Hail's Storm

Chapter 28: Hail's Storm

Mariya's POV
Flashback

I didn't know how fast life could change until the next day when I went to school after Hail's party.

Our head principal called us all to the large social hall with an announcement he wanted to make. We were in the middle of our first lesson when the voice of the principal rang through the whole school building from the speaker.

He instructed us to walk to the hall quietly and take our seats and waiting for him to make the announcement.

I was slightly exhausted from the night before but I still managed to sleepily drive to school in my parents car. I noticed that Tyler, Hail, Tom and Parker were not in school but I ignored the painful knot in my stomach by taking deep breaths. I had a bad feeling about a lot of things that morning.

I settled in the hall on the uncomfortable blue cushioned chairs and said hello to the girl who had sat next to me.

After a few minutes of murmurs, whispers and people guessing what was going to be announced, the principal arrived wearing a very neutral face that barely gave away the mood of the announcement.

He cleared his voice before talking.

"Good morning everyone. Sorry for pulling you out of your interesting lessons but I have an announcement. It is tragic that we lost one of our students. Hail Summer was found dead today morning in the Parker Mansion with a bullet through her head and a gun in her hand. The police officers, of course, ruled this as a suicide..."

I was infuriated at how easily such sensitive and graphic information left his mouth. Each and every word he said after that was blocked out. I felt bile rise up to my throat and it persistently stung my throat. All the air got knocked out of my lungs and I was left struggling to breathe.

My vision blurred but I still struggled to look around at people's reactions. I could not hearing a word the principal spoke afterwards. The girl next to me didn't seem to notice me holding my neck trying to press on the big painful lump that had formed in my throat.

Soon enough, the principal was exiting the hall leaving behind a confused bunch of students. Some people picked up their bags slowly and left the hall, while others just sat probably taking in the news. I had no idea when the hall cleared out or when the bell rung but I remembered the girl who was seated next to me tapping me on shoulder pulling me out of my trance.

"Mariya, the bell for the next period has rung. You wouldn't wanna be late." She said.

I simply nodded which partly hurt my head. I stood up and dragged my bag in one hand across the hall to the exit. I walked through the hallways as I saw people watch me plod lifelessly out of the school and into my car.

That was how I felt. Lifeless. Maybe that was what Hail also felt.

I wasn't prepared for her death. Who is ever prepared for death anyway. I refused to believe that she could have committed suicide.

I sat there in the car with tears streaming down my face. I needed to find Tyler. I needed to drive to hospital but my body felt heavy. I couldn't move.

Where did it all go wrong?

Our bond began slowly diminishing when she started dating Tom. Things became different. We called less, talked less and even stopped hanging out. She was always with Tom or Tyler which frankly used to upset me. I was important only when she needed help with something or needed company when going to parties that neither Tom nor Tyler was attending.

I couldn't complain of course. It wasn't her fault. She was too happy with Tom to realise she had left me alone.

Over the many months she dated Tom, I became a little bit bitter but when I found out she committed suicide, guilt washed over me. I wondered what happened to her over the years. It was partly my fault for not being there for her.

Driving to the hospital, I was guilt-ridden. No one could find out I refused to drive Hail home.

***

I woke up to grey skies that morning. Of course the skies had to be grey, it was a sad day for Gammery Town. It took me two weeks to go through at least the first stage of grief - denial. I finally accepted Hail's death on the day of her funeral.

Nobody ever expects to attend their best friend's funeral especially a few weeks after you both bought matching bracelets for her birthday.

That's the funny thing about life, it puts a smile across your face for a few seconds then the next minute you are dressing in black to attend a funeral.

I took a few deep breaths and walked to the curtains drawing them open. According the weather forecast the day before, it was cloudy with a slight chance of a storm. Probably Hail's storm.

I took a swift shower and despite the hot water, I still felt cold. I dragged my feet from the bathroom to the closet and put on the black dress I had picked out. I sat down in front of my dressing mirror and took a close look at my face. I had bags under my eyes so I fixed that with a little makeup.

I let my newly braided hair flow down to my back. I was not prepared for the day.

"Mariya, will you drive yourself in the other car or should I wait for you?" My mum asked me through my bedroom door.

"I'll drive myself." I said my voice cracking a bit.

I even felt sorry for myself.

I headed to the church after my mum left, parked a few meters from the church door and through the rained-on car windshield, I watched the other town members walk in.

Soon, the coffin was carried into the church with a couple of my classmates behind it, including Tyler. I also saw Mr. and Mrs. Summer, get in after the coffin holding hands trying to be strong. They had no umbrella shielding them from the rain which I assumed was probably a way to hide their tears in the rain.

I took a sit at the back of the church and waited to be called upon to the front.

I could hear the rain outside as it hit the hall's roof.

I still had no idea how I was going to go through the storm. Hail's Storm.

Yessssss. Finally done with this chapter. It is quite short. Sort of a filler. I wanted you guys to have a look inside Mariya's and Hail's past. That's all I could do but we go back to the present in the next chapter.

I would love you guys to go and read my friend's book . It is called 366 days. It is quite a book if you are into writings (we don't call it poetry).

I also still dedicate this chapter to her.

See you in the next CHAPTER.

I LOVE YOU GUYS.