Hell-Borne

Grief

Lyric walks inside the chapel, Lyric follows Naomi to the flowers. One had a picture of Leo with roses and daisies around it, then she lifts the lid of the grave.

Leo wore his beanie, his hands were folded around his stomach. Lyric bends over, kissing his forehead.

Naomi rubs her shoulders.

Lyric made it a lingering kiss. Someone else's hands, firmer than her aunts pats her back. Ace.

He wore a silk long sleeved red shirt with a black tie, Lyric hugs him, he hugs her.

"Thanks for coming."

"Of course I did." Ace said, he looks down at the grave, he pulls Lyric closer to him so that her head was resting on his shoulder.

"Lyric!" A faint voice calls, Lyric turns around only to get pulled into a bear hug.

"Nadine." Lyric says before crying.

"I'm sorry for-"

"I should've known something was up..." Nadine says, she backs away with tears in her eyes.

"Leo used to make fun of how ugly my crying was." Nadine said.

"He hated seeing you cry." Lyric said.

Nadine wore a short lace dress with fishnet stockings, her hair was loose, the curls went down to her back.

"Are you okay? Your face is breaking out." Lyric said.

"This isn't about me right now." Nadine said.

Nathan and his family walked in, his little brother walking to Lyric.

"Don't look." Lyric said, he starts bawling, Lyric hugs him, his face buried in her stomach.

"I'm sorry..."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Lyric whispers, she kisses his forehead.

"Baby." Colette says, she squeezes her in a tight hug.

"I love you both." Colette says. "No matter what."

Naomi hugs Colette as the doors begin to close, Lyric sits in the front Ace sits beside her. Ace grabbed her hand.

Naomi stands in front of everyone.

"Leo was a sweet, amazing boy. Everytime I come here, he'd hug me tightly, he had been through so much that he's strong enough to put a smile on his face. I'm going to miss that everyday." Naomi says, Lyric stands up.

"Time is a funny thing. You don't realize it can go way faster than you expected. I remember holding Leo and carrying him around. He saw good in everyone, I miss the arguments we would get into, the hugs he'd give me after. I love him..." Lyric says, taking deep breaths.

"He's my brother, and when he smiled, he showed me that life wasn't all that bad. I'm going to remember that as long as I live." Lyric said, she looks up to see a group of people, with cameras in their hands.

Lyric bends over one last time to plant a lingering kiss on Leo's forehead before turning around.

Lyric steps down from the steps. Nathan and Ace carry the grave as Lyric walked over to Nadine.

"Want me to deal with them-"

"I got this." Lyric said blankly. But anger rose in her as they tried to take photos of her brother.

"Get out." Lyric said, they didn't listen.

"Turn those cameras off!!" Lyric yells.

"You heard her!" Nadine argues.

Lyric rips the camera from the guy who got too close to Leo's grave, Lyric holds it over the table as if she's about to smash it.

"I'll bust this wide open, leave my brother alone. Now leave while I'm being generous." Lyric seethed, they all walk out, some complaining under their breath.

Lyric sighs, following Ace and Nathan outside, Nadine rubs her side.

Lyric walked over to where there was a hole, Lyric stood there as it begun to rain down her head, as the grave lowered into the ground, she lost it.

"Leo!!!" Lyric howls, she broke down as she collapses on the floor crying.

"Lyric." Nadine gasps, she helps her up.

Lyric gets led back inside, but as she walks at the door, Ace pulls her to him.

He hugs her.

"I'm truly sorry."

Lyric broke away, hugging herself.

"There's nothing you need to be sorry for. I may be tangled in this mess now but we'll get through this."

"Mark my words Keith, the Red Cobras and the Copperheads are gonna pay." Lyric growled.

- Seven months later -

Lyric sat down on the bed, studying and working, repeat. Naomi had tried to convince her to cheer up but it was hard.

The phone rung, Lyric pressed her phone to her ear.

"Hey Lyric! It's Nadie!" Nadine's voice piped through the phone. It's been so long Lyric didn't recognize her at first. Lyric fakes a happy tone.

"Hey!" She said. Little does Nadine know Lyric is just laying on the bed.

"I've been thinking...it's been a long time. We should go to the movies." She chirps.

"I don't know..." Lyric said.

Nadine drew in a deep breath.

"Lyric. Things have been like thin ice between us. I just want things to go back to normal...I miss my best friend." Nadine said.

"I'll check my schedule for work...I can work something out."

The doorbell rung, she heard Naomi's voice.

"Oh Ace! It's good to see you!" Naomi chirps.

"Hi, is Lyric home?" He asks.

Lyric's face fell.

"Nadine, I gotta go." Lyric said quickly, hanging up.

"She's in her room, keep the door open will you?" She asked.

Lyric heard several footsteps. Ace barged into her room. His blonde hair like a curtain across his face. He glared at her.

"Moping?" Ace sneers.

"Leave me alone." Lyric groans. Ace walks over to her bed.

"Hell no, your best friend wants to hang out and you're just laying here and wasting away."

"I'm not wasting away." Lyric snapped. Ace grabs her shoulders, forcing her to sit up.

"All you do is work, sleep and eat."

"Lyric you've become a workaholic." He said.

"Maybe I just wanna be alone Ace." Lyric said.

Ace hauled her over his shoulder, Lyric pounded her fists into his back, only making hollow sounds and he was barely flinching.

"Put me down!" Lyric shouts. Naomi ran into the room.

"Put her down before you drop her!!!" Naomi yells.

"I wouldn't Naomi, but she's not moping in her bedroom all day."

Ace puts her down, Lyric glared at him.

"Sweetheart he's right, maybe hanging out with Nadine will be good for you." She said.

"Okay." Lyric said.

"Come on Ace." Naomi said, pulling Ace out of the room. Lyric closes the door. She drew in a deep breath.

She took a quick shower, afterwards she grabbed regular jeans and a baggy t-shirt. She lost more weight over the time.

She walked out, Ace was fully dressed his back pressed against the wall.

He leans down.

"Let's go. Nadine's waiting outside."