Valentina Karas

"Ronan, what did you think about St. Gabriel's?"

He replies, "It was a lot better than that other place. I felt a million times more at home there. Everyone is so nice."

"That's good."

As he sifts through my drawers, he asks, "Are you going to visit me?"

"Of course." While my friends are going to football games and parties, I'm showing up for my brother during the fight for his life. I can only imagine what's going through his mind right now as he gears up for this war against leukemia. 

While I do my makeup, Ronan pulls out a red baby tee and grey sweatpants. "Your outfit's on your bed, V." 

I glance at the folded clothes. "Thanks. You actually didn't do too badly." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ronan questions, staring at my reflection in the mirror. 

I laugh as I put brow gel on my eyebrows. "Should I surprise my friends? They're getting ready at Layla's."

"Cancer was a surprise. Go for it." He says. Ronan intended it as a joke, but we both know his diagnosis affects him more than he lets on. 

Not knowing how to reply to that, I just nod. "Are you sure you're ok with me going?"

Ronan folds his arms. "Valentina, we have the whole weekend. Plus, my treatment is going until March or April. You can see me whenever you want."

Two months from now, I'm sure he'll be tired of seeing me. 

"Alright." I say. My mom wants to take him out tomorrow, but I don't have concrete plans for one on one time with him. 

"V?" Ronan asks, sitting on my bed. I don't know who told him to do that, but I don't mind. "Who were those boys at the hospital?"

I let out a laugh. The encounter with Asher and friends was just a couple of days ago. In my mind, that happened years ago. My brother has this eidetic memory while I barely remember what I learn in school. "Just a few Mountain View kids. Why?"

"I dunno. I never got the chance to ask you." Good answer, Ro. "Do you like them?"

I contemplate my answer. Sawyer has an infectious sense of humor, and I get why Layla praises her boyfriend – Knox is genuinely sweet. Yet, it's Asher who has made a lasting impression. "Yeah. They were pretty nice."

Not to be weird, but I can't get Asher out of my head. Even though we were only together for no more than a few minutes, I felt like he genuinely wanted to talk to me, something that doesn't usually happen because boys often overlook me for Katelyn. 

It's like comparing a diamond to a pebble. The diamond is so stunning everyone stops to look at it while pebbles are kicked to the side. I stopped trying to compete with her a long time ago because the beautiful diamond always wins.

"Valentina, you silly girl." Ronan retorts. "Were any of them cute? I'll take it to the grave." 

I hesitate. I normally tell my little brother everything, but his question doesn't have an answer just yet. "I don't know. Sawyer and Knox have girlfriends, so they're off the table," is the best I can do. To spare my brother's feelings, I leave out the identity of Sawyer's situationship.

"There were three of them."

"Sorry?"

Ronan gives me a blank stare. "Oh, Valentina. You must think leukemia made me stupid. The Mexican guy was making you blush a lot. Do you like him?"

"Yeah, he's nice." I say, beating around the bush. 

There's no use dodging the question because my brother puts two and two together. "Do you like like him?"

"My god, I just met him. No." I snap. I regret it when I see his eyes start to water. "Shit, that was harsh. I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't have pushed you to talk to me, V."

I sigh. "To tell you the truth, I don't know how to feel."

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly I'm spilling my guts. "Asher's really cute and I really want to get to know him better. I just feel so bad choosing someone I met two days ago over you."

"If he likes you, I say talk to him." Ronan suggests, gesturing for me to join him on the bed. "As long as you two aren't having sex in my hospital bed, we're good." 

I give him a small smile to hide my internal conflict. Asher is light at the end of a winding tunnel, yet I'm dumb and scared enough to remain in the darkness. I have six years on my brother, but he's far more perceptive than I am.

"What are you waiting for? Get dressed. He's waiting."

~

Asher Mendez

Blending my friend group with Layla's has been fun thus far. I honestly have zero complaints about our new friends. They're so easy to be around and we all get along. 

Layla, the South Asian girl who greeted us and Knox's girlfriend, is a sweetheart. It's obvious she's happy with my friend. She came into Knox's life during one of its darkest periods. His parents were in the middle of a nasty divorce that fucked up his mental health. I was always there for him, but there's no denying Layla's role in helping him enjoy life again. 

Riley is hilarious and has an amazing vibe. I think she might be the red haired and spray tanned version of me. I thought she was cute and tried to shoot my shot, but she turned me down since she's a lesbian. She and I agree that there are a number of homophobic people in Tennessee is ridiculous. 

Then there's Katelyn. I could immediately tell she doesn't take shit from anyone, even Sawyer. She was a little standoffish in the beginning, but she instantly lets her guard down and has a sense of humor to die for. Her laminated eyebrows and lifted lashes remind me of my stepsister even though they're not even the same ethnicity. Even though she seems meaner than she is, she lets her situationship rest his head in her lap while she scratches his scalp.

We're breaking the ice when Katelyn voices her displeasure, "I want V to be here." The other girls voice their agreement, but Sawyer doesn't seem too happy. 

"Who the hell is V? Is there another guy?"

"Valentina," Riley clarifies. "You know, black hair, grey eyes, about yay tall but makes up for it with her big booty." 

