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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.
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