"How've you been doing?" I sit back on the bed against the headboard and grab a pillow, squeezing it against it my chest.
Claire is currently sprawled on my bed, laying on her stomach. Her freshly highlighted hair is tied up into a knot, and even though she wouldnt let anybody ever see her like this, Rosie and I are exceptions.
Next to her with a closed book in her hand, is Rosie. She looks the same, with her red hair and eyes greener than ever.
It's currently 9 o'clock, and since I spent the whole of yesterday in my bed, I'm not feeling the least bit tired. It's the weekend, so Claire and Rosie have come over.
"Boring." She snorts. "You'd think people who go to university would be more mature. Cayden's right, it's only half a step up from high school."
"And she hangs out with the sorority girls." Rosie jabs her thumb at Claire. "She's underrating the whole experience."
I turn to Rosie and pass her a half-smile. "I bet she studies even less, now that class presence isn't required."
"It's not, and she doesn't." Rosie laughs. "She's either clubbing, or having sex with Liam."
Claire throws a pillow at her. "I'm just enjoying the whole experience as you call it."
"How are you and Liam?" I ask her. "The last time I heard, you were throwing things at him and threatening to leave."
Rosie mouths everyday to me before Claire can see.
"I don't know, Val." Claire sighs dramatically. "And these days, it's not even my fault, really. It's like some days he's ready to give 90 percent and others, not more than a 5."
"Boys, huh." Rosie shakes her head. "This is why Kevin and I decided to break up and stay friends. Better than doing the whole on-again, off-again thing."
I whip my head towards her. "When did that happen?"
"Four months ago." Rosie chuckles. "Didn't I tell you?"
I shake my head and lean forward. "But you and Kevin were so perfect together!"
"I know right," said Claire. "And after everything you two went through to actually be together, it surprises me on how quickly things took such a turn."
"It's okay," Rosie shrugs. "I was miserable at first, but now... I feel, I don't know, kind of okay I guess. I don't miss him as much as I thought I would and besides, we see each other almost everyday anyways, so nothing's different."
I purse my lips. But they were Rosie and Kevin. How did I not notice sooner?
"As tempted as I am to ask about Dani," Claire says a little louder to grab my attention. But she doesn't need to because I look at her as soon as she says Dani. "Let's move on from the topic of boys and studies." She shudders like she's annoyed by the very words.
"How long are you staying?" Rosie asks me.
"Two weeks, maybe a half more." I shrug. "I can't stay very long, classes begin soon and I'm already behind."
"Did you think of moving here for next semester?" Claire asks.
"Oh I don't want to." I screw up my nose playfully. "I would hate seeing you all ever day and Claire, did I mention you got fatter?"
Rosie bites her lip to hide a smile. She pretends to examine Claire and nods at me briskly. "She did."
Claire gasps and her eyes widen. "You little--" she hits both of us with pillows, and I'm the first to retaliate, laughing and hitting her back.
"I missed you guys." I sighed. "And Claire, I was joking."
Claire looks at me, then looks down at her stomach. "I have been eating a lot." She confesses.
"Or you could be pregnant." Rosie states.
Claire blinks at Rosie. "I could?!" She exclaims, like she wouldn't even consider the option on her own.
"Guys," I say, trying to focus their attention on something else. This could turn into a bloodbath, or end in tears. "I forgot to give you your presents yesterday."
"Oh yay, presents." Rosie claps her hands. "Makes up for the fact that you missed Christmas."
"I hope."
I get up from the bed and go over to the travel bag that's laying in the corner. There are a bunch of patterned bags, and I pick the one labelled Claire, Liam and Rosie.
I hand Rosie hers, and give Claire the two belonging to her and her boyfriend. "Here," I say.
"I don't care if I sound rude, I'm opening it right now."
Claire changes position so she's sitting cross-legged, and starts opening her bag.
"VALENCIA IT'S SO PRETTY!" She shrieks when she sees it. She holds it into the light so the necklace and the bracelet gleam even more.
"You got one thing right, her love for sparkles will never end." Says Rosie.
Claire tackles me in a hug which I'm happy to receive. "I'm glad you like it."
Rosie slowly slides off the bed. "Unlike you, I'm opening this," she rattles the bag. "At home. It's time we left anyways."
Claire nods and puts the things back in the bag. "Wanna meet us for coffee later?"
"Sure." I say. I wasn't sure what to do today. I could take Dani to visit all the places in town we've been before, but I could also go visit my mom, who I hadn't spoken to for what, a year.
And I was dreading the latter.
"We'll see you then." Downstairs, Rosie and Claire both give me a hug before they leave.
I shut the main door. "Hey," Evie smiles at me, climbing down the stairs. "Catching up?"
"Lots." I reply. I follow her to the kitchen, get a sandwhich from the friedge and put in the microwave. God knows how people could eat these things cold.
When it's done, I take a seat by the counter and watch Evie peel the potatoes.
"I hope my friend isn't any trouble." I say to her. "Her son, Mason, tends to cry a lot sometimes." Wail was the more appropriate word, but while it was loud, it was rare. Mason was usually a happy baby.
"Not at all, it's nice to have kids in the house again." She rests her elbows on the table and looks like she wants to say something. She purses her lips when I glance at her expectantly. "Valencia, I know it's none of my business but are you planning on meeting your mother some time this week?"
