Behind the Fake Smile *completed*

Behind the Fake Smile Cp35

Listen to the amazing song on the side.
Sad song for a sad chapter.
-Heaven covered by Do

Michael POV:

My sister held my hand as we walked up the driveway. We rang the doorbell and waited, it took a while but we didn't expect anyone to answer the door straight away. Her father stood at the door, slightly haggard and dazed. This was probably the first time I've seen him, Anna told me that he was always at work.

He stood in the doorway, confused, rubbing his stubble as he watched us. In the end, he moved aside and allowed us to walk in. Stepping into the house was like stepping into a different world entirely, I never really went to Anna's house but when I did it was always loud... and happy... and there was always someone shouting to someone else- not in an angry manner.

We walked into the front room and was met by everyone's glassy gaze. I was surprised that no one was crying although everyone did look like they were about to break down in front of me. I looked over at Lizzie, she was sat on the sofa, head in hands. Gingerly, I sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her and she immediately hugged me tightly. I blinked quickly hoping to fight off the tears threatening to spill. I wasn't going to cry. Not yet at least.

My dad took Anna's dad away from the front room to make him somewhat presentable for the funeral. Lizzie pulled away from me and just quietly sat in my arms, her presence there was comforting. I looked at John who was staring into the fireplace, his forehead creased in thought. Sitting in the far corner of the room was Anna's mum, silent tears crept down her face as she too stared at nothing.

Two old guys dressed in worn out black suits placed the coffin on the dining table, they came from the morgue where Anna's body rested until the day of the funeral. Until today. They opened half the casket so we could see her face.

One by one, we all went to give Anna one last look and say our goodbyes to her privatly so that we were free to say whatever we had wanted without anyone else listening. Anna's mum went first, followed by the dad, then Lizzie, then John, everyone took their time and they all came back red eyed and sniffling. After John, my dad and sister went together since they didn't really know Anna as much as everyone else and then it was my turn.

I left the silent room and walked slowly to the front room. The table was on the right of me and resting on the table was a chestnut brown coffin with the top half of the door open. I approached the coffin slowly and looked at the shell of my former best friend.

Her hair was combed and rested on her chest which was no longer raising. She wore a simple black dress which had a small v-necked line and three-quarter length sleeves. It was simple and elegant. Her face had no makeup on whatsoever and she seemed... pure. Pure and young. Too young to die. Too young to die of cancer. Too young to have held such a huge secret to herself. A secret from me.

Why didn't she tell me?!

She was my best friend.

Best friends are supposed to know this sort of stuff about each other.

Was I actually her best friend? I shook the poisonous thoughts away and watched Anna. Reminiscing over the time when I first met her; behind the music block. And then again, the same day but after school at the tree. I chuckled to myself when I remembered her startled reaction when I jumped down from the tree next to her.... like a deer caught in the headlights. Caught off gaurd and unsure of how to react.

Looking at her shell now, I had realised now how much she had grown and changed. She was more assertive than passive. Her lips were now curved into a smile when she walked around the room than a frown, sure she still seemed detached from the group she was with but it was an improvement. She changed from the innocent, scared deer to the fun loving puppy that brightens everyone's day with a simple smile. Purely because whenever she smiled genuinely, it was full of love and affection and had no other motive.