Chapter 30-This is Not the End: Pt 1

Chapter 30- This is Not the End: Pt 1

-Mia-

After school was over Emma and Amy went off with their boyfriends and Derek and I were left alone. Ah, the life of being the single ones, not that I am in any rush to be in a relationship or anything. I actually like the feeling of being single and not being with someone all the time. I haven't gone on a real date in two years, so I think it's time to catch up on that instead of rushing into relationship. Come to think of it, every time Emma or Amy leave Derek and I together they give me this 'look' like they were hinting towards me and Derek. Clearing up one thing, I don't like Derek like that at all, he's one of my long time best friends and I have a feeling he feels the same also. His mind seems to wandering off to something else or someone else.

Whenever we were left alone while the other got all coupley, we would go and hang out with each other for a while. Since it's been two years since we last talked with each other we decided this would be a good time as any to catch up with each other.

Currently Derek and I were walking down a trail that led to the community park, the one where I met the group when I called Aiden telling him about Mark. Derek and I sat at one of the picnic tables near the trees.

"So." I drawl taking a sip from the hot coffee I got from a café near the park. "How's life been?" I asked Derek who was seated on the opposite side of me.

"It's been going." Derek said simply take a sip from his own cup.

I gave him a pointed look and he gave me a small smile. "How are things at home?"

Derek visible tense for a moment but relaxed a second later. I remember how things were with at Derek's home. I was just hoping that they changed. "It's been peaceful actually." He said calmly not letting anything else slip from his lips. I understand if he doesn't want to talk about it with me. I do hope he does open up to at least one person about it, but it's his choice after all.

"How's Riley?" I asked switching the topic to his sister instead.

Derek scrunched his face up slightly. "She turned into a demon child."

I gapped at him and reached over slapping his arm. "Don't say that about sweet Riley, she can't be that bad!" I argued.

Derek glared at me playfully but rubbed the spot where I hit him. "Remind me to watch out for that hand of yours."

"Noted" I answered smirking at him.

"Well, she's not that bad I guess you can say. She is still my sister just a bit older. Riley's attitude gets on my nerves sometimes you just want to drop kick her out the house. Other than that she's good, just more annoying."

I chuckled at his irritated but confused expression due the topic of his sister. "She's a teenage girl remember that. We all go through that dramatic stage."

"I think you're still in that stage." Derek said smirking at me and I threw my empty cup at him. "See, getting dramatic over one little statement."

I glared at him for a few more moments. "Enough about me, how are you adjusting to being back home and going back to school after so long?" He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders lazily. "It's been.. normal I guess you can say."

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

"I don't know, things at home have been too normal. Like my parents are trying to make it seem as normal as possible since I was gone for so long. But I don't want normal, I want my parents to joke around, act silly, have fun like how we use to before I left. I just guess it takes some time before things are back to the way they were."

Derek nodded in understanding. This is why I always use to come to Derek just to talk. Because he will always listen intently and wait till you're done to talk and give you advice.

"Just give it time, Mia. I'm sure things will go back to the way you want them to be." He said giving me a smile.

I grinned at him and checked the time on my phone. "Hey, I have to get going now. My parents want to take me out for dinner tonight as a celebration for me coming home." I said as I stood up from my seat.

"Alright, have fun and don't make it too awkward." He said smirking and I just rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile that sneaked onto my lips. I bid him a goodbye and started to walk home.

My home was just a ten minute walk from the park and I didn't want to drive or get a ride from Derek because I wanted to enjoy the scenery I haven't seen in awhile, I quiet missed it. Stuffing my hands into my coat pocket to keep them warm, I walked towards my home admiring the trees cleared of leaves and the grass areas that was prepared for the snow in the next few weeks. Walking up to my house a few minutes later, I took the time to admire my home. It was the same, just how I remembered it, except a few new lawn ornaments and a few coats of paint on the house. Things were the same, it wasn't like I was expecting a drastic change or anything, and actually I was glad everything stayed the same.

I noticed that my parents' cars were parked in the driveway as I walked up the path that led to the front door. I took my key out of my pocket and slipped it into the key hole unlocking the door. "I'm home!" I yelled as I walked through the living room.

"Hey honey." My mom greeted me with a smile as she exited the kitchen. "You're home a bit early. She said motioning to the analogue clock on the wall.

"Yeah, you said that we're going out for dinner tonight so I came home early to get ready."

"Okay but I didn't expect you this early." She said. "I thought you would be hanging out with your friends."

"Uh, my friends had some other plans today. So I just hung out with Derek for a bit and came home." I answered simply.

"Alright then, well we're not going to dinner till six and its four right now so take your time getting ready." My mom said. I nodded and told her that I was going to go up to my room for a bit.

For the time being I just lingered around my room aimlessly unpacking some of my clothes from my suitcases and placing them in my closet as headphones on my ears blasted music.

When there was about thirty minutes left before we left for dinner, I finally decided to get ready. I slipped on a long sleeved cream color dressed that fell right above my knees and a pair of black flats. I just kept my wavy hair down pinning the two sides up and kept my make up to a minimum.

Walking out of my room, I saw my dad walking down the hallway towards the stairs trying to fix his tie. "Hey dad." I chirped throwing my arm over his shoulders giving him a side hug when I caught up with him.

