Valerie the Orphan

THIS IS INCOMPLETE WORK; READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Valerie was just arriving at the school gates. All eyes turned to her. She slowly walked through the crowd of pretty young ladies and fairly handsome young men.

"Ah, Miss. Valerie welcome to our humble school, culver academy!" A man in the back of the crowd, now facing the petite pale girl said

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr.Allbee," The girl said with a curtsy. When she heard snickering in the back of the crowd due to her form she stood straight up, a tad bit embarrassed.

"Follow me, I shall show you the classroom you will attend this year."

She followed behind the headmaster, while she passed some girls in the halls she received nasty looks and whispers she could mostly hear, "It's the contest winner, isn't it? I heard her father and mother are alcoholics and had her taken by the townsfolk."

"I heard she is a black which from deep in the forest here to kill us, all to make a brew."

"Some say her parents had her and thought she was far too ugly and would never marry, so they gave her away."

She heard many cruel things as she walked the highly lit halls of the school. She started to tear in thought that any of the things about her parents were true, that they gave her away for being too ugly, or that they didn't want a girl they'd have to care for and instead wanted a boy who would support them financially.

She was so caught up in thinking of her parents she hadn't realized they were at her supposedly new classroom.

"Class meet Valerie, as most of you know she is the contest winner. She will be joining you this semester in your classes, please treat her with respect." The man walked out of the room leaving Valerie standing in the room awkwardly in front of the class.

"Why don't you go sit behind Dorthy? Dorthy, please raise your hand." A girl with short, straight blonde hair and beautiful dull green eyes raised her hand.

Out of everyone in the room, she was the most plain-looking, which was odd considering every single person in the room looked like famous actors from the best plays ever known.

Valerie walked towards Dorthy only to receive a warm smile. She didn't know if it was just for show or if it was real, but she took it and smiled back.

"Before class starts you might want to make sure you have enough parchment and ink, and a good quill otherwise you'll fail." Dorthy didn't want to scare Valerie off as she did with other people.

"I have 5 pieces of parchment, a quarter of ink, and a quill from Ruth's?" While Valerie was happy that she was the one who won this level of education, she wished to be back at the orphanage cleaning the lunchroom floors and playing in the yard with the other girls from the orphanage.

"Here, we'll share ink bottles and parchment, and when your quill breaks I have a couple of extra, you can use one!" Dorothy gave her at least 50 pieces of parchment and two whole ink bottles and a spare quill, one that looked like it cost at least a week's meals for Valerie.

She gave Dorthy a warm smile before the teacher called the class's attention to her so that she could begin the day's lesson.

By lunch, Valerie was completely drained, and her hand ached like it'd fall off any second if she wrote one more thing down.

The worst part about it is that her penmanship wasn't good at all.

"So, how were your classes today?"

Dorthy came from behind Valerie, startling her terribly.

"I learned all kinds of new things I'd probably only first learn about in junior year in regular school."

"It is quite fascinating, isn't it? Getting a head start in life."

"Yes, quite, but I never knew you wealthier people worked so much in a day."

"Well just because we have handmaidens around tending to our every need doesn't mean we don't know how to work hard!"

"I see, now."

The girls giggled and people started staring, and of course, the only thing that comes after stares are whispers.

"Dorthy, why are you here? Being nice to me when clearly half the school thinks I'm a witch, a black one."

"Why because you can't trust rumors that come from girls who know they probably wouldn't cut it if they were just a poor orphan girl with no education or family"

"Just a poor orphan girl... with no family," Valerie mumbled under her breath, yet loud enough for Dorthy to hear.

"Oh dear no, I didn't mean it like that I-"

"No no, it's perfectly fine I get it. I- I'm finished with lunch. I better get to studying if I want to continue to learn here. See you around Dorthy."

Valerie calmly left the lunchroom. Then when she was completely out of the room she flew into a classroom and plunged onto the floor and cried.

"What are you crying for? Daddy cut you off?" A voice came from the back of the classroom, it sounded annoyed.

"No, I- my friend..she said I was just a poor orphan with no family. It got to me, of course, she didn't mean to hurt my feelings."

"Well, then why are you crying, Princess?" The voice sounded less annoyed.

"No matter how much she didn't mean to offend me, she did."

"Well chin up, you can't let the girls here see you crying unless you want to be a friendless loser all your life."

"You won't tell them, will you?"

"Of course not, we all have emotions, it's our choice to show them or not."

"Thank you um..."

Valerie trailed off, she hadn't seen this boy in school yet. She was now just realizing how handsome he was as well.

"I'm Oscar, you?"

"Valerie, nice to meet you."

"It has been nice but classes will start soon, see you around Princess." Oscar walked out of the class, right after he left Valerie started blushing like crazy.

'He has to be the cutest boy here' she thought to herself as she walked to her desk and other people walked in, including Dorthy.

Valerie collected her thoughts and sat down ready for the teacher to start teaching. Dorthy didn't say anything to her but sent her a crooked smile in place of an apology, and Valerie sent her a bright, warm one as acceptance.