DRAVEN.

Chapter 1.

~Draven~

The cold wind howled, covering everything in its path with snow. I tried brushing of the thick snow that covered my slightly wet jacket. I was about to hang the jacket on the stand when I heard my mother's voice behind me.

"Don't put that there. I don't want water on my fine rug, I just cleaned it this morning" My mum said collecting it from me.

So because you cleaned it this morning, I shouldn't hang my coat?

"Fine, I wasn't going to put it there anyway" I chuckled.

"How's business and are you ready to eat your dinner?" She asked already dishing my food.

"I'm ready".

I took off my shirt and dumping it on the nearest chair.

"Put on your shirt back Young Man, you know how..."

"... Much you hate my tattoos. I'll put it back on" I scoffed.

I sighed softly, slightly annoyed about the fact that my mum could order me around. But who am I to complain?

"I asked you how the business is going, you didn't answer me. You came in looking sad I guess, I noticed it for the past week in fact. Isn't the business going well, or are you having some problems?".

The guilt clawed at my gut, threatening to rip it out. The thought of Mum hating me just like she hated my Dad made me feel really sad and nervous.

I looked up at her expectant eyes and gave her the answer I tell her every single time.

"It's going just fine" I managed to croak out.

She nodded her head satisfied with my answer. A lump formed in my throat, tightening it, making it hard for me to breathe.

I remember vividly the day my life changed for the worse after Mum found out the dark side of Father's work.

* * *

Mum and I were sitting in the living room waiting for the scrumptious meal Dad was cooking up in the kitchen. His phone buzzed severally from incoming calls. Mum decided to pick up the call, since the vibration was quite annoying. The person's voice at the other end was loud so I could here it.

"Sir the target has been eliminated. The money has also been transferred to your account with other amounts found with him. Anything else?" The deep scary manly voice said.

Mum slowly removed the phone from her ear and looked at it shocked. I scooted closer to her to get a better look at the Caller ID. It read 'Skipper'.

Skipper? That's my personal bodyguard! I've heard Dad call him Skipper more than once, but we know him as Charlie.

"Hello? Who are you? Are you working for my husband or this is a wrong number?" She screamed into the phone expecting an answer.

I heard him gasp and he immediately cut the call.

"Honey why did you scream like that? Is anything wrong?" Dad walked in wearing a strawberry printed apron. He licked off a gooey and gummy stuff from the tip of his finger.

Yuck.

"Someone just called you, he said something about a target that's already eliminated. What does he mean by that?"

"I - I don't... Look, it's something personal, business related though. Don't think about it, it's nothing" He stuttered.

"You kill people, right?"

"No, not people. My enemies, people against me"

"You've gotta be kidding me! You kill people Ian! Human beings! Not animals" She yelled.

"There's no difference between them. I do it so they won't hurt us, hurt you and our sons..." He tried to reach for Mum, but she swatted at his hand and moved away.

"... Please believe me, I'm a good man. The man you married is still here with you. Just don't do anything stupid"

"I can't believe this. We've been married for 15 years and I didn't know you did things like that. You know what? If you don't stop what you do now, forget it! Our marriage is gonna be over. And I know you don't want that".

I stared at my Mum and Dad in shock. Dad looked equally shocked.

I love my dad really much, and we were a really happy family. I could not let this happen to us.

"Mum calm down, please try not to overreact, I think he's just doing what's best for us" I held her hand.

"Exactly! Please listen to our son" He said giving me a grateful look.

"Drey stay out of adult talk. You don't understand now, you'll understand when you're older" she tried pushing me out of the living room.

"Mum c'mon! I'm 14, I understand everything. He's just trying to protect us" I argued.

"You know how much I hate crimes, anything evil. Nothing he's doing is the best for us. How is he trying to protect us? What if we get attacked by the goons of his enemy one day?..."

Dad said cutting her off. "It will never happen"

"... It can happen Ian. It's either you stop or our marriage is over!" She stomped out closing the door with a loud bang.

I stood rooted in my spot, dreading the thoughts whirling around in my head.

I watched my parents marriage crumble little by little everyday. I watched them drift apart, like their bond was never there. Sadness overwhelmed me when they decided to get a divorce. All I ever wanted was a happy family. I was left at the bottom of the rubble, the crumbled life weighing me down, draining the life out of me. A little boy who wanted the love of his mother, and the attention of his father, but couldn't get any.

She told me everyday not to be like my father. But no, he became my role model, the one I looked up to, the one I wished he were here with me.

I swore to myself. When I grow up, I was gonna be like my father, and here I am now.

* * *

"Oh son, whenever I see those sad gleamy eyes, I know you're thinking of your father. I'm really sorry" Mum caressed my cheeks.

"It's okay. I'm fine, I just miss him alot. You know I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Dad stopped what he did".

"I miss him too. Well, we'll probably still be together, a big happy family".

Dad has always been my idol, my role model and Mum knew that as well as hated it.

"But you know..."

I cut her off midsentence. "...how much you hate Dad and the s**t he does. I know that, and we've talked about it lots of times".

I stood up from my sit and dropped the plate in the sink.

"When are you going back to your house?" She asked cutting up some apples.

A smile formed on my lips, slowly turning into a grin.

"On Saturday. I hope you won't miss me that much".

"Tomorrow is Saturday Drey..." She eyed me wickedly.

