Overtone

Valerie

I couldn't decide what I wanted to wear, especially when Lydia was all over the place, telling me to wear this and that. I shut her up by telling her, "I'm going to school, not some freaking fashion show". In the end, I picked out my favorite faded blue boyfriend jeans with black off shoulder shirt, nude heels and wore hoop earrings to go with them. Then I let her style my hair into a messy bun. I put on my oversized sunglasses and matched it all with some barely visible nude gloss.

I hadn't had enough time to study last night, and I had only today to study before my exam the following week. I'm going to be busy all weekend and I didn't really care about that.

Thinking about the fact that I've not really decided what I was going to do about the traveling my boss wanted me to make to Vidin Kingdom this same weekend. How do I just throw all my two years of sheer struggle and sleepless nights away just for some god-damned Gala? You know, I didn't even know what I'm going to do in Vidin yet because she hadn't even talked about it.

When my driver pulled up in front of the school's parking lot, University of Southern California. I heard my phone make a sound. The pop sound it always makes when I get a text message. A smile instantly crosses my lips the moment I saw who the message was from. My best friend, Blake.

Blake has been my best friend for as long as I could remember. We didn't go to high school together but we did meet along the way. I'd say it was just a coincidence that we're even still close.

I remember when we first met in LA together. He'd been an ordinary guy, seeking employment after his post-graduation. I remember how he'd left his bag in the hotel's lobby while looking for a bathroom to pee in, only to come back to meet a distracted me and a lobby empty of his bag. Unfortunately, someone had mistakenly picked it up and left with it. The next morning we were knocking at a Mrs. McLean's door to fetch his bag.

That was how I found my first apartment.

Blake has also been nothing but supportive and a shoulder to cry on during my troubled days. He has been too good to me in the past few years and every day, we were attending classes together.

I knew I said he graduated earlier but fortunately enough for me, Blake came to a conclusion that he wanted to get a degree in journalism. So, we pretty much attend a couple of classes together now.

I clicked his message open.

Blake: Hey sunshine, ready for school yet?

Me: I'm at the school already, duck head.

Black: oh fuck shit. I'll be down in a jiffy!

I chuckled lightly before texting back a reply.

Me: See you in class later.

Looking up at my driver, Samson, I said with a smile. "I'll need you to pick Lydia up by 12 so we can go to the store, okay?"

"Yes ma'am" he replied, tipping his hat to make a salute, and I laughed at it before I stepped out of the car and walked inside the first hallway.

I didn't really have many friends at this school. They all pretty much left me alone when they discovered I was the Valerie who modeled all over the world. I didn't know whether I could call that respect or jealousy. But I do exchange waves with a couple of them in and outside classes. And I was okay with that.

I sat in class later, paying full attention to what was happening. I needed it.

In my next class, I sat at the end corner in the back when Blake walked in, his eyes instantly roaming the place for me. I lifted a hand up and signaled for him to see me. He caught sight of me immediately, then gave me a broad smile before walking toward me. I watched him with a smile as he walked in.

Blake was a handsome man with all the qualities a woman could possibly wish for and seeing him now, I smiled at the fact that I once thought I liked him in a special kind of way.

Blake was drop dead gorgeous with a killer body that he always worked on at the gym. He had blond hair that he always styled to the side, his tanned skin bearing a tattoo at the sides of his right upper arm. And today, he was dressed in army green shorts that left his long muscular legs running out, with a white vest. He always looked hot in everything.

I tried not to think of him that way. Blake was my best friend and there's no way I could ever be with him.

"What's up, Val? " he called out as he got to me, slumping down on the seat beside me.

"You came so early, Blake," I teased him.

" Hey, I tried. " He winked at me.

" Hey listen, I've got this thing . . ."

"Right now? Surely we can talk about it elsewhere, you don't want Mr. uhm you know who, sending us out of his class when he walks in, right?" He nudged towards the door and I could see our lecturer walking in.

Giving him a smile, I replied "You are right. We'll talk later"

"So what's this thing you're talking about?" Blake asked the moment we sat outside the greengage coffee shop across the school premises.

We'd just ordered Cappuccinos and Eclair, and we concluded that we'd rather sit outside on a sunless morning like this one.

