Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Betrayal ❯ Chapter 5

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Over the next few days, Valeri’s physical and emotional health declined dramatically. She didn’t eat and barely slept, going through the day like a ghost, trying her best to avoid Beelzemon and Skylar. She didn’t do anything in class but draw or sleep, which greatly worried her teachers.
Mrs. Shane, her Algebra teacher, actually asked her to come down from her place to talk to her during class. “Valeri Shinshiju, will you please come down here?”
Valeri silently got up and walked quickly down the stairs, passing by Skylar and Beelzemon, who were seated two rows below her. Beelzemon noted her hollow eyes and worn out expression.
She walked over to the teacher. “Yes?”
“My goodness, dear. You look terrible! What’s the matter? You haven’t been turning in your assignments for me or any other of the teachers. We’re very worried about you.”
“I’ve been drawing.” Valeri replied softly in a hoarse tone, her eyes lowered.
“May I please see it?”
Valeri shrugged half-heartedly. She went back to her place and got the picture then went back to the teacher and handed it to her.
Mrs. Shane examined the picture. “My, my. You have quite an artistic ability, Miss Shinshiju. No wonder Ms. Mitsuki likes you so much.”
“Hmmm….”
Mrs. Shane handed the paper back to Valeri. “Well, you can go back to your seat now. But please, try to pay attention.”
Valeri nodded her head slightly and returned to her seat.
After class, Valeri was walking back towards her room when she spotted Beelzemon and Skylar ahead of her standing by the wall conversing. She quickly went down another hallway only to find herself face-to-face with Dagger.
“Val! Come here!” he called. “Valeri!”
Frightened, Valeri ran back the way she had come, passing the two people.
Beelzemon watched her, confused, then looked back to see Dagger walking hurriedly towards them. He stepped out in front of him.
“What do you think yer doin’?”
“Get outta the way, freak!” Dagger snarled, looking past Beelzemon, watching Valeri. “You’re lettin’ her get away!” “You leave her be!” Beelzemon snarled into the boy’s face.
Dagger glared defiantly at him. “Oh, why should I? She’s free now since ya broke up with her,” He grinned viciously. “Besides. I need ta repay her for somethin’.”
Beelzemon’s eyes flared up with anger and hatred. He pointed a finger menacingly at Dagger, the tip of his claw touching his nose. “You touch her, or even talk to her, I’m gonna rip you apart limb by limb!”
Dagger scoffed and rolled his eyes, taking a step back. “Whatever, just get out of the way.”
Beelzemon gashed his teeth together in anger and balled his fist. Without warning, he hit Dagger hard in the face, causing the boy to fall onto his back, crying out in surprise and pain, clutching his nose.
Skylar watched speechless as Beelzemon straightened up and smirked. “Idiot. Come on, Sky, leave the jerkoff where he is. I hope like hell I broke his nose. He deserves it, the little snot-nosed scumbag.”
Skylar followed, slightly surprised. “Wow! T-that was awesome!”
“Thanks. Come on, let’s get back to your room, I’m tired.”
“Alright.”

Several days later Natasha talked Valeri into going to the dance the college was having that night. She had picked out Valeri’s outfit for her, a black long-sleeved shirt with silver flowers, black dress pants, and black low-heeled boots. She also put up her dishwater blonde hair in a ponytail with a dark blue scrunchie.
Valeri sat in one of the chairs staring at her hands as she listened to the music and conversations between people.
Natasha was dancing with her boyfriend, although she was trying to keep an eye on Valeri. “Poor, Val. She’s so heart-broken.”
“What’s the matter with her?” Yuki asked, looking over at Valeri.
“Her boyfriend broke up with her. To go out with somebody else.”
“Aww, poor gal.”
“Yeah.” Natasha said, resting her head against his chest.
As Valeri listened to the music, she became more and more depressed, remembering the last dance she had gone to with Beelzemon and all the fun they had together. Suddenly “Only One” by Yellowcard came on. Valeri buried her face in her hands and began to cry silently. The song had been Beelzemon and Valeri’s song; the one they had chosen at the first Valentine’s Day dance they had together.
Natasha saw this and went over to her. “Val, you Ok?” she asked as she sat down beside her.
Valeri ignored her.
Natasha put an arm about her shoulders comfortingly.
Yuki walked over and sat on Valeri’s other side. He put his hand on her back. “It’s alright, Valeri. Please don’t cry. Just forget about him. He’s not good enough for you if he dumped you like that.”
Valeri shook her head. “No,” She lifted her head, letting her hands fall to her lap. “I’m not good enough for him. I’m not good enough for anyone.”
“Don’t say that! You’re a good person that anyone would like to be around. If they don’t, then that’s their loss. Val, don’t think so negatively about yourself, it only hurts you worse.” Natasha said soothingly, giving her a comforting squeeze.
Valeri leaned against Natasha, closing her eyes.
Natasha looked at Yuki. “Maybe we should take her to her room.”
Yuki nodded in agreement and stood up.
“Come on, sweetie. You need your rest.” Natasha said as she pulled Valeri up.
The two took Valeri up to her room and left her on her bed after talking to her for a bit.
Beelzemon came up to her room sometime later. He slowly opened the door and peeked inside. He saw Valeri lying curled up on the bed fast asleep. He walked over to the bed and knelt down so that he was eye level with Valeri. He listened to her hoarse breathing as he brushed strands of hair from her face. “Oh, Val. I didn’t mean to hurt ya so much,” Beelzemon muttered, as he looked her over. He dried her face with a corner of the sheet. “I wish I could take it back. Ya probably hate me now. I’m so sorry. I do still love ya; I just wish I could tell ya.” He sighed and covered her up with the sheet. He pulled away slightly when Valeri moved, touching his arm. He kissed her cheek before standing up. He walked to the door and, with one last look over his shoulder, walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.

