Innocent Love

She dropped down her jaws "Did you just say eighteen years?!"

"Eighteen years, Val. This is the best decision I've ever made for you, I want to give you the best" he confessed.

Valentine's face couldn't contain the volume of the smile pouring out from her heart.

The idea of going to the best school in the country excited her, but they didn't consider the fact that she would be an ant in the midst of elephants.

Even so, she had never been to Athens before, so it was going to be the Alpha of a new life.

"So, what's next?" She wasn't even going to ask questions about why. Her excitement overshadowed her reasoning. Going away from Florina wouldn't be a problem since she barely had anything reasonable going on there.

"We are going to Athens"

"When would that be?"

"Next week"

"Oh, so soon..." she cuddled up on the sofa, dipping inside thoughts. Life in Athens and as a student of Liege College flashed across her mind, stimulating her heart to rejoice.

Her mind was already painting pictures which her eyes haven't seen. But then, an issue crushed in.

"Would I stay in the hostel?"

Palemo got dipped in thoughts for a moment, and then, an answer surfaced, but rhetorically "Which do you think would be better for you?"

"Mmmm I don't want to be away from my Patera" she grinned.

Sketches of smile spread across Palemo's face with the melting of his heart "what a beautiful daughter!" he thought. He looked at her through satisfied and loving eyes. "Whatever you say, my princess"

Valentine blushed, dropped down her face to the side to rest on her shoulder, while her hands cuddled with itself between, resting on her laps. "Isn't Mr Keftedakia the best Patera in the world?"

"Oh don't flatter me" Palemo chuckled.

Valentine leaned closer to him and clasped her hands on his cheeks with a slight drag playfully. "Yes, you are, and you gotta smile for me"

"I think I'm already smiling..." he pointed at his face. He pushed out those words with breaths as his lips were already parted with the drawing of his cheeks.

She perched a kiss on his cheeks "Muah muah muahhhh!" And got up. "Then I should be packing!"

Palemo chuckled. "Do you even have stuff to pack?"

"Whatever" she rolled her eyes and walked away.

****

The D-Day had it's existence, and the happiness and Joy she had never felt before had it's existence as well. It was going to be a new life for both of them.

Valentine had lived in Nymfaio all her life and she barely had precious memories. She was a girl who was free only when she was around her father.

She hated the word, Introvert, she had convinced herself that she wasn't an introvert but just a girl who enjoyed her own company. But in her list of expectations in Athens and Liege College, entitied having a best friend.

She had gone to bed the past night thinking that her morning would be played out as usual; her father yelling so loud that it blew her ears.

The sun had risen, and again, had it's way into the small room through the tatty curtain, her ears waited for the disturbance from her father, and her body remained in the depths of pleasurable rest.

The door opened, Palemo ushered himself in, and tiptoed to Valentine's bed. He tapped her slightly and brought the tray he was holding to her nose's reach.

She injected the aroma immediately and her body reciprocated... she got up, almost knocking away the contents in the tray.

"Meatballs!" She exclaimed with a grin.

"Careful Valentine! You will ruin it!" He held out the tray away from the bed to avoid getting it ruined himself.

Valentine reached out for it "Come on, Patera! Bring ye thy offerings to thy kingdom of the bellys!" She got out one from the tray and had it savaged by her teeth and tilted to her taste buds.

Her eyes widened as it hit her taste bud, pins of satisfaction dotted around her face. "Oh My! This is awesome! ..." The savage had been thrown down to her belly through the intestines, and one more was retrieved from the tray.

"You haven't even brushed your teeth..." Palemo said, holding back the tray again. Valentine's mouth retreated with a slight parting between her lips, showing the crushed food in her mouth.

She looked like she was going to do something about it, because Palemo said she hadn't brushed her teeth. But her cheeks were slowly expanded and crowned with a smile, while she scoffed the food.

"Terrible you," Palemo said, shaking his head.

She gulped down the food with a satisfying sigh through shut lips. "Mmmm..." she looked at Palemo who was staring blankly at her.

"What, Patera?" She loosened her face and threw up her shoulders.

Palemo stood out of words, a moment of silence was observed and immediately plagued by Valentine's laughter... and then she stopped. "More..." she tried muffling her laughter.

