• I stared at the grave site that marked Annie’s name. I stomped over and stood in front, my hands on my hips, my teeth clenched.

    “Okay, listen here Missy,” I said pointing a finger at the grave. “You’ve been f*cking up my life! Yeah, you, a dead girl! Oh gosh, I’m talking to a grave stone,” I said holding my head. I’m going insane. I looked back and then started pacing. “I mean, I love Ryder, and you and him have got to break this off. I have to get on with my life too! I can’t just sit in a f*cking grave and watch with a smug smile, which I’m sure you’re wearing,” I muttered.

    “I haven’t even painted! Jeez, it feels like forever since I have.” An imagine of Ryder watching me paint him made my heart yearn for him and my paintings even more. For my paint brushes. I sighed.

    “My father is slowly moving my puppet strings. I need to get my own thoughts straight.”

    I paced faster almost making a rut in the soft ground. “Okay, Trinity, enough talking to yourself and a grave stone,” I mumbled. Then I turned to the stone and smiled softly.

    “I’m jealous of you, that’s what it is. I’m jealous because he still loves you and can’t get over you. But I’m going to try my hardess to look up to you Annie. You seemed like you were a great person. Ryder’s mine now though, but thanks for listening to me.” With that I turned and got back into my car and drove to Wal-Mart.

    *******************************************


    I pushed aside pieces of ceiling and concrete and then I found it. It had a rip on the corner but it didn’t look bad at all. Ryder’s face shinned with sadness and happiness. I smiled and sat back on my hunches to stare at the picture. He was beautiful. I stared at the remains of Wal-Mart and remembered so many things that happened between us. My life changed in that place. I remembered walking into that building with a smug expression and snobbish. And how I treated Ryder. But after…I changed a lot. I’m more the self I should have been. More wise now too. For the first time in years a soft breeze blew my hair. It felt so good. I then realized, I never ever wanted to become like that again. Never! If I was with Ryder, I would be myself. I stood up grinning like a mad fool and dashed for my car. JoJo, poor dog, was in the back ripping at the seats. They were leather…now with teeth marks and drool all over it. I grimaced.

    When I got home to drop off JoJo, I walked quickly to my room and changed my shirt to a warm sweater.

    “Trinity? Is that you?” Mom’s voice echoed down the hall way and I cursed then called out.

    “Yeah,” She opened the door and smiled.

    “What are you doing?” I sighed and straightened my shirt.

    “I’m going to Ryder’s to talk to him. Mom, I’m in love, as corny as that sounds. And if I stay here any longer with dad he’s going to make me think otherwise,” I stated. Mom nodded.

    “I understand.”

    I was baffled. “What?” She chuckled and sat down on my bed.

    “Your father and I were from very different worlds honey. I was cheerleader in high school and my parents owned a couple car dealerships. We lived in the rich part of town. Your dad on the other hand, was the opposite. His family was very poor. He was kind of an out cast in school. No one wanted to talk or go around him. So he stuck to school. It wasn’t till college till we met and fell in love,” mom said, looking off a little. “My parents didn’t like him at first, they didn’t want me dating him. But I was an adult and I made my own choices. I married your father.” My parents never told me about how they met and hearing this I realized something’s.

    “That’s why dad doesn’t want me to hang out with Ryder. Because that used to be him. He’s starting to relive what happened to him.” Mom nodded.

    “Yes.”

    “That’s also why he wants me to get a good education,” I softly said thinking more to myself then to mom. Dad opened the door to my room and stared at me then mom.

    “What’s going on?” demanded. Maybe he wasn’t so monster-ist after all.

    “I’m going over to see Ryder, I’ll be back later,” I announced. His face turned red and I rolled my eyes. “Stop it dad! I’m sick of all of this. The whole school s**t again. I hate school! I want to paint and become an artist. That should be enough for you! You already drove away one kid!” I yelled. He stepped forward his face turning purple about to explode. I had to say something about Titan.

    “Trinity Adams!” He bellowed. Mom ran and stepped in front of him.

    “That’s enough,” she ordered in a calm voice. He stuttered and glared at her. “You need to calm yourself down or else,” she warned.

    “I love you dad!” I said and kissed his cheek. He looked confused as I stepped around him and headed down the hall in a long leaps.

    “Just you wait a minute!” He hollered.

    “Honey, just stop,” mom said quietly. He did and I figured she kissed him. I ran out the door and jumped in my car heading to Ryder’s.