Driving through a solitary road with windows rolled down while the soft sun's streaks fell over and a sip of that celestial coffee, filled with warmth. Now that would be a praiseworthy serenity, wouldn't it be?

"You seem different today." Orson acknowledged as he stopped the car at the red light. Amusement flashed across his face as a small smile resided on my lips.

"What? Can't a girl be appreciative of this tranquil weather?" I bantered with an eye roll. He just shook his head yet a content countenance was visible on his face as he hummed to the song playing on the radio. I gazed out again through the window as he resumed to drive.

A sigh escaped my lips as my thoughts drifted to Alva. It had been three days since the funeral. Clavicus wanted to leave for New York but I knew his sanity wasn't restored yet, so I advised him to stay in for a few more days.

As for my sanity, well when was I ever even sane to begin with? I still lamented but now for a different reason. My life always had been fidgeting between hurricanes and flames. So having the blues in my heart wasn't something unusual. But this time, I made a coalition with desolation. Perhaps not fully but baby steps were all I could have pursued currently.

"Do you think he will hate me?" I queried, glancing at Orson with raised eyebrows. His stance tensed up slightly at my question but I could have discerned him struggling to keep calm.

"Of course not! How could you even think of such an absurd question? Did you hit your head on a wall or something?" Orson scoffed and my lips twitched up in a smirk while I shook my head. I knew he was fabricating. There was no way Lilac cared for my existence by now. But did I care? Well, I guess everyone knew the answer by now.

"Lying doesn't suit you, Orson." I snorted and he just sighed. Before he could have had said something, we had reached our destination. My heartbeat fastened its pace. No matter how much I had taught myself to be calm and jovial the previous night, I knew I still had the carven bone in me who rather evaded her problems behind an indifferent wall than face them head-on. But I knew I had to withstand it.

Taking a deep breath, I unlocked the car door. Before stepping out, Orson gave my hand a gentle squeeze, a smile of reassurance plastered on his face. I just nodded my head and walked out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Strolling inside the cafe, I scanned for him. Orson notified that he would be wearing a black leather jacket and he had a half-crescent moon tattooed on the back of his neck.

Further surveying, I finally located someone who matched exactly like the description given by Orson, sitting in the corner seat, beside the window. His back was turned to me, lending me a clear view of his tattoo. 

I strode towards him, shunning my arisen heartbeat and unfathomable trepidation.

"Excuse me?" I called out and as soon as he turned to face me, I knew it was Lilac. He grew up to look exactly like him.

"Damn sis, I thought after 17 years of abuse, you will get nerves of steel but it turns out you are still that piteous bitch." Lilac derided, his lips twisted in a sneer while his eyes held nothing but animosity. He must have deciphered my qualm after seeing his face.

Taking a deep breath, I sat in front of him and smirked at him.

"Sarcasm I see. Well, now we can be rest assured that you and I are blood-related only." I retorted and he just rolled his eyes, his face held an utterance of indifference, yeah, he undoubtedly belonged to the Valentine family.

"Cut the crap and tell me what the fuck you got to do with me after 10 years of disappearance?" He articulated, his face void of any sentiments as he leaned back in his seat, keeping one leg over another.

"Why so serious?" I jested, mimicking his posture as I used the reference of his favorite character. I thought back to the time when he was a child, being obsessed with DC Comics, such a bittersweet time that was.  He just shot daggers at me before getting up.

"I knew it! Coming here was a mistake all along. I shouldn't have listened to Orson." He spat out in sheer resentment but I just kept snickering at him. I should have been offended by his brusque behavior but at the moment, I just felt serene seeing him after 10 years.

After not being able to fetch an answer from me, he just fumed further before pushing the chair back harshly and sauntering towards the exit.

Wiping a few tears that mustered to slip down, I instantly began to run after him.

"Wait for me!" I clamored but he turned it to a blind eye as he fasten his pace. Muttering a trail of curses, I shortly was able to catch up with him as I linked my arm with his swiftly.

"Damn Lil bro, you are quite the runner." I panted, clutching his arms tighter as he struggled to get out of my grip, this fucker really assumed that he was stronger than me, only if he knew I could have taken down two more bitches like him.

"Says the bitch who ran away 10 years ago like a coward." He snidely remarked with an embittered countenance. I just chortled up and patted his shoulder.

"Now leave me, will you?" He continued as he still endeavored to get out of my clutch but dismissing him, I kept on gripping him as I scanned around to find an incentive to hold him back.

My gaze finally fell on the amusement park in front, particularly the roller coaster. An idea cropped up in my mind as I beamed at him to which he just scowled.

"I will but under one condition, you have to ride the roller coaster with me." I gibed with complacency flashing across my face. Momentarily, apprehension was evident in his expression. From the time he was a toddler, he feared roller coasters immensely. It was his biggest phobia.