Palemo dropped the tray at the side of the bed and reached for the door. "We are leaving today, Val. Get ready" he walked out through the door, leaving it open again.

Valentine's happiness overshadowed her displeasure that she failed to acknowledge that her rules of the door was just broken.

She grasped her bedsheets and brought it to her bossom, hugging it tightly with a huge smile. "Is today!" She jumped out of her bed, and ran straight out of the door. She drew back and smiled at the meatballs. She took one, taking a bite at once.

Moving to walk away from her room, she looked down to see what she was wearing. Surprised, she looked up at her clothes hanger "Oops, how did I end up in panties?"

Palemo was in his room parking his belongings into a traveling bag when a file, looking old, slipped out of one of the old bags. He picked it up,. nodding his head. "The time has finally come, father, I will make you proud. I hope you're at peace in heaven" he said with closed eyes, while the file remained in his hands grasp, until Valentine came in, without consent.

"Patera! Patera!" She said out loud jumping up and down.

Palemo quickly shoved the file into the bag and zipped it.

"What was that?" Valentine asked, peeping from the side.

"Oh, it's just a small bag that I need to fix into the big one..." he turned around. "Why are you dressed like this?" He asked, glancing at her from head to toe. She wore a flared mini skirt and a long sleeve crop top.

"Where are you going?" He asked again. Obviously, it wasn't for their travel. Valentine moved her eyes to the sides as if looking for a worthy answer.

"Oh! By the old lady" she said with a smile, nodding her head with clenched lips.

"But is it cold?" He wondered.

"Mmhm but I'm wearing long sleeves" she retorted.

"But it's a light fabric"

"Um okay..." she started stepping back, "I will be back soon! See you!" She opened the door and rushed out.

She unhooked the chain around her bicycle's tyres, hopped on it and paddled away into the outskirts of the village.

The village was a marvelous settlement, reflected in the impressive stone built mansions. The weather was cold, but humid. Just like her mind, which was occupied with a life that hasn't been lived yet.

She paddled destinationlessly, as the cold and baby dews munched on her, making her wetting crop top embrace her skin, revealing her bright transparent blue bra which hugged her east west boobs.

She paddled up to a hill beside a short fence and her nose caught an aroma. She stopped, impressed she nodded her head with a smile. "Hot Meatballs!"

It was her father's favourite as well, but he liked it in a special way. But she liked it in any way, any recipe at all. As long as it was meatballs!

She got down from her bicycle and leaned it against the stone wall. She traced the aroma to the house. "Oops, is the old lady!" She exclaimed as she got to a stop. She peeped through the side of the entrance door, no one was around.

"She's the only one around." The old lady seemed to be cooking outside as she heard some cooking sounds, but she couldn't enter through the main entrance door, the old lady would surely see her.

So she tiptoed around, bending her head, as the fence was too short. She got to the back yard and slowly raised her face, her hands rested on the top of the face and her body was covered by the fence as her head to her eye level only had the chance to feel the old lady's house.

"Ouuuui" she exclaimed. "We hit the right spot" the meatballs were in a basket, but out of reach, while the pot on the fire cooked some food.

She glanced around and let out a satisfactory sigh as her eyes rested upon a brick- that would be all she would need to either jump in, or stretch herself enough to reach the meatballs basket.

She hurried to the brick's spot and placed her hands to carry it. "Oh oh it's heavy. Damnit" she straightened up expressing frustration, but the Meatballs aroma was just very enticing "In life, we don't give up. If we want something we steal it from someone else ..." she said to herself, thinking of what to do next.

"Oh dear, we are not stealing. We are taking. I mean, the old lady would be glad to give me, I mean, are we not pals?" She shrugged, and with the dregs of her strength, pushed the brick close to the wall.

"You see. You can do anything you put your mind into" she stepped up to the brick and was able to get her arms inside, but she couldn't get to the basket, it was just remaining a small space. "I'm not going anywhere without any of those!" She said through clenched teeth.

She stretched up, matched against the wall and jumped in. She kept her head low, and crept to the basket, stuffing two meatballs in her pocket, she held one in her mouth, and had one in her hand's tight grasp.

