Forever and Ever

ONE -1-ONE(Prologue)

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

I grinned, flashing the brightest smile as I could without closing my eyes, at the bright flashes of light as multiple 'click's from the camera went off. I glanced down at my huge cake which was decorated with all the Disney princesses who were posing around a dressed-up me. I smiled. As a ten year old, I wanted very little things. This was one of them. A fabulous birthday and a perfect family. This may not seem much but to me, it was the whole world.

"Happy birthday!" A small voice said from behind me. I turned around to see my best friend, Tyler, holding out a card for me. My little heart melted at the sight of my friend wearing a mini tuxedo with his blonde hair gelled back, looking as neat and clean as ever.

"Thanks Tyler," I shyly replied, looking at the ground.

"Riley! Come to daddy!" A deep
voice called me loudly. I immediately looked up from the ground, eyes lighting up in surprise, and ran towards my waiting father.

"Daddy!" I quickly opened my arms as I embraced my father.

"You're back," my mother was suddenly standing beside us, her eyes darting between me and dad. My father stood up, releasing me to face my mother. Although I was only ten years old, everyone including me, could feel the tension that was building up in the room.

"What are you doing here?" My mother was the first to speak, her tone was bitter and harsh.

"Grace..." He trailed off, unsure of how to respond. After a few moments of silence, he cleared his throat and spoke again. "I came to see Riley, and you."

"Well, now you have. You may place her gift over there and leave." Mother said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Grace, please, I-"

She cut him off before he could say anything more. "I don't want to hear it. Save your lies for your new found toy." I stood there, confused and shocked by my mother's sudden hostility towards my father.

"Grace," my father tried again, he reached out to grab onto my mother's wrist but she flinched away.

"Don't you dare touch me," her words came out as an audible hiss.

"Grace, please listen to me," my father reached out to her again, this time catching her off guard and managing to grab hold of her.

"Let go of me!" She screamed, trying to push off my father with her free hand.

"Mummy! You're hurting daddy!" I rushed forward, using all the strength that I could muster to tear the deathly grip from my father off my mother. Voices and people surrounded us but I was oblivious. I felt a pair of hands on my waist, lifting me and carrying me away from the dramatic scene that was happening right in front of me.

"Mummy! Stop hitting daddy! Stop!" Tears streamed down my face as I watched my mother continue hitting my father. I struggled against the pair of arms holding me but to no avail. Despite the chaos, I felt a small hand slip into mine. I stopped screaming to look at him whilst trying to calm down.

"It's okay Riley, don't cry, I'm here." Tyler assured me, giving my hand a squeeze while sending a reassuring smile. I nodded my head and sniffled as I stood helplessly watching my relatives tear my father off my mother. I could only hear her shout,"Get out of my life!" Before a ringing slap echoed throughout the room. I gasped and Tyler squeezed my hand even tighter. Tears were brimming from my eyes as I fought the urge to run to my father. My father lifted a hand to his face before muttering something and began walking away.

"Daddy! Come back!" I wriggled out of Tyler's grasp and sprinted towards my father.

"Daddy," I tugged at his sleeve,"come back, it's my birthday."

He looked down at me, I could vaguely see a red hand mark on the left side of his face in the darkly lit alley. "I'll come back, daddy just needs to go somewhere for a while okay?"

I nodded against his palm as his hand held my cheek. "I love you Riley, don't you forget that."

"Promise you'll love me forever and ever?" I looked up at him, my eyes wide and expecting. I stuck out a small pinky finger, "Pinky promise?"

He looked down lovingly at me, his eyes filled with regret, love, adoration and other emotions that a little girl like me could not comprehend. "Pinky promise," he replied, hooking his large finger with mine before crossing the wide road.

"Daddy wait!"

The last thing I remembered was a flash of white light before falling into an abyss of darkness.
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