I spy with my little eye (Sequel to 'Invisible')

Chapter 14: A new chapter

Luke's POV

As the funeral ended, guests were leaving. Rachel stayed with me, despite her parents asking her to go home with them.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as I looked at my parents from a distance. They were at Blair's grave, they were having their talk now, in private.

I shrugged. "I don't know how I feel."

She nodded. "Your speech was good, Luke."

"You think?" I sighed. "It wasn't good enough. I... I want her to be proud of me, to forgive me for what I did and didn't do."

"I know," She crossed her arms. "You did well."

"Did you mean what you said?" I gulped. "During your speech?"

Rachel looked from me to my parents. "I meant every single word." She then looked at me. "She should've been mine."

I slowly nodded. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

I shrugged. "You two deserve happiness."

She showed me a small smile. "Thank you, Luke."

I looked back at my parents, still seeing them with Blair. "I was surprised that Nick said something."

Rachel groaned. "His speech was pure mockery towards Blair."

I looked at her, sighing. "Why do you think so? It seemed genuine to me."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not doing this anymore, Luke. Nick wasn't good to Blair, I don't like him. Period."

I slowly nodded. "Ok," I looked away, knowing I shouldn't go further with this topic. "Strange that Tina was here."

"She was?" Rachel sounded surprised.

I looked at her, slowly nodding. "Didn't you see her?"

She shook her head. "How did she react?"

I thought about it, trying to remember. "She was crying." I looked back at Rachel. "She and Blair, whatever they had, it was something worth crying for."

Rachel nodded. "We have to call her."

I nodded before looking back at my parents. I saw them wave me over, so we walked to them.

"Are you two ok?" I asked as I placed my hand on either of their shoulders.

Dad got up, to which mom did as well. "She won't be forgotten here." Dad looked at Blair's grave, and the picture that was on it.

"Never." Mom added.

Rachel nodded. "This looks beautiful."

"She had a beautiful heart." Dad referred to Rachel's speech, to which Rachel showed him a small smile. He returned that smile.

We stayed at Blair's grave for a while. We were holding hands while just looking at the grave, in silence. And that felt good, it was needed.

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I stayed home for another two days after the funeral, it was allowed from school and my parents. Those two days I used to get myself back together. I was thinking a lot, about the past but mostly about the future. I'd have to go through it without my sister. And I'll have to learn to live with it.

I was also helping my parents clean up Blair's room. We weren't throwing anything away, but they wanted it to be clean. They wanted it to be Blair's space, somehow. I wondered if that wasn't going to keep us depressed. But I helped anyway.

My parents were also getting ready to go on with their lives. They were already making plans to go back to work.

And, when they told me they'd leave by the end of this week, I was relieved in a way. I knew that that was what they needed. However, I'd be all alone. In this house.

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"Hey, Luke."

I smiled, seeing Rachel at the front door. She had offered to pick me up for my first day back to school. "Hey, Rach."

She entered my house, looking around. "Where are your parents?"

"They're gone," I took my lunch from the dining table and put it in my back. "Preparing everything to leave tomorrow."

"They're just going to leave you alone, in this house?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine."

She let out a breath. "I hope so." She looked around again.

I stopped with what I was doing and looked at her. "Are you looking for something?"

She shrugged.

"What is it, Rach?"

She sighed. "I was wondering..." She looked down. Whatever it was she wanted to ask, she didn't like asking it. "Can I have a picture of Blair?" She slowly looked up at me again.

I was surprised to hear her request, but nodded. "Of course," I walked to a drawer, where mom and dad stored a lot of pictures of us. I took out one of my favorites of Blair. It was a pretty recent one as well. I walked back to Rachel and handed her the picture. "I hope this one's good."

Rachel looked from me to the picture, then smiled sadly.

"Isn't it good? I've got others as well..."

"No," She rubbed over the picture with her thumb. "It's perfect."

I slowly nodded, realizing she was upset because she saw Blair again. "Keep it safe."

She nodded. "Always."

We then went to my car, driving to school. It was a weird feeling, to be back here, without Blair.

As I got out of the car, that feeling got worse. Everyone, and I mean literally everyone, was looking at us. Whispers, looks, gestures, etc... They all indicated what I knew and didn't want to be confronted with.

We walked to our lockers. When we were there, we also saw Blair's old locker. Someone else had it now, as Blair wasn't going to this school anymore. It's sad how fast she's been replaced here. I knew it was needed for the school, but still...

Rachel came back to me. "I don't know if you're ready for anything yet - "

"What is it?"

She nodded. "I called Tina."

I raised my eyebrows. "And?"

"We're meeting with her today, during lunch." She sighed. "I hope she'll have some answers. I need to find Willow, now more than ever."

I nodded. "Absolutely. And I want to know how Tina's relationship was with Blair."

Rachel nodded too.

"Hey guys," Nick suddenly interrupted us, wrapping his arms on our shoulders. "How are you two today? Ready for a new chapter in your lives?"

Rachel pushed his arm off of her. "You are so insensitive!"

"What?" Nick chuckled. "I didn't do anything."

"That's the point!" She looked from Nick to me, I know that was her way of telling me she was waiting for how I was going to react.

I looked back at Nick, pulling off his arm from me as well. "That was uncalled for." I then walked away from him, with Rachel.