Timing Is Everything

Chapter 26

Don't ask me how I'm holding it together right now.

It's a fucking funeral. 

Bailey is crying. Jane is crying. Shane is standing to the right of Alex and is sniffling. I'm in a room of drug dealers and beefy gang members and they're all misty-eyed. No one will be able to think of March twenty-first as anything but Mike's funeral from now on. And I don't even feel sad enough to cry. Which is crazy because I'm the most empathetic person I know.

Thankfully, I'm not the only one standing in the pews of a small church not tearing up over the priest's words. Alex is standing beside me, a somber look on his face, but still no tears. Instead, his left hand is so far up the skirt of the little black dress Jane let me borrow, I'm pretty sure he's twirled a few of my pubes. It doesn't help how his dad and Uncle are right behind us and the only thing covering up this groping is his suit jacket around my shoulders (old church, very drafty).

The priest wraps up the service and we all watch a slideshow of Mike throughout the years with Eric Church's Record Year blaring from some speakers. That makes me get a bit teary. Mike really loved Eric Church. Near the end of the song, Alex suddenly squeezes the inside of my thigh and I gasp.

Jay looks at me with a questioning look and I let one of the tears fall out of an eye and sniffle loudly. He smiles grimly with red eyes of his own and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze like the amazing guy he is. I stare straight ahead and slowly grab Alex's wrist from my ass, roughly moving it away and putting my hand in his so he can't grope me anymore.

"If you all would kindly proceed to the back room, the caterers have finished setting up." The elderly priest says at the tabernacle.

Everyone starts slowly making their way down the aisle and I drag Alex through the crowd and into a back hallway that leads to the basement. Thank goodness I got all of my sacraments done here last year and know what parts of this church no one goes to (I was hiding from my religion teacher a lot that day).

"What the heck were you thinking-" I'm cut off by Alex suddenly pushing me against the wall, kissing me and causing a wooden crucifix to fall on the ground (well isn't that a good sign). He moves one hand up my skirt and the other one over my boob while kissing me fiercely with tongue. I'm (understandably) shocked at first and then come to my senses before shoving him back.

"Just a couple minutes." He mutters before kissing me again, not even bothering to open his eyes. I shove him back again a bit harder and his eyes finally open.

"Stop it! This is a church and your brother's funeral." I seethe angrily, feeling kind of embarrassed. He doesn't seem drunk or high and there's no explanation for why he's so fucking horny right now.

"I need this." He whispers into my ear before kissing my neck.

"Alex, I said stop!" I say loudly while putting my hands on his chest and pushing him backwards. "Now's not the time. Your family is grieving, you should be grieving!"

"You make the pain go away, baby." He says with a look in his eyes more hungry than sincere. I'm caught off guard by my boyfriend's behavior and he takes my silence as submission. I'm still trying to figure out why Alex can't just cry like a normal person when his lips meet my neck again and his hands start pulling down my underwear.

"Alex!" I shout sharply, nervous butterflies exploding throughout my stomach. He stops moving and I use my body to push him away from me while I fix my panties. He looks like a deer caught in the headlights and I'm a little hurt and embarrassed.

"I'm so-"

"Come find me when you feel sad about your brother's death instead of horny." I say angrily before picking up the crucifix, putting it back on the wall and then walking away. I stomp back through the now empty pew area, the sound of my flats on the creaky hardwood echoing through the room.