Crazy trouble with love part 8
Valerie and Wally part 2
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"No Wally, not like that, you solve the problem like this."
"That's what I did, but you told me it was wrong!"
"Because you were doing it the opposite way."
"Then how is that any different, it looks like I got the same answer!"
"Do you wanna be ready for that test tomorrow or do you wanna end up flunking?"
"Augh, you know I wanna pass, but this is so weird! I have to do it a certain way, and if I don't I'll fail even if I get the right answer!"
"Ugh! Fine, we'll take a small break because I'm getting a headache."
"How do ya think I feel ya crazy mutt?" He said with a small chuckle as he patted her head. "I still think math is a weird form of torture."
"S-Stop that!" She blushed slapping his hand away before she got up from her chair where it was shown to be an older looking Valerie who was wearing a button up white blouse with a black skirt and her hair fashioned into a puffy ponytail. "Just take five minutes to let that thick head of yours to cool off or it'll fry itself out."
"Aw come on, it only happened once, and I thought you liked head pats?" He asked with a chuckle. It was shown to be an older looking Wally who wore a heavy orange and white jersey with ripped blue jeans and basketball sneakers with his hair looking the same.
"I do not!" She huffed walking out of the room and slammed the door shut while making her way downstairs.
"Your face says otherwise!" He called with a chuckle.
"Shut up!"
Wally leaned back in his chair with a snicker while looking at the ceiling. "Sometimes it's too easy."
"I heard that! Keep it up and I'll let you fail!" She called back making him wince at the volume and sighed.
'Her and that dumb hearing is a huge pain in the butt.' He thought as he leaned back in his chair. 'Then again it's helped me a few times in the past.'
"Ugh, tutoring that Wallabee is gonna be the death of me." Muttered Valerie as she grabbed a protein shake from the fridge and opened it before taking a big gulp of it with a sigh of relief. 'Oh yeah, I needed that, I don't know why I keep agreeing to tutor him.'
It's been a few years or two since she began helping the knucklehead out, and suffice to say it HAS paid off, what with Wally doing better in school, much better than what his teachers expected out of him. He had helped her in return by introducing her to some of his friends, and helping her become a tad bit more social. Of course for some odd reason her parents DID seem to get uncomfortable whenever the two were alone in her room, but to this day they never said why.
"Hey, Valerie, where's the chips?' Called Wally as he looked around.
"There's no food up there!"
"Aw man, I'm hungry!"
"Too bad, just focus on finishing your homework and we can eat!" She called back while rolling her eyes. 'There's no way I'm letting him snack in my room again, it took me forever to clean up all those nacho chips.'
"Well, what if I eat some of my own stuff, Kuki gave me some weird snack her parents gave her." He called back making her groan.
"If you eat up there you BETTER clean it up!"
"Aw come, I can't make a mess with this, it's pok in the eye or something, ugh, what is this stuff, why is everything named weird?!"
'Better go up there, so help me if he gets something creamy and sticky on my bed from that, I'm gonna make him stay here and clean those sheets by hand.' She thought as she marched upstairs and threw the door open to see him eating some long chocolate stick things. "If that's chocolate, so help me it BETTER not melt or make a stain my bed."
"Aw calm down, this won't stain anything, there's barely any chocolate on it." He waved off while munching on the stick with satisfaction with Valerie crossing her arms.
"You know if you keep eating all that junk food, it'll make you fat and sluggish right? Then how are you gonna be able to do all those sports?"
"Eh quit your griping, I could eat twenty of these and still kick major butt." He chuckled as he held the box out to her. "Want some?"
"What? Um...ok, just one though." She relented before taking one of the sticks he held out and looked it over before giving it a hesitant bite. 'Hmmm, not bad, what is this, a biscuit?'
"Good, right?"
"Yes, of course, I can't have too much sugar or it'll effect my complexion." She remarked with a smile and her eyes closed while Wally snickered making her frown. "What was that?"
"Oh nothing, nothing."
"No, you got something to say about my looks Wally?" She asked with a frown as she crossed her arms.
"Well it's nothing big, it's just...well...you getting all wound up about sugar is hilarious." He snickered more. "You're worried even a bit is gonna make you grow a zit right on your face. Remember when I offered you some soda?"
"You nearly poured it on my face, I could have been a walking pizza!" She glared with him laughing and holding his stomach with one hand. "It's not funny! Can you imagine how horrible that would look on my posters for student council president? I would have been laughed out of school and never been able to go back."
"Aw come on, you're overreacting, besides if they couldn't look past a couple of pimples they don't deserve you." He shrugged before his box of chocolate treats slipped from his hand and dropped to the bed.
"NOOOO! My comforter!" She cried as she dived towards them. She reached out as time slowed down with the treats falling out and almost came into contact with it, but she narrowly caught them and fell on her stomach with a groan. "Wally, what did I tell you about the bed?"
"Aw come on, it all worked out, right?" He asked before she got up with the sweets in her hand before crushing them into dust. "Hey! I was gonna eat those."
"No more food in my room, end of story!" She snapped getting in his face. "If you so much as bring a crumb in here, I'm getting the leash out!"
"Ha! Jokes on you, I'm too smart to fall for that old trick." He smirked standing up and was shown to be taller than her and looked down at her. "I'm way more tougher than when I was a kid, so I could snap it right off no problem."
"Oh really, because if I remember correctly you ran into a stop light the first time you disobeyed me and knocked yourself out, you gonna do that again?" She smirked with him blushing in embarrassment.
"T-That didn't count!"
"Really, because if I remember correctly you still ended up with a leash on!" She countered as he groaned. "Either listen to my rules or I'll make you do another after school study session, with the whole student council."
"Oh come on, that isn't fair, I come to these lessons, don't I?!"
"Yes, but when we study in my home, we follow my rules. Unless of course you wanna go and study with someone else. After all, it's not like it wasn't moi who helped you pass that spanish class when you almost flunked." She remarked with her arms crossed and a smirk with Wally huffing.