She jumped up and clutched her two hands on the fence, then pulled herself out with much strength, and dropped the remaining distance to her feet.

Her heart beat heaved up her chest. "Ahh finally" she moved to go back to her bicycle's spot and saw a boy, about eleven years old staring at her with his dropped jaw and awed look.

Her eyes widened, she gulped... and danced around with her eyes to see if there was anyone else that saw her.

"How long have you been here?" She asked in a soft tone.

"Did you just jump out of that fence? ..." She opened her mouth to oppose, but the boy's speech came faster. "Did you just steal meatballs? Did you just-"

"Did you ,did you , did you!?" Valentine interfered by raising her voice a bit. "Which do you want me to answer first?!"

The boy stood motionless "Did you just steal?"

"Of course not! ..." She defended, walking toward him. A meatball was retrieved from her pocket which she dropped in the little boy's palm immediately, leaving him confused.

She stepped back with a mischievous smile. "Did we just steal meatballs?"

"Huh?" The boy exclaimed, looking down at the meatball in his hand. His eyes widened.

"I mean, did you just steal with me?"

The little boy clenched the meatball in his hand, and made the best use of his legs.

"Tada yada yada! Take care of little problems with little solutions"

The meatballs she got from the old lady's basket were consumed before her presence was observed at home.

A car was parked outside when she arrived. "Oh wow, Patera really got it all sorted out" she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Her problems varnished, as she perceived that everything else had been taking care of her Dad- only if she could see the future.

"Don't just stand there! Come on, we have a flight to catch" Palemo yelled.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, knocking herself out of her self-inflicted oblivion.

It's been up to a week since their relocation to Athens, and it has been the best part of Valentine's life. The young girl's adulthood was starting off to a good beginning.

"Hey, Val. Take care, and remember everything we talked about. Don't look for trouble-"

"Let trouble look for me" she said, nodding her head.

"No, no..." he placed her hand in his palms. "This is going to be a different world altogether for you. But in everything, just know that you're here to learn, and nothing else. I'm not saying that there won't be troubles, fact is, as human beings, trouble will surely find us one way or another. But try to run away from it."

"Not like I'm troublesome" she chuckled, looking out through the taxi window. Her focus was on what her eyes discerned and not what she was hearing.

The building's front structure was a complete adoration. The walls were heavy, propped and styled with tinted glasses. One could see themselves as if they were looking at their own life.

The base was rectangularly carved. It was a very tall and huge building, but that was only for the administrations. The main college buildings stood largely behind.

The front rows of the building were dotted, at the top with bulky light bulbs that would give off rainbows of light, while the ground had large white security lights fixed on it.

The college stood in the heart of the city and the environment only emitted exotics and its expensive nature was shown just by a glance.

At the middle of the front stood the statue of Socrates in majestic white, all high, while three water fountains lined up at the front in waves.

"Val?" Palemo perceived her mind's absence. The city had taken her away.

"Such a breathtaking view" she exhaled. The feeling of not belonging started creeping in slowly as she saw students pull up in expensive cars with their private drivers and bouncers.

"Val?" Her father's voice resounded in her ear.

She turned her face to him slugly "Yes, continue... what were you saying?" She questioned with a sigh.

"Um I've forgotten..."

"Oh good then, can I go now?" Her hand moved to open the car, but her Dad brought it back.

"No, I'm not done."

"Okay, continue..." she relaxed her back on the seat, and brought it upright again, as if she had just been activated. "You clearly don't have anything else to say, Mr Keftedakia, I will have my leave now" she pushed the door, but it was locked.

"Hey Mr Keftedakia's driver, can you please unlock this?" The door was unlocked immediately.

"Thank you" she opened the door and the waves of riches and wealth lashed on her skin, she breathed in the expensive air and her ears listened to the sounds of the waters, the cars, the students in sets, walking into the building with words in their mouth.

And the rest of the city. While her eyes witnessed its first extravagant view, the students had smiles on their faces, genuinely happy.

Different body shapes, and sizes trooped in. Girls were beautiful- only if she was into them. The guys looked so great, hot and sexy at the same time, both tall and average-heighted.

Her jaw dropped, and she gulped, breathing out a word with an evenly stressed tone.

