Ronnie smiles and shakes his head in amusement.


    "You don''t need to get her anything."


    "I''m bringing the little princess a present."


    Ronnie just nods his head. Of the few times that Willow has been around Val, she''s grown really attached. Every time Ronnie calls and I''m around, Willow asks for Val. She''s such a natural with kids. Ronnie''s an idiot for giving her up. If Val wasn''t like a sister to me, I''d snatch her up. Val has all the qualities of a good wife and she has plenty of extras. A woman like her doesn''t stay single for long. Val goes into the kitchen to get something to drink and Ronnie turns to me.


    "I know she''s only here to visit but don''t keep her for too long. Rei''s coming over for dinner to meet you tonight, remember?"


    "Who the fuck is Rei?"


    Ronnie sighs and rolls his eyes.


    "Mystery cashier girl."


    I nod my head.


    "Ah, yes. The reason I almost killed you."


    Ronnie frowns at me and Val comes back. We spend a good few hours just talking and a few more playing games and watching movies. Val goes home and not even 5 minutes later, Rei shows up.


    ~Ronnie~


    I pull up into the driveway of the address Michael gave me and turn off the car. I''m actually pretty excited. I haven''t even been here yet, like at all. So far it seems pretty nice, from the outside at least. I walk into the little entryway and take the stairs to the second floor, where Val''s apartment is. She had left her wallet at our house and Mikey wanted me to drop off a few other things that he picked up for her recently. I wonder what her apartment looks like. Considering that Mikey and Alva helped her decorate, it''s probably dope as fuck. Like all edgy and shit. I take a deep breath and ring the doorbell. After about a minute of me thinking that maybe she''s not home, the door opens. Jacky is standing behind it, in just his boxers, when I walk in.


    "Oh hey Ronnie.."


    "Who is it Jacky?"


    Vincent closes the door behind me and Val comes into view, wearing a t-shirt and girly lace panties. My stomach drops and it feels like I just got punched in the chest. Val runs into the apartment, flustered as if I''ve never seen her body before. I guess it is more for respect to Jacky. I doubt he''d want another guy to see his woman in underwear. I shouldn''t even be surprised.


    "Hey Jacky. How have you been? Michael just asked me to drop these things off for Valentina. Plus, I''ve never seen the apartment before. I hope I''m not interrupting anything."


    Jacky leads me into the living room of the place and shakes his head. He grabs the bag from me and sets it on the small dining room table. The apartment looks so generic. Like it has the essentials and stuff like that, but it doesn''t have anything extra that would make it feel like a home. It reminds me of some 9 to 5 person who puts all of their energy into work. The only thing that makes it evident that she lives here is the drawing desk, her easel, and supplies in the corner of the room.


    "I''ve been good man. What about you?"


    "Been pretty great, can''t complain."


    Jacky offers me a seat and we sit in awkward silence for a few seconds until he stands.


    "I''m gonna go see what''s taking Val so long."


    He disappears down a short hallway, where I''m guessing the bedroom and bathroom are. I thought things were going in a good direction with her and Zakk but I guess not. I guess Zakk didn''t hurt me enough. But Jacky though? Seriously? I wonder if chipmunk knows. That''s her best friend. I doubt she''d be okay with it. Jacky is lucky, Val is special. I can be the bigger person. Val comes out in a dress, looking embarrassed.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Thank you so much for bringing these. I was so upset when my light broke and I couldn''t find my wallet. These bulbs are expensive and I''m mid-project. What do you think of my place?"


    I manage to smile and look around. She definitely wasn''t expecting me. Jacky comes back out, this time in a t-shirt and jeans. Val nervously smiles over to him. Guess she didn''t want me to know yet.


    "It''s nice. Less angsty than I expected. I wish I could stay to chat but I really gotta go."


    Valentina follows me to the door.


    "Um. About what you saw. Jacky and I aren''t.."


    I cut her off, opening the door.


    "You don''t need to explain yourself. You have your privacy. We''re both adults."


    Before she can say anything else, I leave and close her apartment door behind me. I get in my car and immediately dial Michael.


    "Did you know? Was this supposed to be some kind of fucking joke? I''m not fucking amused."


    "Whoa, Ronnie. Calm the fuck down. What are you talking about?"


    "Jacky is fucking Valentina. Or they''re dating. Either way, he''s staying at her apartment."


