Chimes

20

*Jared's POV*

~~~ Present day, Christmas, 2020 ~~~

I march to Morty's house with my keg of beer expecting a fun night with my boys, despite the tragic loss of one. I shake my head to forget about the downs and look forward to the ups. I notice Zach already standing up, probably giving a pump-up speech for our upcoming football and basketball games or just dancing the night away.

"Kegger!" I shout as I reach the backyard. I don't see what I was told and was not happy.

"Thought you said it was guys only." I put the keg down embarrassingly.

"We got more stuff to talk about, you know, about Calvin." Zach nears me and whispers. I sit atop the keg with my elbows on my knees and my hands on my chin. I swiftly look at everyone around the fire, there was Garrett, and I was still upset about how he got to find out about Calvin before me. Delilah, with who I had an incredibly awkward conversation. Kirah, well, we don't have to talk about Kirah. Mordecai, Ben, Josh, Zach and Alicia were there, too. It seemed awfully quiet for a high school get-together, including the fact that we were like, half an hour away from Christmas.

"Look, I'm sorry, man. We just needed some time for all of us to be free, so we picked tonight. It's a pretty sensitive topic so we knew this was the only way you would come." Zach reveals. I see Alexis pull up by the driveway, putting her phone in her pocket and chewing some bubble gum.

"Let's get this over with." She says and sits down.

"Look, you know what? I don't need this crap from any of you! Enjoy your beer, I'm out." I shout to everyone as I leave Mordecai's backyard.

"Come on, dude." Zach puts his hand on my shoulder, but I get it off me.

"Leave me the fuck alone!" I put my hoodie on and shove my hands in my pocket. I walk towards my car across the road when a deafening noise that sounded like a car's horn was heard to my left. I turn and a car speeds out of control, hitting me in the process.

"Jared!" I hear Zach call my name as I close my eyes and pass out.

~~~ Summer Break, September 8, 2020 ~~~

I sit in between Zach and Calvin in the fifth or sixth pew in the San Newark Chapel. Ben was telling a sweet story recalling the memory of his sister. I saw Camilla, his younger sister, and their mother, Mary, sobbing. The patriarch of the van der Vaarts, Christian, had a stern look on his face. Losing their daughter just two days ago, the whole family looked devastated, Ben was about to crumble on stage, but not Christian. He looked ready to leave as if this funeral was a business meeting. Later on, at the reception, I was first to approach them.

"I'm sorry for your loss, sir," I say as I shake Mr. van der Vaart's hand.

"Thank you, boy." He acknowledges me and leaves swiftly, shaking even more hands. Pretty insulting that he called me boy, but I didn't wanna stir any trouble. Zach didn't even get to shake his hand. We then turn our attention to Ben. He looked broken down. Vulnerable. In a state we've never seen him in before. It was one of those rare moments where his face didn't say joy or happiness. His sister didn't speak to anyone while their mother continued to cry.

"Come on bud, bring it in." I offer a hug and my condolences.

"Whoever was in that car. They're going to pay." He cups my hand tightly and looks out in the school. The car left at the crime scene, with Ashley van der Vaart and her girlfriend's bodies, had no license plate and no clues left behind to whoever the hit-and-runner was. The police closed the case so fast not because they couldn't find anything, but because they just didn't give a shit. The most surprising thing was Mr. van der Vaart not forcing them to continue the investigation.