Chapter 24: Spoiled Princess

< Shirley >
The four of us were having dinner with me and Xavier cracking jokes constantly, and Riley joining occasionally, and Dylan trying his best not to blow upon us. I kept stealing glances at Dylan as many thoughts about him emerged in my head.
I knew nothing about his biological family. Xavier and Riley weren't his blood-related brothers, then where was Dylan's family? I knew his mom was dead. What about his father? Did he have any siblings?
When we were at the end of our meal, I noticed Dylan having apple pie as dessert.
It was really surprising to me that he ate sweets. Considering how crude he was, I was convinced that he ate bitter gourd juice with extra salts in order to become the salty and bitter person he was.
"May I know why you are eyeing my apple pie?" Dylan voiced out, making me look up at him.
"I'm just surprised that you like sweets," I tried not to offend him.
"Did you ever read any book which was named 'Dylan Lewiston doesn't eat sweets'?" he asked, and I shook my head. "Then what made you think I don't eat sweets?" he questioned.
I scratched the back of my neck and let out honestly, "Uh, you seemed like you didn't."
Dylan leaned back in his chair and said in his usual mocking tone, "Well, well, aren't you presumptuous?" I was about to retort but stopped when I heard Xavier and Riley chuckle.
"Shirley, you have got no clue about Dylan," Riley said.
"He may seem cold and all, but he has been brought up by someone crazy who lives on junk food only yet never gains weight. Therefore, he has a very unhealthy food habit." Dylan shot Xavier a glare at the remark. "Though he doesn't eat junk food much anymore, he still hates raw vegetables with a burning passion."
"You...hate salad?" I guessed, and Xavier nodded.
"What's so wrong with that?" Dylan demanded. "I can hate whatever the fuck I want. On top of that, why should I even like some raw vegetables?" He made a disgusted face. "I mean, they are raw, for God's sake. No one should eat them," he complained, looking like a five-year-old kid.
"Hatred for salads runs in his veins," Riley commented, munching on a piece of carrot, earning a scornful glare from Dylan.
"I agree that salads aren't that tasty. Still, I like them. It's good for health," I said to Dylan.
"Shall I throw a party for that? What can I do if you like it?" he argued. "I don't like it means I don't like it." He got up from his chair as he was already done eating his apple pie.
My shoulders slumped in defeat. It was impossible to make Dylan understand anything if he didn't want to understand.
After dinner, Xavier and Riley were nice enough to say 'goodbye' unlike Dylan, who didn't come down after dinner at all. Even though I knew what Dylan was like, I was still expecting to be there when I was leaving. I was up for disappointment, anyway.
When I was about to open the door of my car, I heard someone call out for me. "Hey, wait." I turned around to find Dylan, running towards me.
A grin was about to break out on my face but restrained it and put on a bored look. "What is it?" I let out.
"I wanted to tell you something important earlier, but I forgot," Dylan breathed out, trying to catch his breath as he seemed to have run on his way here. Damn, he was making me feel special like that.
"That's your fault for forgetting," I pointed out.
"I don't need you to tell me that," he interjected, shooting me a stern look. "As I was saying." I crossed my arms and leaned against the door, urging him to continue. "Don't bring your bodyguards with you anymore. I can't have people following you around whenever you come here. It will risk my safety. Hence, order them not to follow you here anymore. That's all," he stated.
"Oh, okay." I nodded my head, understanding his situation. "But they already followed me today. So they must kn—"
"Don't worry about that. They failed to do so as I ordered my men to put up a show in front of their car to distract them and made them lose track of you," he stated.
Now that Dylan mentioned it, my two bodyguards, whom I liked to call Chunk and Biscuit, didn't appear in my sight since I entered the forest area. "You are shrewd," I murmured under my breath.
"Well, thank you for the compliment," Dylan let out, and I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm. "So, Daddy's little princess, tell your dad about it."
My ears perked at that nickname. How did Dylan know about that? I didn't bother asking as it must just be a coincidence.
"Because I know for a fact that your bodyguards won't follow your orders, rather his ones. Also, don't worry about your protection. You will be my responsibility from now on."
My heart fluttered at his last words, which left me dumbfounded.
"Don't be late tomorrow," Dylan reminded me after he started walking away, shoving his hands in his jean's pocket.
I placed a hand on my thumping heart. "Goodnight," I hollered back since he was quite far away by then.
"Just go home already, lady," he hollered already. I let out a short laugh at his childish tone.
After that, I drove off. I was enjoying my drive, feeling the fresh breeze on my skin. Although I felt tired, I felt like I accomplished something today. I trained my body, did a test drive, met two people close to Dylan, and had dinner with them.
Just as I exited the forest area into the urban streets, my cell phone vibrated, indicating an incoming text. Seeing the ID, I frowned.
Mr. Creepy Stalker: Uh, it's finally nice to see you after such a long time. Where were you? Somehow I lost track of you today. I waited for you for such a long time. But it was worth the wait. I'm glad to see you again.
I laughed reading the text. It was such a relief that creep couldn't track me today, otherwise, he would have known where Dylan lived and annoy me there too. I didn't reply and continued driving with a strange feeling of relief as a mafia was definitely stronger than a stalker, and I kind of had Dylan's support.