"Oh yeah? Well maybe I will."
"Oh really now?" She asked with a frown. "Who else are you going to turn too, I'm the only one who will put up with you!"
"Not true! I'll just meet up with Hoagie and I'll ace that test no problem."
She raised an eyebrow with a smirk and started snickering. "You and Hoagie? Studying? For a test? T-That's a riot! Hahahaha!"
"Hey, it could happen!"
"Oh please, you two will get distracted and not spend any time studying!" She laughed holding her stomach with Wally raising a finger.
"Oh yeah? I'll show you!" He walked to the door and turned to her. "I'll do so good on the test you'll be coming to ME for studying!"
"Oh please, that will be the day, you'll be crawling back here after one day, I know it!"
"Nuh uh!" He stuck his tongue out and slammed the door with Valerie huffing and turning her nose up.
"Trying to study without me in one day for a big test? Oh I'm going to enjoy what happens next. Hmm, I better get my camera ready." She chuckled before there came a knock on the door.
"Honey, are you ok? Your little study buddy just left in a huff."
"Yes mom, he just decided to leave early and do some studying on his own."
"Really, are you sure that's all? I could hear you two shouting, are you two having...problems?" She asked nervously with Valerie taking it a different way.
"Relax mom, there's no way he'll get by without MY intelligent mindset to help him. I told him the truth, that he'll be CRAWLING back to me on his KNEES, practically BEGGING for me to help him."
"O-Ok...and what if he goes to one of his other friends instead, like that Kuki girl?" Her mother asked, thinking the worst. 'Oh lord help us if they're getting ahead of themselves, we haven't even given her the talk.'
"Oh please, the day that airhead gives a better study session is the day I turn into a cheerleader, and that's not happening anytime soon."
"Studying? Oh thank god." Her mother sighed in relief. "Just remember, friends are hard to replace, ok? Also, leashes and collars are for dogs!" She called out before walking off with Valerie raising an eyebrow.
'Did mom eavesdrop on us? I swear she and dad have been acting strange ever since I started tutoring that lunkhead.' She went back to her book and opened it. "Besides, I've only been helping him because I feel sorry for him, that's all." She muttered with a small blush. "It's not like I like having him around all the time."
(Later)
Valerie smiled when she looked at her perfect grade, again, and held her hands together on her desk. 'Once again, perfection. I should consider storing these in a little drawer as proof to all about my genius.' She thought before spotting Wally. 'Let's see what that lunkhead got without my brilliance.'
Said blond though looked defeated and like he was gonna be sick as he looked at his grade, a D-, and crumpled it while laying his head on his desk. 'Aw crud, my parents are gonna kill me when they get a load of this.'
"What's up Wallabee, not get the grade you hoped for? I wonder how that could have happened~" Sang Valerie making him turn to her with a frown.
"Oh yeah? Well...I'll have you know I DID pass, and it just so happens to be SO good, that I...uh...don't wanna toot my own horn to be nice, unlike SOME people I know." he jabbed making her frown.
"Really, then I guess you won't need help with the next test then, huh?" She threw back with him gulping and looking away as she smirked. "After all, if it's so good, then I guess you won't need any of my help ever again. I guess all those after school sports clubs are lucky to have such a genius in their mitts."
"I...well… uh…. I don't…"
"Oh? Do I hear the start of a beg, do you want me to tutor you again?" She asked with Wally blushing and looked away with his arms crossed.
"No way, I can ace the next one easy peasy."
"Really? Well then I'm sure you made sure to take extra notes considering it's on algebra AND geometry at the same time."
"I-It is?" He asked as he paled a bit.
"Yep, plus it's worth fifty percent of the final grade."
"Fifty?!" He screamed standing up before the class turned and the teacher frowned.
"Mr. Wallabee Beetles, is there something you'd like to say?"
"N-No ma'am, not at all." He said meekly.
"Then sit down and pay attention, unless you'd like to go talk to the principal instead."
"Y-Yes ma'am…"
"Good, you're thirteen, it's time to start acting more responsibly."
He nodded and sat down with Valerie smirking in victory.
"We'll talk in the hall." She whispered before she started taking notes.
(Hallway)
"Oh...my ...goodness." Spoke Valerie looking at Wally's paper while they were at his locker and turning green and swaying. "I think...I think I'm going to be sick."
"Yeah yeah, so I messed up, you were right and I was wrong." He huffed with a frown. "Ya happy?"
"Please ...just take it away before I hurl." She held it away from her while covering her mouth.
"Fine, fine." He said as he rolled his eyes. "So, can you help me study?"
She rubbed her throat to relax it before taking a deep breath and turned with a serious expression. "I might, but only if you tell me just how you and Hoagie studied."
"Ok, well, we read some of the books at my house, then we took a game break which turned into a video game tournament and the-"
"Ok, just stop right there, I heard enough." She sighed as she shook her head. "Just...stop."
He looked confused as she put her hands on her hips.
"I knew this was going to happen, that's why I went and prepared these." She pulled out some flash cards and put them in his hands. "Read over those in study hall, and I mean ALL of them. They'll give you some insight on what we'll be going over after school."
"Wait, really? You… prepared this for me already?"
"Yes, don't look too much into it, I didn't do it for you." She huffed. "I just knew this would happen and didn't want to have to endure seeing you getting all sad and-"
"Thanks!" He smiled pulling her into a tight hug making her blush with any students walking by chuckling or giggling. "You rock Valerie!"
"O-Of course I do you dolt, I'm Valerie! N-Now release me!" She cried out while feeling embarrassed being this close to him.
"Alright, well see you later! Oh, hey, I'm celebrating my birthday this weekend, wanna come?" He asked with a smile as she looked surprised.
"Wait, you're...inviting me to a birthday party?"
"Yeah, do you wanna come? It's just a small party at the old treehouse with me and the old group."
