She Was The 0.007%

Days After Surgery: 4

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Every day since the surgery I had stayed at home as my parents allowed me to grieve without having to face my fellow peers. But today was the day that I dragged myself out of bed.

I've done nothing but wallow and talk to Corey every now and then to share stories about Audrey that the other had never heard before.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror attached to the back of my bedroom door, I sighed. I have to power through today for Audrey, I told myself.

Meticulously, I smoothed down the skirt of my inky black, sleeveless skater dress and adjusted the position of my crystal statement necklace. Placing my arms at my sides, I took deep breaths and shook out my wrists, listening to the jangle of the bracelet stacks that adorned my wrists.

I grabbed the grey, white, and champagne colored friendship bracelet that I had made for Audrey as a surgery present off of the edge of my large wooden desk and observed it carefully before putting it into the pocket of my dress.

Opening the door, I stepped out of my bedroom and continued into the bathroom, checking my hair and makeup one last time. My makeup was subtle, consisting of only winged eyeliner and mascara on the eyes and natural makeup on the rest of my face.

Hearing a loud thumping noise, I turned my head to see my younger brother Theo bounding up the staircase. He approached me in a tentative manner and took his place behind me as wrapped his small arms around me in a hug, a common gesture for him.

"How are you feeling, sissy?" he asked in a small voice as he peered up me, a gentle look depicted across his soft features.

"I'm holding myself together," I replied quietly, giving him a small smile.

Pulling away, Theo began to reach up and play with my bouncy ringlets of hair that laid across my shoulders. Looking down at him, it was hard to deny that we were siblings.

His rounded features mimicked mine from when I was his age, but as I've grown into my looks, my appearance became more harsh and sharp yet remaining pliable and pleasing at the same time.

I lightly placed kiss onto Theo's forehead as I grabbed his small hand and led him down the staircase, him falling in line behind me.

As I slowly walked into the rustic kitchen, dragging Theo behind me, I was embraced by my mother whom had been waiting for me to come downstairs.

Pulling away, I saw that she had her short blonde hair straightened to shoulder length while her curvaceous figure was decorated by a loose fitted violet blouse paired with black slacks.

From her I recieved a look that I had grown accustomed to over these past few days, a look of pity that was masked by a saddening smile.

Shielding her from seeing my grief, I flashed her a broken smile. "Do you have your speech written?" My mother asked in a nurturing resonance.

"Um, yeah. I don't know well I'll hold up when I deliver it, but Corey said that he can take over if I break down," I replied.

"Okay, honey. You ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I exhaled.

Giving Theo one last pat on the back, I slipped on my nude pair of flats next to the door, threw on my grey leather jacket and followed my mother out the door and into the mundane burgundy mini van.

While the car moved sluggishly towards the chapel, I kept my head down, focusing on how I planned to keep myself in one piece during Audrey's funeral.