Valerie's Descent

Valerie Tanner tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear as she stared up at the apartment building. He really expects me to live here? The whole thing could collapse at any moment. The structure held an ancient air to it, as if someone had forgotten it needed demolished decades ago. The red brick building held a rusty fire escape on the east side, which seemed to be barely hanging on, and it appeared as if no one had washed several of the windows since they first erected the building, probably in the 1800s by the style of it. Time had stained the concrete steps leading up to the front door with mildew and cigarette butts, and what landscape existed around the building seemed withered or completely dead. The entire framework seemed depressing, too depressing for a new start to her life.She glanced over at her brother, Jake, forcing a smile onto her face. “Seems cozy.”He stared at the building for a moment longer before turning to her and ma

By the time her brother returned, Valerie had managed to set up her bathroom and put all her clothes away. She even squeezed in a quick shower, letting the scalding water pummel the tension out of her neck and shoulders, and changed into a soft lavender sundress for the party. As she gave herself a once over in the dresser mirror, she felt good about the way she looked. Her dark hair framed her oval face perfectly, accenting her dark green eyes, and the outfit she wore pushed her breasts upward a little so that her cleavage tempted to hidden treasures worth plundering. The dress also hugged her hips and cupped her round ass in a way that would draw men’s eyes. And tonight, she wanted to draw attention to herself just to prove she still could. She felt better about the direction she was taking with her life and determined to make the most of this new chapter. Brent’s misogynistic mindset would no longer influence her behavior. She was the queen of her life, the navigator

Valerie woke stiff and sore and in desperate need of coffee. The party went until well after midnight, and it surprised her none of the neighbors had called and complained about the noise. It wasn’t just the loud conversations and laughter that filled the night air, but Damien had blared music until finally surrendering to exhaustion and leading Holly downstairs to their bedroom. By that time, Jake had already called it a night and left, telling Valerie to call if she needed anything. She assured him she would be fine and told him to enjoy his Sunday. Truth was, after all the chaos of the past month, especially the last week after she decided to leave Brent, she needed the quietness of just being alone.Slipping into a pair of flannel pajamas and her slippers, she trudged her way to the kitchen to make coffee hoping to open her eyes. As she passed the kitchen window, she heard people talking outside. Curious, she moved over to the window to investigate. Glancing out to

Valerie stood at the front entrance to the administration building of Hampton University, the brick structure slightly intimidating in its stoic, austere appearance. Giant oaks towered around the edges of the campus, some nestled close enough to the buildings to offer some sort of shade, the slight breeze tousling their leaves. College students meandered about, most laden down with overloaded backpacks or arms loaded with thick books. Some students had earphones in, listening to their music on their way to class, while others laughed along with whoever they walked with. A few teachers crossed from the parking lot to the buildings, some shaking their heads as they watched the students, more than likely lost in the generation gap. Valerie never understood why people took positions around others they refused to try to understand. She thrived on the differences between her and her students, hoping both could teach the other something about life past, present, and future. That’s wh

Valerie leaned back in her chair, propping her feet up on the wall that circled the roof as a slight breeze brushed against her, soothing her tired muscles. She held her wineglass with both hands as she blew out the exhaustion that filled her from the day she had in a slow, steady breath, her shoulders slumping a little as she settled back. In the distance, the sun began to set behind the oaks that lined the back of the property, a hawk drifting slowly across the darkening sky. Tranquil. Her night was peaceful, and after the past month, peaceful was exactly what she needed.“And here I thought I’d be the only one out here tonight,” Damien’s voice came from behind her.She turned, glancing over at him as she realized her quiet night just got shattered. “It’s relaxing sitting up here,” she told him. “I could see this being a major spot for me.”Damien nodded as he slid a chair over to sit beside her, a beer in