I was utterly speechless. Did, did she just confess to me!? Well, it's not like I was completely oblivious, but still! No wait, that's not the most important thing here. She said she didn't feel like she belonged. That must have been building up a lot of pressure on her. And Zack's comment yesterday probably didn't help...

I could hear her start sniffling as she quickly turned away from me.

"Forgive me for being selfish. You have the fate of the world on your shoulders, and I'm troubling you with such trivial things.." She forced herself to chuckle. "You can pretend like you didn't hear any of that."

"No, forgive me Val. I haven't taken the time to ask what's going on with you."

She slowly turned to face me. Her make up was running from her tears. But I just gave her a smile.

"And I'm sorry for ignoring your feelings. Valentina, your beautiful just as you are. You don't have to dress up to make me notice you. I've always noticed you." I said with a slight chuckle.

She glared back at me with rosy cheeks. Then promptly punched my shoulder.

"What are you laughing at then!"

"It's just funny to me. Someone as amazing as you was worried about impressing someone like me."

Her blush grew even deeper, and she was beginning to look like a tomato.

"O-oh."

"So with that being said. Tell me about your week, what's got you so stressed out lately?"

"Stryder you don't have to really." She sniffled and took a breath. It seemed like she calmed down a bit now. "There are a lot more important things to discuss."

"Yes, and we have all day to talk about those things. But for now, I want to hear about you."

She shook her head and sighed.

"If you insist.."

"Just elaborate on what you told me a little bit ago."

She nodded and sat back.

"Well, home has just been really stressful lately. The kid who stays with me is my cousin. And his mother started coming back around again. She's a raging alcoholic, and it's been. Rather intense dealing with her, I mean last night we had to call the cops on her! And my cousins been upset about it. And at times I just don't know what to say to him.."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Then Alexis has been stressed about Zack, and feeling really insecure. Since he's flirting with everything that walks." She then looked up into my eyes, and then away again. "Then I started to feel the same. Elizabeth showed up, and so did Annual. And I started to ask myself, was there a place for me to be with you? And I started to notice once we all started hanging out together, that I just didn't belong. I don't know much about the fights or powers, nor do I know you as well as Annual. And Elizabeth was gorgeous. It just, it just ate at me. From how busy I was at home, to how alone I felt when I was with you guys. I just haven't studied like I needed to. And for the first time in years I failed a test. And in a way. It felt like I failed my mom too? I don't know if that makes sense.."

I moved over to her and quickly wrapped my arms around her.

"Just because you're not dealing with the fate of the world, doesn't mean your problems are any less valuable. That's a lot on you at one time."

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

She shook in my arms a bit. But seem to concede to leaning into me. She didn't say a word, she just stayed close to me.

"You know, I've felt the same before. Like my feelings didn't matter like I didn't belong. I've always felt like a disappointment to my mom. But you were the one to make me realize my mom didn't die so I can be chained by her memory. But she wanted me to be free to enjoy life. And I think your mom would want the same. Instead of you overworking yourself. Val, you are enough."

I could feel her shaking more. There was a low whimper from her, and her face moved into my chest. That's when she started crying. Her hands grabbed my hoodie, and she just started to ball.

This was becoming an odd coincidence lately. I wonder why I was making so many girls cry…

As she was crying, I heard a creaking from the hall. I looked up and there he was. Leo was standing in the hallway entrance with his back against the wall. It didn't seem like he noticed me looking at him yet. I wonder if he was spying on us, I bet Lux put him up to it.

After a little bit she sat up and excused herself to the bathroom. I took my phone out and started ordering that pizza. I heard some footsteps coming in from the hall. I assumed Val came back for something. But when I looked up it was Leo, with a rather serious demeanor.

"Oh hey, did you want some-"

"Let me ask you a question."

I stopped and put my phone down.

"Yeah sure, what's up?"

"Was it really that important to talk to her?"

I squinted my eyes at him and nodded.

"Yeah, of course. She needed to let some stuff out."

"But what did that do? That doesn't change anything. She's still in the exact same place she was before."

"Well sort of." I sat up more and faced him. "She's not alone anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes it's not about making a huge change. Sometimes all you need is someone to listen to you."

"For what? Wouldn't it be a lot more effective to just do something about it?"