"Valentine?" Her father tapped her, and she jarred with an instant turn.

"Yes, yes." She unhooked the seatbelt and her legs shook as she dropped the remaining distance to her feet. "Val, are we going to survive this at all?' she muttered to herself.

"Goodbye, Val" Palemo said, he motioned to close the door, Valentine turned back with a look of uncertainty.

"Goodbye?"

"What would you rather have me say?"

"Something like, see you later, today"

"Oh, okay. See you later today, Val"

She nodded her head. It felt better to hear that she would be going back to their lodge in the afternoon or evening. Goodbye resounded as "You are on your own now, bye!" and she hated it.

The taxi rode off, and she was left alone. That was when she realized that she was really alone, as a group of girls and boys set their eyes on her, whispering to each other and laughing at her.

She stood, wishing that the ground would just open, swallow her, and vomit her out inside, so that she wouldn't go through those walls of jericho.

The unsteadiness of her legs were daunting and shaming her already. She tapped her legs but it couldn't stop, those eyes remained settled on her until a customized black Bugatti La Voiture Noire, the most expensive car in the world pulled up with a speed drift, almost blocking the building's entrance.

Everyone, girls mostly, yelled and clustered around the car. The girls awed, jumping up and down as a bouncer got out from the driver's seat to open the passenger's seat... another bouncer got out, chancing everyone else.

The door opened, and a Louis Vuitton Manhattan Richelieu shoe on one leg hit the ground. The girls yelling outscored the peaceful sound of the surrounding.

The urge to seize the fortune of chance to elude into the building manifested, so she made the best use of her legs, pushing herself through the breathless clusters, without looking back, until she was released into the building.

Bewilderment overtook her at once; paradise had been seen and met while she was still alive. Still in astonishment, the clatter from outside loomed in, and before she could even realize it, she was pushed aside by everyone else, and her ears were filled with everyone's whispers of admiration and astonishment.

The bouncers spaced them out, and a gentleman, about 6'3" tall, with finely dressed beards, wearing a Stuart Hughes Diamond Edition suit.

His scent threw into her stomach and was so pleasant and breathtaking, she felt like she was swimming in the pool of flowers, which had tints of sexiness.

He stood in front of her, and she wondered why he just stood there. She raised her head up, pinning her toes to the ground and looked over his shoulder from the side... It was the college front desk, where everyone, especially new students for the session, signed in with their documents.

She felt that she had been overshadowed, she was the first. And she had to sign in first before him.

"Hey , I -i should sign in first..." she stammered. She perceived that he might be a prominent person since everyone was so appraising around him.

He ran down his hand on his curly hair and slowly turned back.

She felt a lump grow in her throat, his presence alone was alluring, and she felt like she was melting.

His gorgeous eyes were irresistible, and his celestial nose stood. His lips were full and seductive, but he wasn't smiling.

"And who are you?"

She didn't observe his rudeness at first because his deep baritone voice overtook her body. She felt a fluttering sensation bloom in her lower abdomen, she felt her punani swelling.

It was a strange feeling. "You can't fight it darling, he's that irresistible '' someone whispered into her ear.

She turned to the source to see a slim and tall girl, adored with jewelries, smiling at her.

"W-hat what?" She stammered.

"Welcome to Liege College" she walked away. Valentine turned back to the guy, who, surprisingly, was still looking at her. They became the center of attraction as all eyes rested on them.

Valentine stood, unable to speak as her mind was out of service.

"She is dumb as well" he commented with a slight chuckle. He maintained a mean face immediately and turned back to the college front desk receptionist. The laughter from the students underscored her heartbeat.

"How can someone be so rude!" She muttered to herself, already hating the guy.

The bouncers had their leave and he was left alone. He was done with his signing, and a bunch of guys, about his class, led him out.

"Name!" The receptionist echoed in her ear, bringing her back to life. She was just realizing that she was next in line.

"Oh! I'm so sorry" she hurriedly brought out her documents from her bag and placed it on the table.

"Name?" She repeated herself.

"Um, my name is Valentine, how about you?" As she said the last three words, the ... receptionist looked at her like she was lost.