Fuck.

It's the girl from the hospital.

Sawyer nods, recognition in his tone. "Oh, her. When were you going to tell me your friend's so bad?" 

"Didn't you see her at the hospital?" Katelyn asks. My heart starts pounding. Did Valentina actually tell her friends about me? 

"We have to do some dumb community service shit there." Sawyer groans, his nonchalance making me want to strangle him. "Just private school stuff."

"She seems chill." Knox adds, even though Sawyer robbed him of the opportunity to actually talk to her. To Layla, he says, "She said y'all are good friends. How come you don't mention her much?" 

Katelyn directs her attention to me, a cheeky look in her dark eyes. "Asher, what do you think about V?"

"Mendez likes Valentina!" Sawyer blurts out before I can put in my two cents. 

I flip him off. "No seas ridículo, Sawyer." He isn't wrong, but I haven't quite sorted out my feelings for her. 

"Yeah, Sawyer. Quit hopping down his throat." 

"Where is she anyway?"

"Family stuff." Katelyn turns to me. "Do you want to snap her?"

I oblige. Katelyn sends her a snap of me with Sawyer in the background. A few seconds later, Katelyn announces, "V just saved it. How does that make you feel?"

"I couldn't care less." I lie. In reality, my heart is pounding like crazy. Girls come and go, but Valentina has a special place in my mind. 

If my mind were a museum, she's an intricate statue of Aphrodite surrounded by mediocre paintings. Many girls pursue me, but few have Valentina's magnetism. Her eyes, her hair, her smile, those pouty lips; my goodness, she's angelic. 

"Suit yourself." Katelyn isn't stupid, I have to give it to her. "Wait, you speak Spanish?"

I nod. This isn't the first time I've had this talk. My mom is Puerto Rican and her wife is Mexican, so learning Spanish wasn't optional for me. Being able to talk shit about people in another language is fun until someone understands and throws a fit.

It usually only comes out among family members or when I'm trying to give myself a pep talk during games. I unconsciously speak Spanish at school and it raises questions from random people. The usual request that follows is for me to say something. Recently it's been getting annoying.

"Yo tambien," she high fives me. "Podemos hablar mal de quien queramos!"

Sawyer rolls his eyes. "Quit talking shit about me in a secret language."

I retort, "Just because you're failing Spanish doesn't mean it is a secret language." Seeing him crawl back into the hole he came from brings me satisfaction. God knows he needs to be humbled. 

"Good one," Riley smiles. "For the record, I'm barely passing Latin. What made me think it was smart to take it?"

My eyes get wide. "You voluntarily take Latin?"

"Freshman me wanted to be different from everyone and look where it got me," she sighs, her voice filled with regret. "I like telling people I take it though."

Knox shakes his head. He may be more humble than Sawyer, but not when it comes to his grades. "I wish I had that problem. As an Honors Latin IV student, I appreciate the language." His passion for the language makes Sawyer and I laugh. Many say the sole Latin teacher at Mountain View is an old geezer who needs to retire ASAP. 

"How do you do it?" Riley asks in disbelief. 

"Well..." While Knox and Riley discuss Latin, the rest of us mentally stable people talk about something else. 

Sawyer gives Layla a look. "Are you gonna let her take your man like that?" 

"Knox is just a friendly person." Layla shrugs. "She's gay anyway. I hope you're okay with that stuff."

Before he gets himself in trouble, I answer on his behalf. "Of course we are."

"Good." Layla says, joining us on her rug. I'm not sure how four people fit on the small but plush rug, but we make it work. "What's MV like?"

"A fucking prison. We have to wear ties every day and if it's even a little ratchet, you better pray. Plus, we get pulled out of class way too often. There are ears everywhere." I don't know what Sawyer means by "we"; he's the one who always has a dean waiting to have a chat with him. Miraculously, he swerves any kind of punishment, always crying his way out of getting written up. He's only had one detention that I know of. 

Katelyn inquires, "Don't they make the girls wear skirts to their knees?"

"I don't know a single girl who follows that dumb ass rule." I answer honestly.

Sawyer shakes his head. "Speaking of girls...Mendez, don't you like someone? AKA Katelyn Salazar's bitch?"

"We've established this." I put my head in my hands. 

Katelyn pops him in the face. "Don't talk about Valentina like that or I'll actually block you."

"Who is talking about me?"

Everyone turns around at a whiplash level speed. Standing in the doorway is none other than Valentina herself. Her presence adds an unexpected twist to the night. 

"V, what the hell is going on?" I can't tell if Katelyn is pissed or amused that her best friend decided to show up.

Valentina explains, "My brother encouraged me to come. He picked my clothes and everything."

"The group's complete," says Riley, giving Valentina a hug. 

"Of course, Ry." She responds, briefly checking her phone. "I hope y'all don't mind my presence."

Sawyer shakes his head. "If anything, we're happy to see you." Turning to me, he adds, "At least Mendez and I are. Right, Mendez?"

I'm thoroughly annoyed with Sawyer's yapping, but I nod. "Hey, Valentina. It's nice to see you again." 

