Melissa
I lie on the couch and stare at the ceiling. Actually, like Emma, I should do my homework, but I really don't feel like it. "Still haven't talked to Val?". I shake my head. "I'm just not in the mood. Let her have a nice talk with that Charlotte". I hear Emma laughing. "Are you really that jealous?" I shake my head. "She is quite right too. I can't give Val what Charlotte can do". She throws a pillow at my head. "You know as well as I do that Valerie is not interested in that". Sighing, I sit up straight. "Then why is she responding to her?" Emma looks at me with a smile. " Suppose we haven't spoken to each other for years and I suddenly send you a message. What would you do?". I shrug. " No idea. I will probably respond to it." Emma looks at me like do you see my point. " Okay okay. Maybe you're right and I shouldn't be acting like this. Now that we're working on couples therapy. What is that tension that hangs between you and Anne?". I can see the fear in Emma's eyes.
I shouldn't have asked, but I'm in a bad mood. I don't feel like talking about Valerie and myself now either. "W-What do you mean?". I give her a small smile. Emma sighs. " What do I have to tell you?". I shrug. " You tell me. From the beginning of the school year there is a tension between you. Valerie noticed it the first week. I didn't want to believe it at first until I saw you in a room together. I also feel that Anne is the reason for your mood". Which hasn't been too good for a few weeks. "Anne and I ran into each other on holiday in Canada. Three days before she went home. We spent those days together. Nothing special or anything. Just going to the beach, shopping and stuff like that. It was really fun. I didn't realize it at the time, but when she was gone I missed her and realized that I really liked her after all. We had no contact after that. We exchanged numbers, but I don't dare text her. Anne doesn't send me anything either, so she probably won't feel the same way. We first saw each other at school. Yes I can feel that tension too. I didn't tell you because I feel stupid." I look at her questioningly. " How so? There's no need for that anyway." She shrugs. " Anne ignores me all the time. Every time I walk her way she quickly walks the other way or says she doesn't have time. I feel stupid because I really thought we both had fun on vacation. If only as friends, but I'm starting to think more and more that I saw it very differently. That I was a burden to her those days". I give her a small smile. "I think you haven't been wrong. I see how Anne looks at you and how she reacts when you walk in somewhere. You really need to talk to each other." Emma sighs "I've given up on that in the meantime. Anne is clearly not waiting for that". I get up. "I have an idea". Emma grabs my wrist. " What are you up to?". I give her a smile. "Just send Jack a message that he doesn't have to pick you up". She looks at me questioningly. "I'll arrange a ride home for you." Emma doesn't know how fast to get up. "Mel, that doesn't make sense." I nod. "She can't run away from you like that." She sighs. "Okay, but only if you make it up with Val".
Reluctantly, Emma follows me into the kitchen. Not that I'm very excited to see Valerie, but I'd like to help Emma. Valerie looks surprised when we enter the kitchen. She tries to look at me as sweetly as possible. If I keep looking at it, I'll have forgiven her our fight before we even talked. I quickly turn my gaze to Anne. "Sorry to disturb you, but Emma doesn't have a ride home. Anne, would you mind giving her a ride?". Anne looks at me for a moment and then she looks at Emma. A small smile appears on her face. "Um, I've had too much wine. You can walk with me. I don't like to see you go through the dark alone." I see Valerie looking at Anne in surprise. I shake my head at her when I see she wants to say something. Emma doesn't seem to notice. "That works for me". Anne stands up with a small smile on her face. "I think we better go now. Otherwise it will be very late". Emma nods. "I'll pack my things."
I walked with Emma back to the living room. " Thank you". I look at her with a smile. " Your welcome. I think Anne didn't mind too much either". I now also see a smile appearing at Emma. "I actually got that idea too. Maybe I should have given her wine sooner". I shake my head with a smile. I don't know what the reason is, but I'm glad my plan worked out. At least now Emma has the chance to talk to Anne. "I'll find out tomorrow how it went." Emma gives me a hug. "If I'm not there tomorrow, you know it didn't go so well." She lets go of me. I give her an understanding nod. "But I'm not so afraid that things won't go well. Just tell her what you have to say to her. The worst that can happen is she doesn't feel the same way, but I have a feeling you're fine. She's not going to suddenly hate you or anything." Emma and I walk to the front door. Valerie and Anne are already waiting there. I say goodbye to Emma and Anne and then walk up the stairs. I hear Valerie sigh, but I don't respond. Upstairs I quickly put on pajamas and then let myself fall on the bed. I'm just putting a movie on it. I'm not going to be able to sleep for the time being.
