I have been at Max's house for a few days and I haven't heard anything from my parents. "Hey you ok Ari?" I don't answer him and he grips my shoulder. I jump at his touch. " Oh sorry." I sigh. " No, no it's fine. I'm just getting worried about my parents. I haven't heard from them in days.They never wait this long to call me, I mean mom gets worried easily and usually calls me within a few hours of me being gone. And my birthday is in two days." Max's face falls and it looks like he is hiding something. "Max? What's wrong? Are you ok?" He pushes his hands into his pockets and avoids looking me in the eye. "Max?" He shrugs. "Nothing.I-I'm just worried about finals." I giggle. "Yeah I guess that makes sense. I have been dreading them for days. I have been studying like crazy. To be honest I've been getting really annoyed with them." I throw myself backwards on Max's bed and stare at his ceiling. The glow-in-the-dark stars we put up there when we were 11 look back at me.
"I can't believe you still have those up." Max lays down beside me and clasps his hands on his chest. "Why would I take them down? I mean that is one of the best memories I have with you. I remember when you tried to put up the moon and you slipped off my bed and fell onto me." I laugh and smack his arm. He smiles and looks over at me. "I'm serious. It was the best memory of you and me. I remember the way you laughed and called me your secret guardian or your-" I smile and nod at him. "My prince. Yeah I remember." Max pushes my hair away from my eyes behind my ear. "I remember the way your hair was covering your face and your beautiful blue eyes were full of joy." Max rubs my face with his thumb. "I remember the way your lips parted when I said, I would always protect you. I remember wanting to-" Max leans in and I feel my heart beat pick up but I don't push him away as he leans in. I feel his breath on my lips as I close my eyes.
I hear someone coming up the stairs and I pull away from Max, sitting up. "I better get to work. Molly will kill me if I am late." Max scratches the back of his head and clears his throat. "Umm yeah. She probably would and I really don't need you dead." I smile. "Yeah I do not need myself dead either." Max follows me downstairs and I grab my jacket on the way out. " Hey, here you can take my car." I look back and Max is holding up his keys. "Oh no Max I can walk-" Mrs.Morrison comes down. "Absolutely not.You are to take Max's car it is supposed to rain." I sigh and take in his mother. Black curly hair,soft light skin, brown eyes, a soft smile, and a gentle voice. "Mrs.Morrison what if Max needs it?" Max places his keys in my hand. "Just take the damn car Arielle. I can just borrow dad's car if I have to." I groan. "Okay fine." Mrs.Morrison smiles and pats me on my cheek. "There is a good girl. Here is a cinnamon raisin bagel for the road and an english muffin." I open my mouth and she puts the muffin in my mouth and the bagel in my hand. I bite the muffin and take it out of my mouth. "Goodbye. See you guys in a little while." My voice comes out muffled from the food in my mouth. "Bye Ari!"
I run to the camaro and hop in. I relish in the sound of the engine as it starts. I back out of the driveway and head down the road the opposite way from my job. Instead I head to my house. I know I told Max that I was going to my job, but I really want to see my parents. I have a lot of questions.When I pull up to our house there is a strange red Jeep sitting in our driveway. I park the car behind it and step out walking to the door. The door is open when I get to it and I step inside. "Mom?" I look around. "Dad?" I hear yelling in the backyard. My heart instantly picks up its pace and I rush to the back. "MOM! DAD!" Once I get outside I see them fighting some people dressed in black and silver. They work together like they had done this before. Someone comes up behind Dad and its like time stops I watch as my dad is run through with a curved knife. Mom spins around and screams kicking one guy and stabbing another with a dagger, rushing to dad. Suddenly more guys dressed the same way come out of a portal looking thing. I hear something above me and look up to see a sleek black plane overhead. A bunch of people jump down and start to face off with the ones my mom is fighting. A man lands in front of me. I scream and step back. "It's ok. We are here to help you." His voice has a slight Australian accent and I get a serious de ja' vu from his silver eyes.Then he rushes to help my mom and his crew soon there are many bodies littering my backyard. An attacker comes up behind my mother and time stops. An amazing silver wave pulses around us and the attacker falls his body turning to ash.
