UNEXPECTED

Winter Break

ZANE'S P.O.V.

        I watched her behind closed doors......pacing....talking to herself. It was quite scary when she got like this. The wall shook as she punched it with her fist growling loudly. She was throwing things, becoming angrier as she continued to mess up her room.

        I thought back to when I met Valentina. Pretty girl.

Someone who was smart, curious, and strong-willed. Maybe I should have warned her.

     I scoffed to myself, that girl would not have listened to me.

I flinched as I felt a hand on my shoulder.

   Turning around, I saw my dad looking towards Blake's door with a worried expression.

"Is she---," He started.  I nodded, already expecting his next words.

    He took a deep breath before slowly opening the room to Blake's.

Blake was still very angry and she continued kicking and punching the wall. Her bedroom was a complete mess by now.

      My dad looked around with a frown clear on his face. He faced Blake's back, as she leaned into the wall breathing heavily, fist clenched.

     Blake turned around at the sound of the door. Her green eyes darkened and she had glared at my dad, and then me.

   "Don't you knock? Can't you see I need to be alone?" She huffed. Her long hair was going in all different directions, her fist was tightly clenched.

      Our dad put his hands up, to try to calm her. Our dad was a buff man and could be intimidating at times, but he had a very kind heart.

   "Blake, sweetheart....you need to calm down. I know you---"

   Blake took a step towards him, her face scrunched up as soon as he called her name.

She looked him up and down with disgust.

"I'm not Blake."

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Valentina's p.o.v

   I faked being sick so I wouldn't have to go to school. Brian was going to come over and give me my Spanish homework. Tomorrow was winter break and I could use the mini vacation.

     I was laying on my bed, watching tv when the doorbell rang.

I looked through the door peephole thinking to see Brian but saw Taylor instead. I took a step back and looked through the peephole again.

     She was standing in a yellow sweatshirt, plain blue jeans and brown ugg boots. She looked really good. Yellow compliments her dark skin very well. A small bag was in her hand.

     I opened the door, trying to not let my confusion show. Wasn't she just trying to get away from me?

     Her blue eyes met mine as she spoke, "Hi, I brought your clothes back," She held up the bag towards me. I took it, unable to speak a word.

    Her blue eyes sparkled and she looked sad, but yet very good at the same time.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

       We stood for a moment just staring at each other.

I noticed she was shivering a little, and I ended up getting a really bad idea.

"Would you like to come in and warm up?"

   Her blue eyes held a surprised look. "S-sure," I watched carefully as she entered my house. I closed the door behind her, leaving us two awkwardly staring at each other.

     "Soooo...." I dragged out. My lips were felt dry and I was starting to feel sick again.

I noticed how she was still shivering, her eyes searched the floor as if she was trying to say something.

    "It's much warmer in my room if you like to warm up a little," I said without thinking. 

Taylor mumbled a small thanks before walking towards my room. I had no clue what to say to this girl, I would've thought she would have left by now.

       Taylor opened the door and sat down on the chair by my bed. I sat on the bed next to her. "Do you feel the tension too?" I spoke trying to add a little humour.

    Taylor looked at me and gave a small smile. But it faded as she stared at me.

"What happened to your cheek?"

"Fell," I responded quickly. Disbelief flashed across her eyes. I said my response way too quick.

     Taylor suddenly stood up and begin walking towards my room door.

"I didn't mean to intrude, just wanted to thank you for helping me out that's all."

   Her hand grabbed the door handle, and slowly opened the door.

     "No problem, Blake seems like a horrible person....I see that now." My response was more to myself.

  Taylor turned around and smiled. "I was almost convinced you were the horrible person," She shook her head. "Clearly I was wrong."

      My head tilted to her response, how was I the horrible person?

"By the way.....I'm also sorry about the bathroom incident. That's not usually like me," Her voice was soft as she apologized, and her eyes no longer met mine.

    "Forgiven, " I said, the awkward feeling was fading away. I got up from the bed hoping to walk her out.

   Taylor just stood there for a moment, looking like she wanted to say more.

"When I was dating Blake, my confidence was so low, my self esteem....no longer existed," She told me.

    I nodded slowly, I could see that.

Taylor stared into space for a second, her hand still on the door handle.
"She made me feel very special in our first months of the relationship, she made it seem like no one else would want me," Taylor said softly.

     I don't know why she would think that I thought to myself. She's really pretty......when she's not threatening people.

    "I'm sorry you had to go through that, " I said. "For what it's worth, I think you're pretty....and you seem okay."

   Taylor looked at me and laughed. "Why thank you. Blake made me feel like a freak. How often do you see a dark skin girl with blue eyes?"

   Taylor glared at the doorknob, her lips were drawn in a thin line.

     I stayed silent, not knowing what to say. Until she mentioned it, I didn't know any other girls like her.

     "Well, you're not a freak and you two not being together is probably for the best," I said trying to convince her.

     In my head, I  knew it was definitely for the best.

Taylor opened up the room door and we walked to the front door together. "Do you want me to give you a ride? It's cold out there," I asked.

    I was starting to like Taylor, no longer thinking she was a threat to me.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'll just jog a little." Taylor put her hands in her pocket and went outside.

   She started walking down the driveway but stopped and turned towards me. "Thanks for everything, Valentina," She said.

       "No problem," I responded. Guess it's a good thing I almost ran her over that night.

She got down to the end of my driveway and waved at me. "See you later cupcake!" Her legs turned her away as she started jogging away.

     I smiled after her and turned to go back inside when a horrible feeling crossed my body.

What did she just call me?