Double Trouble

Won't you come on over, Valerie?

California's POV

My shift at the shoe shop had just ended and I was sitting outside the library, watching the clock on the wall tick nearer and nearer to seven, when Val would finish.

I didn't want to ruin my reputation by going to the library on a Saturday, but I really needed to tell someone what Gary had said to me, so I compromised by sitting out there.

There were still five minutes to go when the heavy wooden door of the library slid open and Val stormed out, holding her middle finger up at someone behind her.

I stood up suddenly, and followed her outside.

"Val!" I called. "Wait up!"

Val broke into a run. I ran after her.

We ran into the school and through practically every corridor it had to offer before Val skidded to a stop.

"Val, what is it?" I asked her.

She looked at me forlornly, then stepped into her room and slammed the door shut.

"Val!" I pounded at her door. "Valerie Marshall!"

A loud sob echoed from inside her room. I tried the door handle - locked.

"Val!" I whined, sliding down the wall and leaning stubbornly against the wall.

I managed to sit through about 4 seconds of her sobs before I took action.

I slipped into my room and borrowed Annie's small portable speakers. I plugged my phone into them, and closed the door gently behind me.

"Val!" I sung. She still ignored me. A smaller girl walked past, randomly flicking at strings on a small plastic ukulele.

"I'll take that," I smiled, plucking it from her grip. She started to whine piteously, so I handed her a few cents I had sitting in my pocket.

She skipped off, and I sat crosslegged on the floor of the hallway, facing Val's door.

I turned the speakers up as loud a they could go, and pressed play on my phone.

A nice rhythm started playing. "Well, sometimes I go out by myself, and I look across the water!" I sang loudly, strumming my ukulele obnoxiously.

"Won't you come on over? Stop making a fool, out of me! Why don't you come on over, Valerie!"

Someone kicked me as they walked past. My singing didn't even suffer.

"Valer-" Val's door swung open.

"Cal!" She yelled. Her eyes were red rimmed and her face was blotchy. "Shut. Up!"

I stood up and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Let's talk about it?" I suggested.

She shook her head firmly. 'Valerie' was still playing in the background.

"Are you okay?" I asked. People kept walking past and staring.

"I'm not a moustachioed lady in a circus, you know!" Val screamed at our audience.

They hurried down the hall.

"Just go, Cal." She waved at Annie's speakers, and my ukulele. "Thanks, but I don't want to talk to anyone."

I met her eyes for a few seconds, then gave up. Val can be a stubborn fruit loop when she wants to be.

"Okay," I finally agreed. "Call me if you need me?"

She nodded, and returned to the solace of her room.

I packed up the speakers, but kept 'Valerie' playing through my headphones while I made my bed. It always cheers me up, and it's not even my name.

My jamming session was ruined when someone rudely tugged out my headphones.

"Cal!" Annie said. "Did you hear anything I just said?!"

I shook my head guiltily.

"You are a pain in the backside sometimes," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Anyway, why are my speakers here," she pointed to the floor, "instead of here?" She then pointed to her bedside table.

"I had to cheer Val up." I said simply.

Annie gasped. "Do you know about what happened?"

I stood up a bit straighter. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was in the library, writing a letter to my father. He's in Cambodia, and he wanted to live without technology for his latest film, so we have to write letters."

"Annie. I don't care about your dad right now, sorry. What happened with Val?"

"Oh, right, sorry. Anyway, I was just writing a letter when she walked past, muttering something about a book being Matilda's now, and then Matilda walked in with a man."

"Who was he?" I pressed.

"Um... I think it was Matilda's dad? She was holding his hand, so, yeah. And Valerie looked at him, and they said something but I didn't catch it, and then she stormed out."

I sighed shakily. "I don't think she's okay."

"Nah," Annie agreed. "But I have to send this letter. Do you have any money? I need one more stamp."

I fished around in my pockets, before remembering that I'd bought a ukulele.

I picked the plastic instrument up and handed it to Annie silently.

"Um, thanks?" She said. She placed it gently on her bed and backed out of the room. "Bye."

I waved happily at her, before remembering Val's strange behaviour. I sat on my bed and pondered.

Pondering... Pondering... Pondering...

I honestly don't know what's up with her. I considered calling Flynn, but figured she wouldn't tell him if she wouldn't tell me. They're not even official yet!

Instead of helping her out, I just laid down on my bed. It was exhausting being sick. It was exhausting putting up with my mother. It was exhausting trying to sort through my best friend's problems when she wouldn't even talk to me.

Written by Ansel