"Oops. I shouldn't have said that"

"Hey, could you please stop shaking? Is kind of affecting me here, thank you" a voice interrupted her. She didn't bother to turn to see who it was, but immediately checked if she was really shaking.

She looked at her left hand which perched on the edge of the desk; she was evidently nervous... she traced to her legs, they were shaking as well. She raised her head to the receptionist, who shook her head and faced her work.

"Valentine? You are not Greek, are you?"

"Of course I am..." she smiled, then stopped. It hit her, she might not be Greek, but her father hadn't told her anything about it either, and they have not discussed anything like that

"No way. You don't look like a Greek" the girl spoke to her again from behind.

"Oh Val, this is terrible-" before she could finish muttering to herself, there came a tumult of a less trivial nature from the corner.

It was the guy, and he had just pushed a girl away, causing her to fall.

"And he is a bully too" Valentine was irritated.

"Girls like you should not exist..." he said, sliding away her spectacles that fell off to the ground.

The boys accompanying him laughed at her, while other girls at the side geared away. So that they won't be affected.

The girl helplessly got up, took her spectacles and had it positioned on where it was meant to be. She was slim, beautiful and a nerd. But...

"Look at those small breasts" all the boys laughed. "How are you even going to breastfeed your child?"

"That's if she is ever going to get married!" One of the boys added, attracting rounds of laughter. "Any guy who would actually want her, or to even get a taste of her would be damn stupid and crazy! She doesn't even have bum like other girls" they kept laughing at her.

Valentine burned in anger. "These little boys..." she gritted her teeth. "How dare they body shame that beautiful girl? Why is she not speaking for herself? Or even get out of there?"

"Are you blind? ..." The voice resounded from her back again.

"Huh?"

"Don't you see that she is circled? How is she even going to get away from there? Don't worry your time will come, then we will see if you will be able to speak for yourself or just walk out when the big bad boy and his gang of four devil doves is bullying you"

"Hmm... is there no authority here?" She questioned, looking at the receptionist

"That's enough for today, James" a hotter voice peered in, coming through the door.

That authority is enough" the front desk receptionist said. Everyone turned their gaze to the door, awestruck, including Valentine, with admiration written all over their faces.

"Oh my! He is an angel!".

"He's even hotter!". "Omg he's so cool!". "He's better than his brother!". "I envy the girl that he will marry!". "He's every girls desire". "Not me. I still love the bad boy more... I heard he is good in bed". "They both are just awesome".

The mutterings filled the hall, as they made way for him to walk through.

"Please forgive my brother, you may go now" he said to the girl.

She nodded her head and walked away, eating up in shame as everyone rested their pity eyes on her.

"Oh brother. You sure spoil all the fun for me." Josef said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Bullying is not fun, brother"

Valentine turned to the Front desk receptionist

"Who is that?"

"That's Josef's younger brother. Jemima bond."

"His younger brother? He acts so mature, he even looks more mature than him."

"He is the only one he listens to... they are each other's backbone."

"Oh wow. He is gorgeous..."

"Please sign" the front desk receptionist said

"Oops. I didn't just say that." She muttered and signed immediately. A receipt was given to her which she put inside her bag.

"Welcome to Liege College, remember. Don't get in the way of the four devil doves and their big bad boy" the ... advised.

"Haha, thank you" she let out an insincere smile; she already despised them, so she had no business with them.

She left the corner and joined the students moving into their lecture halls.

"Where am I going now?" She stood baffled in the big hallway shrugged about by busy students. She went back to the front desk receptionist with a frustrating look.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Where is my lecture hall?" She asked politely.

"Give me your programme card"

She searched for a while in her bag with her hands and retrieved a hard brown printed card.

"Here..."

"You're taking two majors. Psychology and Economics... this is your first year so you will be in the science classes as well"

"Oh, which class am I supposed to be in now?"

"You're having um a combination of Mathematics and Biology"

Excited, she inquired about the hall. "Oh I love Biology! Where's the hall please?"

"When you get to the hallway, go straight, look at the tags on top of the halls, watch out for Year one Multiples."

"Oh thank you so much!" She took the card into her bag and rushed out.

"Hey! Valentine" the front desk receptionist called out to her. She turned. "Yeah?"

