red | e.d

thirty

EDEN-JADE THURLOW
one week later.

My brothers car pulled up at Aberlee Field, the sight of gravestones, and the priest standing in the near distance enough to make my stomach churn even more than it had been already.

" You ready? " Alex's voice pulled me from my trance, placing his hand on my knee.
I looked up at him, shaking my head honestly. He smiled a small smile at this, though I knew he wasn't happy. Neither of us were. I glanced down at my phone quickly, the message that I had just typed out to Ethan reading: it would mean a lot if you were here today, displayed on my screen. I clicked send and it delivered, before I looked back up at my brother, a sigh leaving my lips.
" As ready as someone could be for their mother's funeral "

I straightened out my black dress and stepped out of the car, closing the door behind me. My brother looked as smart as could be in his tux, which I knew was one that my mom had bought him a while back. Back when she wasn't a drunken mess.

The two of us walked towards the small group of people gathered in the centre of the field, where the coffin sat, closed. The grass sounded rough against my shoes as I squinted my eyes shut slightly, trying to see who was here. I instantly spotted Luke, due to his red hair. Next to him was Katie and Mackenzie, my hope growing when I spotted a figure next to them. However, when the figure turned and I realised that it was my Uncle who had never even bothered to check in on our family, or even just my mother, I felt my hope of seeing Ethan today slowly vanish. Though I held onto the tiniest bit of it.

When we reached my friends, my brother pulled Luke into a quick hug, saying hi to both Mackenzie and Katie. I hugged all of them, thanking them for coming. I hadn't been back to school since my suspension, so to say that I'd missed them was an understatement. They all knew what I wanted to ask, their faces saying everything for me.
" D-Do you think Ethan's coming? " I asked, feeling selfish and somewhat needy for expecting him to.
I mean, yeah, I told him I wanted to take a break. But I needed him here for me on this day, not even romantically. Just his company. It would have made it the slightest bit easier, and that would have went a long way.

Mackenzie sighed and looked at Katie, who then looked at Luke, waiting for him to deliver the news.
" He said that he has homework, fucking dickhead move, I know- " Luke told me, my heart dropping to the ground when I heard the excuse.
I know I'd hurt him by calling it off, but to skip out on my mother's funeral, and to say it was for homework, was an all new level of low.
Luke was cut short when Katie slapped his chest with her hand, stopping him from going on. I looked down at the ground, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
" He might come later, though " Mackenzie added, trying to lift my spirits slightly.
I nodded at this, not believing it.

Within a few more minutes, more family friends and relatives that I hadn't seen in years arrived, and the ceremony had begun. It got extremely awkward, though, when one of my brothers old friends Kyle, showed up. Kyle, as in the boy whom I lost my virginity to and messed around with a while back. If my brother knew about that, he'd be dead meat. I awkwardly hugged him and we all returned to silence as my brother pulled the small piece of paper from his pocket. He stood at the front of the small crowd, right beside her coffin, preparing to give his speech.

My brother began and I felt moved by his words, my bestfriends presence at my side enough to keep me calm. However, when I felt Luke's warm hand slip into my own, and I felt his eyes on me, I looked up at him. He stared at me with his lips folded into a straight line, waiting for my reaction. My lips naturally curved up into a small smile as he squeezed my hand for reassurance, and I rested my head on his shoulder. He really was the best, best friend I could have ever asked for.