"Uh ...well...sure." She replied looking away to try and not get embarrassed.
"Cool, see you there." He said before walking away.
'He invited me? Me?' She thought, thrown for a loop since she didn't get invited much to parties. 'He's even inviting me to the treehouse? I've only been there once..'
She looked at the floor and couldn't help but smile before turning and headed to her next class.
(Later)
"Wait… am I at the right place?" She asked herself looking up at what looked like a big treehouse, minus all the technology she remembered, with it looking like it had a small clubhouse in the center. 'Didn't it look different awhile ago?' She thought as she headed towards the tree. She gave a knock at the front door of the regular house and waited. Soon the door was opened by Wally who smiled when he saw her.
"Hey, you made it!"
"Well of course, I wasn't going to be caught dead late." She huffed as he led her in. "Here, I hope you like this." She said as she gave him a wrapped box.
"Sweet! What'd ya get me?" He said as he tore into the package.
"Hey, you're supposed to wait until after the cake!" She spoke shaking her head. "Don't you know any self control?"
"Nope!" He laughed before opening the box to find a large book and a few baseballs. "Aw what? Books?"
"It's one you'll like, it's the history of baseball." She smirked. "Consider it something worth reading over something you can actually like."
"Huh… I might, I just might."
"Hey, Wally, where are you?"
"Down here!"
"Well come on up, we just got the cake up here!"
"Sweet! Come on Valerie, I'm starving."
"Ok, ok, let's go." She said as she followed him to the backyard. She looked around the tree and rubbed her chin. "Say Wally, when did you and the others change this tree so much?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"I mean where did all those fancy gadgets and machinery go to? Did you scrap it all?"
"Gadgets? Machines? Valerie… it's a treehouse, it doesn't have anything like that."
"Oh come on, I haven't been here a while, but I definitely remembered that this place was different. It was like some secret base crammed into a whole tree."
"Secret base? Valerie, what are you talking about?"
"You know, the Kids Next Door?" She asked with him looking more lost. "The thing you and your friends are part of?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said as he scratched his head.
"Oh come on, you went on all kind of adventures, you even fought against me in were-poodle form, remember?"
"Were-poodle? Are you ok Valerie?"
She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Ok, are you trying to mess with me? Because it's not working."
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, is it some kind of game we played in the past?" He asked as he began to climb up the tree.
'Ok, either he's pretending and is really good at it to mess with me, or he's serious, but I know what I saw.' She thought with a frown. 'And how did he forget about the were-poodle thing? That is a hard thing to forget.'
When they reached the top, Valerie saw the usual party decor for a birthday party and saw it still seemed as big as before, but now it looked like any old clubhouse without any computers and consoles.
"Yo guys! Valerie showed up."
"Wow, and here I figured you were pulling our legs." Remarked Abby who had her hair grown out down her back with a loose blue tank top and blue shorts on with sandals and gold bracelets on her wrists.
"So this is who helped you actually pass your classes?" Nigel asked, now wearing a red sweatshirt, blue jeans and had a buzz cut.
"Well more ladies to the party is always welcome." Smiled Hoagie who...basically looked the exact same way when he went off and turned himself into a teenager.
"Yeah, glad to see you could make it!" Kuki cheered happily, she had long hair, a green tank top and brown short shorts.
"Well when Wallabee offered, it's only polite to accept." Remarked Valerie with Abby smirking.
"You mean you didn't wanna give up a chance to hang out, right?"
"I-I uh...well… don't look too much into it!" She stammered with a small blush.
"Called it." Smirked the teen with Valerie glaring.
"Well now that we got ourselves another member, we can really crank this party up." smirked Hoagie.
"Alright, let's do it!" Called Nigel with a smile as he pulled out several cases of soda.
"Aw yeah, now we're talking." Grinned Abby rubbing her hands with Valerie looking unsure while Kuki licked her lips.
"Yay! My parents stopped letting me drink it after Mushi tried to sneak off with one."
"Um… do you guys have any water?" Valerie asked nervously.
"Closest thing is the hose outside, but who'd want that when we got enough soda for the whole night?" Asked Hoagie as they grabbed one each and held his up. "To Wally's birthday and him getting older, and hopefully able to hold his soda." he smirked.
"Oh yeah? I'll bet I can drink twice as much as soda as you."
"Let Abby in on that bet, I'll drink you both under the table." Chuckled the girl as she took a soda. "You want in on this Valerie?"
"I'll pass, I'm not really someone who drinks a lot of soda." She replied with Kuki gasping.
"You mean you've NEVER had soda?"
"I'm not a big fan of sugar." She said as she shook her head.
"We understand, Wally here had a hard time getting use to his first soda." Pointed out Nigel making him glare.
"Hey! That didn't count. I didn't know it was shaken up and couldn't really drink it all at once."
"You still got it all over yourself though." Chuckled Abby. "Come on, try one Valerie."
"I'm not so sure." She rubbed the back of her head. "My parents say too much sugar can decrease brain function."
"Eh go ahead, you only live once. Besides, if anything, all the sugar in these babies are just gonna give you the boost you need. I eat sugar all the time and I end up fine." Remarked Hoagie before he started chugging his soda.
"Well I'll be fine without any, thank you. So...did you guys redecorate this place or something?" She asked as Nigel raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh oh oh! Actually we did." Smiled Kuki pointing to a spot that was chock full of rainbow monkey items and posters. "I finally got around to making my own part, isn't it cuuuute?"
"But...where's all the weapons, the computers, and the ships? Isn't this a KND base?" She asked in confusion.
"KN-what?" Asked Hoagie tossing his can over his shoulder into the trash can.
"You know, the whole group that fights adults or something? The thing you guys are always going on about?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Asked Nigel in confusion as Abby narrowed her eyes.