Not even questioning where the wave came from I rush to my father's side and blood is everywhere. "Dad! DAD? Come on don't give up." My cheeks become wet with tears and I can barely breath. "Dad?" My father weakly reaches up and cups my face. "You should have stayed at Max's.You wouldn't have had to see this." Mom kneels down on dad's other side. "She was going to find out eventually Jack. We couldn't keep this from her forever." A hand rests on my shoulder. "Miss Thorn you need to come with us." I look back to meet the silver eyed man. I throw his arms off and glare at him. "Are you crazy? I'm not going with you. I don't even know you. My father needs a hospital and I am not leaving him." He glares back. " You need to come with us you are not safe here. More of the enemy will be coming soon. Your father is dead." "Ari!" Max's voice calls from behind me. Max firmly grabs the mans arm. "Do not speak to her like that.You have no right. What the hell are you doing here? You were supposed to be at work." Max snaps at me. The man glares at Max. "I am only speaking the truth. We need to go. Take her." Max instantly steps in front of me protectively. "Do not lay a hand on her." Max's voice is a scary growl as he speaks to the men surrounding me. Most of them stop in their tracks and some keep advancing. "Stop."
My mother steps in front of me and Max. "I know that you boys are trained to fight but do you really wish to fight myself and Maxwell? If not I suggest if you value your arms and legs you back off. Or if you wish to not have kids one day then I am sure I can help with that." Now all of them stop and look to the man with silver eyes. My mom looks at him as well. "Best call off your men Dex. I'm sure you do not want to lose any of them. Do you?" The man- Dex - raises his hand and everyone relaxes. "Wise choice." Max still stands in front of me and holds me behind him with his arm. My mom turns to us. "It's ok Max. Let me talk to her." Max is hesitant but he lets me go and my mother steps forward. She rubs my cheek. "My sweet girl.You're so beautiful. So good. I am sorry we did not tell you what is going on but we were trying to keep you safe. I should have known you would come back." I laugh quietly. "Always."
Mom's smile fades and her hand falls to her side. "But Dex is right you need to go with him. It's not safe here anymore." "But mom I-" "Shhh. I know you do not know him," she says pointedly at the silver eyed man, " but Max is going with you and can explain everything. Just trust him his father is a family friend. He will keep you safe.You must go before they come back." I shake my head. "What? No! Not without you. I need you." "Oh sweetie you have never needed me. You have always been strong."
A voice comes from behind. "Captain. I advise you to come with us." Mom turns to the voice. "I cannot Devon. You know that. We left for a reason, but I am afraid that she cannot stay here any longer. It is better if she returns home." I grab Mom's hand. "What are you talking about Mom? This is my home." Mom squeezes my hand. "I am going to miss hearing that. It has been a pleasure calling you my daughter. I will miss you princess." Mom pulls me into a tight hug. "Goodbye, my sweet girl. My princess." Mom releases me when more attackers come out of nowhere. "It has been an honor serving you. Now go before it's to late." She pushes me into Max's arms and spins around to face the enemies. "Keep my girl safe. Now GO!" Max nods and pulls me away from my mom. "No! Max let me go! Mom!" I struggle against his arms but he holds on.
Soon we enter the ship and the group that came with the man, Dex enter soon after. "Captain!" Mom looks back at us and shakes her head. "You won't make it without someone to give you a little extra time." Devon I think responds. "Any orders Captain?" Mom stops to look at us for a minute. "Protect her with your lives. She is the future of our world. Do not leave her side. Teach her to fight and protect herself. I have had the great honor of being your Captain, do not ever forget who you are." She looks at me as she says the last part. "Goodbye." With that the ship hatch closes just before it closes my mom mouths back. I love you. "Noooo! Mom!" Tears fill my eyes and when that door closes I am shut away from everything I once knew and the parents I had were taken from me forever. At that moment my heart shattered and my whole life fell apart. And I break.