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We hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day.
Love and Starlight, Jasmine & Sophie
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Timeline: This chapter takes place after Chapter 30

đđBonus Chapter â In Which TimothĂ©e Takes a Risk on a Day of Loveđđ
Please be aware Wicked Academia is an adult novel and this scene is intended for audiences 18+.
TimothĂ©e walked up beside him. âYou should take a break. Whenâs the last time you slept or ate?â
âWhy?â
âWell, because, I thought we mightâŠâ TimothĂ©e ventured. He took a deep breath. He was going to ask Val, or he wasnât.
âSpit it out, Greywick.â Val sprinkled a dash of herbs into a boiling potion. âIâm busy.â
Busy being insane.
âI just thought, if you havenât eaten, maybe youâd like toâŠI meanââ He cleared his throat. âI packed some sandwiches.â He ran a hand through his hair. âI was thinking youâd maybe like to go outside with me, and we can eat them on the meadow, yâknow with all the other students, and watch the sunrise?â
The vial slipped from Valâs hand, red liquid spilling over the counter. Val ignored it, picked up another one.
âVal?â
âNo.â
âNoâŠ?â
âNo.â Val whirled. His eyes were so wide, hair wild. âOf course, you heard about that dumb Starling tradition. Do you think thatâs what we are? Who I am? Really? Someone to sit with in the sun's glow and whisper sweet nothings to each other about a wonderful year to come?â
TimothĂ©e stepped back. âI thought maybe you might actually want to do something. And maybe it would be nice for us toââ
âStop looking at me like that,â he snarled. âYour face shouldnât look that sad.â
TimothĂ©e wiped his eyes with the heel of his palm. âWhy are you acting this way?â
âIf Iâm acting this way, itâs your fault.â
âMy fault?â TimothĂ©e heard his voice rise. âFor trying to stop whatever insanity youâve started in here?â
âBecause I canât give you what you want from me!â Valâs breath was heavy, voice hoarse, eyes glassy.
TimothĂ©e reached out and touched his face. âVal, your skin is so warm. I think youâre sick.â
âIâm not sick,â Val sneered. But now TimothĂ©e could recognize it: the rasp of his voice, the flush of his cheeks. Val pushed TimothĂ©eâs hand away.
âCan you stop being angry at me for one moment?â TimothĂ©e sighed.
âJust leave me alone. Go watch the sunrise with one of your devoted disciples.â
âI donât want to.â TimothĂ©e stepped closer. âIâd rather be here, in this disaster with you. Today youâre supposed to spend it with someone you loâŠbecause itâs Prince Vââ
âI hate this holiday. What a stupid tradition, to watch a sunrise for someone who never can. And I hate AndĂșrigard, and I hate this school, andââ TimothĂ©e reached for him, but Val pushed against his chest, snarling, âAnd I hate you.â
And then Val turned and stormed into the bathroom, curtain swinging shut behind him.
But he hadnât left. And that was how TimothĂ©e knew that maybe, maybe, Val hadnât meant it.
At least he hoped he hadnât.
TimothĂ©e let out a long shaking breath, then tilted his head back. He looked to Yvaine, perched on the windowsill, backed by the glimmering night sky. She gave a soft meow. There were no clouds out tonightâŠit would be a beautiful sunrise.
No doubt he could find someone to watch it with, even a group of friends at Selene Crescent.
Theyâd never celebrated these holidays at the lavender farm, and in Wolfhelm, theyâd spent every day worrying about Vivian. But here, he wanted to make a tradition of his own.
He wanted to spend this day with someone he really cared about, that heâŠ
Slowly, he got to work. He hated cleaning, but this room was beyond a mess even he could tolerate. Methodically, he scrubbed the potion station, wiped spilled liquid, and swept up herbs and flowers. He scoured the floor for all the tokens admirers had brought Val today. There were lots of them. TimothĂ©e lined them up on his bed. Little stuffed animals, loads of chocolate, lengthy love letters. Then he lined up all the things heâd received as well.
There was even a small treat for Yvaine, a gift from Fiona: a tin of sardines. He fed them to her one at a time as he looked at the unmoving curtain of the bathroom.
Val said he hated this holiday, but it might be sort of fun to look at all these things together later. He wondered if Val had changed his mind about hating him.
Finally, he straightened. The room looked better; the floor was swept, and he coaxed the crystals in the fire to a gentle glow.
Now for the hard part.
Gently, he knocked the wall beside the bathroom. âVal?â
No response.
TimothĂ©e knocked again. âIâm coming in.â
He stepped into the bathroom. Val sat in the corner, knees up to his chest, head cradled in his arms. TimothĂ©e knelt in front of him. âHey.â
Val lifted his head. His eyes were red and tear-stained, and a gross liquid dripped from his nose. He really was sick. âI donâtâŠI donât hate you.â
TimothĂ©e tucked a stray strand of hair behind Valâs ear. âI know.â
Something about this day upset him. Maybe heâd had his heart broken before. TimothĂ©e didnât want to think about that. But Val clearly needed a distracted today, and that was okay. He could be...he could be a distraction.
He ran a hand along Valâs face. âYouâre kind of disgusting right now.â
Valâs face scrunched up. âIs that you trying to make me feel better?â
âLet me run you a bath. I know you like that.â TimothĂ©e stood and looked down at the copper tub.
END OF PREVIEW
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