"Tell me one good reason to do so? I want to be away from psychotic bitches like you as much as I can." He disputed, contempt flooding in his eyes. I just sneered in return.

"Looks like you still are that scaredy-cat. Dad was right, you would never be enough of a man." I snorted as I let him go. His eyes snapped at me as he seethed in rage. I knew I had struck a nerve. It wasn't like I supported that patriarchal statement but I was desperate to make him stay and I knew this would have worked.

"Watch me, bitch." He snarled at me before turning around and making his way to the park. I sighed in relief and followed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As we were being sitted on the roller coaster, I discerned anxiety gradually emerging in him as he clutched the handles as his life depended on it. A bit back smile as I caught a glimpse of the kid Lilac. No matter how much he had grown up, he was still the person whose innocence was my solemn courage to be alive since I was 7 years old.

"You know, you can still back away. You don't gotta go through all this to prove anything as absurd as that statement." I consoled him, hovering my palm over his knuckles. He just glared at me as he pushed away my hand.

"Shut up before I push you off the roller coaster." He snapped before looking away, taking a deep breath. He tensed up as the roller coaster turned on, starting to climb up.

A vociferous scream left from Lilac's lips as the ride started sliding down at high speed. His expression displayed sheer distress as his eyes almost bulged out. I couldn't have helped but laughed out loud. I felt so liberated as the sharp breeze collided against my face while tangling through my hair.

"You fucking maniac! Stop laughing. We are about to die. I knew you brought me here for murdering me." He shrieked as the roller coaster rides through the twist, turning it upside down. I just cackled louder and cheered on. Feeling something clutched on my hand, I glanced down and found Lilac held my hand tightly while he had shut his eyes. A soft smile crept on my lips as I clenched his hand tighter.

Soon the ride came to an end and despair crawled in my heart as it meant the end of our time as well. Right after they had detached the belt from us, Lilac rapidly got out and threw up. I grimaced, feeling slightly remorseful as he was in this state because of me.

Leaving a handful of distance, I handed him the bottle of water as he finished vomiting. He rinsed his mouth and drank some too before gazing up at me with a triumphant smile.

"I fucking did it! Now take your words back." He haughtily exclaimed and I snorted with an eye roll.

"Well, I am pretty certain that someone besides me was crying out like a freaking toddler." I ridiculed as I settled down on a bench. He just huffed before sitting as well. Then he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and light it up, keeping the cigarette between his lips.

"Orson had told me that you are studying in medical school. Smoking doesn't suit doctors." I contended with a shrug, distancing slightly as the smell was making me feel uneasiness due to my asthma. He just rolled his eyes at me, taking a long drag of the cigarette.

"Doctors can smoke too." He blustered while puffing out the smoke on my face. I instantly began coughing, feeling difficulty in breathing. He got startled before throwing the cigarette on the ground and rushing to me.

"Shit I am so sorry. I forgot about your asthma." He apologized warily as he patted my back and rummaged through my bag, taking out my inhaler. Uncapping it, he quickly had put it inside my mouth and puffed it while I inhaled it.

Pulling away, my breathing gradually got normal. Glancing at his guilt-filled face, I smiled endearingly.

"Looks like my Lil bro still cares for me." I avowed smugly and he just looked away, staring up at the sky with a sigh.

"Why didn't you ever complain about their abuses to the police?" He inquired, refusing to look away from the sky as his voice cracks slightly.

"They cherished you for their dear lives and never harmed you. I just wanted you to have a normal childhood rather than juggling from foster houses. Because trust me, nothing can fuck you up more than a traumatized childhood." I conceded, my voice heaving from emotions while tears slipped down my cheeks.

"While guess what? You still failed to protect me." He spat out as he glared at me with teary red eyes. A frown formed on my forehead as I stared at him in tumult.

"Are they not good with you, Lilac?" I queried with a puzzled utterance. He just scoffed as his eyes held embittered rage mixed with an indefinable pain.

"They are dead, more like murdered."

AUTHOR 'S NOTE:
1922 WORDSSSSSSSSSS!!! BTW GUESS WHO'S BACK?? MEHHHHH!! sorry for updating so late. I already had mentioned in the previous announcement to why I am late.
Sorry if the chapter was boring! I was going through a writer's block as well. So it damaged my motivation ;-;

Also Atrabilious just hit it's one year anniversary!! Previously it was Suicidal Boss and I published it in last year's January but unpublished it due to lack of experience in writing.

But on 14th October 2020, I officially published it again with a different characters and plots. When I started it again, I never thought I will ever be able to get any reader nor thought the plot will be actually loved by the people. Seriously the journey from The Suicidal Boss to Atrabilious had been so beautiful and drastic. I couldn't be thankful enough. Thank you sooooooooooooooo freaking much for supporting me and loving my story.

Each and every reader of mine is so precious for me. I wish I could hug y'all so tightly! Also we will hit 10k soon 🌝❤️

Anyways love y'all more than you can ever imagine❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