Beelzemon and Skylar were out for a walk in the park when it began to rain suddenly, hard and icy. They started running as the rain beat down upon them.
Not far up the path, Beelzemon’s keen eyes spotted a large lump off to the side that he had never seen before.
It was hard to make out through the blinding rain. Curious, he slowed down, as he got closer. “Hey, Sky. Look at that. What is it?” Beelzemon asked, pointing to the lump.
Skylar came up beside him. He shrugged. “Dunno, let’s go have a look.”
The two made their way over to the lump.
As they got closer, Beelzemon gasped. “Oh, my God! It’s Valeri!” He rushed over and knelt down in front of her.
Valeri was lying unconscious in a pool of her own blood, which was being washed away from the rain that was battering her relentlessly, her clothes were torn, and her body bruised.
Beelzemon gently picked her up and held her freezing body against him as he stood up. He was surprised by how light she was, like a feather. He always remembered her being much heavier from the times he had held her before. Oh my God! Who did this to her? When I find out, they’re dead! He looked down at Skylar. “Come on, we need to get her to the hospital, now.”
Skylar nodded. “Come on, I’ll drive us there.” Beelzemon nodded. Then the two took off running towards the dorms.
As Beelzemon and Skylar sat in the hospital room watching Valeri, who was lying in a bed with an IV in her arm and hooked up to several more devices, her breathing ragged, the doctor told them how bad she really was. “It isn’t good.”
“But she’ll be alright, won’t she?” Beelzemon asked worriedly.
“She’ll be Ok. She’s been raped and beaten to a pulp, but she has defensive wounds, so that means she was fighting them. But she also has Influenza. Being out in the freezing rain was probably what caused it. Apparently, she’s also been in a terrible condition before any of this happened. Lack of nutrition has not helped at all, her body is so thin, and malnutrition is definitely evident. However, she’ll be alright. We’re putting antibiotics and nutrients into her via the IV. I’m afraid though that her psychological health isn’t that great either and won’t be, not after what’s happened to her.”
“God damn it! If I had been there this wouldn’t have happened! This is all my fault. I left her in the first place. I think I have a good idea who did it, Dagger you bastard! Just you wait, you’re dead now! I shoulda hit ya harder,” Beelzemon snarled, clenching his fist as he stood up. He looked down at Valeri. “Val, I promised that I wouldn’t let him hurt ya again, I broke that promise as well. But I’m gunna make sure he never hurts ya again.” He turned and walked out of the room.
“Beelzemon! No, don’t do it!” Skylar called after him.
“Shut up, Sky! I gotta do this.”
“But, Beelzemon!” He flinched as the door slammed shut.
Skylar sighed and looked down at Valeri.
Several hours later Beelzemon returned to find Skylar asleep in the chair. He sat down in the chair beside him, putting his head in his hands as he watched Valeri. Her chest rose and fell slightly, the only sign she was still alive other than the beeping from the device that measured her heartbeats and the occasional ragged cough. Now you won’t ever have to worry about Dagger again, Val. I made sure of it. But you said so many times before not to kill him, so if he’s as strong as he thinks he is, he’ll live. I hope he doesn’t, but I don’t want you to hate me because I killed him. I already gave you enough reason to be angry with me.