Lakehouse

Chapter 5

Stephanie looks appalled, as if at any moment we might burst out laughing and tell her its a joke.

That doesn't happen. She shakes her head. "Chase is dead?"

Catherine nods. "He died in a car accident about 2 weeks ago."

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry."

"I guess we assumed everyone up here heard." Catherine says softly.

"No. I don't think anyone knows. How are your parents?" She directs to Catherine.

"Fine, I think. I don't know. They're strong and they believe that everything happens for a reason so they've come to terms with it pretty quickly."

"That's still so hard." She looks at Parker and I. "How are you two?"

I shrug. "I think I'm still in shock."

Parker nods. "I missed the funeral so I'm feeling like an ass which doesn't help."

Catherine shakes her head. "It was just us Parker. Don't feel bad."

Stephanie hugs me. "Let me know if you need anything. All of you."

"Thanks Steph."

A couple hours later, Parker and Catherine are asleep but I can't. Maybe Parker was right, sleeping in this room is too weird. I walk downstairs and sit down at the counter.

I scoop myself a big bowl of ice cream and start eating it slowly.

"Can't sleep?" A sleepy voice says softly.

Parker is standing at the bottom of the staircase. I chuckle. "No. I've been laying awake for hours."

"I just woke up and heard you down here." He sits down next to me.

I shove the bowl of ice cream towards him. "Its mint chocolate chip."

"I'd expect nothing else." He shoves the spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

"I think I hate being here." I mutter. I feel ashamed to say something like that.

He finishes the ice cream. He looks around the big house. "Me too."

"It just feels so weird without him here. Like he should be here."

"I know. Life just doesn't seem as happy without him."

A few tears slip from my eyes. "We wont be the same.."

"No. We wont. Everything is different now." He leans back in the bar stool.

"Why does shit like this happen?"

He crosses his arms over his chest, thinking about how to answer it. "Do you want to know what I think?"

"Yeah."

"I think this kind of thing happens because you are destined for something else."

I nod. "Maybe. But its hard to see a destiny that isn't Chase."

"I think you'll see it eventually."

I punch his shoulder lightly. "You remember when we hated each other?"

"I never hated you. But I didn't care for you."

I chuckle. "You hated me."

"You stole Chase, of course I hated you."

"Some people thought you two were gay together."

He scrunches up his nose in disgust. "Gross."