"Oh come on, you can't fool me, I remember it all. There was some computers over there, wide windows that reached the ceiling all around, and even a giant room for all of you." She pointed out. "I already told Wallabee I'm not gonna fall for whatever trick's going on."
"What trick?" Asked Kuki before Abby stood up.
"Ah, it's me guys. I told her a couple of jokes about this place a few years back to mess with her, if you don't mind, I'd like to apologize to her in private, is that cool?"
"Sure thing, go ahead." Remarked Wally finishing his soda and grabbing his next one.
"Great, come with me quick Valerie." Said the girl as she took the blondes hand.
"What are you talking about? I know what I saw."
"I know, just stay quiet for now." Whispered Abby.
Valerie looked confused as Abby dragged her out of the area and down some of the steps. "Abby, what are you-"
"You can't talk about the KND stuff around them, they don't remember anymore." She cut her off with a serious expression.
"What? What are you talking about?" Asked Valerie before Abby looked away with a sad expression and let out a deep sigh.
"What I mean is that when you turn 13, they have you...decommissioned." She sighed as she shook her head. "The group is called kids next door, so once you're no longer a kid you have to leave, the rest of them already turned and had their memories taken from them about the kids next door and the adventures we went on, and they decommissioned the treehouse, not enough kids around here who can take it over."
"Wait...you make it sound like all of that was real."
"Of course it's real Valerie." She frowned. "Why else would we have a huge treehouse with more tech in it than Nigel's own home?" She asked before smirking. "Hell, you're a were-poodle, this should be easier to believe than that."
"Hey. That's one thing, but a group of kids fighting against adults? That sounds like a game you were all playing." She threw back before looking confused. "Wait a second, if they all lost their memories, than how can you know?"
"I'm twelve, I'm being decommissioned in a few days on my birthday." She replied looking away with sadness. "The hard part about forgetting all those moments is realizing you'll be the same. Forgetting all the great times we had showing it to the teens and adults. It's something no kids next door member ever likes, but it happens to them all." She said with a sigh. "But you? You're not part of them so you get to keep your memories, but just for the record Wallabee doesn't remember anything, including your were-poodle form."
"Then why not tell them?" She frowned. "You're their friends, so why not just tell them?"
"Because they wouldn't believe me, part of the process of decommissioning is replacing the lost memories, hell you hardly believe me and you saw it all, how do you think they'll take it? Even if I do make them remember then what? We're not allowed back in."
"Because...well isn't that just what friends do?"
"Look Valerie, I'd love to have them remember all that, but it happens eventually. The only good side is that we're all still friends no matter what, and if I'm gonna still remember for a few more days, I'd rather spend it looking back at all the good times instead of looking like a nutcase and losing them."
"I...but...doesn't this seem wrong? After everything you guys do the only reward you get is a swift kick to the rear as they toss you out?"
"It's the rules, and even if we're not around, it's not like we're forgotten. We'll be remembered for all the hard work we've done and the important thing is making things safe for kids, that's part of the job."
"I...I don't know what to say." She remarked looking down and letting that all sink in, all of it mind blowing.
"There's nothing to say, you can tell him about your monster side but the part of knd? Better to let it lie in the past, forgotten." She turned and headed back to the others while Valerie just looked at her hands.
'I...I don't know what to do…' She bit her lip. 'I wanna tell him everything, but I have no proof and he wouldn't believe me. And if what Abby says is true, it could make him think I'm looney, and I don't wanna lose ...a friend.' She thought as she held her arms. 'And do I even show him my other side? It's not exactly cute… actually it's terrifying, what if he freaks out and abandons me?!'
She felt scared seeing his expression and shook her head. 'No! Keep it together, you've learned how to control it, so technically, it's not like not telling him would hurt anything.' She thought as she shook her head. 'He doesn't need to know, I can keep him as my friend, it'll all work out.'
She took a deep breath and headed back to the party where she saw Hoagie and Wally looking the most wound up while chugging soda left and right. 'I don't know how those guys can drink so much of that carbonated syrup...but I don't want to lose this.'
"I'm drinking more than you!"
"Nuh-uh, I'm in the lead!"
"Man you both wrong, Abby here's ahead of you both."
"What?! How, you just started!"
"Don't go questioning Abby and her immunity to sugar." She chuckled, surrounded by empty cans.
"No fair, you always cheat!"
"Weeeeh!" Cheered Kuki doing cartwheels.
"...This is why I don't drink soda." Muttered Valerie before seeing a can of the stuff roll over and land near her feet.
"Hey Valerie, take a sip, this stuff is great!" Wally called with a grin.
The blonde let out a long sigh before picking it up. "Fine, but so help me if this lands me in a bad situation Wallabee, I blame you."
"Aw come on, what's the worst that could happen?"
Valerie didn't spare him a response before opening the can and took a slow and hesitant sip of the soda. Her eyes widened as she took in the taste. 'So….so…..SO GOOOD!' she started chugging it down right away while upbeat rock music played in the background.
(Later)
"Ooooh…..ah…..ow ...my head hurts." Groaned Valerie who felt herself starting to come to. She rubbed her head only to freeze as she felt massive paws instead of her small hands on top of a fuzzy head. She looked at them and panicked seeing her claws out and looked down to see she had turned into her were-poodle form. "Oh god, did I change in my sleep last night?! I haven't lost control like that for years! Or...did I change before I go to sleep?"
She sat up and looked around to see the clubhouse messed up with debris all over and the others passed out with Nigel under Abby, Hoagie dangling by his ankle by the banner with his goggles off, Kuki in a pile of soda cans, and Wally ...wait, where was he? And why did she feel something on her back? She turned around only to freeze as she saw the blonde passed out and hugging her back like a koala. 'Nooooo! I have to change back, I can't let him see me like this!'
She tried not to shake him and closed her eyes. 'Ok Valerie, just do what we practiced, think less furry thoughts.' She thought as she began to slowly shrink. 'Ok...so far so good, I think I'm in the clear.'
