Volleyball

Chapter Sixteen

Isabelle left us all in this earth five days after my last visit in her room. The last visit I'd made, I met her parents without Valerie. I got sad when her parents told me she had gone but I knew she didn't want me to be sad; she died in peace, she died with a smile on her face. She told me to take my action on Valerie before I fully lost her and she wanted to know that. But she was gone now and she couldn't know that. Perharps, she could always see it from the heaven up there.

  I attended her funeral at the King's Chapel Cemetery alone. I stayed Kim out of this so I took her to Claire's house to play and have a sleep-over again. I wouldn't mind. I wore a nice black suit and checked myself in the small mirror before heading towards the cemetery.

  I had attended enough funerals of the people I love and I didn't want any more. I had enough. First, Mom and now, Isabelle.

  The cemetery was close to my house so I decided to walk all the way. It was cold for an October so I put on my black gloves and my black coat.

  The sky was grey even though it was only 3 in the afternoon. The sky was supposed to be bright and colorful with the sun glowing its light and preparing to do its job in another states of this earth. But I couldn't find the sun, it was hiding behind the thick grey clouds. Grey clouds saddened people in this sad event.

  When I arrived at the place, people surrounded her dark brown wooden coffin decorated with colorful flowers that seemed so happy, and they were against the mood of the day. Her gravestone was crafted well. Isabelle Paula Matthews. Born in January 19, 1991. And there was a beautiful picture of her, too.

  I was late. The burial ceremony had started and I was standing at the very back and I couldn't hear what the Reverend was saying or praying. I scanned around to find Valerie and her family but I couldn't find her.

  And after, the ceremony had ended. The coffin slowly lowered into the ground and we threw small flowers on the land covering the coffin and her body in it. It caught me that Isabelle had passed away and I wanted to cry because I hate losing people I love for a long time. It hurts a lot. People started to walk away but I stayed still after I threw flowers for her in my position. Seeing her name on the gravestone made it so real. I really wanted to cry but I couldn't, the tears couldn't come out.

  The thunder woke me up from my place after being sad for too long. I looked up to the sky and drizzle was coming from up there. I rubbed my face and found Valerie across me. There were still a few people but now I could see her standing across me with her back facing me. She was wearing a black dress and black tights, black flat shoes and black coat. All black except her hair, her eyes, her lips and her skin. Her shoulders were shaking. This was the time to take my action.

  I walked over to her and stood in front of her. Her head bowed down and shoulders were still shaking. She was crying hard. But she covered her eyes with her hands. I held her chin up to meet my eyes and she let go of her hand. She looked up at me and our eyes met. Her eyes were red and watery and sad and depressed and tired. I pulled her into a hug. I wrapped arms around her shoulders while her hands rested on my waist. 

  She cried into my chest and I didn't mind. She sobbed in my arms and I didn't mind. She cried hard and I didn't mind. I held her tight and I didn't mind. I hope she didn't either.

  "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry." And I kissed the top of her head and she cried.

  I pulled her away from the hug and she bowed her head down. I brought her chin up and looked at her eyes again. She burst in tears again and I hugged her tight. My arms around her shoulder, her hands on my waist, her head on my chest. I took off the gloves from my hands, grabbed her hands and put them on without letting her go from my embrace. We stayed like that for like forever. People went home, her dad came to me and mouthed, "Take her home." And I nodded.