dryly.

"Two guys you don't like?" Sienna asks when she puts down her wine on the dark wood table twirling it in her fingers as she does so.

Nash nods. "The kid that socked me in the face and Mark."

Val grows tense and looks over at Nash her eyes glaring with frustration and betrayal. Nash bites his lower lip and picks up his water to try and wash out his comment.

"Mark?" Sienna leans forward more. "Mark is a sweet boy. Right, Val?"

Val stays silent but keeps her eyes on Nash, leaning forward a bit so she can look past Ophelia. Ember sighs deeply. "What's with the attitude?"

"I'm not giving attitude!" Val snaps.

"Well, you certainly are now.”

"Because you're accusing me!" she waves out her hands out of bent-up frustration,

"What is with you lately? In your room all day, and then when you finally come down, you act like we're attacking you." Ember cocks her head, putting down her fork.

"How come whenever Nash is silent, you guys shower him with love and affection, but once I'm silent, you guys think I'm bitchy and rude?" Val replies as she gets up from her seat. Ophelia looks over to Nash, who is staring at Val with this shocked, sad look on his face. He has his cup pressed against his lower lip sipping on his drink as he watches the scene spiral out of control.

"Do not curse in front of me, young lady!" Ember barks back as she also gets up urgently. Sienna touches Ember's arm, trying to calm her down, but Ember just shifts herself away.

"No! You guys don't give a shit about me! It's always Nash! ' Where is Nash? When will he be home?’ I should always know where he is and who he's with!' You guys haven't even noticed that I didn't touch my dinner, yet when Nash doesn't eat, you catch on in 5 seconds! Me and Mark broke up and I've been acting like this for 2 days and you guys don't even CARE!”

Ember's eyes soften realizing her mistakes and her being so busy she didn't even realize Vals hurt, “Val..” she takes a step away from the table towards her.

"Just forget it," Val snarled before stomping away out of the dining room to the stairs. Sienna buries her hands in her head, and Ophelia can hear a soft sob breakthrough breaking down from the yelling that just occurred. Ophelia put down her fork and cleared her throat before whispering, "Excuse me." sitting up making the chair squeak, and moved away from the table leaving the family in pieces, Nash silent, ember shocked, and Sienna crying.

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