My Bloody Valentine
Welcome Home Riley!
Here I was, landing back in LAX, I haven’t been here in a long time, I last spent the summer with my dad when I was awkward, anti-social and 15 years old, I’m now 21, and I’m about to move back into my childhood home with my dad. It’s not like I’m being forced to move back here to get away from an abusive ex, or the death of my mother because I have one ex and that ended on good terms and my mother is very much alive, in fact, that is the reason I’m moving back home. My mom and her boyfriend want to travel and I’ve never been a fan of moving from place to place, I prefer having somewhere to call home, and for the second time in my life that place with going to be Huntington Beach, California.
I stepped off the plane and was blasted with the hot air that I’d missed so much, it’s been a long time since I was anywhere this hot, but I’m sure I’d be used to it in no time. I’d texted my dad letting him know we landed, and I smiled to myself knowing that it was a good thing I remembered what he looked like because he never changed his appearance, but me, I changed everything about myself all the time, I’m sure I’d be giving my old man a heart attack with my bright blue hair ,piercings, and surprisingly pale skin. Being a cop’s daughter was bound to be fun, especially when my dad is the chief of police.
I collected my luggage and walked through the airport and out of the doors, it didn’t take me long to find my dad, there he was, leaning against his police cruiser, smoking a Marlboro, I loved him and everything, but did he need to make it look like I was being arrested during my first hour in Huntington.
“Hey pops,” I greeted as I walked to the car, he stubbed out his smoke and looked me over “No need to look so shocked dad, I’ve been this way for a long time now,” I chuckled and he laughed nervously, it was going to take a lot to break the ice here.
“Whoa kid, you sure did a lot of growing up over the past few years,” He stated as he took my bags and threw them in the trunk.
“Dad, it’s been a long time, I don’t look 15 anymore,” I chuckled.
“True that,” He sighed as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
The drive to the house was almost completely silent, except for the radio, we were about five minutes from the house when Avenged Sevenfold Beast and The Harlot came on the radio, I turned it up, kicked my feet up onto the dashboard and started singing along and drumming on my knees, making my dad laugh.
“Something funny Charles?” I fake scowled at him and he laughed even harder.
“Not at all Riles, I just have two surprises for you tonight,” He said trying to stifle his laugh, I sighed and went back to my singing.
“Home sweet home,” Dad announced as we pulled into the drive way, my stomach was in a huge knot and I didn’t know why, it just felt so weird to be back here, I almost wanted to cry as I remembered the night I was taken away from my home.
“Fiona you can’t just up and leave, she’s my daughter too!” Dad shouted to my mom as she packed bags for the both of us.
“We’re not married Charles, we don’t have to fight for custody, just make this easier on us all, please, I can’t fucking do this anymore!” Mom cried as she zipped her bag shut, I was standing in the doorway of their bedroom watching.
“Well, where are you going?” Dad cried.
“I don’t know yet, but we’re getting on the first flight out of here, I can’t live in this place anymore,” Mom stormed out of the room and grabbed my arm and took me with her “Come on baby,” She smiled weakly, her cheeks were tear stained and her hands were sweaty.
“Mommy no, I don’t want to go,” I cried as I clutched to my dad’s leg as if my life depended on it.
“Riley, move, now, you’re coming with me,” She snapped and I shut up and let her take me before I started sobbing again, I watched my dad cry at the top of the stairs as we walked down, I cried all the way to the airport and threw it and before I knew it we were on the first plane out of LAX, which just happened to be going to Arizona, that was stop number 1.
“Riles, you alright?” Dad’s voice snapped me out of my day dream “Where’d you go?” He asked with a chuckle.
“I was just remembering that night,” I didn’t have to remind him what night I was referring to, I knew he knew when I was talking about, I knew that night had broken him, he was always over the moon when I visited but he was never the same after mom and I left, he never had relationships, he never got married or had any more kids, but I’d never asked why.
Dad helped me into the house with my bags, I’d only brought some clothes and things I wanted to keep with me like photos of my mom and her boyfriend Thomas and I on the beach and other photos of my friends I’d made whenever we moved house.
“So, your room’s pretty much the same but I uh, got you a new bed and a desk for your laptop or whatever you have,” Dad said as we walked into my old bedroom and he put my bags on the bed for me, my room was exactly the same, all of my old dolls and teddy bears were still under my window or at my little table where I used to have tea parties with them all.
