Now That Emma's Gone (h.s. AU)

Chapter 5

"In Jesus name we pray, amen."

With that,, the preacher concluded the service and everyone started leaving. A few people came up to me and gave me their condolences. I just nodded; unable to say a word.

I just can't believe she's gone.

And it's my fault.

If I hadn't overreacted about that stupid bon fire and caused her to run the red light getting us hit by that stupid semi, none of this would have happened.

But how did I survive? Why couldn't it have been me? How could Emma die on impact while I got out with just cuts and bruises?!

I don't know how long I stood there staring at that headstone, but a while later my parents came up and told me we needed to go. I nodded and walked back to the car with them.

I was silent the whole ride home.

I was silent the rest of the day.

I was silent the rest of that week.

I was silent the rest of that month.

I was silent the rest of that year.

No matter who tried to talk to me, no matter where we were, I couldn't get a word out.

That guy Aaron tried to get me to talk to him a few times to see if how I was holding up, but after a while he just gave up.

I don't know how, but I've still managed to keep my grades up at least. Maybe I drown my sorrows in work... But who knows. It doesn't matter anyway.

It's summer vacation now. Junior year is over and senior year will begin in three months.

And I'm wasting away in my room; staring at my phone waiting for Emma to call me and say this was all a prank. That she's fine and we can spend this summer together, and then senior year, and then the rest of our lives.

We had so much planned, so many things we wanted to do and see! What about prom? What about our graduation trip we'd been planning since we were 13?!

BOOM! Gone with the wind. All of those dreams, and hopes, and plans.... Vanished.

"Knock-knock" I look up and see Devin standing in my door way. I force a small smile.

"How ya doing kiddo?" I shrug.

"Come on. At least talk to me." He sits down next to me draping an arm around my shoulders.

I stay silent.

My eyes glance over at the picture of Emma and I from a few summers back that I still have on my bedside table.

I look to Devin and the tears start to fall.

He wraps his arms around me as I cry on his shoulder.

"I miss her too, Presley... I miss her too." I can hear the tear in his voice.

***

Devin stayed a while longer. We talked about how he's liking college and everything happening there. It was the most I've talked in a long time.

"How about you and your parents come over for dinner tonight? Mom sure misses you." I haven't been to the Brown's house since it happened.

"I-I don't know."

He looked like he wanted to say something but he ended up just nodding.

"Well, the invitation stands. Anytime."

"Okay."

"So I better head back. I'll see you soon, alright?"

"Yeah."

He kissed the top of my head.

"Bye kiddo."

"Later college boy." He smiled then walked out the door.

And I was alone again.