Valentina had been impossibly stressed throughout the whole school day so when she was only one class away from freedom, she tried to collect herself in the bathroom. She washed her face with cold water, the droplets wetting the collar of her white shirt and the tip of her bangs. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she sighed, knowing fully well how much of a mess she had looked. All she wanted to do was lay down at home.
Her mother was back in the hospital, but the doctors promised she could go home more often. Valentina didn't want to get her hopes up and neither did her father. She had seen his solemn face after the doctors asked for a word with him, purposefully excluding Valentina from the conversation. She didn't get to hear a word of it, and she went to be with her mother instead anyway. Her mother was back in that uncomfortable hospital bed, her eyes holding a deep, infinite-looking sadness.
That wasn't the only thing Valentina had been nervous about though. Life didn't go easy on her, nor on her mind. She still didn't tell anyone about what she saw in that alley on the fateful day she was walking back from the supermarket. On the weekend, she even had a couple of nightmares about it, so it was safe to say that the whole thing was going to fully break her if she didn't spill the beans. She debated on going to Sasha about it, but she was too much of a coward to talk face-to-face with her about it. So, she was working on building some confidence to interrogate her later on.
When the door of the bathroom opened, she flinched involuntarily, and when she caught sight of the girl who was with her crying friend on the exam day, she didn't get much calmer either. The girl paused at the sight of her but didn't say a thing as she placed her makeup bag on the sink, taking out some matte red lipstick to touch up her makeup. Her moves appeared calculated like she wanted to tell her something. Yet, she only applied a little extra mascara to her eyes without any words.
Valentina wanted to get into makeup too, but it appeared to be too time-consuming for her, and maybe a bit pricey, so she stayed away from it instead. But one day, she would be rocking a winged eyeliner, she was sure of it. Even if that day was far, far away.
"My friend told me a couple of things about what happened on the day of the exam," The girl said slowly, applying her lipstick whilst staring into the mirror. Valentina froze, she knew she would be bringing it up soon, but it still felt like freezing water being dumped down her back.
"I don't know what you're talking about," She replied evenly, drying her wet hands with some paper towels. The girl rolled her eyes, not buying anything she said.
Valentina couldn't blame her, she wasn't in the most convincing act of hers at that moment. Maybe if they ran into each other on a different day. Although who was she kidding...the girl had to know that she was in there before walking in. It wasn't accidental.
"Don't worry." A smile stretched on her lips, checking if she got any lipstick on her teeth. "I'm here to ask whether I could buy the upcoming exam's answers."
Valentina blinked at her, then thought about the pictures on her phone which she took just in case. What was that just in case? She didn't know, but she had it, not too certain if she should be sharing it with her. After all, she knew too much already, and could easily tell on her about the whole thing. With or without her help.
"Maybe," Valentina mumbled back, but her voice wasn't as strong as she wanted it to be. She silently cursed at herself. "But those exams are almost exactly a month away."
"I'm aware," The girl replied coolly. "I want them anyway."
Valentina watched as she took money out of her wallet, the hundred dollar bills shocking her instantly. She felt bad for being so greedy, but when the girl raised four hundred dollars in her hands, all her rational thoughts disappeared on a poof. She needed the money, even if it didn't feel like the right thing. All she saw in front of her were the bills and checks she could possibly pay with that money. She told herself that it was only a one-time thing...or rather, a two-time thing since it happened once already. And that concerned her even more.
YOU ARE READING
Business And Hopelessness
Romance"Your hair is full of snow," He chuckled as he looked at her, reaching out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. Some snow successfully fell off her, but he didn't withdraw his hand. He cupped her cheek, wiping away a few snowflakes from it. She...
