A disastrous book

Chapter 10: The funeral

Riley's POV

It's Friday.

Today there will be no classes. We all had the whole day off to grieve and attend Mr Wheeler's funeral.

I stared at the mirror. I was wearing a formal black shirt and pants, I tried to find the nicest black ones I own, and a pair of black converse. I like the colour, but the thought of being dressed in black from head to toe for a funeral suffocates me.

"Are you ready, honey?" Came the sound of my mom who was watching me with a sad smile.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Where's dad?"

"He couldn't make it." I nodded. He has a time consuming job out of town, and I never really blamed him for not being around so much.

We make our way downstairs where Riley was waiting. She was wearing a classy black body con dress paired with black tights and low heel shoes. Half her hair was tied back with a black ribbon, and she had put on a light winged eyeliner. She looked gorgeous as always.

She smiled as we reached her, and she got up and walked towards me.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she took my hand in hers and gently squeezed it. I'm still not used to her affectionate touches.

"I'm okay." I assure her with a tight lipped smile. Of course I wasn't okay. No where near it. Too much has happened and it's only the first week of school, damn it.

After a silent car ride, we get to our destination. It was a nice small church that Mr Wheeler used to attend every Sunday morning with his parents. Yes, his parents. He never got married or had any children. I always heard the class make jokes about it, and how they assumed that he was a depressed 40 year old living with his parents, and I guess they weren't wrong. But no one ever thought that one day he'd commit suicide.

Until you thought of it.

Nope. Not thinking about that today.

I shake my head and step out of the car. I see Alex and his parents have arrived already as we get inside the church and we go over where they have saved us a seat.

"You have the playlist ready?" I whisper to Alex and he nods. He was assigned to play Mr Wheeler's favourite songs, as requested by his parents. According to them, he was obsessed with the fifties music. Apparently, he listened to Gene Kelly's Dancing in the rain on repeat ever since he was a kid. I smile at the thought of a young Mr Wheeler dancing and singing along to this lovely song. Guess he was an old soul.

The ceremony starts. The priest and people start praying, while I just stood there staring at the casket placed in the front.

It was time for his family to do the readings. His parents both said a few words about him, his childhood, how he was a good man, and a few of his colleagues and the principal also shared some stories and memories they had of him. A few sniffles were heard here and there.

After that, came the music. Alex stood up and fixed his black tie that was choking him. I almost snorted seeing him in a suit. He walked over to where the speaker is, and began connecting it to his phone.

"Alright, this should be good to go-"

"Yo, both hands on the back when I tap it, grab it and slap it, Becky a savage-"

Alex's eyes widen as the song continues to blast through the loud speaker. He fumbles with his phone to change it with shaky hands while a few quiet gasps and murmurs break out and I internally slap my forehead due to Alex's stupidity.

Who thought it would be a good idea to hand him a task?

"Who is this "Becky"?" I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh as the old lady behind me whispers, a slight tone of disgust when she said the name "Becky".