She smiles. "You too, Asher." My heart skips a beat and my head swims when her eyes meet mine. Those beautiful blue-grey irises haven't left my mind and always come back to haunt me. They're the color of the sky before it rains mixed with the ocean in Puerto Rico's clear blue. There's no reason anyone's eyes should be as breathtaking as hers.

"Have a seat, V." Katelyn says, making room for her on the rug. 

Riley adds, "Don't get too comfortable. It starts in half an hour."

"Leave her alone." Layla chastises. "She just got here."

With the room buzzing with instructions and opinions, Valentina stands there, clearly unsure of her next move. After a moment of contemplation, she chooses a spot between Katelyn and me. 

No matter how hard I try, I can't suppress the smile that creeps onto my lips. There's an inexplicable effect she has on me, something Einstein himself can't even pinpoint. Even the stern self-talk I give myself is powerless against the infectious grin that takes over my face. I acknowledge the irony – I barely know this girl, yet I hold on to the hope tonight will change that.

"Uh..." Even talking to a girl I have no feelings for is easier than starting a conversation with her. "How's life?"

"I didn't think I'd be here, but what the hell? It will be a fun night." She absentmindedly plays with one of her necklaces, and the way her fingers delicately grasp the gold chain is oddly captivating. Her fingers are long and delicate, adorned with manicured white nails. 

"So babe," Sawyer questions. "How come you weren't going to make it? You know you want to see Mendez and I."

Katelyn gives him a stern look. She doesn't have to say a word to make him shut up. "We missed you, V."

"As did I." Sawyer sits up and faces Valentina. "You must be really tired."

Valentina chuckles. "You're not wrong." The way Sawyer makes her laugh irks me. I feel protective of this girl, yet I barely know her. If I can't have her, no one will, especially Sawyer Long.

"You, ma'am," Sawyer smirks. "You've been running through my dreams all night." His line earns blank stares from the group. Valentina especially is caught off guard. 

Katelyn rolls her eyes. "What the hell, Sawyer?"

"What's the matter?"

"If Valentina presses sexual harassment charges, I don't know what to tell you." Katelyn lectures. 

Riley agrees, "Yeah. You're making us sick."

Sawyer throws his hands up in defeat. "Holy shit, y'all. Is today National Hop Down Sawyer Long's Throat day or something?" He examines Valentina before putting a hand on her thigh. "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? You have the face of an angel."

"Dude, you're weird." Riley rolls her eyes. "Don't you have a girlfriend? That's so embarrassing." Everyone else voices their agreement, Valentina included. 

Layla interjects, "This conversation is over." Turning to Valentina, she asks, "Didn't you say Ronan picked your clothes for you? He did pretty well, I'll give it to him."

When Valentina nods, my heart drops. I wasn't aware she has a boyfriend. Part of me isn't surprised that a hot girl like herself is already cuffed. That's a shame because I want her all to myself. 

Ronan better sleep with his door locked. 

Considering a guy picked out her outfit, she looks pretty. She's wearing a red top and grey sweatpants. Even in the most casual attire, I can't look away. 

"You look hot, V!" Riley exclaims. I won't be surprised if they're dating. Their hug lasted a little longer than a friendly one. 

Being the center of attention makes her cheeks turn pink. With a nervous smile, she replies, "Stop it, y'all." 

Katelyn shakes her head. "This girl can't take a compliment."

The conversation shifts to something else, but Valentina still runs through my mind. It's impossible to take my eyes off of her. When she catches me staring, someone releases a cage of butterflies. "Hey. Earth to Asher."

"My fault." I apologize. She probably thinks I'm creepier than Sawyer after that. "First I ran into  you, and now I'm being a creep."

She giggles. "To be fair, it was all my fault. I was mentally somewhere else that day."

"We both could've been more careful." I say, running my hand through my tangled curls. Maybe this is a sign to use the curly hair products my stepmom got me. 

"Right." She replies. "Sorry about that, by the way."

I dismissively flick my wrist at her. "Forget it ever happened."

"If you say so." She says hesitantly. 

A few minutes later, we decide it's time to head to the party. Since seven people can't fit into Sawyer's Hellcat, we have to figure out another arrangement. Knox and I end up riding with Sawyer, while the girls take their own car.

Once we're inside his car, Sawyer launches into a tirade. "What the hell was that? That's not what friends do."

"What do you mean?" Knox asks as we pull out of the driveway. 

"You two didn't have my back when that redheaded bitch was attacking me." Sawyer accuses. 

Knox glances at me, and we share a silent exchange before I respond. "Sawyer, you can't just say weird shit to people."

"I agree with Asher. That was pretty uncalled for." Knox chimes in. 

Sawyer side eyes us from the drivers' seat. "Fuck both of you."

As the car ride progresses, satisfaction settles within me. He could cry himself out of trouble if he needed to and always found ways to make people give into his demands, but Layla's house proved his scheme won't be effective for much longer.  I can't help but look forward to the prospect of Sawyer Long finally being put in his place. The balance of power within our group might be tilting, and the prospect of a humbled Sawyer brings me a messed up sense of joy. 

~

one of my favorite chapters! sawyer gets his ass handed to him later on trust