    I hang up and toss my phone on the passenger seat.


    ~Valentina~


    I sigh at the closed door and Jacky comes up behind me.


    "I''m guessing he took this the complete wrong way?"


    "If you walked into an apartment and saw two nearly naked people, how would you take it? And the stubborn asshole wouldn''t let me explain."


    Jacky follows me into the living room and sits next to me on the couch. He shakes his head.


    "Ronnie is... Ronnie. He was probably thrown off guard. You did go on a date with Zakk. What a twist that you''re with me instead!"


    I look at him and roll my eyes. Of course, he finds this whole thing fucking hilarious.


    "I''m going to fucking smother you in your sleep."


    "That''s hot. Can you do it while naked?"


    "Hilarious. You''re so fucking cute that I might get fucking sick. Don''t touch me, Vincent."


    "Gasp! Our first fight as a couple!"


    I''m about to literally strangle him when my phone rings. I glare at Jacky as I answer Michael.


    "Hey! Val! Just wanted to make sure Ronnie dropped the stuff off. How are things? How''s the project going? Are you really dating Jacky?"


    I stare at my phone and mouth, ''Ronnie told Michael'', to Jacky. He starts laughing, hard.


    "Michael. Do you really think I would date Jacky? Well yeah. No! I mean like with knowing that''s Alva''s best friend. Exactly. Yes, that''s him laughing like a fucking hyena. No. We hadn''t gotten dressed for the day. No Michael. Michael Orlando! How dare you!"


    I''m about to go off on Michael but Jacky stops laughing and takes my phone from me.


    "Hello? Michael? Can you stop talking for a minute? Are you really threatening me right now? I''m not dating her! Oh my god, Michael. We''re not having sex either! If you would shut up, I''ll tell you. I come over if she has bad night terrors and when she feels like she might have one, I stay the night to be here for her. Didn''t think about that, did ya? I am not a smart ass. Yes, Alva knows. I don''t need her permission anyway."


    Jacky sighs into the phone and hands it back to me.


    "Sorry for jumping to conclusions Val. Ronnie called me upset and told me. Why didn''t you tell me? I''m a little hurt that Alva knows but I never heard anything."


    "Because every time it''s brought up, you tell me that I never should''ve moved out. I didn''t want you to feel guilty I guess. I mean, you worry so much already. Ronnie left before I could explain. He said something about us both being adults and me having privacy."


    "I''ll talk to Ronnie when he gets home. I really don''t think you two can come back from this one though."


    "What do you mean?"


    Michael sighs and I start panicking.


    "Well. It''s kind of all been piling on him. The kiss with Derek. The party you went to. The date with Zakk. And now he walked into your apartment when you and Jacky were nearly naked. It''s hitting him hard right now. You guys might not get any more shots at being together."


    I start tearing up and Jacky looks at me, alarmed.


    "But I really like him Michael. A lot."


    "I know honey. It''s not just on you. A big part of it is him as well. Are.. Are you crying? Val?"


    "I need to go. Bye. See you for Ronnie''s party."


    When I hang up I can''t help but break down crying. Jacky rushes to get my emergency ice cream out of the freezer. An hour and a half later my ice cream is gone, I''m laying on the couch with my head in Jacky''s lap and we''re watching horror movies. My phone rings. I consider letting it go to voicemail but it''s Robert.


    "Hello?"


    "Hey, baby girl. How much of the story did Ronnie get wrong?"


    "Jacky and I aren''t dating. We''re not fucking either. He stays the night occasionally to calm me down when I have a night terror and it helps to have someone here. I get them less often."


    "He''s so great at getting things wrong and blowing things out of proportion. I''m glad someone is there with you. I''ll see you at the party. Rest up, baby girl."


    ~Flashback~


    I wake up in a hospital bed, different machines, and tubes surrounding me. The last thing I remember is being at work and then it all goes blank. The doctor''s tell me that I passed out from exhaustion. I''m overworking myself to death, they say. Jazyln has come in to see me. Arthur sends love, work is too busy right now for him to come in, as I expected. The doctor came to talk to me, he put it out straight. I either continue down my path of self-destruction or I can ease some of the stress. I''ve been thinking about it since then. My parents wouldn''t want this for me. I think I''ve made my decision. I''m going to finish out my semester and leave school. It''s for the best. Hopefully, Art will see that.