"Not necessarily, it's good to talk and open up to people. Because it gives you a chance to reflect and feel validated. Let me ask you. Is it easier for you to see your own weaknesses in a fight? Or for your opponent to see your weakness?"

"I suppose your opponent if they’re not dumb."

"Exactly my point. You'll never see what you need to work on as a person if you're all alone. Plus you never know what you can do for someone else when you open up. For example, if Val hadn't opened up to me, I don't think I would've grown as much as I have as a person. The same logic follows with Lizbeth. If I hadn't opened up to her, she never would've thought about changing."

Leo seemed to process my words. Staring at me intensely.

"Interesting point of view."

"You said it yourself before right? You felt like you could be honest because we and Zack were. And because of that, we understand each other better."

He nodded.

"Fair point."

"You never know what one sentence can do to change someone's entire life."

As I said that we both heard the toilet flush. We both turned back and we could see Val walking out of the bathroom. My hoodie looked like a mini dress on her. She looked so cute.

Leo immediately turned around and stepped past her.

"Hhhmm?" She asked as she passed him, but Leo just ignored her.

"What's up with him?" Val asked.

"I kind of wish I knew.." I chuckled.

She sat back down next to me and took a breath.

"Thank you for that, I didn't realize how long I had that bottled up."

I noticed she had the makeup washed out. Her eyes were a bit red, but she was back to good ol Valentina. Just how I liked her.

"Don't mention it. Just promise me next time you'll talk to me."

"Of course." She said with a smile.

I held up my hand and held out my pinky.

"Oh no, you gotta pinky promise."

She chuckled a little and shook her head.

"Only if you promise to do the same." She hummed as she held out her pinky.

I nodded and wrapped my pinky around hers.

"It's a promise then." I hummed and shook her pinky with mine. She smiled and sat back, moving her pinky from mine. "So on that note. I'll be honest with you."

She nodded.

"Sure, what is it?"

I took a breath and looked back into her eyes.

"Val, I have feelings for you too," I said softly.

Her cheeks flushed red and she nodded.

"R-really?"

"Yes, but I also have feelings for Annual. And I don't want to be a jerk and lead you on. If that makes sense?"

She nodded quickly.

"I completely understand."

"Things are complicated right now, and I'm trying to figure it out. But it's a lot harder than I expected. So, I don't want to make you confused, or expect you to wait on me to make a decision."

"No, no it's fine. I don't blame you at all for this. I appreciate you being honest with me about it. It feels nice to have some clarity on it all."

I nodded.

"Thank you for understanding."

"That just means I'll have to win you over then, right?" She teased with a smirk.

I blushed heavily and looked away from her.

"M-maybe, for now, I ordered pizza. Want to just relax with a movie till Zack gets here?"

"Oh! Can we watch star wars!? I still need to show you the trilogy. Or we can watch Harry potter since you haven't seen the movies yet." She cheered.

"Sure, let's see what Netflix has," I said as I reached for the remote.

"Have you seen Avatar before?"

"The blue people?"

She immediately snatched the remote from me.

"I know what we're watching."

…

"Water! Fire! Earth! Air!" Annual cheered.

"Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony," Valentina added in.

"Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked!" Alexis roared.

"Who knew they were such nerds…" Zack mumbled as he grabbed another slice of the pepperoni.

We were in the kitchen eating while the girls were nerding on the couch.

I smacked his hand, slightly using my strength.

"Ah! What the hell!?"

"Who says you get the last slice!?"

"You should be more grateful to the destroyer of worlds you PEASANT!"

"Isn't it a king's job to feed his people? Oh mighty ruler?" I added as I grabbed the pizza.

But I dropped the pizza as he shot a mini fireball at my hand.

"Ah! The heck!? I paid for the pizza!"

"You wanted a rematch, right? Well, let's fight for it! The last slice!"

"Your kidding, right?"

"Bok, bok! Is someone chicken now?"

I growled.

"Fine! Your on!"

"Are you two really gonna kill each other for pizza?" Leo huffed.

"You stay out of it! A battle over food can last generations. We gotta nip this in the bud now." Zack roared.

"You know you can just buy another pizza?" Leo added.

"No way! It's the principal! He's gotta learn he can't just do whatever he wants." I snapped.

"Honestly, you two are ridiculous.."