Afterimage

Funerals always scared me. I hate the feeling of death. It's too oppressing, stifling, feels like I'm being buried alive. I've been to a few before, for family friends or my parent's coworkers. No one I really knew. Id always sit with a blank face as people cried for someone I didn't even know.

Today for instance. An old classmate of mine drowned a couple weeks ago. Apparently she was on the beach and swam out to dive for shells...didn't come back up. I didn't know her too well even though we'd ended up in the same classes for years. Coming to this funeral and hearing her friends talk about her made me think of when we first met.

//

I was 9, and it was the first day of school. Our seats were next to each other. She smiled, a lopsided kind of smirk that made me want to laugh with her.

"Hello."

I nodded at her.

"No hello back?"

I arched an eyebrow, a habit I'd gotten from my mother, and shook my head.

"Not one for talking, are we?" She grinned.

I shrugged, turning back to look out the window.

"..." She faltered, looking down at her hands. This is what usually happens when kids try to befriend me. Since I can't carry a conversation they leave me alone.

Except she didn't give up.

//

Day after day, I'd sit at my seat to be greeted by her tilted smile. That was the first time I'd even been slightly disappointed to change seats. Over the years, we always managed to end up in the same class, though I remained aloof as ever. By 4th grade, I remembered her appearance. By 5th, I knew she had a cat. In 7th grade I learned her favorite color was green. And this year in 9th I overhead her saying her birthday was January 7th, making her a Capricorn

I knew four things about this girl who I considered the only acquaintance I'd ever made.

//

I went back to my apartment after the funeral, shaking off the light drizzle that had picked up as I headed home. I slipped off my heavy suit to tug on my comfiest sweatpants and t-shirt.

I sighed. It did get lonely coming to an empty house every day. My parents were world famous musicians, and often toured around the world...leaving me, the unwanted son, alone.

"Well we figured you'd like to have a place closer to school that you could clutter up as you pleased, and study without hearing is practicing, we've decided to buy you an apartment! Aren't you happy?"

Did I even have a say in the matter in the first place?

I slipped into the small kitchen, setting the kettle to boil. I did love my tea after all, even if there was never anyone to share it with.

I made my way to the living room, humming my favorite songs as I picked up a book. Might as well get some reading done while I waited for my tea. I snuggled comfortably into my chair, lulled by the steady whisper of rain...slowly dozing off.

//

THUD

Wha...? Ugh...

//

CRASH.

My eyes snapped open, the last wisps of sleep quickly fading from them.

There was someone in my apartment.

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{ thanks for reading this guys! Since I'm suffering from major writers block for Drink Me, I figured I'd post one of my other story ideas so you know I'm alive :'D }