"Moria asked me to go to Vidin Kingdom." I spat out, playing with the top of my coffee cup, forgetting that I wanted to drink it so bad just a minute ago.

"Another shooting?" Blake asked, his voice muffled with the cake in his mouth. I gave him a flat look. I hate it when he does that but he just gives me a tongue out.

I tried to ignore him and continued speaking "Not exactly. It's a Gala"

"Oh my goodness, Val, you have to go"

"But I can't, Blake and that's the problem."

"Problem? Val, this is good news. What gala is this by the way?"

"It's the Baratheon Royal House of Vidin Kingdom. It's-"

"Baratheon Royal house?!" Blake exclaimed, cutting me off with " Girl, you know you have to be there. Have you gone online? Have you seen who's attending this gala? This is a chance to meet new people, Val"

I rolled my eyes at his festiveness about this news. Why am I not surprised that he knew these people. He literally knew everyone.

"I have exams on the 19th, Blake, and the occasion is on the 20th. I need to be on my way to Vidin on the 18th, and I need to try this new dress, and Moria wouldn't even listen to me, and I'm so so frustrated and, I . . ."

"Val, " he cut me off calmly. "Would you just calm down, please?"

I nodded "Okay" I actually tried to calm down.

"We'll find a way around it, I promise."

I gave him an appreciative smile before finally taking a sip of my coffee.

"Spoken with Jack, yet?" He asked.

I shook my head negatively "He still hasn't picked up my call"

"Don't worry, he'll come around"

"But I'm really worried about him. Life's already hard on him, Blake"

"Why don't you take him to the gala with you. I'm sure he'd love that "

I stared at him like he'd said the most brilliant thing in the world.

"Go ahead and say it, I just blew your mind again. I'm a genius" He grinned proudly.

He was right. I could take him as my escort. Jack had always wanted to get out of California and go someplace. Maybe I could go home after setting my priorities straight and have him come back to LA with me. I'm sure he would have a nice time there.

By the end of the day, I was back at my apartment, alone and regretting ever letting Lydia go home after bringing in my dresses earlier. This was the time I couldn't stop thinking about everything that was happening around me. The past and everything.

My head kept hurting each time I stood at the window and all I could see when I looked out was the image of my father's bloodied body, laying down on the group, his eyes wide open as he stared blankly at the sky. Even now, his death is still a mystery to us.

I tried to blink the thoughts away but they kept coming back. I didn't wanna think about it. I grabbed my car keys and walked into the garage, entered my car and did the first thing that came to my mind. Text Blake.

Me: hey, I'm going off into town to clear my head. I've been thinking a lot lately.

As soon as the message was delivered to him, he texted back.

Blake : What's up with you? Where are you going? It's the middle of the night, Val.

Me : I'll be fine Blake.

Blake : Not buying that. I'm coming to get you. Where are you headed?

I didn't reply. Instead I drove off. I couldn't think of a good place to go and just drove aimlessly across town. I had no idea where I was going until I came across the bridge construction area and heard the water hitting shores below.

Water. . . .

It was always the best place to be. The best place to think and clear your head.

The place was lit with porch lights and was still under construction, hence, a warning sign not to trespass at the front opening to the highway.

But I drove in anyway.

I stepped out of the car, dug my hands into my jean's back pockets, and let the cold wind caress my face, sending ripples through my exposed chest area. I decided to walk around the water body, enjoying how the water came and left with its movements, and how it hit the walls at the sides of the water. How everything seemed so peaceful and all.

I tried not to think. Not tonight. I just wanna feel good and get back home. Sleep, wake up tomorrow with a decision about what I'm going to do about everything I have to do tomorrow.

Jack kept forcing his way through my mind. And then there's Vidin and my exams. And then there's everything I didn't wanna think about forcing its way through my head. I tried to push it all away by shutting my eyes close and just facing the water. I tried to think about something I wanted. Something that made me happy.

For what felt like minutes, I just stood there, my eyes closed and the darkness consoling, the sound of the moving water suiting. The wind lifted my hair, carried it about. And I smiled.

But just then, I would've sworn I heard something strange. A sound. I froze as I heard the low howl that came from below the railway.

I stopped and turned around, only to be met with the looming darkness.