EARLIER CALLED "YOUNG, WILD AND FREE"
"I'm here for you, Always."
Always.
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There's a lot that can happen to a seventeen year old girl.
But this one's different. She's normal, just about as normal...
"Though you may hear me holler, And you may see me cry- I'll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die."
------------------------------------------------------------- 'Hello! Earth to Gabriel! You alive in there?! ' I blinked and turned to see Noah staring at me with a confused expression on his face. I looked around and realised that the car had come to a stop near a park. I didn't even realize that I had stopped the car.
'Va... Valerie is your sister? Are you sure? ' I asked, hoping I heard wrong. 'Are you drunk?? You seem to have gone funny in the head suddenly. You're seriously asking me whether in sure Valerie is my sister, I mean... Of course she is! ' he said looking at me skeptically, maybe thinking about whether he should let me drive on, or not. 'Yeah... Right, I'm sorry, I guess.. I didn't expect her to be your sister, you know,' I said, and drove on.
I drove back from Noah's house in silence, I could literally hear my thoughts whirring around my head, and I knew that I would crash into a tree or something, if I continued like this. So I stopped at a nearby Starbucks, and ordered A blueberry muffin and a mocha.
I sat down in one of the seats at the far end of the store, and finally allowed my mind to go into overdrive.
How come I did not know that Valerie had a brother, heck I did not even know that Noah even existed until last week, which makes it pretty suspicious, because Noah is very good looking, and Valerie was sure to flaunt her handsome brother to the whole school, as if he were a prize she had won at a beauty contest.
Valerie and Noah were two completely different people. He was nice and sweet. Valerie was anything but nice, the day I heard a kind word come out of her mouth would be the day I started dieting. (NEVER!)
Noah seemed to be the ideal overprotective brother, even though they were cousins, he really seemed to care about her. Maybe he doesn't know about the slap incident that happened in the cafeteria a few days back, so that means, he doesn't even know how Valerie really is. She's be putting on a show at home and with him.
My mind still overflowing with unanswered questions, I walked out of Starbucks, and headed home.
The moment I reached my room, I plopped down on the bed, and sighed. This was a long day, though nothing drastic happened, the earlier shock, and having Sarah completely ignore me, was exhausting. I couldn't wait to go to sleep. I had cheer practice tomorrow, and I couldn't be lazy. My team needed me!
I woke up, hearing the sound of my alarm ringing, and shut it off, with a slam of my fist, I looked at the time, it was 5:00. At first, I wondered why I woke up so early, and then it struck me, this was the day, when a huge part of my happiness was snatched away from me, when I saw my world shatter on front of my very own eyes. It was 18th August. It was the day.
I left my bed quietly, and got I t OK the shower. I put on a pair of jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. I put my hair into a fishtail braid, and left the room. I walked down the stairs to find my dad already waiting down, it's shirt and trousers. 'Where are we meeting mom? 'I asked him. 'There', he said and sighed. I gave him a small smile, and we exited the house. We sat in the car, and I couldn't look at my father. I just stared straight ahead, daring myself not to cry. I hated tears, but there are times, where you just can't help it. I replayed our memories together, as we drove through the empty streets.
I choked on a sob, as we reached the gates of the cemetery. This was it. We were here. This was going to be difficult.
We parked the car outside and began walking to his grave. Each step we took, was heavy, it felt like iron chains were holding us back. We finally reached his grave, and found mom already sobbing. I knelt down beside her, while dad just stood behind us, tears pouring down his cheeks.
I looked at the grave, and there it was, his name. As soon as my eyes fell upon his name, I cracked, I held on to my mother as I cried, my body shaking with emotion. Ethan Lautner, my amazing brother, possibly the best in the world, he lay in this grave, and has been here for the past three years.
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Since the day he died, every year on this day, all of us would come here, and cry together. The memory of him dying felt so fresh, it was almost like it happened, each year, in front of us, like a movie, which we could not erase.
It was my fault, and I knew it. If only I had not forced him to go out that day, he would still be alive. I was my fault, and he was punished. In wish I would have been taken instead, but I knew that Ethan wouldn't let that happen. He would fight, like he did, to the last minute, the last second, the last breath.
Eventually, all of us stopped crying, and sat there together, silently. I know, you must be thinking, It's been four years, get over it dude! But if you knew how close we were, what we had, you would think twice.
I looked at the time, and got up shakily.
'I have to go to school now. Dad, do you mind dropping me, I don't have my car today. ', I said. He slowly got up and nodded, sniffling. 'What about you Clara? ' he asked my mom. 'Oh, I think I'll spend some more time with Ethan, and then head home', she said with a sad smile. The both of us walked away, wiping our tears. This was going to be a hard day for all of us.
The car ride to school was silent and solemn. Before getting out of the car, I checked my face and removed all traces of the fact that I had been crying. I was Gabriel. Nobody saw me cry. Nobody. I entered the school silently, begging to myself that nobody notices me today.
**** Third person's POV
Gabriel Lautner, for the first time in her life, emerged from the doors like a normal student, and was determined to keep it that way for the rest of the day. That did not stop her from smiling, and keeping her head high. She's hurt, mentally and emotionally , but everyday, she walks with a smile. 'Cause that's just who she is. The girl who never stopped smiling.
AN A really sad chapter, I know, but I had to put it in sooner or later right! Please comment and vote if you like the chapter. Let's get this story to 140 reads before the next chapter, shall we. The next chapter will be a little happier, I promise. Thanks for reading!
