Ethan’s P.O.VI dove into the pool for the hundredth time tonight, my body crashing into the water as I swam, it was difficult to get her out of my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about her and it was getting annoying. I reached the other end of the pool, rested against the pool coping, and swatted my hair away from my field of vision, I heard footsteps approaching me and I raised my head to see Junis approaching the mouth of the pool with a towel in his hands.“Young sir, it’s getting too late, and you could catch a cold if you stay in the pool for too long.” He advised his voice ringing out with nothing but concern.“Just quit bugging me, old man.” I snapped but Junis didn’t give up, he was persistent and I wondered how Father was able to employ all these robots. “What’s the time?”“It’s some minutes after 10 pm,” He said after quickly glancing at his wristwatch, I rolled my eyes when I realized it was indeed very late and I should probably get out or I might get a cold. I held the p
Valentina’s P.O.V I opened the wooden gate to Ron’s house and climbed up the steps that led to the porch, it was quite late, I worked four hours extra and now I have enough money to buy my school bag tomorrow. I was already so tired and my back felt stiff, Melissa offered to spend the night at her house, but I turned down the offer, and even though my family considers me an outsider, I still tell my mother when I am not going to stay the night. My stomach grumbled for the seventh time since this evening…I’m hungry, I don’t know if I would be allowed to have the leftovers today, I am so hungry and it’s almost unbearable. I thought of buying some food but if I do, I will be unable to buy both my bag and the graph sheets, and I needed those graph sheets for our test on Friday. But if I can’t have the leftovers then I guess I’m just going to endure it, I opened the door with my keys, and the living room was empty, everyone else had gone to bed. I tiptoed across the living room as si
Valentina’s P.O.V I ended up buying some dark-rimmed sunglasses to hide away the bruises in my left eye, they would be too obvious if I didn’t. It’s not as if anyone in school would care if I got beat up or if I was dead, but I want to at least pretend that someone might care to ask me about it. I was feeling a lot of things, and thinking about a lot of things that I shouldn’t have thought about, I was dizzy and hungry too, after all, I only had two spoons of rice, but I vomited it before I passed out from Ron’s beating. I was hungry, so hungry… Tears well up in my eyes, I would have bought some food but I realized Norah searched me last night and took my money again. She only left me with some change for the bus, but I used that money to buy the sunglasses I was wearing, and I was on the path, walking to school. I should listen to Melissa, I should quit school and run away from home. But if I do that will there be a future guaranteed for me? I don’t want to be depressed to the
Ethan’s P.O.VValentina stared hard at the broken glasses, and she withdrew her shaky hands ignoring me as though I wasn’t there, she began to pick up her books from the floor, and one of them caught my eyes. It was a plain white book with folded edges, it seemed like a fictional book. “Valentine’s Day” was the supposed title, it was written in bold blood-red letters, I was interested in the book because this is the first time I’ve seen such a unique title. I snatched the book out of her hands and I stared hard at it, the book was written by “Guillotine” who the hell is that? I had never heard of such an author, and it made me even more curious to know what the content of the book was. Valentina’s head was raised in my direction, but I couldn’t tell if she was looking at me because her hair was covering more than half of her face. “Please give me back that book,” She whispered as she stretched out her hands, if not for the dead silence that was in the hallways I would have missed w
Ethan’s P.O.V I ran my finger along the broken skin and the painful swell on her face, and I felt something snap in my chest, I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t a good feeling, especially the bitterness that started at the back of my throat. Was it anger? Or sadness? I wasn’t so sure. If it was anger, why was I angry? And if I was sad, what was making me so sad? Valentina hissed in pain and recoiled away from me, I tightened my grip on her shoulders and she glared at me. I could tell she wasn’t in a good mood today either, she was visibly expressing her anger and hatred for me. “Let go of me!” She snapped trying to wrench her arms away, but I tightened my grip on her wrist and dragged her along with me until we were at the rear exit of the school premises; I suddenly halted making her frail body collide against mine, she winced in pain, still struggling to get her hands away from mine and I smirked. I spotted my black Mercedes-Maybach S-class driving toward our directio
Valentina’s P.O.V I don’t know why Ethan seemed to be very interested in how I got the wound on my face, it was none of his business, but I felt telling him was the least I could do since he allowed his doctor to attend to me. I didn’t ask for it, but I still felt indebted to him, the doctors’ eyes narrowed suspiciously at my confession not buying it. Any other thing would only threaten my family, I don’t blame Ron for hitting me since I brought it upon myself, it was selfish of me to even think I could have a conversation with Mother. I knew I should have avoided her that evening, if only I had done that, none of this would have happened. The doctor applied some soothing balms after he was done cleaning and disinfecting my wounds, he handed me the rest of the balm and prescribed me some painkillers. “You should massage your neck with the balm, in the morning and night, use a cotton swab for your eyes.” He advised as he arranged his equipment back into his bag. “Use the painkil
Valentina’s P.O.VEthan’s lips left mine, and a moan of disappointment escaped my lips, I struggled to catch my breath and I felt tears prickle in my eyes. This was the very first time, someone had held me so passionately, even if the kiss was from someone that I hated so much.While his lips were on mine, I didn’t feel any hatred from him, but I was still unable to call it love.I felt the clouds, I felt the butterflies, I felt everything Clarissa talked about and somehow, I wanted more, I wanted him to kiss me some more. I loved the warmth that was between us for that short while, I craved the sense of completion that kissing him gave me.The feeling of having someone, and the comfort that comes with that sense of ownership, except for the fact that Ethan could never belong to me. I stood there in a daze and in the aftermath of the sensation that traveled all over my body, I was lost in the forest of those green eyes that bore into mine intently…This was the second time, but I was
Valentina’s P.O.V “Valentina,” I raised my head as soon as I heard my name, Mrs. Cindy, our management teacher called me. “Please carry these test manuals to the staff office.” “Yes,” I stepped out of my desk, and stalked towards the table to pick up the test manuals, I wondered why she called for me instead of the class president but anyway, I would rather be anywhere but in the class.The swelling on my face had reduced, thanks to the balm Ethan’s doctor gave to me, the pain had also lessened and I wanted to thank him, but I couldn’t do that anymore because I had drawn the line. That bastard needs to know his place, I might be poor but that doesn’t make me less of a person. “Ouch!” I hissed in pain when I tripped on something or rather someone’s legs, I lost my balance and my knees collided with the marble flooring of the hallways. “Ahh… Valentina, I didn’t see you there.” Lucille chuckled, she was as annoying as ever, I lowered my head to take a closer look at my knee, and it w