Apothic One-Shot: Teen Crisis

One month after the incident.

Valentina's head hung above the toilet, her hair dangling around her face. It's the second time she's vomited this week; two days in a row. Every morning she woke up nausious. The smell of cooking meat made her feel the same. The feeling to vomit never left. Only when she went to bed did she feel a bit better.

She found the strenght to stand and clean herself up. She'll have to change shirts again; there was vomit all over it. "Awe man..." She said supporting her weight against the counter.

"Valley!" Mrs. Huckleberry called out to her from down stairs. "Hurry up sweetheart or you'll be late for school." She was such a nice lady. The mother she couldn't have.

"I'll be right down in a minute!" Valentina answered as she made her way back to her room. She quickly took off the barfed up shirt and threw on a new on. It was black, decorated with thousands of small white stars.

Once down stairs she met both Mr. and Mrs. Huckleberry, both sitting at the table. They have already finished their breakfast. Valentina's plate still lied there untouched, food still uneatened. The menu was scrambled eggs, buttered toast, sausage and orange juice.

"I'm ready to go Mr. Huckleberry."

"Not without eating your food. You haven't touched it. Come, eat." He said sternly, tapping on her side of the table.

"But-" He cut her off.

"No "buts". Butts are for sitting." He tried to be funny, while also trying to be serious. It made Valentina chuckle.

"Please eat something deary." Said Mrs. Huckleberry.

"Okay, okay." Valentina sat down and stared at her food for a moment. The smell wasn't alluring at all. She felt another barf coming up, but she fought it back. Just eat it. Holding her breath she horked all the eggs down, along with the sausage. It was hard to swallow. What in the world is wrong with her? This was her favorite breakfast dish. She should be feeling anything but disgust.

Mr. and Mrs. Huckleberry stared at Valentina strangely. "Sweetheart, are you alright?" Mrs. Huckleberry asked with concern. Clearly they too thought her actions were strange. This has been going on for three days.

Valentina's face was slowly turning green. She burped and droped her head on the table. All the girl could do to answer was just give her a simple nod. "Mhm."

Mrs. Huckleberry was about to ask her something but Valentina quickly got to her feet. She wanted to leave and fast or else she won't get to school at all."Okay, I ate. Let's go."


It was her first day coming back to school since the... incident. That's what everyone calls it, "The Incident", like some kind of movie or episode. Valentina stared at her school from inside the car. What will the day be like? What awaits her?

"If you don't feel like going, we can leave right now." He rubbed her shoulder.

Valentina turned to him and smiled. "I have to go back some time. Might as well get it over with."

Mr. Huckleberry could see she was trying hard to move on. The day after what happened was a nightmare. They were in the hospital for days. Every night Valentina woke up screaming and thrashing in the bed. She still did, but they knew what she was screaming about so they stopped going to her room to comfort her after a week. Valentina didn't mind them. She knew they were trying their best to help her through the struggle.

"You are one tough cookie Valley."


All the students in the hall were in their own world, talking amongst themselves. Though there were a few lookers. As she walked all the way to her locker, Valentina could feel eyes looking over to her. The incident was all over the news and papers. Sadly she was mentioned in the story. A sense of being slowly crushed by walls closing in on her overpowered her ability to walk. They were gossiping about it. That Valentina could be sure. She is now the new juicey gossip of the school. That is never a good thing.

"Hey Valentina." Some unknown teen boy called out to her.

She looked over at him. He was dressed like one of those "bad boy" types.

"So uh..." He walked over to her and leaned against the lockers, facing her. "How you feeling?"

"Fine?" She began taking her books from her locker, not looking at him. Valentina doesn't know him, much less his name. Though it didn't surprise her he knew hers, because he probably read the newspaper story or watched it on television. Everyone in the school must know her now, but not in a good way. She is not a celebrity trying to live a normal life. She is a victim trying to get on with her normal life. She is a victim of molestation... that quickly graduated to sexual intercourse.

Valentina could feel he doesn't give two bits about how she felt. This bad boy wanted something, but she doesn't want to stick around to find out.

Once she got her things she started walking to her homeroom. The bad boy stopped her by taking her by the arm. "Wait a sec."

His strong grip startled her to the point she yanked her arm away. "Don't touch me!"

The boy held his hands up. "Whoa. Chill." He said chuckling.

"What do you want?" This isn't funny at all. His grins and chuckles didn't compute.

"Just wanted to know if you're free tomorrow night?" He said with a grin. "I know a private spot around here we could go. If you know what I mean." He winked at her.

Valentina blushed, knowing full well what he meant. Does this kid think she's some kind of slut? That she wanted what happened to happen just for attention? Her eyes began to tear and felt anger boil up inside. What in the world is wrong with people? Suddenly everyone decided to turn into heartless monsters. Next thing she knows she slapped the kid right across the face and very forcefully. She left his cheek red.

