The Teacher

The Teacher: Part I Unchained, Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

AFTER THE POLICE AND PARAMEDICS left, I stayed a while with Lydia's parents and the subject of her funeral came up. We were all in shock, especially after reading the suicide note she left on her bed, cradled in the arms of her favorite Victorian ceramic doll, one of many she kept arranged on her quilted bedspread.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm so sorry for leaving you this way, but there was no going back, and no forgiveness for what I've done. I can only hope that God will be merciful and give me a chance to somehow make up for destroying the life I was given.

Fallon, make sure all our friends, and especially you, know that this was not anyone else's fault but mine. After what's happened, I just couldn't face anyone ever again...and now I won't have to.

Goodbye...

After we read the letter, Lydia's parents still had questions so I explained about the sexting incident at the rave and how it went viral.

"Fallon, you were Lydia's closest friend. Will you please say something at the funeral? I know that would mean so much to her," Mrs. Reynolds requested, the thought of actually having to attend her daughter's funeral triggering another stream of tears.

"Of course, if you really want me to, but I can't help but feel partly responsible for what happened to Lydia. After all, it was my boyfriend that sponsored the rave where the sexting took place. Can you ever forgive me?" I pleaded, the depth of my sorrow even bringing my half-human heart to tears as well.

"Please don't blame yourself. These things can happen when teenagers get together. I thought we raised our daughter better than that. I just don't understand what we did wrong that she felt she couldn't come to us with such a terrible problem," Mrs. Reynolds replied, while wiping away her tears and shaking her head in disbelief that such an awful thing could happen to their family.

"Well, if you're sure you don't hate me...yes, I will speak at the funeral."

"Good, then I'll let you know, but the funeral will probably take place in three days," Mrs. Reynolds said, her husband nodding in agreement, his consoling arm around her.

WITH THAT SETTLED, I WENT back to the apartment to tell Holden what happened. All the band members were there to work on a new song. As soon as I opened the door, Holden stopped the rehearsal and came right over to hug me.

"It was on the news. We're so sorry for your loss. We all liked Lydia. Oh, and we're going to discipline the Disciples who were responsible for the sexting at our next meeting," Holden shared, thinking it would pacify me.

"Discipline...that sounds like you're going to give them an after-school detention...someone is dead! Lydia is dead! Just what did you have in mind for the jerks responsible for those pictures going viral?" I hissed back, not at all pleased with what I was hearing.

"Look, I know how you feel, but sexting goes on a million times a day, and anyway even if we thought it was the right thing to do, your law enforcement couldn't handle trying to prosecute and incarcerate any Disciple, even one with only some of their powers active," Holden countered.

"I knew it wasn't going to do any good to confront you on this subject. Let's not argue. I've just lost my closest friend and her mother asked me to deliver the eulogy at the funeral. I was hoping you'd lend me Kirk for a few hours to help write it up."

Holden turned to Kirk, the band's bass guitarist, and the one who wrote the lyrics for the band's songs.

"You don't mind, do you? Lars lives nearby. We'll go over there to work on the melody for the new song. Join us when you're done here with Fallon and we'll start on the lyrics," Holden suggested.