LOYAL PREDATOR

CHAPTER 4

Would love to dedicate the chapter to ibelieveinpink who made the cool new cover. Thanks a ton :)

RECAP: Arianna returns to Cypress Valley after five years for her final year in school. Her then best friend Nathan isn't too pleased that she left without a word. Her parents are dead in an accident but it is kept a secret.

CHAPTER 4: I'M LIKE A BOOMERANG.

There comes a time in everyone's life when we wish we had a universal control over things. Like save the happy moments and delete the sad ones, pause the hurt and play the joys.

I longed for that sort of universal control as I was staring down at the two graves in front of me. Looking at them made me feel that graves probably weren't a thing for the dead. They were infact something made for the living, to help the living remember and cherish the dead and to help the living move on without them.

What do you do when you meet the two most important people of your life, after five years? I mean two people who were most important. I didn't know what the protocol was for a girl going to meet her dead parents cause this was the first time I manged to muster up enough courage to drag myself to their grave, or to any grave for that matter.

There was a whirl wind of emotions I was feeling as I stood there staring at the nameless tombstones of my parents for the past twenty minutes. I swore I wasn't going to cry. But damn these water works.

I blink my eyes furiously trying to hold back my tears. I don't want my parents thinking I'm still their innocent, dependent and scared little girl. I want to show them just how strong and independent I have grown to be in the past few years. I want to show them that I can and have been managing fine without them. Even if that was a big fat lie. I want them to be proud of me. Not worry about me.

I finally managed to find my voice and speak up, "Hey mom, hey dad. I brought you flowers. White lilies mom. Your favorite." I said placing the flowers by their graves. "I know this visit has been long over due and I'm sorry about it but I just wasn't able to walk myself here. So...um... How is everything up there?" I asked trying to sound cheerful. Key word here being trying.

"Hope it's some 'oh - you - have - to - see - it - to - believe - it' kind of place if you've decided to visit it so soon leaving behind your two charming kids, especially your amazing, sweet and adorable daughter." I rambled, the words flowing out more easily now.

"Ryan might not say it aloud because he is trying to show me how strong he is and stuff like that but he really misses you both. Did he tell you that he took up business administration and is even acing all his classes. Yes you heard me right. Business administration! You were so worried he'd end up becoming some irresponsible doofus with a spooky haircut, multiple piercings, weird tatoos and all that. But the boy sure can surprise you. You would have been so proud of him." I said smiling.

"Coming to me, remember mom how you always told me that if a guy chose to marry me it would be like hammering his own foot, because no one could ever deal with some one as lazy, crazy and hazy as me?" I quetioned looking at her expectantly with eyes wide. Of course she remembers. She kept telling me that everyday.

She always wondered how some one who burnt the house thrice, ever handle a family. Yes thrice. The first time I was holding a tiny little match stick which some how ended up bringing down almost half the house, the second time it was actually the fault of the candle on my birthday cake and the third time, well let's leave it at that.

"You should see me today." I said with a proud tilt to my chin. "Where do I start?" I wondered squatting down on the soil before them. "I cook mouth watering food. My friends at London say that my cooking beats some pretty good restaurants. I also took a sudden interest in volleyball and bagged a few golds for my team." I grinned.