"Mmm...soft...pillow…" Muttered Wally, making her blush. "So nice…."
'Please stay sleeping and don't wake up.' She thought as he began to stir. 'No! Please, don't wake up!'
"Mmmm ...aw man…." Grumbled Wally yawning as Valerie kept shrinking before he rubbed his eyes. "My head's killin' me...what happened?"
"Um, you fell on your head and then on me, sorry?" She said as she turned away to hide her blush.
Wally stretched out while noting he was literally on top of her before blushing and jumped off quickly while she got up. "S-Sorry."
"I-It's fine, it was an accident, right?" She waved off as she dusted herself off and coughed. "Well, I can safely say that party was ...fun."
"Glad to hear. So… wanna study tomorrow?"
"Wow, first thing to ask after the fun is my help? I knew you'd need me." She smirked making him cross his arms.
"Eh don't toot your own horn, I just figured if we didn't you'd go stir crazy without me to get on your nerves." He said as she rolled her eyes.
"Please, I have plenty to do on my own to keep me entertained."
"Besides reading books and looking after your dog? How is she anyway?"
"She's doing just fine, although we did have to bring her to the vet last month and she had to wear one of those annoying cones on her head."
"Oof, that has to suck. Heh, I bet you'd look pretty ridiculous with one of those on you." He said with a chuckle.
"Are you insinuating I'm a dog?" She glared while subtle letting out a low growl without meaning to.
"No, but your hairstyle for awhile did look like dog ears, remember?" He said as he held up his hands.
"Ugh! With that kind of attitude, no wonder you're still single." She turned her head away with her arms crossed while he stuck his tongue out.
"You know I'm right. Besides, you're one to talk miss know-it-all."
"Hey, I don't know everything!"
"Well you act like it sometimes...and that's hard to believe, you ace everything in class."
"It's called studying and making sure to expect anything. Which is what you'll be getting use to for that remark Wallabee." She huffed before walking away. "Consider our next studying session with twice the work."
"Aw come on!"
"You need to get good grades if you want to get into a good college."
"College? Please, no college wants me." He waved off. "My old man tried that, and I got rejected every time. Said they wouldn't take in some 'delenqit'."
"What?! No, you are going to college damn it!"
"Valerie, I've been kicked out of over a dozen boarding schools, boot camps and everything in between as a kid, no college is going to want me." He remarked crossing his arms. "Besides, it's just another word for a fancy schmancy word for a big school. No way am I gonna stick to that. First chance I get, I'm out of that place."
"Wallabee, college isn't that simple. It's a great way for anyway to get a chance at any job they want and can provide all sorts of different ways to get it."
"Eh please. When I'm out, I'm gonna end up the biggest and baddest sports player around." He smirked pointing to himself with a thumb.
"No! You are going to college damn it!" She shouted in anger.
"No way hosay!" He said as he shook his head. "There is no way I'm going to college. Besides, why would I want to go?"
"To get a job that can actually land you a future?" She raised an eyebrow. "What good is there to make a career off just running around tossing a ball, or kicking a ball, or whatever hot and sweaty sport out there?"
"Ha! I'll be making a billion bazillion dollars when I become famous, and I won't need to use any of that boring stuff."
Valerie narrowed her eyes before huffing and turned away. "We'll just see about that Wallabee."
"Oh trust me, as soon as I can I'm out of this school and I'm never going back!" He called out as she left right as his friends started to come to. 'What was up with her, why did she want me to go to college?'
"Ooooh, why's the room spinning?" Asked Hoagie looking around. "Woah! Everything's upside down."
(Later)
"Wallebee, get over here!"
"No way!"
"Don't make me chase you again!"
"Ha! You can't catch me when I kick it into overdrive!"
"You're just running a bit faster, I will catch you damn it!"
The two were currently running around Wally's room with said blond jumping off his stuff with Valerie nearly tripping over the mess on the floor. "You get down here right now and get back to work!"
"No, that book ain't part of the books we gotta read for school!"
"It's called being prepared for anything, and you're gonna read it!"
"Like hell I am!" He called as Valerie growled angrily.
"Oh yes you-wah!" She yelped when she tripped over some pants and landed face down on a hoodie and wound up inhaling the smell of it, making her jump back and cover her nose. "Oh my goodness! What died in there?!"
"Hey, be careful, that's my lucky hoodie, I won the big game when I wore it so I'm never washing it!" He spoke as she stood up and looked green.
"It smells like something died in there and has been rotting away for months!"
"That's just the smell of victory. To geeks and nerds it smells bad, but to jocks, it's nothing." he smirked puffing out his chest.
"Ugh, it smells awful! That's it, I'm washing it!"
"No way!" He ran over and grabbed it before both started pulling on it. "No one's washing my lucky hoodie!"
"Then read the book or the hoodie gets it!" She warned tugging harder. "And I doubt it'll stand both of us tugging, so it might end up in two if you don't hurry and decide."
"I...fine, I'll read the damn book!" He huffed letting go while Valerie smirked and held it out before he took it and glared at her. "I'll remember that."
"Well then hopefully your memory is good enough to remember everything in that book."
"Why, we aren't learning about this in class, so why do you want me to read it?"
"It never hurts to get a headstart. This way by the time you take a test on it, you'll know it like the back of your hand."
"But what if I don't? What if there isn't some test about…. The spanish conquest of south america?" He said as he read read the title.
"Well then it's a little bit of extra knowledge you can store away for later on in life."
"Ok...why? Why do you want me to learn all of this? And spend time making me learn it, why?"
"It's my job as your tutor, now start reading chapters 1-5 and fill out this form, and no cheating."
"...No. No, this goes beyond tutoring, a tutor is supposed to help me in school, this is not school!" He frowned crossing his arms. "What am I gonna do with this boring stuff when I become a sports star?"
