Rainbows after Hurricane

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Song of the chapter/ I miss you, slipped you by Avril Lavigne

Dianna gazed out of the cab window, her eyes taking in every familiar detail of the town she hadn't seen in three long years. The small temples were still standing, unchanged, and remained some of the most beautiful sights the town had to offer. As the driver continued on, she stretched her arm out of the window, savoring the cool breeze that slipped through her fingers.

What she had missed most during her time in France were the trees. The town was surrounded by thick, towering trees that breathed life into the air, filling the surroundings with a sense of peace and a refreshing natural scent. The long roads were lined with these trees, creating a barrier against the pollution, and Dianna couldn't help but smile as she watched them pass by in a blur. It was a sight that always warmed her heart.

Suddenly, the car stopped, making a strange noise that caused Dianna to scrunch up her face in annoyance.

"Don't tell me the cab ran out of gas," Dianna pleaded, although she already knew the answer.

"I'm sorry, young lady, but it seems we're out of gas," the driver apologized.

Dianna huffed but put on an assuring smile. "Don't worry. My home is just a few minutes away. I can walk there."

"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience," the driver apologized again, sliding out of the cab to take out her luggage.

"That's alright. I'm used to this," Dianna said, which made the driver frown in confusion. Dianna merely laughed and took the bags from his hands. "Thank you for the ride. I enjoyed it," she said, then took out some money and handed it to the driver.

                 "Thank you. Have a nice time, young lady. I hope to see you around."

"Oh, you will. After all, it's a small town," she smiled, showing her pearly white teeth. She grabbed her suitcase and began dragging it toward the way her sweet house was located. She couldn't wait to see the look on her mother and Zach's faces when they saw her.

She had been planning this surprise for a very long time. In the past three years, she had come back only once, six months after she left home. Then, she got busy with her studies, part-time job and internship as an assistant to a famous fashion designer. And flight tickets didn't come cheap. 

Zach and Ashley had visited her in France once with Lilly, but she hadn't seen them in nearly two years. Asher had gotten busy with the new office he had opened, so she hadn't seen him except for the occasional Skype chat, which they hadn't done in nearly two years either.

She hadn't informed anyone about her arrival, not even Ashley. At the thought of Ashley, she frowned. She hadn't spoken to her in nearly two years now. She didn't know what the problem was, but she did know that something was definitely wrong. It wasn't like Ashley to not talk to her.

After she had moved, for the first few months, Ashley and she would always Skype-chat at least twice a day. Then, due to college work and job pressure, they talked once a day, but they always talked—straight for four years. And then, suddenly, Ashley had gone MIA. That's what Meredith—her friend—had told her when she informed her that Ashley had been gone for about a month without telling anyone anything.

Throughout the months, Dianna left numerous messages and emails but she didn't get a single reply. She just couldn't understand what has gone wrong. But, she would find it eventually now that she was back. The first thing on her to-do list after she is home is to hunt Ashley's ass down and give a good spank for ignoring her this whole year.