Let's go

After school, Valerie is waiting for Tyson. She wanted to make him understand that it is not safe for him to do what he is trying to do. She will make sure that he understands the fact that she will not come anywhere with him and she prefers to stay in the Raven palace. She is tensed. She has a bad feeling that he would find out about this and punish her. She is scared, but she doesn't want Tyson to get in trouble because of her.

Tyson saw Valarie waiting for him near the parking lot. He was thinking that she might not show up. But to his relief, she came.

"Valerie, let's go," he said and began to lead her towards his car.

Valerie looked at Tyson with panic. The parking lot is almost empty as everyone else left for the day.

"No, Prince Tyson, stop," she said and try to dig her feet into the ground. But he is not ready to listen to her anymore. He is done watching her suffer every day.

"No, this will end today. I cannot watch like a silent spectator while everyone is bullying you and intentionally hurting you. You are coming with me" he said firmly and pulled her with more force. She stumbled but managed to pull her hand out of his death grip.

Valarie is now beyond scared. Even if Tyson could protect her from the other kids, she is sure he cannot protect her from Him. There is no way he would let her go easily. She always sees the hatred and loathing in his eyes when he is looking at her. Why wouldn't he hate her when she is the reason why his mother is now paralyzed?

Moreover, she cannot leave the Raven palace until the Queen recovers. 

Tyson is angry now. He tried to grab her hand again, but she moved back and out of his reach.

"Are you insane? What is wrong with you? Do you want to suffer even more? No one is treating you like a person here. They are using you as a punching bag. Do you like to be called a slave this much? He will kill you sooner or later" he yelled angrily.

Valerie is quiet. Everything he said is true. But still, she didn't make any move to go with Tyson, which frustrated him. He groaned and looked at the sky.

"Why? Why are you so reluctant to leave him? Is it because he is handsome? Now don't tell me you fell for him too. He is a devil in disguise, Valerie. You are nothing but a slave to him" he said feeling jealous and confused about her refusal to leave the Raven prince.

They both did not notice that Raphael is listening to their conversation. He was there from the beginning. He thought of teaching a lesson to Tyson, but when he saw how much fight Valarie is putting up, he became curious.

'Now what game is she playing?' he wondered.

He abandoned his car and slowly walked closer to the couple. 

Valerie couldn't help but laugh at the prospect of her falling for the Raven prince.

"I am not an idiot Prince Tyson. The only thing I feel when I look at him is fear. And the only thing I see in his eyes for me is hatred. I know I am just his slave. But still, I can't leave the palace" she said with honesty.

Raphael is taken aback by the raw honesty ringing in her voice. She aptly described their relationship. Fear and hate, that is what there is between them. Nothing more, and nothing less. 

She got his attention with her words. She never speaks in front of him, ever. He punishes her and she takes it. But never opened her mouth to protest. He is curious to know why. So he stood there silently listening to them. 

Tyson is shocked by her confession. His eyes have gone soft.

"Then why? Why are you so adamant to stay here and suffer?" he asked her. He wanted to know what is stopping her from leaving.

Her eyes welled up with tears when the events of the night flashed in front of her eyes. 

"Because I deserve everything I am being subjected to" she whispered, which shocked Tyson and even Raphael.

Out of everything the Raven prince was expecting her to tell Tyson, this was not the one. The wind picked up, pushing her curls partly out of her face. He saw guilt and pain in the depths of her eyes, taking him by shock. 

'What is this? Why does she have to look so vulnerable and honest? What is she guilty about? Did she really try to kill my mother? She always refused it. But why did she tell Tyson that she deserves the torment she is being subjected to? Who is she? What happened that night? Am I wrong about her? But I saw her pulling that sword out of my mother's body. Is she playing a game?' his mind began to whirl with confusion.

"What? What are you talking about? No one deserves that. I know you are a very good girl. You are simply trying to make me hate you" Tyson argued.

Valarie laughed bitterly and wiped her tears away with the back of her hands. 

"You know nothing about me, Prince Tyson. I am not what meets the eye. I am being honest with you. Just let me be. You are a good person. I am just making sure that you wouldn't get into any trouble because of me. Don't try this again. It would be better if you stay away from me" she said firmly. 

Despite her words, she is feeling sad that she would lose the only friend she ever had in her life.

Tyson is at a loss for words. Numbly he watched her walk out of the parking lot.