Bad Habit

c h a p t e r 11: Final Goodbyes and Loud Cries

        Luke booked us two first-class airline seats to the states for Chloe's funeral. Mom said Chloe would have wanted to go back to New York because of how pretty the lights were and also because it was her favorite place we've lived. We had to drive for an hour or so to the cemetery, which wasn't too far from the city airport.

        I stared out of the ice-covered car window, almost lifelessly. I breathed on the ice and wiped it away to clear up the view. It was worse outside; foggy and wet all around the traffic. I sighed and turned to see Luke, just as blank faced as me. "Do you have any music?" I asked, trying to pick up on a conversation. "Yeah, right there in the glove box." I reached for the handle and pulled it open. All of these disks start pouring out as soon as I opened it. I sat there for a moment or two, silent. I started giggling. Luke took his eyes off the road for a second and looked at me as if I were a crazy person. A smile grew upon his lips as he shook his head and looked back at the road. 

        "I see you like music." I calmed myself as I picked up the disks. "Yeah Blink 182, All Time Low, Nirvana, Mayday Parade, Green Day; just about everything." He said stopping at the red-light. I smiled and looked down at my lap.

"I love all of  those bands."

"I know." He smiled and ran a hand through his hair.

        I put in a Mayday Parade CD and sang to "No Heroes Allowed". I pulled out my phone and started to play Zig Zag. I hadn't realized that Luke was now staring at me. "You can really sing." He smiled looking at the road. "No I can't." I scoffed, still playing my game. "No really, it's g-" I cursed at my phone, interrupting him. Luke gave me a look. "Sorry I died..." Luke laughed then continued, "Why would you want to have an art degree, when you have a voice as beautiful as that?" I turned to him.

"You think my voice is beautiful?"

"Well, it's not as beautiful as you." He smirked.

"You're such a flirt." I rolled my eyes and put my attention back onto my phone.

        He took another turn and parked the car. "We're here." He said a bit too quietly. "Yeah okay," I sighed. "Let's go."

        I opened my door and fixed my black dress. Luke came around the car and took my arm in his, leading me to the sidewalk. My heart was pounding ferociously, my hands were shaking, my breaths were uneven. It's okay Ell, you can do this. I thought. Luke was looking down at me in his all-black tux. "It's okay Ell, you'll do fine," he smiled trying to be reassuring. "I'm here, you'll be okay." I smiled as I quickly blinked away the tears that were threatening to leak.

        We entered the church, seeing so many family members of mine with red tear stains displayed on their cheeks. I looked up at Luke, "Luke if you want, you can leave. I mean you don't know anyone here, and I wouldn't want you to feel awk-" He stared into my eyes and stopped in his tracks. "Ellicity Edwards, I am doing this for you, because I care about you." I stared right back at the beautiful ocean colored eyes. "Thank you Luke."

        My parents see us and walk over. My mom was wearing a tight black dress that made her almost look 20 again. "Oh my beautiful Ellicity." She pulled me into a tight hug. "Mom." I smiled. She pulled away. "Hey dad." I looked up at him. "Hey kid." He smiled down. "Oh, who is this handsome young m-" I gave my mom a look, knowing what she'd say next. But she stikk kept going, "Wait, you must be the famous Luke Hemmings Ellicity has told us so much about!" She smiled and pulled Luke into a hug as tight as she hugged me. I shot the death look her way. She smirked. He hugged her back. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Edwards. I am truly sorry for your loss." She backed away, smiling with a trink of sadness in her eye. "It's okay, really. We're not here to be sad. Let's celebrate that my little princess is now my little angel of God." Luke smiled as if he was intrigued by the fact she could make the saddest times seem pleasant. "Oh so this is your boyfriend?" My dad said, trying to act big and scary. "No Dad, he's just a friend." I smiled up to Luke as he reached his hand around my waist. "You sure about that?" He scoffed.

        We made our way to the front row, where the closest family members were to be seated. "I'm starting to like your mother already, she's quite the charm." Luke whispered down to me as we sat down in our seats. "Hopefully not too much, or my dad will have to kick your ass." I smiled. He didn't reply afterwards. "I'm sorry this is how you're meeting my parents by the way." I turned away. Luke grabbed my hand, "It's okay Elli. Now listen, the ceremony is beginning."

        My father made his way up  to the podium. "Hello everyone, my name is Collin Edwards. Chloe was my second daughter; my second child. Work took over my life like a drug. I rarely ever saw her beautiful face. But at the end of the day, that never mattered to her. Her face was always smiling whenever I did see her. She always told me she loved me more than the stars in the sky that were with her every night before she fell asleep." He paused and looked at his feet as if he was flashing back to the moment. He looked at the ceiling, eyes red and threatening to spill tears. "Chloe, now all I want to do is be with you and the stars in the sky until you fall asleep again, but I can't do that. I never had the chance to be the father I wanted you to have."

        Tears were streaming down like a faucet. My father was trying to keep going, but the words jumbled together like a bad poem. My mom took him away from the mic. The crowd had others come up to say a few words.

        The ceremony ended and everyone exited the church. Luke and I hopped into the car in silence. He didn't start it. "Luke start the car." I whispered. "Ell, why won't you talk about her?" He looked at me. "I have my own way of coping with losing my little sister, if you have a problem with it, I honestly have no care whatsoever." I snapped at him, on the verge of crying too. He looked away and began to start the car, then drove off.

***

A/N: This took a long time to write ughghghgh. I have to read these books for school, but I can't find any of them.