"Keep that card safe. Use it to check when you have classes and where. Come back next month for renewal"

"Got it. Thanks"

Finding her lecture hall was easy, as she just walked straight and looked at the tags on top of the entrances. "Gotcha!"

She walked into the hall, and her eyes met first, Josef Bond, making out with a beautiful girl in the class. She was irritated at once.

"He is shameless as well," she snarled. Looking around for a seat. "Why am I even in the same class with this Josef or whatever they call him"

The seats looked like they were customized, as everyone tailored their seat's style, color and designs around it to their taste.

She saw beside a girl, an unoccupied seat, and she went for it.

"Excuse me?" She said to the girl chewing gum and pressing her phone.

The girl blew bubble gum and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Can I sit here please?"

"Okay." She went back to her business.

Valentine sat down and felt relaxed. It was the first time she was getting relaxed in school.

"Are you new?" The girl asked, flapping her wavy artificial eye lashes, and keeping her jaws busy with the chewing of bubble gums.

"Yes." She said with a smile.

"No wonder."

"No wonder what?"

"No wonder you're not rude, or disrespectful, yet. No one ever puts the word please, or asks something politely. All these rich kids see nobody. I would say don't let them influence, but..." she glanced at her. "You're a babe, so own it. Do whatever you want, have fun." She winked at her.

Valentine didn't know what her reaction would be at first; thank her or just let it go? But just staring at her seemed to be the best fit.

"Can you stop staring at me?" The girl said, eyes fixed at her digital buddy.

"Um okay..." Valentine said, turning her eyes slowly away from her.

The lecturer came in and only a few students, including Valentine, acknowledged his presence. Her eyes made moves in awe.

"What kind of school is this? The bad students are more than the good ones."

It seemed like the girl sitting beside her had her ears plucked to her lips. "No, honey. No one's good around here, I mean, barely..." she waved back her long hair.."They are probably sitting up because the lecturer knows their parents. They are all spoiled brats" she concluded with a smile.

"Oh. What about you, which side are you on?"

"What's your name?" She looked at her.

"My name's Valentine, how about you?"

"Call me, Patty. You're not from around here, are you?"

"Um, not really. I'm from Florina"

"No..." she said, shaking her head. "You are not Greek, you just have greek tongue"

Valentine chuckled. "Hmm why do you say that?" She questioned with a puzzled face.

Patty brought out apple earbuds from her purse

"You see the first question you asked, and this one? They are just dumb questions." She fixed the two earbuds to her ear and her phone got the best of herself again.

"Hmm. How rude" Valentine muttered. And gave the lecturer her undivided attention.

The class was going well even in the midst of various disturbances, but it seemed like everyone else had gotten used to it, except the new girl.

Valentine's head was buzzing, she couldn't concentrate well enough.

From the left side to the right side were students in their groups laughing and talking, some looked into adult magazines, some were with their lovers, doing love stuff.

And she wondered why it never bothered the lecturer. But the lecturer had enough of an audience.

"Everyone listen up..." the lecturer said into a loudspeaker.

"There are new students in our midst, and this is a mixed class. And it's time for practicals..." surprisingly everyone paid attention.

They don't joke with announcements. "Look at the white bags on the ground..." everyone turned their gazes to the ground.

"Those are medical apparatus, set it on the table before you, but first, find a partner. Now"

It was at this moment that Valentine realized that the students weren't all bad, and the college was a prominent one for a reason; she hadn't seen any group of people so organized in her life before.

They didn't even cause clatter in finding a partner. Every one of them were organized in their dealings, and before she could even blink her eyes, 90% of the class had gotten together with their practical partners.

She looked at Patty "So, how do we start?" She asked cheerfully.

"We? There's no we"

"What do you mean there's no w-"

Before she could finish talking, a guy grabbed Patty from behind, smooching her cheeks...

"Come on baby, let's go" he said, helping her get up.

"And that's my practical partner," she said to Valentine.

"That's right baby, forever..." he kissed her and they walked away.

Valentine was left alone, glancing around with no idea of what to do, she was lost, but the lecturer's voice jumped her back.

"Hey, you, pair with him"

Valentine rolled her eyes around. "Who? Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Oh, pair with who?"

He looked at the top side "Josef Bond"