CHAPTER TWO

random disclaimer! mentions
of abuse (by sensei wolf)— again
be advised if you arent comfortable
with such topics to turn away!

Valentine skipped school the next day, much to her mother's dismay. In truth she would've gone with a broken heart, but after crying while everyone sang happy birthday once more the day before she kind of realize that she'd feel worse in the morning.

Her eyes were puffy, nose red from the snot filling her nostrils. She refused to get out of bed except to occasionally fill her bottle of water up. To make herself feel even worse, she watched some romance movies just to "feel something again."

She was probably on her fifth movie now, Ten Things I Hate About You, screaming off at Patrick Verona for being way too perfect to actually exist. "They'll break up anyways," she mumbled to herself, wiping her nose with her sleeve as the movie ended with Kat and Patrick's kiss. Someone knocked on her door, but she dared not to move from her position. "I'm busy!"

"Like hell you are!" A voice said from the other side of the door, Sierra then making her way into the room. "I called, I texted, contacted your parents even— where the hell have you been?"

Valentine only gave a deadpanned look as she motioned towards the state of her room. "Well then, Sherlock, take a wild guess."

Sierra only frowned, forgetting the amount of snot filled tissues that laid on the bed and climbed on to wrap her arms around Valentine. "It's not gonna go away in a day."

"I know."

"But you always gotta pick yourself up and—"

"Okay I don't need a pep talk," she laughed, Sierra only rolling her eyes playfully. "It's just so... ugh! I don't know what to make of it," her eyes started to swell up with tears again. "Like— I love him, and he's so— he's so everything to me. And the thing is that I wanted him first!"

"You are... so dramatic," Sierra tried to bite down a laugh, combing through her friend's hair. "But you're still in high school, things will be better! Besides, it's your first relationship, no biggie." It was easy for Sierra to say, she's had the 'middle school relationships' that played into her favor. All the drama, the announcing to people she'll have her first kiss on the softball field, the Snapchat stories, led her to Francis.

Valentine never had a relationship other than the one she had with Axel— and by then she thought he was the one. The one that every book and movie in existence talked about. Her Peter to Lara Jean, her Harry to her Sally, she thought she was finally living that Sleepless in Seattle moment where two people connected through a radio show. Whatever Miguel was doing for Sam or whatever Francis was doing for Sierra, Valentine knew that Axel was going the extra mile for her. Hell, he probably racked up a lot of rewards points for the amount of times he's flown to America and back.

We'll overcome the distance my ass, thought Valentine. Her mind started to fill with more anger than sadness at that moment, beginning to go through the five stages of grief throughout the span of twenty four hours. "You know what would make you feel better?" Sierra asked, turning to Valentine with that smug smirk on her face. The one she does when she has an 'aha!' moment.

"What?"

"Joining Sam in Karate, it always makes you feel better."

Valentine paused for a brief moment, the longest second Sierra witnessed in centuries. For a moment, she thought Valentine considered it— until she began to cry once more. "Karate made Axel feel better!"

"Oh God, what have I done?" Sierra knew that at that moment, she had to do some serious damage control.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀

Axel stared at his phone, reading the last text before Valentine blocked his number.

Saturday February 12 2022
my valentine 🩷 – can't wait to see you next week!
i'm only there for a week but i'm still excited!
i love you and i miss you, call me when you get home <3
stay safe axel!
delivered

That was three days ago, three days past since it was decided for him to end his relationship. Sensei Wolf was never that much of a caring person— let alone to Axel who hasn't been 'performing to his best abilities.'

The boy has always been Sensei Wolf's top student— along with Zara who trained along his side. But Wolf didn't need good, he needed great. And if that meant a relationship was causing his own student to do bad, then Sensei Wolf decided enough was enough.

"But Sensei—"

He grabbed Axel by the collar of his gi. "I did not allow you to join my team as a child, train under my name, all for you to play coddled prince with some girl who you only see on screen," Wolf sneered, causing Axel's eyes to widen. "If you thought of your career and the life ahead of you first then you would've decided not to date her in the first place. But you were selfish! If you don't break up with her soon— and I mean it, you will have consequences. Do you understand?"

"Yes—"

"I said, do you understand?!"

"Yes, Sensei."

Axel rubbed his face and sighed at the thought of the memory, lying awake in bed. He was supposed to be asleep, having to wake up for an early jog. But every time he closed his eyes it always played back to that moment. Often around that time he'd still be on call with her, listening in as she got her day started while he was just about to retire for a new one. He wondered how she was doing, how she was holding up. Because in truth, he wasn't doing so well either.

The boy felt as if he ruined something perfect, something that wasn't going to come around again for him. But he hoped that this was the right decision, for the both of them. It wasn't the best choice— obviously, but it was the safest. Axel didn't even want to think of what Sensei Wolf could do to them, he was already bad as is.

So Axel tossed and turned, trying to find the right position to get him to doze off. But no matter how much he moved and shifted around, nothing will replace the sound of Valentine's voice ranting about her previous day. She brought him the peace he needed for so many years, the calm to his storm.