"... And you know I'll miss you, you're the only one that keeps me company here" she puckered her lips.

"Mum, that's why I wanted to get you a maid. Maybe that will help, she could keep you company" I hugged her from behind.

I can't believe a heartless me has a really soft spot for my mum. What am I saying? She's my mum.

"I don't want a maid, neither do I want to stay in your big fancy house" She huffed.

I widened my eyes in terror. "I don't want you to stay in my house either".

"Now that was unexpected. Go to your room before I break your arm" She squinted at me.

She swung a rolling pin towards my shoulder. The tall stool fell down with a loud noise after I jumped off it to avoid the rolling pin. I picked it up and noticed part of it had chipped off. My mum looked at me shocked- eyes as big as a saucer, with a mouth wide open.

Oh no!

A sharp pain shot through my shoulder. The rolling pin fell on my toe also making me yelp jn pain.

"Damn you're crazy Mum. I mean angry, you're angry!" I said massaging my aching shoulder.

"I'll show you crazy!" She screamed.

"I'm sorry. I'll get you a new one, it's no big deal. I need to go to bed, I'm tired. Remember I'm leaving tomorrow" I shrugged with my good arm. Yep, there's the savaged arm too.

She calmed down immediately. A sad expression replaced her then angry red face.

"Go get some sleep. I'll clean up" She squeezed my hand.

"Or should I get you a pet? Maybe a puppy and a kitten" I said absent minded.

She gasped loudly. "I've never thought of that. Yes that will be good. I want two tabby cats, a golden retriever and a pitbull. That's it".

I watched her hum a familiar tune as she did the dishes.

I love making my mum happy.

~The Next Morning~

A briefcase laid open on my bed. A gun, some wads of cash, and some documents as well as pictures were in it. A gold locket glimmered in the warm sunlight.

Drey! Aren't you ready?!

I heard my mum scream from downstairs. I quickly picked up the black cover that was on my bed and placed it firmly in the case to hide the things. I have my reasons for hiding them, and Mum is one of them.

Three sharp raps on my door rang out in my room. I was slightly relieved I had locked the door before.

"I'm coming Mum. Just a minute!" I shouted picking up my case, praying silently she won't see it.

The sharp knocks soon changed to loud bangs as I admired my dressing in the mirror, scattering my hair a little bit to give myself a bad boy look.

I opened my door to see mum glaring at me. But suddenly frowned when she took in my looks.

"Finally, there you are. I thought you had changed your mind about leaving for a sec" she chuckled.

I knew when Mum was nervous. There's this thing she always does with her hands. There are lots of things actually.

"Why will I change my mind?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe you'll miss me" she tucked her hair behind her ears for the fifth time in a minute.

That's one of the things.

"Sometimes when I look at you, I always imagine you as a teenager talking to her long time crush. I wonder how you were in highschool"

She swatted at my arm. "Don't say that to me. I'm really good at hiding my feelings".

"I see. Try not to cry when I'm leaving" I said running my hands over my stubble.

"Stop it, I won't cry" she said, her voice breaking.

"See who said she won't cry" I teased her.

Her eyes glittered as tears pooled in them, her bottom lip trembled. I walked up to her to try comfort her, I mean that's the best I can do.

"Don't come near me. Go away, you caused this" She cleaned the first stray tear, then another and until the dam broke.

I rolled my eyes at her and noticed I was still holding the case. I quickly dropped it under the table, and walked to the dining room. I picked up a toast and a cup of coffee that was almost cold.

"Put that down. I'll make you a new cup".

"No it's fine. Thank you".

Mum walked up to me holding a comb in her hand. She noticed!

She slowly combed my hair, styling it to perfection as she calls it.

"There! My man looks handsome and smart..." She said dusting off my suit.

"...But if those hideous tattoos weren't there, you'll definitely look better" she tapped my nose.

She walked away from me, dropping the comb on a table. She stared at the table awkwardly, or so I thought. She bent slowly picking up something under it.

"Drey honey, is this yours? How come I didn't see this briefcase when I was cleaning the house?" Mum asked me looking at it suspiciously.

I almost choked on my coffee as I tried to swallow it.

I ran out of the dining room in a dash and quickly snatched the case as she was about to lift up the lid.

"Yes it's mine. I'll be taking it with me" I clutched the case.

She tried collecting it from me. I held it tightly and let go off it hesitantly, when I saw the warning in her eyes.

"It looks a little dusty, I'll give it a little clean" She was about to run to the laundry room when I stopped her.

"There's really no need Mum, I'm leaving now. I think it looks nice, so please give it to me before I miss my flight" I said throwing my toast into the nearest bin.

She handed me the briefcase reluctantly, tears welling up in her eyes. I felt really bad for leaving her here in this rather boring house. I need to get her the pets soon, probably by next week.

I walked out the door with my briefcase in hand. A sad feeling engulfed me, settling in the pit of my aching heart. I gave the house one last look, seeing my Mum near the window sobbing. I immediately got into the car and leaned my head on the headrest.

"Your mum is pretty sad" Rick, my bodyguard said.

"I don't even wanna think about it. Just drive" I said.

We soon arrived at the airport and I was led to a hanger to board my private plane. I soon became comfortable on the soft leather seats. Closing my eyes, I submerged into the soft calls of a blissful sleep.