####**Val's P.O.V**
A sigh escaped my lips, a sound of profound weariness, as I pivoted to face Ryan.
"What is it you want, Ryan?"
I asked, my mind trembling reminiscing especially when I did to him the past week, my tone drained.
"You, of course."
His voice was a low, velvet drawl, a calculated attempt at charm that only elicited revulsion. He behaved like I didn't hurt him.
"Absolutely not."
My reply was a clipped denial, a firm barrier erected against his unwanted presence.
"Oh, come now, darling.
I perceive your desire for me."
He implored, his eyes gleaming with an arrogance that bordered on the grotesque horror.
"Your perception is flawed."
With those words, I turned my back on him, determined to create distance between us.
"Hey!"
His shout, laced with sudden rage, made me recoil.
He seized my wrist, his grip unyielding, and hauled me against his chest.
The air was thick with the cloying sweetness of his cologne, a scent that now triggered nausea.
"Never again turn your back on me!"
He bellowed, his face a mask of fury, mere inches from mine. Then, the sharp, searing pain, a brutal slap across my left cheek.
My head snapped to the right, the force of the blow sending a wave of vertigo through me.
A solitary tear trickled down my cheek, a mixture of shock and pain. I gazed at him, my vision blurred by unshed tears, the world around me receding into a hazy tableau.
Then, he simply turned and departed, leaving me standing there, a discarded object in the midst of a throng.
My cheek throbbed, a relentless, pulsating reminder of his violence.
I needed to escape, to find sanctuary, a place where I could collect myself. The restroom, adjacent to the infirmary, and inevitably, the bustling cafeteria.
I prayed no one would see me.
I shielded my face as I traversed the open space of the cafeteria.
The absence of a door, a consequence of some recent, misguided act of theatricality, left me exposed, vulnerable.
The din of voices, the clatter of trays, the aroma of fried food—it all felt amplified, a cruel mockery of my inner turmoil.
I stumbled into the infirmary, the clinical scent offering a small, sterile comfort. "Ice," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "Please."
The nurse, her face etched with concern, handed me a compress.
"Are you alright, dear?"
"Thank you," I murmured, avoiding her gaze.
I pressed the ice against my burning cheek, the cold a sharp, stinging relief.
Then, darkness descended.
#### **Jax's P.O.V**:
Vienna sat comfortably on my lap, her soft hair brushing against my chin, but my gaze was randomly fixed on the cafeteria entrance.
I saw Valentina from the entrance, I observed her, her face obscured, hurrying past, her posture tense, her movements frantic. Something was amiss.
"Sweetheart, I need to attend to something," I said to Vienna, gently placing her aside.
"You can proceed to class without me if I am not back by the end of the lunch period."
I left the cafeteria, a sense of unease gnawing at me. I followed the path Val had taken, my pace quickening as I approached the clinic.
Then, I saw her.
Lying motionless on the floor.
Panic seized me. I rushed to her, lifting her into my arms, her body limp and unresponsive.
I carried her into the clinic, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Good heavens, what has befallen her?!"
The nurse exclaimed, her voice filled with alarm.
"She was perfectly fine moments ago."
"I am unsure," I said, my voice tight.
"I simply found her unconscious and did not know what else to do but bring her here."
I endeavored to maintain composure, but fear was a cold, hard knot in my stomach.
"Where is her brother? Ashton?" She inquired, her eyes searching Valentina's pallid face.
Damn it. I had forgotten about him.
"I will fetch him."
I dashed from the infirmary, sprinting back to the cafeteria.
I found Ashton at our usual table, surrounded by our friends.
I stood before him, my voice low and urgent.
"It is Valentina. She has collapsed.
" I attempted to keep my voice steady, but the tremor of fear betrayed me.
His eyes widened, the carefree expression vanishing, replaced by raw, visceral concern.
He pushed back his chair and surged out of the cafeteria, his movements swift and decisive. I followed him, my mind a whirlwind of questions and dread.
He burst into the infirmary, his eyes scanning the room, landing on Val's still form.
He knelt beside her, his hand gently brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
"Start the vehicle, immediately!" He commanded, his voice sharp and unwavering.
He rushed back out, Ella cradled in his arms, her head resting against his chest.
He placed her gently in the rear seat, climbing in beside her.
"Hospital."
His voice was stern, resolute.
I nodded, my throat too constricted to speak. I sped out of the school's parking lot, pushing the vehicle to its limits, the road blurring beneath us.
We screeched to a halt in front of the emergency room, and Ashton was out of the vehicle before I could even switch off the engine.
He carried Valentina through the automatic doors, his voice echoing through the sterile corridor.
"Help! Someone assist!"
A physician hurried towards them, his expression grave.
"What has occurred?"
The words that issued from Ashton's lips shattered my perception of reality.
"She is battling cancer, and she lost consciousness at school."
His voice was thick with worry, but the words were clear, undeniable.
The world seemed to sway, the sounds of the hospital receding into a distant hum.
Cancer.
Val had cancer.
The words reverberated in my mind, a relentless, agonizing echo.
Everything around me dissolved into a blur, a distorted landscape of fear and disbelief.
My hands were sweaty!
Words in my mouth became heavy!
Tears rolling down my cheek in heavy gears like eye drops.
My world, once so vibrant and full of promise, had just fractured into fragments.
Valentina, the girl with the radiant smile and the quiet strength, was engaged in a battle I could not even fathom. The realization struck me like a physical blow, leaving me breathless and reeling.