“Thanks,” I said with a small smile before he left me to get settled and ready for dinner.
First thing was first, I’m 21, get rid of the teddy bears and dolls, I shoved them all into black bags and moved them into the attic, then I started to unpack my things, there was a chest of drawers for me to fill with some clothes and hangers in the closet for dresses, although I only had like, two, and my jackets and hoodies of course.
I changed out of my flight clothes and into something even more comfortable, which meant light grey sweats and a navy blue vest top with a hoodie over the top and unzipped, I tied my hair up into a loose ponytail to keep it out of my face, I felt surprisingly at home here after all of these years. There was a horn sounding from the driveway, I walked over to my window to see what was going on, I saw my dad waving me down and beside him stood a large looking guy and a slightly smaller, older man, they looked kind of familiar but what did I know? They were all the way down there and it was getting dark.
“Riley, you remember Gary Sanders, right?” Dad asked, extending his arm to the smaller, older guy.
“Of course, Mr Sanders, it’s been so long,” I smiled politely and held out my for him to shake but he grabbed me and pulled me into a hug and I laughed.
“Don’t you remember, we’re all huggers here kiddo,” He said and I felt him smile, I couldn’t help but smile too, he was my dad’s best friend, I knew he had a son but we never really hung out as kids, I think his name was Matthew… wait a second.
I pulled away from Gary and looked to the large guy beside him who was wearing baggy jeans and a Metallica cut-off, I looked down his arms and saw the vast amount of tattoos, I couldn’t stop myself from snapping my head up so quickly I almost fell backwards as I looked all the way up and into his eyes, his fucking amazing hazel eyes and he shot me a dimpled smile.
“Holy fucking shit,” I breathed, I practically grew up with M freaking shadows.
“Hey, I’m Matt,” He said, pulling me into a hug, just like his dad had.
“Oh, I know that,” I breathed as he let me go “Why the fuck didn’t I put two and two together sooner? For the love of Johnny Christ,” I face palmed and the three men laughed at me “Not funny dad, why didn’t you tell me M Shadows was coming over tonight?!” I scolded and punched him in the chest making him cough as he laughed.
“Easy kid, I aint as strong as I used to be and you’re not a little girl anymore,” He laughed harder and I had to join in too.
“Come on, this food’s getting cold and the game’s starting,” Mr Sanders said as he shoved us back into dad’s house.
I stepped off the plane and was blasted with the hot air that I’d missed so much, it’s been a long time since I was anywhere this hot, but I’m sure I’d be used to it in no time. I’d texted my dad letting him know we landed, and I smiled to myself knowing that it was a good thing I remembered what he looked like because he never changed his appearance, but me, I changed everything about myself all the time, I’m sure I’d be giving my old man a heart attack with my bright blue hair ,piercings, and surprisingly pale skin. Being a cop’s daughter was bound to be fun, especially when my dad is the chief of police.
I collected my luggage and walked through the airport and out of the doors, it didn’t take me long to find my dad, there he was, leaning against his police cruiser, smoking a Marlboro, I loved him and everything, but did he need to make it look like I was being arrested during my first hour in Huntington.
“Hey pops,” I greeted as I walked to the car, he stubbed out his smoke and looked me over “No need to look so shocked dad, I’ve been this way for a long time now,” I chuckled and he laughed nervously, it was going to take a lot to break the ice here.
“Whoa kid, you sure did a lot of growing up over the past few years,” He stated as he took my bags and threw them in the trunk.
“Dad, it’s been a long time, I don’t look 15 anymore,” I chuckled.
“True that,” He sighed as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
The drive to the house was almost completely silent, except for the radio, we were about five minutes from the house when Avenged Sevenfold Beast and The Harlot came on the radio, I turned it up, kicked my feet up onto the dashboard and started singing along and drumming on my knees, making my dad laugh.
“Something funny Charles?” I fake scowled at him and he laughed even harder.
“Not at all Riles, I just have two surprises for you tonight,” He said trying to stifle his laugh, I sighed and went back to my singing.
“Home sweet home,” Dad announced as we pulled into the drive way, my stomach was in a huge knot and I didn’t know why, it just felt so weird to be back here, I almost wanted to cry as I remembered the night I was taken away from my home.
