"…best graduating female student and valedictorian Valeria Remington to the stage". the Vice Chancellor stepped aside as a young lady made her way to the platform.

Valeria smiled as she received her awards from the Vice Chancellor. "Thank you"

"You deserve it" the elderly woman said with a look of admiration in her eyes.

Valeria made her way back to her seat in between her two best friends, Julianne Smithens and Sara Mattias. Both also received awards for best students in their departments of law and business administration respectively.

The program drew to a close and the three girls went to meet their families to take pictures and celebrate.

"Finally, we're out of this hell hole" Sara said.

"This hell hole was the cheapest you could afford silly girl" Julianne reminded.

"Ugh, i know don't remind me, I'm very much aware that my bank account balance looks awful" Sara sneered.

"Not just awful, like a radio channel frequency" Tom, Sara's younger brother said and everyone erupted in guffaws.

Sara smacked his head with her purse. "Haha, very funny, lest I forget where's the hundred bucks you owe me?" she grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"Broke and a miser, chillax sis" Tom retorted.

The siblings began chasing themselves while the rest of the Smithens' family looked on while chuckling.

Julianne glanced at her sane best friend who was standing quietly to one side. "No show?"

"What'd you think? They're probably caught up with a favorite daughter emergency" Valeria said.

Valeria and her family weren't exactly on perfect terms. In more ways than one, they have showed how they prefer and adore her elder sister Bianca than her.

At first, she did everything to make them proud. Going out of her way to do difficult chores just to please them amd gain their praise. They did praise her but in a few minutes they'll begin to see flaws.

After a few years, she gradually became secluded and lonely. She stopped caring what they thought and did what made her happy.

Like choosing to become a physical therapist. When they refused to pay her tuition fees if she wouldn't change to journalism like Bianca, she simply applied to the farthest and cheapest college she could find.

That's how she ended up at Brighton University. One day when her parents and sister had gone on a 'trip' to the Bahamas, which she knew was actually a family trip, she took everything she owned and left the town she loved and grew up in.

She took a gap year so that she could work and save up some money, she met Julianne who was a regular customer to the cafe she worked in and the two hit it off. The two bumped into an injured Sara who had just been involved in a hit and run.

They took her to a hospital and then the rest became history. While Julianne was already a freshman of law in the university, Valeria and Sara worked different jobs to save up for tuition fees.

Julianne cut off everyone from her past except her cousin Luke, who was the closest family relative she had.

Luke supported her with every penny he could spare. He had already graduated and worked as a secretary in an uprising software company. He also made time to visit her whenever he could.

He said that he might not make it to her graduation ceremony as the company he worked in was undergoing a huge project and called her family members to come.

They initially disagreed as they were angry but later said they would make it, since Bianca had to cover some news in the area, thus killing two birds with one stone.

"You can come with us if you want" Julianne offered even though she already knew the answer. "I've always wanted a sleepover with you guys at my own place"

Valeria smiled bitterly, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. "Nah, i gotta go sort out all these job offers" she waved the envelopes in her hand.

"Maybe we could do it together? That way we can pick offices close to each other" Julianne pressed. She wasn't in support of her friend spending the rest of her day sulking or crying.

Valeria was about to decline when a body crashed into hers and large arms enveloped her in a bear hug. "What the—?"

"I'm so sorry I'm late, I took the first flight i could find. I haven't slept in two days. Argh, I might need a week's rest after this project pulls through" Like paused to take huge breath.

The tears that were in Valeria's eyes fell. She grabbed Luke and buried her face in his chest. "Thank you for coming"

The people around paused what they were doing because they had never seen Valeria cry or express too much emotion.

At times they called her a block of ice. Julianne signalled Sara and her family to give the Remingtons some space. She patted Valeria's back, "Val, we'll be in the cafe", then nodded at Luke before following suite.

Luke waited till the loud sobs turned to sniffles before talking. "I take it that they didn't come"

Val shook her head.

"I'm so sorry I got your hopes up"

"It's okay i guess. It's my fault for hoping for the impossible"

"No it's not okay. They have a responsibility towards you. You know what? I'm calling them right now" he pulled out his phone and dialed Mr Remington.

"Don't bother" she tried taking the phone out of his hand but he evaded her and raised the phone higher till she couldn't reach it.

After dialling several times there was no answer.

"I told you not to waste your time. There's probably a Bianca emergency. Let's just forget about it" she sniffed the air a few times. "Is that…?" her eyes started sparkling.

"An extra large bucket from KFC? Yes, yes it is" Luke chuckled.

"My favorite, thank you so much" she said grabbing the bucket.

Luke smiled faintly. He was extremely angry at her family for dashing her hopes. "Let's go meet your weird friends" he said while wiping her face.

"They're not weird"

"Right…just a bunch of people who don't think like others"

"Are you calling them crazy?" Valeria made a show of folding her sleeves and clenching her fists.

"Easy there, tiger. They're just…perfect, for you"

Valeria's eyes dimmed, "they are, aren't they?"

They looked across the street where Valeria spent her free time working. The Mattias' and Smithens were making a din and she could see her boss, the manager walkimg towards them to quiet them down, if that's even possible.

'Perfect' she thought as a beautiful smile graced her face. They weren't just perfect, they were family.