Misfits (#2)

44.*

Violet.

As soon as I step out of the Bentley, I spot silvery blonde hair and a wide smile. I'd set off from home early, so the morning sun's still in the sky just as Valencia bounds towards me and practically tackles me. Both of us stumble back, our laughs sounding out.

I catch myself and hug her back, "Hi, crazy."

"Hey, ballerina." She's still grinning, swaying us both back and forth. I look up to the large apartment complex, absorbing it all. I'm here, proceeding a long drive and my nerves thrum with excitement to see Everest again.

She pulls back and holds me by the shoulders. For a moment, there's turmoil behind her eyes and I narrow my eyes at it. She opens her mouth to speak, "I- I don't know how to explain it all to you. So you should just see it."

I furrow my eyebrows, "See what?"

The glass doors of the building open and Hudson steps out, his dark eyes landing right on me. He only spares me a brief, joyless glance before he walks over to the back of the Bentley, pulling out my boxes and suitcases.

"He doesn't need to do that." I murmur.

"Shut up. He's not good for much but he has big arms. So we can put them to use." Val responds.

"You claim to hate me so much it makes my brain rot. And yet every time I'm near you, it's me you're talking about." Hudson walks past with a few boxes in his arms.

"It's not my fault your ears only zone in where you're concerned. Get away from me. Egotistical douchebags ruin my day." Valencia snips back without even looking at him. Hudson just sneers like she's an idiot before he saunters back into the building.

I haven't seen Val in a while, the sight of her making my heart warm. She grins and takes my hand, leading me into the glass building, the floor of the lobby a rich marble. It's a lavish place and Valencia still looks like she's obsessed with it. It's adorable. She's a rambler so in the chem classes we had together, I learned a few tidbits about her.

But even without them, it's clear she's an absolute sweetheart. A family girl, obsessed with summer, waves to surf and baking. She came from a big family that runs a small town diner; the absolutely stunning girl-next-door type of girl that I always wished to be like.

"I bet this is nothing to you, huh?" She links her arm with mine as we get out of the elevator, on our floor.

"It's pretty." I offer.

She snorts, "You're a weirdo, you know that right? You could probably be friends with princesses but you're choosing a band of weirdos."

"I'd take weirdos over princesses any day." I smile, my chest filling with an ease. But nerves are still underlying as I think about it, "What if Hudson hates me? I don't necessarily like him either but I don't want anything to be awkward. And I don't want to impose-"

"Hudson can brood in his demonic cesspit, for all we care. He hates me too, so he'll get used to it. We're all in favour of Violet Amory." She shuts me up, "Everest's excited to see you."

Even the mention of him makes me want to smile. I try to stifle it so I look like less of a doofus but Val spots it anyways, her own smile rising. Now we both look like doofuses.

"So," She starts and I'm already sending her a look because of that mischievous glint in her eyes, "I have to know, Vy, come on."

"Oh, look." I clear my throat, "Our apartmen-"

She spins me and wiggles her eyebrows. It makes her look a little insane but I love it, "Is he as good as they say? Because you know how they all said, all the time about his..." She wiggles her eyebrows again, gesturing down to her crotch.