Basic Instinct [stranger things]

16. Will's Funeral

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
WILL'S FUNERAL

To say Aaron felt out of place as he walked alone on the grass would be an understatement. He had bunched up the sleeves of his suit so he could hold onto them tightly in hope to calm his swiftly rising nerves.

Each person in attendance to the funeral walked along to the casket with their family and loved ones, Aaron was hoping he could walk along side the party, unfortunately for him they all had their family in attendance along side them.

Steve had dropped Aaron off just like he said he would, but that was all. The older boy didn't get out of the car, he didn't even turn the engine off as Aaron left the car. Aaron didn't blame his older brother for not attending the funeral with him, Steve didn't know Will.

Aaron supposed it was good enough that Steve had driven him, his parents hadn't even called.

But he couldn't deny that the comfort would have been nice. All his other friends had their families show up for their own comfort.

Upon reaching the spot where all in attendance had paused and surrounded the hole in the ground, Aaron looked around him as adults who he didn't recognise made their way over to stand by him. The boy began to inwardly panic, nervously adjusting his clothes.

"Aaron?" A familiar voice called out in a whisper, causing Aaron to flinch as he looked to his left with a wide eyed expression. "Come stand with us."

Aaron scratched his neck and frantically nodded, quickly making his way over to the woman who had called on him - Mrs Sinclair.

Aaron loved the Sinclair family. Though none of them were aware of his situation at home, they knew his parents weren't exactly present. The Sinclair's occasionally asked Aaron over for dinners when his parents were away, much to his delight as Steve was never home to have dinner with him. And Aaron hated the nights he had to spend in the big empty house himself.

There was no denying that Lucas Sinclair was Aaron's best friend. The two always had been and always would, they had the type of friendship where they could argue all they liked, yet never really fell out over it.

Dustin and his mom were stood to the right of the Sinclair's while Mike and his family were stood to the left.

The four boys exchanged smug smiles with one another as Aaron approached, as if to say the entire thing was a waste of time seeing as they knew Will wasn't really dead. Aaron forced the smile onto his face, trying not to show how bothered he was by the entire situation.

The boys were quickly broken apart by Mike's mother, the woman scolding the boys and pushing them to face ahead where the service had already begun.

Aaron tried not to look at the casket in front of him, knowing he'd crumble.

Aaron was a fragile boy, he always had been. For some unknown reason, the boy took most things to heart, he couldn't help it. He found it difficult not to show he was bothered by something, or to keep his emotions at bay. Although, he had gotten better at keeping himself and his emotions calm. Now, he only ever found himself cracking in certain circumstances, his family as well as his friends funeral definitely being some of them.

Aaron was just glad that his father wasn't there to see him at Will's funeral, he'd have never heard the end of how embarrassing his behaviour was.