Invisible String Of Love

We Don't Bury Just the Dead

"I wouldn't be dead if you'd just come back—if you’d stop being so resentful. Prideful. Hateful..."

The words exploded in her ears like a curse she couldn’t outrun, a burden too heavy for her to carry.

Clementine jolted upright in bed, clutching her ears, breath ragged. It was just a dream. Just a terrible dream. Another nightmare with impeccable, cruel timing.

Her eyes drifted to Kaira, still fast asleep on the couch, a string of drool trailing from the corner of her mouth. The sight drew a small chuckle from Clemmy, a fleeting levity easing the tension just a bit.

Yesterday had been the final wake.
And today?
Today, they would bury Isabella.
A moment too real, too final—suffocating for the whole family.
But for Clemmy, it felt like her soul was being buried into the dirt too.

She forced herself to get up, even though every dust in her wanted to stay in bed forever. With a quiet sigh, she shuffled to the bathroom.

While Clemmy busied herself inside, Kai finally stirred awake.

She stayed curled on the couch, staring at the flickering lightbulb, watching it struggle to stay lit—just like her thoughts. How the hell did I end up here? In this house? With this family?

As soon as she sat up, Clemmy reappeared, freshly showered, her hair damp and clinging to her shoulders.

“Morning, K!” Clemmy chirped, giving a soft wave.

“Morning, C,” Kai replied, standing and stretching. But she knew that tone too well. It was Clemmy’s go-to on days when everything inside her was breaking out.

“Get ready for the funeral,” Clemmy murmured, eyes dropping to her bag on the floor.

"Yeah, sure—oh, shit! I’ll—fuck, uh, I’ll go now!"

Kai spun around, eyes wide, the moment she caught sight of Clemmy dropping her towel to the floor. The sudden flash of tan skin, long legs, and those soft curves sent her brain into panic mode.

Clemmy glanced at the door just as it swung shut behind Kai, a smirk tugging at her lips and started getting dressed.

Kai, meanwhile, darted down the hallway, heading for the left bathroom—the only one not currently occupied. Lucas had already claimed the one on the right, probably also getting ready for the funeral.

As she stood under the warm stream of the shower, she heard two voices drift through the thin walls—one gentle and cheerful, the other calm and collected. Olivia and Alexa.

Kai turned down the water slightly, just enough to hear them more clearly.

"I kinda like her," Olivia said, adjusting her black skirt in front of the large wall mirror.

"Who?" Alexa raised an eyebrow while applying a swipe of brown lip gloss.

They stood shoulder to shoulder in the mirror—just like they used to as teens, only back then, Isabella had always been in the middle.

"Kaira," Olivia replied, her grin blooming across her face. "She’s really sweet and—like, super fucking nice. I wish I had a friend like her."

She shot a hopeful glance at Alexa, who held her gaze for a second, then gave a knowing smirk and a small nod of agreement, “Yeah, she’s not so bad. She’s been a good support for Clem."

Olivia nodded, still fiddling with the borrowed lip gloss. “Remember yesterday? When Lucas was having that... moment in Isa’s room? Like it hit him—that it was really the last day. She… she did the exact same thing with Clemmy. When Clemmy broke down after seeing Isa in the coffin…” Her voice trailed off as she babbled, trying to steady her thoughts.