"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BECOME ONE!" Valerie shouted, finally at her breaking point. "Do you know what the average time is of a professional athlete is, huh?! It's four, five years, tops! After that most are left with no real skills, and most have blown all their money! I don't want that for you!"
Wally jumped at the sudden look on her face which looked like anger and sadness.
"I'm trying to help you! I want you to get into college, or at least find a profession that can provide you with enough money so you don't end up losing it all because your dream didn't work out! You think I do this because I dislike you? No! It's because the last thing, the absolute last thing I wanna see you is ending up a homeless bum who can't get another job because he relied solely on sports! School may be boring, but it can also help people get into jobs and positions that could keep them going for decades to come. Heck, being a sports coach could pay more because you wouldn't be the star, but your knowledge of plays and all that stuff could help others, and they'd keep you on purely for that." She finished with a huff.
"Valerie, I…"
"Enough, just ...read the book, you might actually like it, and maybe… if you do well enough, you can get into a college. I'm...gonna go." She spoke turning and walked out of the room with her head down. 'And maybe ...we could get into the same college if you work hard enough.'
Wally looked at her and back at the book while letting that sink in and for some reason felt guilty. 'Wow...all this time she's been trying to help me...and I've been treating her like an annoyance, being difficult, what kind of friend am I?'
He looked at his room and sat on his bed before opening the book. "Maybe a little bit couldn't hurt."
(Later)
"Ugh...I can't believe I said all that!" Groaned Valerie as she buried her face in her hands. "I sounded like an idiot, I pretty much called his dreams stupid!"
"Arf arf!" Barked her dog wagging her tail and looking at her owner with a smile.
"Ugh, what am I going to do, and why do I feel like this?!" She asked laying on her bed. "I could just stop hanging out with him and focus on my own stuff, my own future, I mean, there are others who could help him out, right?"
"Arf arf, arf!"
"Ugh, you're right, no one else can help him! His friends help him goof off, his parent's obviously don't help, I'm the only one who can!" She muttered making a fist. "But...it's weird. When I think about him messing up and not making it in school, I feel ...more than sad, I feel...oh I don't know how to put it into words."
"Arf arf arf!"
"W-What?! N-No, I do not have a crush on him, that is not why I feel worse that I should!" She denied while her dog nodded her head. "No way, no how, there is NO way on this planet I would EVER have a crush on Wallabee Beetles."
"Arf arf arf!"
"T-That's preposterous, I have not been helping him all this time because I find him c-cute!"
"Arf arf?"
"NO HE IS NOT MY MATE!" She yelled turning bright red while covering her ears. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
"Arf arf arf arf arf!"
"J-Just shut up, that is not happening, not ever!" She denied with her dog frowning before climbing on the bed.
"Arf arf arf! Arf arf arf arf!"
"N-No, it's not like that, not like that at all! H-He's just a friend!"
"Arf."
"No I am not a liar!"
"Arf arf."
"Oh stop that or so help me I'll stop getting those sweet and spicy dog treats you like so much." She warned. This made the poodle whine and put her tail between her legs. "I don't wanna do it, so just stop, ok?"
"Arf…."
"I am not in denial, and I am not a meanie!" she huffed crossing her arms. "I'm gonna go and take a bath to soak my troubles away."
"Arf?"
"No, you can not come!" She got up and went to get some clean clothes. "Last time I let you bathe with me you kept splashing."
"Arf arf!"
"No, and if you keep it up, I'm getting the cone!"
The dog let out a whimper as Valerie headed to the bathroom.
'What is she even talking about, I do not have a crush on Wally, I can't!' She thought shaking her head. 'I mean it's just silly ...right?' She thought as she reached the bathroom. 'I mean, sure I do spend extra time with him helping him study that I could have been using to work on my own homework, but that's nothing...right?'
(Later)
'Ok...you just need to keep it together, and after school...see if you can apologize.' Thought Valerie as she walked towards the school.
"Valerie! Hey, Valerie!"
She jumped and turned around. "W-Wally? What are you- I mean, what do you want?"
"I just wanted to say...I'm sorry." he said as he stopped and took off his back pack, reached inside and pulled out a white packet. "You might be right about my dream...also, the book was kind of fun, I finished it, here's the form you left me."
"Wait...you read the whole thing?"
"Yeah, it was pretty cool." He said as she looked through the package. "I wanted to call and let you know sooner, but...I don't have your number." He said as she looked through the packet wide eyed.
'This… this is amazing, the handwriting is a bit sloppy but these paragraphs, these topics, they're...they're...they're amazing! It's almost good enough to eat!' She thought in shock. "Wally, how did you do this?"
"Well, I wanted to make up for doubting you and causing you to explode, so after reading the book I sat down and focused as hard as I could on everything you taught me and tried to do my best. So...how is it?"
"It's...amazing." She said in awe as she held it close. 'I wonder how it would taste, oh I really wanna try it...no! Focus! Now is a good time to apologize!' She gulped. "Wally, I wanted to say sorry."
"Huh? You do?" He asked in surprise.
"Yes, I-I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, nor should I have called your dream stupid." She replied rubbing the back of her head. "It was rude, inconsiderate, and I should have been more calm headed. You should be free to do what you want, and it's none of my business."
"I...I know, but you were right, it's about time that I stop living in a fantasy world."
"No no! You should go ahead and be a sports start if you want." She held up her hands.
"I know, but… I don't know what I want now, what I should want anymore."
"Well I mean it's possible for you to get into college on a sports scholarship, I just tend to focus more on the aspect of doing book work." She admitted rubbing her neck and looking down. "And you can be a sports star, I would just recommend having something to fall back on, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Well….I don't know…."
"Another thing I forgot to mention was that you're not technically required to attend classes. Realistically as long as you pay for a seminar, you can come and go if you want." She said as she rubbed the back of her hand. "Though if you don't show they'll eventually kick you out, plus it would be a waste of money, but you do get to choose the classes you want, that means no math classes if you really want."