“Fiona you can’t just up and leave, she’s my daughter too!” Dad shouted to my mom as she packed bags for the both of us.
“We’re not married Charles, we don’t have to fight for custody, just make this easier on us all, please, I can’t fucking do this anymore!” Mom cried as she zipped her bag shut, I was standing in the doorway of their bedroom watching.
“Well, where are you going?” Dad cried.
“I don’t know yet, but we’re getting on the first flight out of here, I can’t live in this place anymore,” Mom stormed out of the room and grabbed my arm and took me with her “Come on baby,” She smiled weakly, her cheeks were tear stained and her hands were sweaty.
“Mommy no, I don’t want to go,” I cried as I clutched to my dad’s leg as if my life depended on it.
“Riley, move, now, you’re coming with me,” She snapped and I shut up and let her take me before I started sobbing again, I watched my dad cry at the top of the stairs as we walked down, I cried all the way to the airport and threw it and before I knew it we were on the first plane out of LAX, which just happened to be going to Arizona, that was stop number 1.
“Riles, you alright?” Dad’s voice snapped me out of my day dream “Where’d you go?” He asked with a chuckle.
“I was just remembering that night,” I didn’t have to remind him what night I was referring to, I knew he knew when I was talking about, I knew that night had broken him, he was always over the moon when I visited but he was never the same after mom and I left, he never had relationships, he never got married or had any more kids, but I’d never asked why.
Dad helped me into the house with my bags, I’d only brought some clothes and things I wanted to keep with me like photos of my mom and her boyfriend Thomas and I on the beach and other photos of my friends I’d made whenever we moved house.
“So, your room’s pretty much the same but I uh, got you a new bed and a desk for your laptop or whatever you have,” Dad said as we walked into my old bedroom and he put my bags on the bed for me, my room was exactly the same, all of my old dolls and teddy bears were still under my window or at my little table where I used to have tea parties with them all.
“Thanks,” I said with a small smile before he left me to get settled and ready for dinner.
First thing was first, I’m 21, get rid of the teddy bears and dolls, I shoved them all into black bags and moved them into the attic, then I started to unpack my things, there was a chest of drawers for me to fill with some clothes and hangers in the closet for dresses, although I only had like, two, and my jackets and hoodies of course.
I changed out of my flight clothes and into something even more comfortable, which meant light grey sweats and a navy blue vest top with a hoodie over the top and unzipped, I tied my hair up into a loose ponytail to keep it out of my face, I felt surprisingly at home here after all of these years. There was a horn sounding from the driveway, I walked over to my window to see what was going on, I saw my dad waving me down and beside him stood a large looking guy and a slightly smaller, older man, they looked kind of familiar but what did I know? They were all the way down there and it was getting dark.
“Riley, you remember Gary Sanders, right?” Dad asked, extending his arm to the smaller, older guy.
“Of course, Mr Sanders, it’s been so long,” I smiled politely and held out my for him to shake but he grabbed me and pulled me into a hug and I laughed.
“Don’t you remember, we’re all huggers here kiddo,” He said and I felt him smile, I couldn’t help but smile too, he was my dad’s best friend, I knew he had a son but we never really hung out as kids, I think his name was Matthew… wait a second.
I pulled away from Gary and looked to the large guy beside him who was wearing baggy jeans and a Metallica cut-off, I looked down his arms and saw the vast amount of tattoos, I couldn’t stop myself from snapping my head up so quickly I almost fell backwards as I looked all the way up and into his eyes, his fucking amazing hazel eyes and he shot me a dimpled smile.
“Holy fucking shit,” I breathed, I practically grew up with M freaking shadows.
“Hey, I’m Matt,” He said, pulling me into a hug, just like his dad had.
“Oh, I know that,” I breathed as he let me go “Why the fuck didn’t I put two and two together sooner? For the love of Johnny Christ,” I face palmed and the three men laughed at me “Not funny dad, why didn’t you tell me M Shadows was coming over tonight?!” I scolded and punched him in the chest making him cough as he laughed.
“Easy kid, I aint as strong as I used to be and you’re not a little girl anymore,” He laughed harder and I had to join in too.
“Come on, this food’s getting cold and the game’s starting,” Mr Sanders said as he shoved us back into dad’s house.
9/11/13