After fifteen minutes there is a knock on my door. " Can we talk?". Valerie asks after opening the door. "No, you've had wine". That wine was also not an success yesterday. "I've only had two glasses. Melissa, please". She sounds really desperate. I sit up and tap the bed next to me. Valerie gives me a small smile and sits down next to me. "Sorry. I know I had too much wine yesterday, but that shouldn't be an excuse. I should never have spoken to you like that." she says softly. I turn so I can look at her. "I also have to say sorry. I shouldn't have behaved like this. I-I was jealous". Valerie puts her hand to my face and gently caresses my cheek. "There is nothing to be jealous of". I sigh. "I know your history". She nods in understanding. " Just what you say, history. That was years ago and a completely different situation". I look down. "B-But she can give you what I can't yet". I hear her sigh. "Melissa look at me please". I slowly return my gaze to Valerie. She looks at me sweetly. "No one can give me what I want except you. You are everything I want. I'd be lying if I said I don't occasionally feel the need for more, but that's only with you. I choose to wait until you are eighteen. If I was really that desperate I wouldn't do that. I don't need anyone else and I don't want to. You make me happy, Melissa". I feel tears come to my eyes. "I'm so afraid of losing you." Valerie looks at me sweetly. "That's not going to happen Melissa. You are my Everything. As for Charlotte. I've already blocked her number." I shake my head. "You really shouldn't have done that."
Valerie lies on her back and stares at the ceiling. "Charlotte hurt me a lot. The moment she emigrated, Charlotte knew that I was having a very hard time. During that period I really didn't like life anymore and then my best friend left. Of course I never blamed her for leaving. She suddenly cut off all contact. Out of the blue and without notice I lost my best friend. When she suddenly sent me a message yesterday, I was somehow happy. I had hoped she would explain to me why. But all she sends me is how wonderful she has it. Do not get me wrong. Of course I am happy for Charlotte that she is doing so well. But if you text your former best friend years after she haven't heard from you, the least you can do is ask how she's doing now. Or explain why she suddenly didn't hear from you anymore. But nothing. She hasn't even asked me if I want to see her. If she had time, then we really had to meet up with each other". Valerie turns her face towards me. I see tears in her eyes. "Somehow I always had the hope that she would contact me again. Now I wish she hadn't. I feel like she doesn't care how I'm doing. I also don't know why she reached out or why she wants to meet up when it suits her. I asked her, but I didn't really get an answer. She wouldn't know why we wouldn't meet. I don't want to speak or see her anymore. I'm very happy with my life now and I don't need her in it anymore. She has already hurt me once and I will not let that happen a second time." I wipe away her tears with my thumb. "Maybe she doesn't know how to reconnect. If you meet her you might get your answers." She gives me a small smile. "Were you not angry yesterday because there was a small chance that I would meet her?". I sigh. "I was jealous, okay. Someone from your past that you have been intimate with suddenly contacts you again to meet up. That makes me insecure. I didn't know then what you just told me. I can see in you what it still does to you, that she has let you down like this. Maybe meeting her will help to give it a place". Valerie snuggles close to me. "I think I can do that now. I've been thinking a lot today. When I look back on that friendship now, it was a bit like her messages now. I didn't realize it then, but everything happened the way she wanted it to. She had found the perfect person in me, because I went along with everything. Once she was gone she didn't need me anymore and she dropped me. Such people are not friends, but think only of themselves. I don't want that in my life anymore."
Valerie pulls away from me and rests her forehead against mine. "And I don't want to spend any more time on that. I want to spend all my time with the ones I care about and who I'm sure feel the same way about me." I see Valerie's eyes go to my lips. Her face is getting closer. Until we hear Rose's bedroom door. "I think I should put someone back to bed". I give her a nod. Valerie kisses my forehead and quickly gets up. All I can think about is that her lips were almost on mine. "um". I look at my door when I think I hear something. Valerie looks at me with a smile. "Can I come and lay with you again?" I get a smile on my face and nod. "Okay, I'll be right back."
I crawl under my covers. I wonder if Valerie would have really kissed me if we hadn't heard Rose's door. I really should have stopped her, again, because she could be in big trouble if that came out. But all I could do was hope that she would kiss me. Valerie comes back into my bedroom after ten minutes. She snuggles up against me under the covers. "We almost didn't make it to three months". I hear her mumble softly. "We are also making it more and more difficult for ourselves". I feel her nod. I gently caress her back. "I really don't want to get you in trouble, Val". Valerie raises her head slightly and looks at me sweetly. " I know that. So far it's still going just fine. If we can't make it then so be it. Then we can at least say that we have tried". she says with a smile. Then she rests her head on my chest. "We really need to go to sleep. Tomorrow we have to get up early again". Valerie says it softly after a few minutes of silence as I caress her back. " Will you sleep over?". I ask a little shyly. Valerie shifts her position and looks at me with a smile. " Please. Is that okay?". I nod. "Sleep well Lis". She gives me a kiss on my forehead and then snuggle even closer to me. "Sleep well Val". It doesn't take long before I fall asleep soundly.