"Hey sweetie." He greeted with a smile when he finished fixing his tie.

"So about this dinner, where are we going?" I asked skipping down the stairs.

"To your favorite Italian restaurant." He said grinning at me.

"You're kidding!? I haven't been to La Bella in forever!" I exclaimed with excitement.

"Well that's why we're taking you there, duh." My dad said in an obvious tone which caused me to smack his arm. This is what I miss, us just goofing around and having fun. This is what my family is and this is what I wish we always be.

"You told her already?" My mom asked entering the living room in a black long sleeved dress that fell above her knees with black heels, her blonde hair similar to mine was pulled back in an elegant bun while her face held minimal make up and her lips were painted with a ruby red lipstick. Let's just say she looked gorgeous.

"Well, if I didn't Mia would whine till I crack and tell her so to skip all that screeching I just told her." My dad said simply.

I gapped at him. "I don't screech!" I stated.

My dad raised an eyebrow and looked at my mom. "See?"He said gesturing towards me. My mom chuckled and a pout found its way onto my lips. Cruel parents. "Aww, honey we're just joking with you. We've missed you so it's our time to catch up with you." My dad said pulling me into a side hug.

"By teasing me?" I questioned.

"What other way is there?" He question back. I rolled my eyes at him but couldn't help a small smile that found its way onto my lips.

After that my parents and I got into the car and drove to La Bella. It took about twenty minutes to get there. Once we were inside and seated at table, we ordered our food and drinks. I was a bit nervous because I know my parents will ask questions about boarding school.

"So honey, how does it feel to be home again?" My mom asked when our drinks arrived.

I internally groaned. I'm tired of people asking me that question, like I just want to scream and pull out my hair when I hear those words. "Great, I'm glad to be home." I said forcing a smile onto my face.

"Tell me, how was boarding school?" My dad asked after taking a sip of his wine. I could feel the nerves on the inside raging, my palms were getting sweaty as well. I hate that I have to lie to my parents but it's the only way for them not to figure out where I actually was for the past two years.

"Um, it was good. Really strict though." I spoke out then took a drink of my soda soothing my parched throat.

"Well, I was happy when you came and told us that day that you had gotten a scholarship to that prestige boarding school." My father said. Scholarship, I really didn't get a scholarship, but I wasn't stupid when it came to telling this lie. There is an actually boarding school and I knew my parents would want to do some research on it so I did give the actual name of a boarding school, it was a really nice school and my parents really liked it, the problem was that I never went to school.

Our food arrived a few moments later and just when I was about to take a bit of the delicious lasagna in front of me my mom dropped the biggest bomb on me yet. "We use to get monthly progress reports from school. You were doing well. I still don't understand why you wanted to leave."

I felt my heart drop to my stomach. Monthly progress reports? But how? I didn't even go there! I notice my parents were waiting for an answer, so I move the forkful of lasagna away from my lips and cleared my throat. "Uh, I-I just wanted to have fun for my last year of high school and while I was there it didn't feel so right so I decided to come back." I forced out.

"Well, you could at least give us a week's notice before you returned so we could prepare for you." My mom said.

"What's the fun in that? Surprises are much better." I said grinning.

"That's my girl." My dad said grinning back at me. After that little chat about boarding school, we continued dinner and caught up with each other. But all that could run through my mind was the fact that my parents got 'monthly progress reports' when I didn't even go to the boarding school. How is that possible? I kept racking my mind for answers but only one thing seemed clear after running the thought through my head constantly, Mark had to be the one to do that. Mark must have use his persuasion aka money to bribe the boarding school to let them send out monthly reports to my parents just to keep up this cover. He was the only one at the time who knew about the boarding school situation, but why? Why would he do that? Just to keep this stupid cover which was obviously over?

I pushed the thought to the back of my mind when we left the restaurant. Trying to not let it bother me, but it still lingered around through the drive home. When we pulled into the driveway and got out of the car I notice a bouquet of red roses in a crimson vase place on the porch. I raised an eyebrow. Who would leave roses here? The person who dropped them off must have had the wrong house. My parents also notice the vase and my mom picked it up and looked at the name on the card that was written there. "Mia, there for you." She said happily. My eyebrows shot up in disbelief. For me? They can't be. "I wonder who there from." She said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. I wonder myself.

I took the roses up to my room when I was finally inside and placed them onto my desk. I admire the beautiful crimson flowers they were fresh and perfectly arranged. I picked the note up from the middle of the roses that had my name written on it in neat cursive handwriting. When I read the note I was beyond shocked. 'To my sweet Mia, you're just as sweet and lovely as these red roses, so fresh and filled with life. I remember you use to admire the beautiful rose garden I had when you went for a walk, the way your eyes filled with happiness and amazement looking at the precious flower. Did you think I forget that these were your favorite? I know most things about you that you yourself might not even know. Did you think that you could leave so easily, that I wasn't going to search? That I wouldn't care that you left? Well, I beg to differ my lovely flower. You and your friends know too much about my business and that can't happen right? I'm always watching Mia. Just know this is not the end. -Mark'

I fell back onto my bed seated at the edge staring at the card in utter shock. How could I think this was the end? How could I think that he wouldn't look for me when I know about his business, too much knowledge on it? How could I think that he would leave my friends alone if I was just to disappeared? Like the note said this is not the end, this is just the beginning.