Painted Hearts | ✔️

XXIV

CHAPTER 24

"We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love."
-Madame de Stael

I wore darkness, I felt darkness and I saw darkness. There was no snow on the ground. Just dead grass, a mucky green and a paleness plagued everything. The funeral was small. A few of the closest people to my parents. Zoey. My uncle from France who'd leave the very next day. Logan.

My posture is rigid against my chair, watching my uncle speak. Yet none of his words reached my ears. I can't hear any of his words. All I hear are Logan's words. He stood by their casket his head tilted to the sky. I just feel numb. They bury my parents. They bury the caskets. Then Logan says a few words, that no one hears. And refuses to say more.

Everyone leaves giving us space. Zoey removes her hand from mine and walks away. Logan stands frozen behind me. Stepping between their graves, I run my hand on the smooth tombstone.

"I'm sorry. I love you." And all of the tears I'd held back fell. My numbness turning in to a piercing pain. I turned around to Logan. But he was no longer there.

♡♡♡

Evans stopped at the gates, but I just smiled, gesturing him to come in. Logan walked in front of us in silence, his head covered with his black hood.

This morning I'd chosen not to wear black, I chose to wear white. A simple white dress with long sleeves falling down to my knees. I made my hair in a simple braid and wore simple white flats. Black was sad, and I wasn't sad anymore, I want them to know that. I want them to see their girl living life to her fullest.

'The only thing you're guilty of, Scar, is letting them feel your pain. You're guilty of thinking your parents would ever blame you for their deaths. You're guilty of believing you're parents would be happy seeing you live every day as a burden.'

Evans had a way of speaking to me and his words worked magic on me. Maybe that's what it means to find someone who's there with you through it all, the one who guides you.

We stopped at the two graves with the one marble tombstone reading, Michael and Sophia Devereaux. Loving Parents. For love lasts an eternity. Evans stopped a few feet behind us and I grabbed hold of Logan's hand.

"Hi, Mom. Dad." He said without looking up, his voice hoarse.

"Sorry it took us so long to come visit. We sort of lost... each other for a while," I said. "But we found our way back."

I smiled even though I was already in tears. "We miss you guys."

I knelt down to the ground and laid the white flowers in my hand between in front of the stones. Logan knelt beside me.

"I know I was immature. But you don't need to worry, guys. I've got this, I'll take care of her. I promise." A tear ran down his face but he quickly wiped it away. I put my arms around him, and we sat there in silence.

Logan said his goodbye and left me more time with them. I felt Evans walk up behind me, I looked up at him and he knelt down beside me.

"Mom, dad, this is Evans. I don't know if you remember but it's the same jerk  that bothered me all the time." Evans chuckled at this.

"It's nice to meet you both, Mister and Mrs. Devereaux. I apologize for bothering Scarlett here."

"I think they want to be called Mike and Sophia. Also, he still bothers me." Evans rolled his eyes. "But I love it."

We left the cemetery, but not before Evans placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

♡♡♡

Sitting on Zoey's French window, I stared out in to the serene night, the eery calm where snow fell gently. The night felt quiet, but not comforting, an odd silence filled up the room and my mind. Evans offered to let me stay over. But Zoey pretty much kidnapped me.

"You're being oddly quiet again." Zoey stated, handing me a cup of warm cocoa. "Why?"

"Because Logan..." I sighed, tired to continue.

"What did he say?" She raised her eyebrows.  

"He wants me to move in with him."

"That's ... good?"

"And he's moving. To New York." Zoey's mouth fell open a little, but she recovered from her shock in the blink of an eye.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What about you, school, and you know... Evans? Do you want to go?"

"No. Yes. I don't know." I buried my face in my hands. "I miss him, and I don't have any family. I mean Bree said I'm welcome anytime, but I don't want to go there anymore."

"Yeah." She whispered. Then she pulled me in to a tight hug. "No worries, you should sleep. You'll figure it out."

I just hummed in reply. Falling asleep was easy tonight, no dreams or panicked feeling. Like all the weight was off my shoulders. Except the anchor pulling down in my stomach which I had to ignore.

♡♡♡

"We need to talk." I said as soon as Evans picked up. The library was quiet, other than Blake's enthusiastic voice chatting away about the amount of shades some brand has in red lipstick. Let's just say you shouldn't ask for help from a person like Blake.

"Not that I know a lot, but I know those four words can't mean anything good." Evans voice sounded humorous.

"Maybe. So, can we meet?"

"A date it is, Hazel. How about the skating rink down at STC?" He asked.

"Sounds good." I bit my lip, trying not to smile too widely. Blake wiggled his eyebrows.

"Tell lover boy to stop stealing my time." He said trying to sound angry.

"See you at five, Evans." I chuckled.

"Lov- uh- yeah okay, bye!" He hung up without my reply. What was that about?

♡♡♡

Apologies for the late update, I sort of lost inspiration. A.k.a writers block. And I sort of lost hope in this book :/

So I'm surprised people are actually reading this book, in all honestly I've been feeling it's not that great.

But it's cute. And it's my first. First ones are always special. :)

SO THANK YOU!! TO EVERY ONE OF YOU. ❤