Two days later, Alya is sitting in the backseat of Edward's car.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Alya?" Edward says. "You don't think James will-"
"Screw James," Alya says firmly. "Lizzie was my friend too and he has no right to tell me I can't go to her funeral-"
"Okay, okay," Edward says, rolling his eyes. "Just a question."
"I know," Alya says irritably. "A stupid question. Now hurry up and unlock the doors. I don't want to be late."
"Why not fashionably late?"
"Edward." The door clicks. "Thank you." Alya steps out of the car. "I'll see you in an hour."
"Alya, wait," Edward says.
"Yeah?" Alya says.
"Just... just be careful."
"Why? Is something going to happen?"
"No-" He pauses. "I just don't know if James is still angry at you. I wouldn't want him to hurt you."
"Why would he hurt me?"
Edward shrugs and turns his gaze back to the road.
Alya ducks her head into the car. "Edward, why would he hurt me?"
"Close the door, Alya," Edward says tightly.
Alya waits a minute more, then slams the door shut. Almost immediately, Edward speeds off, almost running over Alya's foot.
"Bastard," she mutters.
Lizzie's funeral takes place in the cemetery, right next to the public park. The casket sits on a bed of flowers in the middle of the clearing. A podium stands next to the casket, facing an ocean of metal fold up chairs.
Alya takes a seat farthest away from the casket. Even though it isn't open, she doesn't want to think about Lizzie's dead body. She remembers how pretty Lizzie's short curly black hair was, and how her pale blue eyes would sparkle when she would talk about movies. Tears burn the back of Alya's eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. Not here, not now, not ever.
James sits in the front. He glances behind him and meets her eyes, then turns around quickly. Alya rolls her eyes. Typical.
For the next five minutes, people slowly trickle in. All are dressed in black; most are crying. Alya looks around. All the chairs are full. A knot of worry twists in her stomach. So many people. She didn't know Lizzie had this many friends. What if one of them is the murderer?
"Here we gather today to celebrate the life of Lizzie Hart and mourn her passing into the afterlife." The preacher's voice startles Alya out of her trance. "Lizzie was a great friend and extraordinarily talented with a camera. She will be missed by many." The preacher takes a deep breath. "Upon a request by a certain tabloid reporter, we will briefly remember the events that led to her death."
Alya perks up. Remember the events that led to her death? Does this happen normally at a funeral? And who-
"Lizzie Hart left at 3:45 in the afternoon from the set of an untitled movie to buy coffees for the crew. We have reason to believe that she went to Mott's Coffee Shop, and met someone there-" The preacher's voice falters. "I don't know if I can-"
"Keep going," says a harsh male voice in the front row. Alya leans over, trying to catch a glimpse of his face.
"Who is that?" she whispers to the blond woman next to her. "He looks kind of familiar..."
YOU ARE READING
Psycho #OpenNovellaContest
General Fiction"I want to help you," the man next to her says. She shivers as the hand rests on her thigh again. But this time, she doesn't push him away. He lowers his voice to a whisper, so quiet that not even the microphones can pick it up. "People do strange t...