"For real?" He looked surprised. "So, I could end up there on a sports scholarship and go if I wanted?"
"Oh yeah, colleges love that kind of stuff, I'm sure you could get in, but you have to stay on top of school work."
He looked conflicted about that, but let out a deep sigh. "Oh fine, cruddy school work." He muttered.
"Hey, if you keep up what you're doing like this then you'll pass easily." She smiled. "But if you wanna get a sports scholarship, you'll have to talk to the right people, they don't exactly hand those out." She said with a chuckle. "That and be the very best in whatever sport you play, which we both know you can do."
"'Course I am, no ones better than me." He boasted.
"Great, then let's go mister 'sports star', we have class."
Wally groaned hearing that, but nodded reluctantly. "Fine, but I don't gotta like it."
"You never liked it to begin with." She said as she shook her head before they heard the bell. "No! We're late!"
"I got this!" He moved closer and suddenly picked her up over his shoulder and took off running making her yelp and turn red.
"W-Wally! What are you doing?!"
"This is quicker!" He called as she blushed even harder.
'S-Stop it Valerie, he's just doing this to help you, d-don't misread this!' She thought while in the back of her head she'd wish he had carried her in his arms, but shoved it down quickly while bouncing from the position. "Y-You're gonna get us in trouble! No running in the halls!"
"Would you rather be tardy and miss some of class?" He asked, to which she didn't respond. "Just hang on and we'll get there in no time!"
"O-Ok, just be careful!" She replied, only for Wally to round a corner and run towards an AV cart being pushed. "Look out!"
"I got this!" He picked her up in his arms and reeled them back. "Hang on!"
"What are you-AHHHH!" She screamed as he tossed her over the cart while he went and jumped around the cart and reached the other side with his arms out, only for her to go crashing on top of him with a thud. "D-Don't you ever do that again!"
"Aw calm down, we're fine." He chuckled as he turned the corner, only to lose his footing on the newly waxed floor and start sliding uncontrollably. "Whoa! Hold on!"
Valerie yelped and held on tightly as they started to spin. They cried as they shot down the hall before landing in an open locker which closed as soon as they entered. "Ah! Oh you've gotta be kidding me!"
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Groaned Wally, a little dizzy.
"We're in a locker you dork! Ugh, this is exactly what I meant by NO running, but did you listen? Nooo."
"Hey, how was I supposed to know the floor was waxed?!" He frowned while trying to move, which was awkward due to how cramped the locker was.
"Maybe if you learned to walk then you might have seen the signs." She grumbled before trying to move her arm, but it was stuck. "This is just perfect. Now we're late AND stuck here."
"Aw come on, it's not that bad, right? It's just dumb math."
"I need to keep a perfect attendance! Since kindergarten I've never missed a day of school!" She frowned. "Just missing one day has a bigger impact in the future than you think."
"Oh come on, we have a sub today, we'd just be watching a crummy movie on math." Wally waved off and moved a bit more. "We'll get out of here no time, just gotta grab the knob and-"
"AH!" Jumped Valerie before headbutting Wally making him hit the back of the locker with her blushing. "Watch where you grab!"
"Huh? What's wrong, all I did was grab the knob."
"You grabbed somewhere else!"
"Huh? What did I grab?" He asked in confusion.
"Y-You don't need to know! Let me just try and get us out of here." She said as her face turned red. 'It was an accident Valerie, keep it together.'
'What's with her?' wondered Wally.
(Later)
Valerie sighed while at her locker and thankful the sub didn't count them tardy, what with them being stuck in a locker and getting out when she used one of her claws, not that Wally needed to know that. 'I can't believe we were stuck like that, close together, unable to move away...oh ...it's almost too much!'
She shook her head and tried to keep her mind from wandering while reaching in the far back of her locker and grabbed a small bone biscuit before munching on it, making sure no one was around. 'I really need to cut back on these, they'll make my breath stink like bacon and it'll make people spread all sorts of rumors.'
"Hey Valerie, what you got there, mind if I have some?"
She jumped and slammed her locker before turning to Wally. "Got what? I don't know what you mean."
"That thing you just ate, do you got any more?"
"I wasn't eating anything." She frowned while discretely swallowing the biscuit. "I'm not like some people who would go off and snack in between meals, especially at school."
"Aw come on, I saw you put something in your mouth!" He retorted. "Was it gum?"
"No, it wasn't!"
"Hey, is it meat? I smell bacon." He sniffed around the air making her blush.
"Of course not, do I look like the kind of girl who'd break school rules and eat outside of lunch, especially something with bacon in it?" She denied quickly.
"No, but you did eat something, you have crumbs on your face."
She stiffened up and wiped at her face quickly. "No I don't, you must have seen things."
"Really, then you wouldn't mind if I look in your locker, right?" He smirked.
"As a matter of fact I would." She huffed crossing her arms.
"So you do have something to hide then, huh?" He countered. "Sounds like miss high and mighty just doesn't wanna share."
"It's my locker and I will do what I damn well want to do in it." She huffed. "Now get to your next class."
"Fine, fine, lets go." He said as he took her hand.
"...what are you doing?"
"Don't we have the same class?"
"I-I-I'm talking about...that." She stuttered pointing at the hands.
"Huh? Oh, um ...sorry, I was...forget it." He said with a faint blush as he let go of her hand.
'Did he plan on that? No no no, that's silly, I mean, it's not like he'd be interested in me, not when he has that airhead Kuki.' She thought as she let out a small growl as she thought about Kuki. 'Why would he want a bookworm like me when he has her?'
But as they almost reached the classroom, several guys cut them off and blocked the way with smug looks on their faces.
"Well well well, if it isn't little Wally, did you hear about the new hallway fee?"
"No, because there sure ain't none." Frowned the blond.
"That's what you think. We decided these halls are always crowded and some of the less fortunate needed a hand in keeping things organized. That's why for the low low price of twenty bucks, you can get to class much easier and faster."
