The Quiet Ones

28. Fain for the funeral

The funeral was held four days after Avery was found.

I pull down my black dress until the hem hits my knees and proceed to add a final bobby pin to my brunette, curly hair. It's impossible to tame, but pins and hairbands tend to be a nice option to keep it from turning into a total beast. My heels, however, make the whole outfit come together, even though they're causing my skin to pinch and blister, turning my feet into a canvas of red and purple bruises.

"Come on down Parker," My mother calls from the bottom of the stairs in a sweet tone.

I walk down the wooden platforms and into the living room, where my mother stands tall in a black dress suit with her auburn hair falling into a perfect bob. Next to her stands Levi, his mouth frowning as he stares at the various swirls and designs in our carpet. When he hears the sound of my heels clicking onto the wood, he looks up and straightens his black suit and white tie. He gives me an overly enthusiastic smile - A large indicator that he's trying to act strong for me. My mother on the other hand looks like she's about to have a nervous breakdown. I can't blame her though - she gets emotional at these types of things, and considering Avery's situation and all I can't believe she's not balled over into a sobbing mess.

"Well, let's go. We can't be late. Ms. Pamo is waiting for us," my mother says while neatly filing Levi and I out the front door without allowing me to greet him.

Ms. Pamo is Avery's mother, and also one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met. Her home is always filled with the sweet aroma of vanilla candles and freshly bakes deserts. She's the only woman I have even known who has the ability to host a dinner party for her boss, take care of a child with strep throat, and on top of all of that, manage to clean her entire house until it becomes spotless. Just thinking about how she must have reacted to Avery's death is extremely alarming - just because of how committed she is to herself and her family. 

We hop into the car and I pull the seatbelt over my dress while shifting my hair around the confining safety fabric. Levi seemed to have figured out how to work the seat belts in our car, judging by how he adjusted his body into a proper position far before I even had the chance to. He stares out the window and watches as my mom fumbles through her keys, looking for the right one to lock the front door. 

"Hey," I finally say, causing him to jump slightly at the sound of my voice filling the quiet void between us. He turns to look at me with his eyes a shade of red and extremely puffy, as if he's been crying. 

"Hey," he says in a whisper as a small smile tugs at his lips. I smile back, and a silence bombards where the rest of our conversation would have had the chance to go. I don't blame Levi for being sad, I feel the same way - if not sadder - and the only reason I'm not crying is because my mind is still in total shock at trying to contemplate that my best friend will never walk this earth again. 

"Are you going to be okay?" Levi asks as he stretches out an arm and reaches over to place his hand on top of mine to comfort me. I give him a gentle smile and nod as I look down at my lap and push a strand of hair out of my face. "Parker," He begins. "I know this is hard for you. You may not feel a bit depressed right now, but it'll set in. I went through the same thing about a year ago."

I look up with confusion striking my face. Levi never tells me anything - or at least not anything that would pertain to my life. He's more of a bottle-it-deep-down type of person. Whenever anything happens to him, he won't tell a single soul until months after the incident happens.

"What are you talking about?" I ask as the supporting smile fades from his lips. He retreats his hands and rubs his palms together as he breaths out a shaky sigh.

"Parker, do you remember how I said something about Will? Right before Avery got... shot?"

"Yeah?"