Tyler and the Valaholics: The Beginning

Chapter 7

Amazing edit at the top by the amazing tazell!

Song of the chapter- 'I Wanna Know You' by Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana ft. David Archuleta

'Correct me if I'm wrong,
You're fragile and you're strong,
A beautiful and perfect combination.'

The sound of a yawn and deep breaths greet me when I wake Lauren, followed by a "What?"

"Look who's here," I sing.

"Whoever it is can wait," she drawls and turns over to her other side.

"I don't think you want me to wait though, Rennie," another voice fills the room, emanating from a blonde middle-aged woman who looks quite similar to another person I know.

Lauren basically shoots out of bed at the voice and stands unsteadily, glaring at her mother. She turns her gaze to me and asks if I'm responsible.

I nod my head and put my hands up as if in defence when she looks annoyed. After I coaxed Lau into my house last night and she fell asleep, I went to her house and stood outside all night long, calling out her surname, until her father finally came out.

He demanded of me what my problem was and just went back in when I told him of my objective. I kept knocking on the door and yelling until the sun began to brighten the dark sky when her mom came out and begged me to leave, even agreeing to reconcile if that meant I would stop.

And we're here now, wishing, just wishing, Lau would be able to agree. I step outside of the room, giving them the privacy to reconcile, busying myself in the kitchen.

Lau comes running in bare minutes later, and engulfs me in a bear hug.

"Thank you so much, thank you, thank you!" she yells, slobbering my cheek with kisses, not unlike a puppy.

"That's alright, hon," I state simply and wiggle out from her clutches.

"Alright, see you later!" she shrieks before leaving with her mom, who's glaring daggers at me. Well, now we know who'll never mistreat Lau so long as I exist.

After sending them off, I return to the kitchen to see a bleary-eyed Violet looking at me, her fluffy teddy bear holding a hand with her, her hair all over the place.

"Vallie, why did Lawrie's mama stay and Mommy didn't?" she asks me, rubbing her eyes.

My eyes widen, threatening to tear up, but I fight back the lump in my throat and respond with "Because you've got me."

A terrible response but I can't seem to think of anything else. I remember when she asked Mom the same about 'Daddy' and Mom had told her, through glazed eyes, that we had her.

I guess history does repeat itself, because Vi, just like then, barely shrugs and goes back to bed and I, just like Mom had, slump down to the floor, tears gushing down my cheeks. Only this time, there's no Val to comfort me.

Why did the only person who cared about me, about us, have to leave? I thought that at least Violet could have an untainted childhood, undisturbed unlike the ones Van and I are having, but that seems to have no chance at all.

Every single day that goes by, I feel like I'm losing my mind, and I just have to hold on for them, they have no one else. I can't bring myself to abandon them like that. They don't deserve that, no way.

The sound of a blaring alarm clock followed by a crash pierces through the haze I'm immersed in and manages to shove my rising levels of anxiety down as I hurriedly wipe away the residue from my face and finish up in the kitchen before rushing to get ready.

I apologize to Van in a note stuck by her and Violet's breakfast containers, and promise to pick them up today. I rush to college, way too early, so I have plenty of time until classes start. I spent that time with my nose buried in a book, desperate to distract myself from the upsetting thoughts rising to my mind.

The rest of the day seems to pass by uneventfully until lunch time. As usual, I eat my packed lunch, but not in the canteen the way I usually do. Instead, I finish my lunch sitting on a bench outside college, a book being my companion.

Once I finish, I find out I have loads of time until the next class. Why is it that just when I'm upset, or when I want the day to go by quickly, it crawls by, and runs by when I'm happy or content?

I decide to meander around campus, bored out of my mind, when Cynthia appears out of nowhere, drags me to our usual table and plops down next to me. She offers me a sandwich and I refuse, stating my already eaten lunch as the reason.

Natalia and Rosaly talk about something animatedly, just like always, sitting across us. It seems like just another usual day until all hell breaks loose again. Lauren appears to buy a plate of the usual goop she eats (I never know just what it is she eats despite being a cook) and seems quite tempted to join us, and she does near our table hesitantly.

When she looks at Ros's deathly glare, she slows down even more but she's still approaching us. Her eyes locked on to Ros's, Lau seems to be thinking of something quite seriously as her eyes glaze over, threatening to tear.

So it's quite expected that when a certain guy, known to be the most intimidating, trips her, she falls face forward, the goop coating her face. A sharp intake of breath is the only sound heard in the canteen except for his laughs.

Lauren sits up, trying to wipe her face clean, when he chucks some choice insults at her as he nears menacingly close to her. I make a move as if to get up but Cynthia pushes me back and holds me in place so I can only watch helplessly.

But I don't have to, because Ros steps in between him and Lau and threatens to knock his teeth out.

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Heyyyyy, I hope y'all are doing good. Anyways, it's nearly Christmas so merry Christmas 🎄 to anyone who celebrates.

I will be out of town until Friday the thirtieth so I won't be posting much for the next week...

A fair warning about this story though - this contains quite some darkness so tread with caution ⚠

Also, in the Xmas cheer, here are three videos/songs recently released by my faves Ptx!

Coldest Winter literally took my breath away! 😍 😍

'Nyways, see y'all soon! Shoot, I have to leave in less than five hours and I haven't even started packing, dayum...

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