No Love For Valentine

Chapter 7 : All in the family

Sitting around in the living room with her cousins, Valentine just sat quiet while they talked amongst each other. They acted as if she wasn't even there. "Valentine, is that right?" Charisma asked as she looked over at the semi pouting girl. "Yes." Valentine answered. She had already learned their names being that both aunts wouldn't stop calling them from out back. "How old are you?" Charisma asked as all eyes fell on Valentine. Even the boy gave her the same look. "Nineteen. And y'all?" She asked not feeling as bad as she felt. Valentine couldn't believe Auntie Minnie came up in her house and tried playing her. Like no she didn't have a plan, but she'll soon have one. What's the need to rush with all of this money surrounded by her ? "I'm twenty two, just turned in January." Charisma smiled making Valentine nod her head and pointed at the other girl that sat by her side. You could tell that he was a trans, but she was going to be respectful by calling him a female. "Me? I'm turning twenty one tonight and your bomb ass should most definitely step out with us tonight. I know you have that Morrison sauce." Honey smirked as she flipped her jet black bone straight twenty two inches of hair down her back. Honey wasn't her real name, but she wasn't about to look this good as a girl and go around with the name Jacob. "We could do that and I got me a little something. And you?" Valentine smiled before focusing​ her attention on the only boy that was here. He was twisting his hair as he stretched his legs out from being so tall. "Seventeen and don't call me a baby like the rest of these yellow ass niggas do." He said with a very deep spoken voice. Valentine giggled giving him a thumbs up. "How does Mel sounds?" She asked shortening his name, Melvin. Now he was the one giving her a thumbs up with a smile on his face. Saving the worst for the last, little miss I'm too good to conversate with my own cousin Leah. "And you?" Valentine asked making Leah look her way and point at herself. "I'm nineteen." She said making Valentine nod her head and went to change the subject, but Leah spoke up. "When is your birthday Valentine?" She asked catching by surprise. "February fourteenth. Yours?" Valentine asked as their mouths hung open. "Hell nah Chrissy was that smooth?! First of all she mixed your name with hers and her mother's then had you on Valentine's day?! Spicy!" Mel shouted making everyone in the living room laugh at him. Valentine never even thought about it that way, she just figured she was named after the holiday. So her mother must've did had some type of liking in Valentine at the time if she named her after herself and her mother. "So where's um.... I had forgotten his name, but there's another one of you guys right?" Valentine asked as she stumbled over Jeremiah's name. That was actually the first number her grandmother offered her to call. "Jeremiah, but we call him Miah. But he's at work, he's a basketball coach for the youth center." Charisma answered proudly. That was her favorite cousin being that they were born around the same time and everyone else was too small to play with when they were growing up. "Oh okay. So who's siblings here?" Valentine asked wanting to keep the conversation going. "Its Mel and I then Miah, Honey and Leah." Charisma answered easily making Valentine nod her head. Well that was quick.

"Just give me a call and I'll start getting ready." Valentine spoke to Honey as she gave Mel a side hug before he made his way out of the door. Was it sick that he found Valentine beautiful ? He was going to shake that feeling though. That's family. "You better pick up or I'm going to beat your ass child, I'm trying to see what this turn up is like and Jeremiah is going to be there too." Honey said making Valentine nod her head before waving bye towards Charisma and Leah. The only reason she had given Mel a hug because he held his arms opened to her. "I'm serious I haven't partied in forever, so you better call or I'm going to beat yours." Valentine said making Honey laugh before placing a kiss on her cheek. "Nice meeting you hun and I'll see you tonight." She laughed before heading back into this all white Range Rover. Facing Auntie Minnie and Auntie Donna, Valentine gave them small smiles. "Behave yourself okay? Nice meeting you." Auntie Minnie said before walking out of the house with her head high. And that's why Leah acted just like that. Like mother, like daughter. "See you soon baby! Be good and don't be afraid to call me for anything. I mean anything. Well except for bugs, I can't help you with those." Auntie Donna said before pulling Valentine into a hug as the two shared a laugh. "Okay and thanks for pulling this together, I didn't know how I was going to be able to pull this together." Valentine let out a soft sigh as Auntie Donna stared down at her with the biggest smile ever. She liked Valentine, no matter what her sister tried putting in her head. "You're welcome sweetie and remember what I said? Give me a call baby girl." Auntie Donna said before giving Valentine another warm hug. "Okay, I promise to call." Valentine cooed as they broke the hug. Auntie Donna walked over to the car and Valentine waved before stepping back inside and closing her house door. "Wow." She let out a loud huff before leaning against the door and closing her eyes. "Is the coast clear?" Sydney asked as she walked down the stairs making Valentine jump. She had forgotten that Sydney had slept over. "Oh shit, you scared me!" Valentine laughed as she held her hand over her beating chest. "Sorry boo, who was those people? You had me upstairs pacing back and forth and shit. Got me feeling like a side bitch." Sydney said before taking a seat on the couch and crossed one leg over the other. Valentine looked her way before laughing and shaking her head. "Those people are my cousins and aunts. Do you feel like partying with me tonight? Its one of their birthdays tonight." Valentine said as she began to play with her own hair. She already knew how she was going to do her hair, she just needed something to wear. "Let's get lit! I can't sulk forever right?" Sydney shrugged making Valentine remember the heart to heart they shared last night. It never had dawned on Valentine how Sydney was going through her own problems. But that's only because Sydney never held a frown on her face when she was around Valentine. But things were so different last night.