A frown tugs on my face. "Why? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing like that, dear. It's just... your brother and her haven't been on good terms lately, and I was thinking of how happy she would be to see you."
I wasn't surprised, not the least bit. She and Cayden have been fighting ever since she got together with that boyfriend of hers. In fact, the term money leech was more appropriate. And as for the fact that seeing me would make her happy, I hardly doubted it. The last time I had seen her, we narrowly avoided getting into a brawl.
And I would be lying if I told myself it was her fault. It was just as much as mine, because I wasn't trying as hard as I should have.
But there are times where you just want to stop because you're so tired of trying and trying and trying. Especially when the other person doesn't even care.
So I decide to visit Dani instead. I take my old car - boy, does it feel like home again - and exit the driveway before I can change my mind.
Above, the sky is overcast. Typical ash, about-to-rain overcast. But there's not a drop of water that falls from the clouds, and the temperature remains warmer.
I'm just about to knock on the door when I hear voices from inside.
"You can't just not tell her!" Nate is saying.
"Feeling a little hypocritical yet, big brother?" Answers Dani.
"It's different in my case and you know it."
Thinking nothing of it more than their usual brother bonding moments, I knocked on the door twice.
Nate opened it and grinned. "Ah, the girlfriend."
I raise an eyebrow. "Not yours, apparently."
The house is in the same state as I saw it last. A little messy now that the boys are here, but other than that, well-kept.
"Then whose, mi amore?"
I purse my lips and turn to Dani. "Is he drunk again?"
"Just his usual, annoying self." Dani chuckles. He's seated on a rocking chair by the balcony, covered in warm sweatpants and a blanket.
"Are you sick?" I ask him, eyeing the blankets.
Before he can reply, Nate cuts in. "Sick of being without you..."
I cross my arms. "You're definitely drunk."
"And now that you're here," he winks. "I don't have to take care of my little brother anymore." He grabs his jacket and keys, and makes a move for the front door. "Adios, bițches!"
I huff and flop down on the couch. It was his loss, really. It would start raining any second now.
I turn to Dani, whose staring out the window. Startled, I realise he's naked underneath the blanket. As in, he has no shirt on.
"Where Amelia?" I ask him.
"Work." He mutters. "You know Valencia, this place isn't what I thought it would be."
That spikes my attention. "Is that a good thing, or a bad?"
"Neither." He shrugs. But there's a knowing smile on his face, which tells me he likes the place a little more than he's willing to admit.
I place my little bag on the coffee table, and sit cross-legged on the couch. Dani and I don't say anything for a long time, but it's a comfortable silence we sit in, not an awkward one.
"Would you like some tea?" I ask him after a while.
"Tea?" He snorts. "What are you, fifty?"
"Hey, you're sick." I tell him. "It's either that or chicken soup. And you hate chicken soup."
He narrows his eyes. "You're so sure about that."
"I am." I get up. "So tea? I've been told I can brew up a mean batch of camomile."
Outside, it begins to rain. At first it's slow and silent, but then it gets heavy and I find his eyes following the raindrops as they drop down the glass window.
He lets out a breath and silently gets up, rearranging the blankets so I get just a little peak of what's underneath before he covers his chest and arms again. Then he joins me on the couch.
I suddenly realize I'm nervous.
It's just Dani, I tell myself.
But he seems different today, almost a little grown up. Huh, must be the fever.
"You're so intimidating today." I blurt out. I mentally face-palm myself.
But he just tilts his head. "How so?please elaborate?"
Frowning, I left a hand to his cheek. His skin is soft, and warm. Definitely warm.
"I'll get you medicine." I say. "I remember Amelia saying she had some in the bathroom cabinet, and I mean, it must still be there even though she just--"
"Valencia." He growls softly. "Shut up. You're making my headache worse."
Yup, there was the Dani I knew.
"Did you take--"
"Yes, I took my medications today, mother."
I stay quiet. Was I really that annoying today?
The drumming of the raindrops outside had turned into a slow, calming rhythm. The heating was on inside, so I couldn't fathom why he would need the blanket.
"Go to bed or something." I say.
"Only if you join me." He winks. A second later, he turns to me and asks, "Did you have something planned for today before you came over?"
"I was just going to show you around." I shrug. "But the weather kind of ruined it."
"Nonsense." He replies. "Don't let the rain ruin your plans."
I wait for him to explain with a scrutinizing gaze. Surely he didn't mean...
"Let me put on a clean shirt." He says.
"Wait, Dani, we can't just go out in the rain! It's freezing."
His eyes fall on my cotton top and black tights. "I'll grab you a jacket or something too."
He gets up and leaves to go to his room. I scratch my head, wondering what on Earth had gotten into him. Twenty four hours ago, he couldn't wait to leave this town, much less go around exploring it in the rain.
He comes fully dressed, and hands me a jacket.
I'm about to make a remark about how he would get the flu or something before stopping myself. I'm neither his mother nor his nurse. Besides, he's almost twenty-two. He doesn't need me to take care of him.
"So," he says to me. "Where to first?"
---------
A romance.
A murder.
A revolution.
DUN DUN DUNN.
Check out the re-written version of Burning Willow!
P.S. I wrote this with red-stained hands. Quite literally.
But don't worry, it's just paint.
And can I just say, I'm absolutely amazed by the attention Painting the Badboy is getting. Honestly, you guys are the best!