CHAPTER 1

Sounds of laughter and teasing can be heard in such a small and humble home of the Parker Family. It was another night, the kids—Abigail and Franklin groans as they both heard a soft knock on their door. The door opened and their Dad—Tyler Parker shows up. "Now, now. Settle down kids, it's bedtime. "

The groans of disagreement reigns between the two kids but soon head to their own beds. The room is small but pretty spacious for two kids to share, it has a darker cream colored walls with books and toys in each side and twin beds for the kids. "Will you tell us the story this time, Daddy? " The 6 years old Abigail asked with her puppy eyes Tyler paused at the sight of such familiar eyes, the most gorgeous eyes he has ever seen in his life.

"What? I mean what story do you mean? You mean the girl in the portrait? " Both kids nods in unison and that made Tyler smiles knowing they did it exactly as how she used to do it when she's excited to hear something. "Tell me, why do you want to know that story? " They both shrug and Franklin answers his dad. "Mommy used to tell us some short stories about it and... We somehow want to know more. " Franklin is 9 years old yet he's more mature than his age and that makes Tyler proud of his children.

Tyler sighs in defeat and seat on Abigail's bed while he looks at his son tucking himself. "You both made me so proud, do you both know that? " Franklin and Abigail smiles at their dad and hugged tightly him and said. "We love you dad/daddy. " Then the three of them chuckles.

"Now, get back to bed and Dad's gonna tell you both the story. " The two kids beams in excitement and settled down on their beds waiting for Tyler to start with the story. He smiled as he remembers her and clears his throat.

"Well, the story started 15 years ago. She was one of the loners in the school, but she was different. She was so much more... "

—

August rain, how everyone hates it when it does. How they hate that pitter-patter sound of it as it collides with the road, the sticky mud from the wet soil going to stick on the shoes.

They hate the way it rains on them as they rushes from buildings to buildings with their portfolio in hand. The way it makes the humid air worse then it'll starts to get cold.

Then there's this guy, Tyler Parker not in the slightest angry about the rain for he always finds it calming and amusing how the water pours from the sky. "Do you think the rain holds a memory of how it was evaporated from the bodies of water? " He asked curiously, his friend—Rafael Potter raises his eyes at his weird friend but decides to answer.

"Parker, it doesn't really matters if it remembers or not. They're a cycle, whether they remember it or not they can't do anything about it. " Tyler nods his head in agreement. "The way you said it, it almost sounds like——OOHF!" It's probably fate but maybe it's not.

Tyler bumped into someone, a girl with a beautiful long hair, slender body, pale skin, green eyes and just beautiful. Their eyes met and by the looks of it, she has her eyes scans Tyler's face almost feels like she was... "Are you checking me out? " the girl snorted and lift herself up, brush away the dust from her skirt. "YOU were checking me out but anyways, sorry. " Then she walks away leaving Tyler and Rafael in daze.

"You okay Parker? " Rafael hands his hand on Tyler to help his friend stand, Tyler took it and smile looking at the way the girl took when she walked away just now. "That's some unique reaction. Do you know who she is Raf? " Rafael knows almost everyone in school with his connections (his family's loaded) and popular image as a jock himself.

"Well, yes——"

"Is she a senior too? "

"Yea——"

"She's really beautiful too! "

"Let me fini——"

"Tell me her name!! "

"I would if you——"

"Tell me Raf——"

Rafael covered his friend's mouth and sighed "SHUT UP OR I WON'T TELL YOU ANYTHING. " Then he let him go and stares at Tyler's guilty face. "Sorry, go ahead. Tell me everything. " Rafael nodded and scans through his phone. "She's Lavender——" The bells reigns and that made Tyler frowns. "From this day onward, I, Tyler Parker, officially hate the bell. " Tyler exclaimed throughout the whole locker hallway that made everyone who heard it laughs.

—

After an annoying class of Tyler being gradually asking stuffs during class has ended, the two guys are at their usual seat in the cafeteria with their usual lunch. "So, tell me now. Lavender who? " Rafael the annoyed man has ignored the naggy friend of his, he sat there and eat his lunch while Tyler waits for him to talk about it holding his cheeseburger in hand. He decided to take a bite as he noticed his friend's annoyance.

After awhile of eating in silence Rafael cleared his throat. "Lavender Green, 17 years old, from senior 2, she lives 8 minutes away from the school. " "Lavender Green..." while Tyler was lost in his own world, someone come and seat in the table beside them.

"Lavender. " Rafael says softly that made the girl—Lavender from the next table look their way. Her eyes went from Rafael to Tyler, recognizing them from the bumping incident that happened earlier. "Rafael.. fancy meeting you here, Your Highness. " Tyler which was woken from his daydream stared at Lavender then back to Rafael in complete confusion.

"Y-your highness? Y-you knew each other? Rafael? What does she means? " Rafael sighed and rub his temples while closing his eyes. "Not a good time, Lav." Lavender slightly chuckles then turned to Tyler who was dumbfounded at the moment. She hands her hand in front of Tyler and said. "Lavender Green, I was sort of, Rafael's cousin and childhood playmate. Nice to finally meet you Tyler Parker, Mr. Checking-Me-Out. "

—

"Wait daddy, so you mean she already knew you before you even introduce yourself? " Abigail stops her father's story to ask that. "Well, yeah I guess, probably because Uncle Rafael and I are bestfriends and they're cousins. "

"But Dad, what does Aunt Lavender means when she called Uncle 'Your Highness'? " Then Franklin asks next. Tyler smiles and starts to stand on his feet.

"That's another story to tell. Now now, look at the time. " The clocks strikes 9:00 pm and both children groans while Tyler stretched his arms and smile at the kids. "No groans, sleep now loves. I'll tell you about it next time. Goodnight. " Tyler pecks a kiss on both of their forehead and turned off the lights.

The silence embraces him as he went out of the kid's room, the same silence he was embraces for the last 10 years.

Reminiscing the past is hard for him but that's all he can do to keep the memories of her alive. His eyes scans through the portrait of the girl he once loved, the girl who will always have his heart.

The portrait that was hidden in a cabinet somewhere in the house, he kept her here. To keep her somewhat 'alive'.

Her green eyes, her tantalizing smile that she always wears, her beautiful long black hair, her pale white skin, just everything about her.

"I can still hear your laugh Lav. " He whispers to the portrait and put it back in to go to their bed.

A simple embrace welcomes him when he opened the bedroom door. "Done with the story? " She looked at the woman in front of him smiling, her hazel eyes screams longing yet full of understanding. Her short brown hair sways in her shoulder and her slender figure slams to Tyler's body. The wedding ring on her finger reflects to the light on their bedroom.

"I don't understand you.. Hazel. "

—•—

Unedited

nozomu_L