Valentine Addams || Tyler Galpin

2 | Therapy

"In your family who do you have the best relationship with?" She tilts her head and I think.

"My sister, even though we are quite the opposite at times. I believe it's because we're twins so we just have that bond. But as I said, I have a good relationship with each member. My mother, father, sister, and brother. Even my uncle, Thing, and Lurch."

-

Soon the session was over and I head over to the Weathervane to meet Principal Weems. I walk inside to see she wasn't here yet so I decide to get a hot chocolate and wait for her. I walk up to the counter and a guy's back was turned towards me as I waited. I clear my throat making him turn around to look at me, "A hot chocolate and a croissant... please." I tell him with a straight face.

"New to Nevermore I'm guessing since I've never seen you around." He eyes me.

"Indeed." I say before taking a seat at a booth looking out the window for Weems.

"Here you go. A hot chocolate with a croissant." He places my stuff down on the table, "You waiting for someone?" He asks me.

"I am but I don't think it's any of your business who." I look up at him.

"I didn't ask who." He says matching my energy making me get a slight smile.

"I'm Valentine."

"Tyler. What brings you into town or is that not part of my business as well?" He asks me making me think he's not that bad.

"Therapy session, Court order. Two days a week." I tell him.

"Dr. Kinbott, what do you think of her?" He takes a seat across from me making me eye him.

"Stronger than the past fifty therapists I've had."

"Fifty?" His eyes widen.

"I'm a little too much to handle. That's why I'm starting at Nevermore this year. Ten schools in the last five years. No one else will take me because of my record." I add.

"Should I even ask?" He chuckles.

"Recent was attempted murder. If you look me up you'll come across a few articles. None tell the true story though." I shrug my shoulders.

"Care to tell me the true story? I don't want to read lies about you." He asks so I sit up straight.

"They say I was a jealous crazy ex. That's not true and I didn't try choking her to death nor did I drop a brick on his head." I stop for his reaction and he had wide eyes as I expected. "My so called friend and boyfriend got together behind my back. I learned it went on the entire time I was with him and became friends with her. One day I decided to bring a dessert to school I made for her... I accidentally forgot she was deathly allergic to nuts and well my brownies had many mixed nuts. I blended them so small you couldn't tell they had nuts. She ate one and well started chocking to death. I told her I'll get help but I just left her for someone else to take care of. Later in the day at home I was building something with my brother and my boyfriend came over yelling at me about what happened. I told him to leave but he refused so I made him run off throwing bricks at him as if they were snow balls. I got a go shot at his head a few times which caused a concussion and good amount of blood lost. Also memory loss."

"Huh..." He just stares at me.

"Don't worry my actions like that are based on if the person deserves it for something they did wrong to me. If you stay on my good side, you're safe." I explain to him.

"I have anger issues... court order to see Dr. Kinbott too. I got sent to a boot camp for my actions just got back not to long ago. Being there I learned that's not the version of myself I want to be." He tells me looking at the table.

"A bitter townie that blames everyone else for the shitty hand he's been dealt? You know, Tyler, you can do or did a terrible thing or things and not be a terrible person. Most see me as a terrible person at first glance and once they hear about me... but I'm not that bad when you get to know me. I do have my moments though." I make him look up at me.

"You act like you don't care but deep down you do?" He speaks so I slightly nod my head.

"I'll never physically say that though. It's too much to admit out loud." I sigh looking out the window.

"You're secret is safe with me... even though I just met you." He chuckles making me too.

"I see you made a friend." Weems walks up to us giving me a smile. "I guess you can say that." I tell her as Tyler gets up.

"She'll take a hot chocolate as well." I tell him so he goes to make her one as she takes his spot.

"How was your session?" She asks me with her smile she always puts on.

"It went well. Dr. Kinbott is much braver than the others." I tell her as Tyler brings her, her drink.

"That's nice to hear. I'm glad it went well."

"How often do we get to come into town?" I ask Weems.

"You can come anytime that's not during school hours but it's about a 25 minute walk or there's a shuttle on the weekends." She lets me know before she takes a sip of her drink.

I just nod my head to that looking out the window. We don't stay much longer and when Weems pays for our drinks Tyler tells me he hopes to see me around more.

-

When we get back to the school I decided to walk around the grounds stumbling across a shed in the woods. Wondering in I see Xavier sketching while listing to music so he doesn't hear or see me come in. I walk up behind him looking at what he was doing and he was really good at what he does. I tap his shoulder making him look but I move to the other side then do the same as he turns the other way taking his earbud out.

"You drew my nose wrong." I speak up making him get startled.

"Valentine." He stands up quickly.

"You made this into your little studio?" I look around at his other work.

"What are you doing out here?" He asks me.

"Just wondering around and stumbled upon this place. I came in but you didn't notice me. You're quite the artist. I do the same in my free time. I'll show you some of my work one day." I walk around then turn to face him waiting for him to speak again.

"I don't want you to think I'm creepy for drawing you." He eyes his work.

"Trust me, it's not creepy. I know creepy." I walk back over to look at it. "May I?" I motion to it to fix my nose.

"Go ahead." He lets me and I take a seat redoing my nose perfectly.

"There, now it's me." I stand up.

"I come out here to let things out on paper." He puts his stuff way.

"Why me?" I raise my head up some.

"I don't know. I just sat down, put music on and zoned out." He scratches the back of his neck.

"You have very good memory on how people look." I let him know.

"Expect your nose apparently." He chuckles.

"Yes. I'll leave you be now." I head towards the door.

"I'm coming too. Get things ready for the first day tomorrow." He leaves with me.