Love At The Headington Hill

CHAPTER 16 - Snowflakes.

Valerie drummed her fingers on the bedside table nervously. It was four in the Christmas morning and yet, sleep seemed to have forgotten her.

There was a soft knock on her door. She was too tired to get up and open the door. The Davieses did have big rooms. She raised her voice, "The door is open, come in."

A slight creak came from the door, followed by a calm-faced Nova.

Valerie's spine tensed. Oh no, no, no. This was the moment she's going to get interrogated, wasn't it?

"Hello" Nova said, Valerie could hear her Scottish accent clearly.

"Hello" She repeated her words. Not knowing what else to say. Did she find out about last night? That she had kissed her boyfriend? Valerie felt light-headed. Surely, she was not aware, otherwise Nova wouldn't look this calm. But may-

"I know how you feel," Nova said, breaking Valerie out of her daze. Then she sat down on the bed beside her.

Valerie couldn't process anything, wait, what?

"I'm sorry? What do you mean?"

"I know how you feel, abouts Sebastian. The kind of love, I know it, for I have gone through it and I still am going through it. Even though it might not be the same person, the feelings are just the same. "

Valerie's mouth popped open in surprise. Surely, this was some sort of a joke. There was no way Nova Scott, girlfriend of Sebastian Osborne was saying these things.

"I- I don't get it, what do you mean?" She uttered those words slowly.

Nova took her hands in hers, then spoke, "I've known this for a long time, Val. Your feelings for Sebastian. I had just been waiting for the right time. I might not have returned in Oxford ever, but I had to, when I heard about your Professor. I just knew something was going to happen again, after more than two years."

"Wait, does that mean-?" Valerie gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

"Yeah, I was a fellow participant of the one you know as "FO". You've met the person yourself Valerie. Just think it  through." Nova replied in a calm voice and got up. Her lips wobbled so slightly, Valerie thought she imagined it.

"And try to get some sleep, and don't worry about me. I have come for a purpose, once its fulfilled I'll leave." Nova squeezed her left shoulder a bit, then walked over to the door. Flashing a final smile at her, she left.

Valerie was left to battle with her own thoughts. What the actual fuck?

When did her life get this messy? This has got to be a mistake. A terrible mistake. She shouldn't even have left Greece, life in Oxford was becoming too much to handle for someone like her. And why in the world did she kiss Sebastian last night? It wasn't like she was neck-deep in love with him. It might just be mistake-

A message popped up on her screen.

From Sebastian.

She opened the chat and found a small text - Meet me on the backyard.

This is the part where he tells me that it was all a mistake. She sighed and closed her screen, then removing the blanket on top of her, she left the room.

☆♤◇♡◇♧☆

Sebastian was shaking from head to toe.

He'd made a mistake, a huge mistake. So when she popped up on the yard through the backdoor, he started full on shivering. He should have put on a sweater.