"What? There's no such thing, this is extortion!" Valerie cried out. "When the principal hears about this, you three are going to be in big big trouble."
"Really, so you haven't heard what snitches get, huh?" Chuckled one as he cracked his knuckles.
"It isn't a good idea to go blabbing, especially for a skinny little bookworm like you." Chuckled one as he moved forward, only for Wally to step in front of him.
"Don't you touch her."
"Oooh, is the big bad Wally gonna save his girlfriend?" Mocked the first before all three started laughing with Wally glaring at them.
"You got two options. Either leave without me kicking your butts, or don't and I still get to kick your butts."
"Oh please, like you'd actually be willing to fight us over this bi-OW!" The teen found his shin kicked by Valerie, then got a fist to the cheek sending him to the floor, catching the two off guard with the two blonds looking more pissed.
"I m not a fucking damsel in distress, if you want to fight then bring it on!" She growled with her teeth looking sharp.
"Oh you two are-" The next one was cut off when he found Valerie tackling him while Wally let out a war cry and slammed the last one against the lockers before he started pounding on him.
"Fuck, the blonde couple have some bite to their bark!" Shouted one as he tried to push Valerie off of him. "Get off me!"
"You gonna try to hassle us for money again, huh punk?!"
"What do you-AHH!" He screamed out when he felt Wally aim him low, making him let out a high pitched yell. "Owww…."
"I don't like to fight dirty, but if you're gonna try and do something like this, I'll make an exception." He growled as the bully collapsed to the ground in a heap. "Now stay there asshole."
Valerie growled while biting and clawing at the last bully who screamed and tried to crawl off, but she just pulled him back while going wild.
"Get her off, get her off, this bitch is feral!"
"Woohoo! Go Valerie!" Wally cheered before one of the classroom doors opened up and a teacher came out.
"What is going on out here?!" They yelled before Valerie jumped up while holding a piece of shirt, torn off, in her mouth while noting the bullies and put their hands on their hips. "Would anyone care to tell me now or in detention?"
"T-These two attacked us!" Moaned the bully on the ground that Wally had kicked in the gonads.
"That's complete bull. These jokers tried to jip us out of our cash first." Spoke Wally.
"So you responded with violence? You both know this goes against the student handbook, you two are in big trouble."
"Trouble?" Spoke Valerie going pale.
"Yes, I'm afraid this will go on your permanent record." He said, with the blonde turning as white as snow and nearly fainting.
"Permanent ...record?" She let out a small whimper similar to a dog hearing that and swearing she felt the hallway spinning.
"Yes, now come along, you two are coming with me to the principal's office."
Wally groaned while not too bothered, but Valerie looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
'Permanent...record ...record ...record...oh god, what if I can't get into a college now?!' She thought seeing her future falling apart. 'I'm ruined...it's all over now...oh god, I can't even blame Wally for this, this is all on me!'
"Now both of you-" The teacher was cut off when there was a ringing sound before two teens came zipping past them on bikes, laughing and made the teacher nearly fall over. "Hey! No riding bikes in the hallway!" He called as he took chase. "Get back here you delinquents!"
"Hey, I guess we're off the hook." Chuckled Wally. He saw Valerie wobble and nearly fall over had he not caught her. "Woah, you ok?"
"Permanent ...record...ruined…"
"Hey, hey, calm down Valerie, it's ok."
"No it's not!" She snapped while hyperventilating. "My record is completely, utterly, and without a doubt, SMUDGED! Now my chances of getting in a premier college are shattered completely!"
"I think you're overreacting, also we're off the hook, once he's done trying to catch them he won't even remember us." Wally waved off. "Your records gonna be just fine."
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" She cried out, her eyes full of fear. "What if he does remember?!"
"Relax, he's not gonna." Wally said as he rolled his eyes.
"How do you know that though?!"
"Trust me on this, I know what I'm talking about."
"...I'm doomed." She groaned as Wally rolled his eyes and began to drag her away. "My life is over…"
"Oh don't be all dramatic."
'Well, I can wish my honor student status good bye. I can already imagine the principal calling me in tomorrow to tell me-'
(Next day)
"I'm NOT in trouble?"
"No, why would you be?" Asked the principle in confusion. "You were late to class and attacked, that's not your fault, was it?"
"But ...But I thought you'd be disappointed. I mean, an honor student getting involved like that."
"Look, I've been an educator for almost forty years, and I've come to find a phrase that has helped me immensely, 'shit happens, get over it'. So, you get on back to class, ok?"
"Uh...ok?"
"Good, glad we could get that cleared up." He said as he cleared his throat. "Just try to do better, and avoid associating with that delinquent Wallabee, got it?"
"Uh, yes sir." She said as she left the office in a daze. 'What ...what just happened?'
"So, how'd it go?" Asked Wally leaning against the wall.
"I...I'm not in trouble?" She said in shock.
"Heh, told ya!" He smirked. "I told ya you were gonna be fine, you are. Score one for me."
"He said...he said shit happens ...my record is safe?" She muttered, still amazed before taking a deep breath and let out a shout of joy. "My record is SAFE!"
"Yep, so, wanna ditch class?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Are you kidding? I just find out my record is safe, and you wanna ditch class?" She frowned.
"Yep, so are you in?"
"No! And neither are you, you have a test to ace mister!" She frowned with him groaning.
"Come on, we were gonna stop and grab some sodas to celebrate."
"We can do that after class." She said with a huff.
"Fine, fine, we'll do it then, it's a date." She remarked making her face light up with her shaking her head.
"D-Don't word it like that!"
"Eh? Why not, don't you wanna go out and get some soda?"
She looked at him like he was an idiot before sighing and facepalmed. "Ok, fine, it's a date then."
"Great, see you later Valerie!" He called out with a faint blush. 'Sweet, she agreed to go out with me!'
'I might as well see how this goes, otherwise I'll drive myself crazy.'