You're Far From Home

Chapter 13

It was the day of the funeral. I was wearing a black dress and black converse. I wasn't ready. Last night was the viewing, and it wasn't an open casket, of course. Bandit's body was ruined from the fire.

At the moment we are staying at Gerard and Lindsey's house. They were nice enough to let us stay there while we find a new house and basically buy everything again and start over.

I stared at myself in the mirror. I sighed. I walked down the stairs because I knew it would be time to go soon. Everyone else was dressed in black. I sat down beside Cherry and she took my hand and gave it a squeeze. I squeezed back.

"Should we go?" Gerard asked. Everyone nodded sadly and stood up. We got into our cars and drove to the funeral home.

We all got out of our cars and waited for all the family and friends of Bandit to show up. Tons of people showed up and we greeted them all. We didn't go inside because we all had to get back in our cars and drive to the cemetery.

Small flags were put on top of our cars. I looked over and saw the casket being carried outside. I couldn't look away. They carried Bandit down the steps of the funeral home and they set her down inside a car. They slid the casket inside and shut the car doors.

You could see the casket through the back window of the car. I just looked at it and thought,"Bandit is in there." But she isn't alive. Bandit's dead body is in there.

"C'mon,"Cherry said softly. Everyone had started to get into their cars and I wasn't paying attention.

I opened the car door and got inside. I sat next to Cherry and Miles sat in the back of the vehicle. We drove very slowly all they way until we got to the cemetery. No words were spoken the whole ride.

We arrived at the cemetery. We got out of our car and walked through the cemetery. I didn't even look up to see where we were going. I had my eyes glued to the ground the whole time. I just followed everyone else.

We reached a hill. I looked up. It was the same hill Bandit and I always sat on and talked. That's where we had our first art lesson. She was being buried on top of that hill. I know Bandit would have liked that.

We walked up the hill and the casket had already been carried up there. It started to rain a little, and nobody had an umbrella. I heard mutters about how cold and wet people were getting, but I didn't care. I liked the rain.

The service started. I just stared at the casket the whole time. I didn't hear a word they were saying, it was all a blur.

It was over soon, and everyone got up to leave. Gerard and Lindsey stayed. They were both in tears. I walked over to them.

"You know she would've been happy with where she's being buried," I said.

"We know she loves this hill. We thought so," Lindsey said.

"We used to hang out in this very spot and she gave me art lessons here," I said.

"Bandit was always a good artist. She had a very unique personality, too," Gerard said.

"When I met Bandit, I was scared because she was an upperclassman. There was nowhere else to sit at lunch, but she was very nice. We became friends right then and there. I had never had a friend until I met B," I said. By then I was crying.

"Oh, my beautiful Beezles! You can't be gone!" Lindsey burst out. She cried into Gerard's shoulder.

"She loved you, Lily. She wouldn't quit talking about you. I'm so glad you guys were friends," Gerard said.

Lindsey and Gerard eventually turned and went back down to their car. I was the last one left. It was pouring down rain at that point. I looked at the casket and walked over to it.

I put my hand on it. I whispered,"I love you, Bandit. You were the most amazing friend a person could have. I'm sorry it turned out like this." I took my hand off. I turned and walked down the hill. I didn't look back. I wanted to, but I didn't.

My family was waiting for me in the car. I got inside and put my seatbelt on. Everyone just gave me sad looks. I ignored them.

"Lily," My dad started.

"I'm okay," I said, "I'm alright.

"Lily, I miss her, too," Cherry said and she took my hand.

I nodded, "I know."

For the next few days I was very distant with people. My parents had let us stay home from school because of the grief. It was a miserable time.

I didn't say much. I didn't really talk unless someone spoke to me. It was usually just simple answers. It was hard to let go. It was.

When I went back to school, it wasn't the same. Bandit wasn't there. I sat at the lunch table alone and everyone stared at me. I kept getting the question "what happened to Bandit?"

I just looked at them and shook my head. I simply answered,"She is gone."

Word spread around the school fast. Everyone knew we were good friends. For the next week people just gave me sympathetic looks and said,"I'm sorry." Nobody really understood.

But, I started to get better. I began to talk more and share my feelings. I felt emotion and I think I felt happiness for the first time in a month. Yes, it has been a little over a month since Bandit died.

I started to become myself again. Although, it was hard to put Bandit in the past, especially because she created my future. I thought about her every day, but I had to let go. I finally accepted that she was gone.

I was happy again.