L a c y L e a t h e r s

00:10

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Valerie

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I stared at the roof of my ceiling, my head spiralling out of control. I couldn't think straight as I kept replaying last nights horrific event, each time causing my head to hurt.

- Last night -

Shar stopped in front of my house and cut the engine. It was quiet inside the car, none of us daring to utter one word after Shar's earth-shattering revelation. Well, I deemed it as earth-shattering and heart fluttery worthy.

I looked out the window and saw the porch light was on. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering if my parents deliberately left them on or if they were awake because they usually put the porch lights off. I spotted a car in the driveway and the blue ford was suddenly very similar to me. Luca's car.

They were all probably having a good time around the fireplace.

"Why are you so quiet?" Shar asked softly and I felt his fingers trace the little skin showing near my wrist. I averted my eyes from the window and they promptly landed on the hand caressing me.

"Why are you quiet?" I shot back in a whisper, not removing my eyes from Shar's finger on my wrist.

"Because I'm thinking."

"About what?"

"About our agreement." Shar said after a long pause.

I rolled my head to the side and pinned him down with a stare. Our agreement. Gosh. Everything came slamming done on me.

"I need to go." I told him, reaching for the latch and opening the door. "Thanks for everything." I said to him and quickly got out the car.

But I didn't make it far before his voice stopped me. Ahead of me was my house, looking like its usual towering safe place. I longed it to be how it was, my safe zone, the only place were I could go to for coverage. But not today. Not anymore.

I turned around and saw that Shar had got out of his car and was approaching me slowly.

"You can't just leave like that." He said when he was close enough.

I smiled at him softly. "I think it's safe to say our agreement is over. It was probably over the very first day."

Shar's face dropped with my words and he opened his mouth to say something but he was interjected by another voice.

"Valerie?" My dad spoke from behind me and I snapped my head back to see him standing there, in his jeans and a red t-shirt. My mom had her hands pinned on his arm and she was staring over my shoulders at Shar.

"Hi." I waved a feeble hand at them but it quickly dropped at the expression that both my parents had on their face.

"Valerie please come inside. We need to speak to you."

I frowned at both of them. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"It will be after you stop dragging this black man everywhere you go."

My mouth dropped open at the words uttered by my own mother. I could almost see the respect I had for her dissolve in front of me. "What?" I sputtered out, my eyes as big as they could go.

My mom let out a tired sigh and crossed her hands across her chest. "You're out late at night and don't even call. We worry sick about you every second and you were probably somewhere in the neglected areas doing God knows what with those people!"

"You have no shame for yourself, following a crowed that clearly does nothing but waste away."

"Darling, I know you're acting out of anger but do you really have to embarrass us like this, watch everyone we know watch you be so careless with this stranger who doesn't even-"