"We haven't done many things together lately," I began, clearing my dry throat.

It's not how it used to be when we were kids, I mused. I miss that, Val. I miss you.

Well, if I wanted that back, I had to work for it. With that thought in mind, and ignoring my sweaty palms, I continued:

"Vallery Reed, I want to dress up in a gorilla suit and dance into a drunken guy's yard with you."

Her reaction was not as I'd envisioned. I'd expected her to laugh, maybe do a little jump while she clapped her hands... I did not expect that she'd stare at me, slack-jawed.

Did my offer come too late?

Has she already moved on to another play buddy in the face of whoever the damn she kept texting?

I blinked... And then it happened.

Vallery threw herself at me, squeezing me tightly as she whispered:

"That's one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me."

I tried not to shudder as her breath tickled my earlobe, my pulse pounding in my head. I hugged her toned body back, my arms resting around her waist.

"Really, really sweet, but..."

"But?" Pulling away, I let her go. My eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'but'? Have you already done it with someone else?"

"Phrasing." She grinned at me and in that moment I thought of an entirely different 'doing it' than the one I'd been inquiring about. My ears heated as this new version didn't include a gorilla suit - or any clothes at all, for that matter. Enjoying my flustered state, Vallery only grinned wider.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, O'Brien!" She reprimanded, still smiling, and the heat spread to my neck and chest. "I can't done on a gorilla suit and dance in a drunken guy's yard, because..."

She took a deep breath, her grin almost manic.

"Are you ready for this?"

"I don't know what this is, Val," I pointed out, crossing my arms over my chest. It hadn't escaped my notice that she hadn't refuted my guess that she might've already gone through the gorilla routine with someone else.

That someone else. The text guy, who was possibly also the guy from that party.

"It's that awesome thing I've mentioned when you came here," she blurted, her rounded blue eyes giving of an eerie shine.

"Okay," I said slowly and waited.

So did she.

"Are you expecting me to turn on some dramatic music, Val? Maybe a drumroll?" I asked after a few seconds of silence.

"No, but that would be cool," was her reply. "Just ask me about it."

"Why? You are going to tell me anyways."

"Just ask," she prompted again.

"Val, if this is some sort of a game..."

"Nat and Hunt are moving in together."

It took me a moment to process what she'd said.

"Wha..." I began, but was cut off by a loud squeal and a repeat of 'Nat and Hunt are moving in together', accompanied by Vallery bouncing on her heels.

"I've wanted to tell you since you came in, but then you wanted to talk to me - again, sweet - and then you were just looking at me like you expected me to deliver some bad news, and I wanted you to be excited and curious, 'cause it's not bad news..."

I put my hands on her shoulders and pushed her down to still her.

"Val, stop and take a breath."

She did so, her eyes still huge with excitement, one that I now understood.

"And your parents allowed this?" I asked. She pursed her lips and her shoulders slumped.

"They didn't allow it?" I assumed, seeing her reaction. "But Nat is underage; how would he..."

"The boys haven't asked yet." She walked off to the bed and sat on top of it with her legs crossed. "That's why I can't go gorilla with you; Nat is going to talk to dad this weekend and I want to be here for him for that. I want to be here for him until it's all good, actually."

I sat next to her and asked softly:

"And your mom?"

Still sitting, she leaned back, palms flat on the bed cover, her gaze to the ceiling.

"Dad will be a hard case, but not impossible is what I think. There will be a lot of rules, and he'll probably be constantly checking up on Nat, but I think there's a chance he'd agree. Mom on the other hand..."

With a sigh, she closed her eyes. I reached out and caressed her upper arm. She smiled - barely, but it was there - and opened her eyes, tilting her head to look at me.

"Even with the way she treats me, I love mom, but I can't help but think how much easier our lives would be without her or if she was different," she quietly admitted and I was afraid to move - my hand frozen on her arm - lest my actions scared her into silence.

Vallery didn't speak about her mom that way often. She wasn't the type of girl to sit down and open up on what was troubling her. Not for the serious things anyways.

The store was out of her favorite ice cream?

She'd whine about it all day.

Her favorite show was getting cancelled?

You'd hear some choice words about the studio that pulled the plug on it and those words wouldn't be suitable for children.

Her mother never having approved of a single thing Vallery had done?

'I don't get on with my mom' was what you'd usually get.

Not what she'd just said; not something as raw and honest as that.

"I can take it," she went on, her voice unnaturally calm. "I've accepted that I'd never please her, but it's different with Nat. He wants her approval. He needs it, and he panics each time he thinks he might disappoint her. It's putting such a stress on him and..." Val rapped her fingers against the bed cover.

"And I don't know how to help him," she went on. "Hunter makes him happy and they would be good together if only it wasn't for mom. If they ever separate, it will be because of her, I'm sure of it, and it will be the final straw. Nat will break. And then I'll hate her for it and I'll hate myself because I was helpless and I could do nothing..."

Her face was emotionless, her eyes were dry - a feat when my own were beginning to water. I pulled her against me, wrapping my arms tightly around her, and rocketing us both as I hushed her, telling her all those meaningless words that promised everything would be alright, even though I had no way to back them.

"You can't know that," she quietly pointed out. "Things won't be alright just because you want them to be." She put her arms around my neck. "But this feels nice. Thanks."

We stood that way, embraced, for only God knew how long, Vallery still and stiff, and my mind racing, desperately trying to find one promise that would be true, that would make her feel better and that I could keep.

"But I am excited for them," she announced as she pulled away. We were no longer hugging, but we were still close, our knees touching. "Mom's going to be in the clinic for a while and maybe that would give Nat enough time to realize he should stay with Hunter no matter what the parental body says."

She got up, swirled on her heels to face me and clapped her hands once.

"So! We just have to fight one battle at a time." She looked enthusiastic again, almost cheerful. If I hadn't known her since childhood, I'd think she was just fine. But I did know her for years and I knew her well, so I noticed how her eyes had dulled, the previous spark missing from them.

"When are they moving out?" I asked, not wanting to pull her back to that dark place that was occupied with thoughts about her mother.

"They don't know yet," she said. "But the sooner they move out, the better. The more time they spend on their own, the more Nat will want it to last."

"So, it's not an option for Hunt to stay here permanently?"

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Why would they want to do that?"

"You know," I shrugged, "as a back-up option. Maybe your dad won't let Nat move out, but he might be more open to Hunt staying here for good."

Or at least until your mom returns.

"You know what?" Her face lit up, this time for real. "That's not a bad idea. I'll go tell the boys!"

She leaned down and pecked me on the cheek.

"Thanks, Ray-Ray," she chirped before dashing out of the room, leaving me mighty proud of myself and more than a little flushed.

What do you think of this new side of Val and her confession about her mom?

What Raiden's suggestion? Do you think Mr. Reed would allow Hunt to stay at his house and should he?

Please support the chapter with a VOTE and HAVE A GREAT TIME WATTPADDING!

And now, a little bonus: Nathaniel's character profile. Let's see if you'll learn anything new about him!