Till Death Do Us Part {Completed}

Chapter Eleven - Life And Death Situation

~Chapter Eleven - Life And Death Situation~

I didn’t know Finn all that well, and I knew that. But something about standing on that beach in a black dress and ballet flats, my hair tied in a simple ponytail, surrounded by grieving friends crying over the loss of Finn McDermott, made me feel like I’d known him since childhood, and I, too, should grieve for the loss of him—even though I’d known him less than a month, and we were only just starting to become friends.

Finn stood at my side, and I kept a look out for Lucas to make sure he didn’t catch a glimpse of Finn in the crowds. But it seemed he hadn’t arrived yet. I had heard he was going with a few of his friends, and I had let him, not desiring to be in his company any longer than I had to.

They decided to hold the funeral on the beach because it was Finn’s favorite place to go, and he was rarely seen out of the beach unless he was playing football or at school. Apparently he was a big swimmer and surfer, and the beach was his favorite place to go.

Finn stood next to me, and he stayed completely silent as he watched everything. Up the front was a mahogany coffin, and there was a table next to it with a picture of Finn looking handsome in his football jersey and letterman jacket, with an oval football tucked under one arm, and his helmet clutched in his hand. He was smiling, and his hair was windswept, his lips pulled up into a large, carefree, toothy grin. There was also a burgundy candle on the table that was lit. Due to the fact the sun was setting in the night sky, casting it into hues of honey and lilac, there was no wind. It barely flickered at all.

I saw many faces from school, some I recognized, and some I didn’t. In a way, I felt like I didn’t belong there. Why should I? I hadn’t known him. Why did I deserve to be here? This should really only be for people who had known him in life… not in death.

“You know, I’m insulted at the lack of people that turned up to my funeral,” Finn informed me, looking around. There were well over a hundred, but I could tell there were some people there that Finn had thought would show that didn’t. “I mean, what, I didn’t merit the whole town? Have I not done enough for them? Talk about ungrateful…”

I didn’t reply; I was feeling too sad at that moment. I knew he was trying to mask it with humor, but I could tell he really was upset about everything. About being dead, about some of the people not showing up, really, about his life situation as of that moment.

“Are you okay?” Finn asked, casting me a wary look.

“I’m sorry about all this,” I mumbled to him, not caring if I looked like a crazy girl who randomly talked to herself. I knew that today would be hard for Finn, and he needed consoling for all that.

He rubbed the small of my back gently and soothingly, sending tingles up my spine. “Don’t worry, Lace. I’m okay.” He pointed up the front, where two older people stood. The woman was beautiful, with corn silk-colored hair, and light green eyes. Her eyes were red-rimmed, there were hideous bags around her eyes, and her cheeks were sallow. I couldn’t imagine the pain she was going through. The other was a man with salt-and-pepper hair and gray eyes, obviously his father. Beside them was a handsome boy of fifteen or sixteen, and I knew he was Finn’s brother. He had moved away from Hopetown High and to the private school because the memories of Finn hurt too much, but I had seen him around, and I knew his name was Colton McDermott. “That’s my parents and brother,” Finn informed me, though I had already guessed as much.