I Just Had to Lick the Cookie, Didn't I?

With the stitches, no tag backs
And the red Kool-aid mustache
We can race there and then back
Just sodas and best friends

Milo's POV

The cab pulled into the long dirt driveway. A large, dark grey, country-style home stood in all of its old-fashioned glory. To the left stood a great red barn. Both were weathered and discolored. Around both were some trees, but I could see the fields through a thin patch behind the barn.

Today the sky is grey, and a misty fog hangs around. There are no leaves here, and the grass is a dead green. This place is deathly and saddening. It's hard to imagine it ever being a happy place. If it ever was.

I told the cab driver to put the bags on the porch and I paid him. Adriaan decided to take her sleep aids early so as she didn't have to be awake when we arrived here. For some reason, I let her. Therefore, I had to carry her to our room.

No one was here. The front door was unlocked and I let myself in. Somehow I managed to find my way to our room. How exactly I knew it was ours I don't know, but the sketchbook labeled 'Adriaan' on the desk helped. I tucked her under the covers after I took off her shoes and went back down to grab the bags. It took two trips.

Now, I'm headed out to the barn.

It's big for one. Two, it's vacant and dead. The light switch doesn't work either. That was basically a---

A glint of something catches my eye. I turn to it and see a lone ribbon hanging on the wood. First place.

Oddly enough, I never noticed this all before. Right when you walk in the front door, there's a table with pictures. All of them have Faith in them. She looks so vibrant and happy. So alive. It's a sad thing that she's gone.

When I walked around the rest of the living room, I was shocked.

The first thing that caught me off guard was a picture of Adriaan. I didn't even recognize her. You can hardly even tell it's her. The Adriaan in the picture is healthy, lively, and beautiful. Her eyes are glistening and she seems to be enjoying herself as she squirts a hose at some other guy.

I'm not going to deny it, I'm jealous of him. He has Adriaan so joyful and I have the damaged goods. Not that I don't care for her, she's my friend right now. I just...I want to be the one that makes her smile like that. I want that guy to be me.

Moving on to more pictures, I see Adriaan and Faith sitting on two horses. Each has a bright smile on their face. Even the horses look content. It's the same picture that was in Adriaan's room in Maine.

There were so many others, but the one that got to me the most, was the one that upset me more than any other.

On the wall was a larger picture than the others. It was surrounded by an array of various blue ribbons, all first place. That picture was of Adriaan, smiling so blissfully and resting her head on a horse's. The horse seemed cheerful as well, as they both looked back at me. I honestly must say that the horse in that photograph has to be one of the finest horses I've ever seen. Of course, my own are fine in their own right, but this horse was simply stunning.

"I remember the way she used to look at that horse," a voice stated smoothly. I turned around to see the guy from that picture on the wall. He was shorter than me, but not by much. Nodding, I turned back to the picture. "They all said she had talent. No one could deny it either. That horse was meant for her and once he was gone, everything else just seemed to walk away."

"And you would be...?" I asked, slightly irritated. Most likely because he wouldn't shut up...and possibly because I was jealous of him. It's hard not to wonder if he can still make her smile the way she smiled in those photos.

"Matthew. And you are?" he asked me back.

"Maelogan."

"Hmmm. How do you know the Rykers exactly?" he questioned. I looked at him.

"Adriaan." That made him smile.

"Are you just into manically depressed girls, or is it a strictly intimate relationship?" This time I glared at him.

"Excuse me? Who are you exactly?" I asked him, completely pissed.

"Old boyfriend. I still keep in touch. Just figured I'd come by and see how she's doing." He smiled. I don't like his smile. This prick is a complete ass.

"Well, I should go check on her," I said, walking away from him and toward the stairs.

"Do you mind if I join you? I haven't seen her in almost six months." I stopped, turned around, and glaredat him. No, I didn't even glare; I did something worse than glaring, something so vicious that there isn't even a word for it.

"Yes, actually, I do mind. She's very tired and I've been meaning to ask her some personal questions. So, I would appreciate it if you stayed down here and left us alone."

I just walked away. This Matthew kid---yes, kid, he's probably only seventeen---is just one of those people I don't get along with. I'm sure you've met some people like that. The ones you just can't stand to be in the same room with...

Have you ever seen something that just sent shivers down your spine? Something so...immaculate in so many ways, that you just had to look again and let your eyes linger? One of those things that has you captivated for the longest time until you realize what it actually is and it worries you? Have you ever looked through a sketch book with drawings so full of meaning that were drawn by the most...mesmerizing human being you've ever met? Personally, I don't recommend it.

Every drawing confused me. There was an apparent meaning, but somehow I thought I was missing something deeper. All of them were dramatic and beautiful, but some were quite grim.

Once I was finished, I put it back on the desk and walked over to the bed where Adriaan continued to sleep. She didn't even flinch when I sat down beside her.

We're getting married. Sure, you've heard of all sorts of stories about this type of situation. I used to scoff at the idea of arranged marriages. My opinion was that no one could force me to do something I didn't want, and I would never let my parents do this to me. Well, look at me now. Not a word of bitterness has escaped my lips. Yes, I argued with my father for a while, but he brought up a good point.

No one would ever truly love me forever. As stupid as that sounds, it's absolutely true. I'm not cocky and conceited, but unfortunately, I'm intelligent, which means I know for a fact that I'm good-looking. It's a pain, but it's true. I also happen to be an heir to at least a billion dollars. I'll even admit that I'm a complete jackass sometimes, and I tend to avoid bonding at all costs unless it's family.

My father told me what is true: "There's probably only a handful of women out there that could ever love you the way you want them to. All people tend to lose the affection they once had with another person, even just slightly. The flame flickers and it's possible that someday it will just die out. No female in their right mind would be able to marry you, love you so deeply it could kill her, meet all of the other attractive men on the market, stay faithful, and not spend more than she ought to. No, any other girl out there would cheat on you, spend your money, and make you look like a fool. Son, if you don't do this, you'll be a wreck for the rest of your life. Adriaan could never be that woman in her right mind that makes you wish you had never married her. She's one of the few in that handful. This girl has something that none of the other girls your mother and I considered. She has passion. If you only knew..."