___
"Dad, is that you?" I called out, standing on the stairs when I heard some shuffling sound coming from downstairs.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Daddy's little princess. It's just me, your precious brother." I heard Adrian's voice and a frown took over my face.
I went downstairs to find him removing his shoes, sitting on the couch. "You are not welcome back, hardworking Addy." I sat on the couch beside him. He laid back lazily, looking exhausted. "Why are you home again?" I asked.
"Because I don't like staying alone at my apartment. I love being at home where my mom and sister live," he told me for the umpteenth, and I smiled. I loved hearing that answer from him.
"Then why did you insist on moving out back then?"
A dark shadow fell over his tired face for a moment before the cheerful look was back on his face. "You know, I had my issues back then," he said. "Why were you looking for Dad?" He diverted the topic, and I let him.
"I wanted to ask something from him," I responded and pulled a cushion on my lap.
"Daddy's spoiled little princess has another demand today," Adrian mocked, earning a glare from me.
"Shut up."
"I'm home." A smile spread across my lips when I heard my dad's voice. I jumped up from the couch and went to greet him whereas Adrian just rolled his eyes.
"Welcome back, Dad," I greeted him, getting a smile from him. After Dad sat on the couch, I started massaging his shoulders to release his stress, and Dad immediately knew I wanted something from him.
Adrian was looking at me with curiosity with a cup of coffee in his hands, which he brought from the kitchen, and Mom came from her bedroom too.
"You want to say something?" Dad asked once he was relaxed and had taken off his tie and suit.
"Yeah." I prepared myself, taking a deep breath, ready to get blown away with a heavy lecture. I had to tell them sooner or later. Closing my eyes, I blurted, "I don't want bodyguards anymore."
"Why?" the three of them let out in unison.
"Because I don't need them anymore," I managed to speak up with my eyes still shut. When I opened them again, my family members were staring at me with an unbelievable look.
"Shirley, bodyguards aren't for your show-off. They weren't hired by you, but by me and Dad. So you can't decide if you need them or not," Adrian snapped. I knew he had a fear in his mind, but I needed those bodyguards out.
"Adrian is right, dear. They are for your protection. We can't have them discharged because of your silly wish," Mom added.
"Are they not doing their jobs properly? Do you want me to replace them?" Dad inquired calmly.
"No, it's not that. It seems silly when they follow me. I mean, why do I even need protection? We are a normal family. Therefore, we shouldn't be at any risk or anything. All of us lead a decent life, so no one should be after my life," I tried to explain.
"Gosh, this brat." Adrian got irritated and got up to leave for his bedroom.
"But darling, you need the guards. You know, I'm really protective of you. It keeps me calm when I know those guards are with you." Dad patted my head, trying to make me understand sweetly.
"But Dad—"
"Leave it, Dad. She's never gonna listen, so we don't need to listen to her, either," Adrian interrupted me.
"Ignore him, Dad. Listen to me," I cut in. "I'm a grown-up now. I can take care of myself. I will be fine on my own without any guards," I assured all of them, though Adrian wasn't still satisfied.
"Okay." Dad sighed. "I could never deny your wish." He smiled, and I engulfed him in a hug. My dad was the only one who understood me.
"Just like that, Dad? Seriously?" I stuck out my tongue at him playfully, but he wasn't in a mood to joke. "You are spoiling this already spoiled brat even more. Don't you care about her safety?" he demanded, and I fell quiet.
"It's going to be alright," Dad responded.
Adrian scoffed. "Yes, right. If something happens to her, don't regret it."
"I won't," Dad answered curtly.
"Fine." Adrian let out a humorless chuckle. "Every dog has its day, Shirley. Someday someone is going to drag you to the right path, where your dad's influence won't work, and you would have to work hard until you drop dead. That person is going to teach you the hardships of life. Just you wait, spoiled princess." He gave me a challenging look before storming out of the house, probably deciding to go sleep at his place.
Why did Adrian say such a thing? I didn't want such pain in the neck type of person in my life. Dylan was enough. Dylan was already making my life unbearable.
After wishing goodnight to my parents, I laid down on my bed and closed my eyes to think about my life.
I started wondering why I and Adrian were being treated so differently. It wasn't how my family was a few years ago before I went away for university.
My brother was nothing like what he was today. He loved goofing off, partying with his friends, having girls around him, and spending money. But now that he had been through a lot, which I couldn't even imagine, he had changed. He met that person who dragged him to the right and made him work hard. However, that person left him broken, and now there was a strange look of revenge in those blue eyes.
I couldn't even imagine losing a loved one, ups and downs in business, family pressure, depression, and all of the craps that Adrian endured. But he stopped sharing his problems with me since I left for university. Now, I had no idea what he was feeling. And what ticked me more was why Mom and Dad didn't make the effort to pull him up from the slump.
On the other hand, I was like a spoiled princess. Always pampered by my parents. Always getting whatever I want. Why didn't Adrian get the same affection? What was it that made me and Adrian different?
I thought and thought, but I had no answer to them.