All around them there were "Ooos" and laughs and pointing. Valentina ran down the hall, shoving her way toward her homeroom. The bell rang and she arrived just in time. Her classmates were already seated. The only seat left was one right in the front and in the middle. Perfect. She sighed.

As the teacher began writing things on the chalkboard Valentina could hear whispering sneaking it's way into her ears. The sound of the chalk writing on the board echoed in her mind, she could hear her own heartbeat, breath getting heavy.

"Valentina..." Someone spoke her name. "Valentina..." She found herself sitting at a white piano, the one where it all happened. Hands touching every part of her and a heavy breath on her neck.

"Valentina." She finally snapped out of her trance. Her teacher was standing right in front of her with his hands behind him. "Well?"

She was confussed. How long did she space out? "I-I'm sorry sir. I-Uh..." She went quiet. Some female classmate was giggling. The teacher quickly shut her up with one of his glares.

"Are you alright Ms. Fortier?" The bell rang, signaling it was time for the next class.

She power walked all the way to the bathroom and sat in one of the stalls. Coming back to school was a mistake. Everyone treats her like some kind of slut. Why? She didn't ask for this.

The teen cried her eyes out. This was all too much, but she had to breath through every step. She has to move on from this somehow.

Valentina's eyes widened, feeling a barf coming on.Oh no. Not again. The girl quickly lifted the lid, knelt down and barfed in the toilet; second time today, third time this week. What in the world is going on with her body?

During lunch she sat by herself under a large tree in the school's court yard. She had three penut butter and starwberry jelly sandwiches, an apple, bannana and a bottle filled with iced tea. She ate evrrything in her lunch bag, but still felt her hunger.

She went to a vending machine in the hall and bought three bags of chocolatechip cookies, $3. In a matter of minutes she ate all three bags... still hungry. She bought a bag of Ruffles, $1. This immense hunger was also going on for days. She couldn't tell why. Teenagers do always feel like they were hungry. It must be that, right? The bell rang; time for class again.

A breath of fresh air in her lungs upon the sound of the last bell. School was over for the day, but she didn't want to go home to her foster parents yet.

She walked all the way to the stores. Most of them were shoes and clothing stores. Valentina didn't go in to any of them; window shopping. She needed to get her mind off of today. All that's happened has taken it's toll.

"I'm hungry." She said rubbing her rumbling belly. How is that possible? She basically bought every goodie in the vending machine today.

In a corner of the street was a gas station. She walked over to it and quickly her eyes settled on all the junk food they had. She took in her hands a small bag that held four powedered donuts, a bag of chips, chocolate bar and a soda, $17.

She sat on a bench in front of one of the clothes departments, eating away all the junk food she bought. It was so good.

Her phone rang. It was Mr. Huckleberry.

When she answered he calmly asked her where she was. She told him her location.

"Okay." He said. "Meet me at the super market. I have to buy a few things for dinner tonight."

Mr. Huckleberry wasn't mad at her. She was glad he wasn't. In a way he could feel that today wasn't a good one for her. He was an understanding man. Most foster kids aren't always this lucky.


In the super market they both walked between aisles of food and beverages. Valentina's mouth watered at the sight of food all around her. Like a world of deliscious etible products has been brought forth for her to to devour. She grabbed a bunch of different foods, some she has never tasted before, and threw them in the cart as they walked on through the aisles.

"You must be pretty hungry. Did you eat lunch?"

"Yeah."

"Pasta and... mushrooms... and soy milk?" He questioned every food product she had droped into the cart since they got to the market.

"I feel a craving for it." She said swinging her arms back and forth.

Mr. Huckleberry gave her a look. Valentina hated soy milk. That was strange of her to want to buy it. He shrugged it of. Maybe she had a change of heart? Teenagers do that all the time.

Both of them walked toward the aisle where they could find some "women's products"; to be more specific, sanitary wipes. As Valentina looked over all the different brands a thought dawned in her. When was my last period?

Mr. Huckleberry was already waiting in line. So she took the opportunity to check her period calendar app in her phone. She was two weeks late. Her heartbeat was so rapid she could faint. That... can't be right.

Valentina took a bag of sanitary wipes and jogged over to Mr. Huckleberry. When they were about to leave she stopped and told him she needed to use the bathroom.

"Wait for me in the car. I won't take long."

Once he was out of the store she ran back to the aisle and bought herself  a pregnancy test. The cashier looked at her weirdly, but checked out ther merchendise anyway. It was not her problem.

The nervous teen ran into the bathroom, luckily only one person could use it. She locked the door, pulled down her pants and peed on the pregnancy test. She had to wait a few minutes for the results. Valentina paced around the bathroom, desperately hoping a frowning face would come up. Please frowny face. Pleeeaaase frowny face.

There it was... that annoying... little... smiley face that no teenage girl on this planet ever wanted to see.