Stained Glass

The Funeral

"I said bring sunflowers, NOT ROSES. This is my best friends dads funeral everything has to be perfect. Remember this is for her." Kat says in her control freak mode. "I think dad would've been happy with a simple goodbye from everyone and then to just be buried. He was simple like that." I explain to Katherine.

"I know but that wouldn't be an official goodbye." Kathrine tries to explain. "He didn't even like flowers. I'm sure he told you if anything happened to him to put sunflowers at his funeral, for me." I say. Kat's head dropped like jelly. "That's exactly what he said." She pauses, her head pops up again and a smile is evident on her face. "But I am doing what he wanted so as I was saying" Kat hits her boyfriend upside his head "no roses" she continues.

"And you young lady, need to get ready for school. His funeral is after school and I will make sure everything is perfect. After all you went Monday through Thursday just fine. Go today and we'll excuse you for next we-" I cut her off. "No I need to go to school, it's a distraction." She rubs my shoulder. "Whatever you need." Kat continues.

I walk into my room and get the dress I wore to my moms funeral, I pick up the note I spent all night on. I look down at the note in attempt to not cry, only one tear falls before I wipe it away and get myself back together.

I head out my front door and start heading to school. I hear footsteps behind me and I start to walk faster than I advance to running.

"Hey relax I'm not gonna hurt you Hope." I hear the all to familiar voice behind me. I turn around "Why wouldn't you say anything earlier?" I ask Damon. "Because I thought you knew it was me, until you started running. What's going on?" Damon starts to ramble in his concerned tone.

"My family was brutally murdered by who I think is my ex and my dad's funeral is today." I explain. "I'm so sorry I can come too if you'd like. I know you need a friend." Damon explains. "I'd love that. I'm sure my best friend would be crying in her boyfriend's arm. I need a new shoulder to cry on." I explain.

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I walk in Dave's house which I now call my home. Kathrine comes running from upstairs. "He's gone, he's actually gone." With each word that leaves her mouth her grip on my shoulder becomes tighter.

"I know." Is all I can say. I start to do the same thing Kathrine is doing to me. I grip her shoulders tight and let the tears fall as each memory runs through my head like a maniac. "It's time to leave" Katherine says picking up her head and wiping her tears away.

"I met a friend and he said he'd come. I thought since you had Seth's arm to cry on I didn't have anyone so when he asked I accepted." I explain. "It's fine I understand." Kathrine says for what feels like the 100th time today.

"Not everything is 'fine' or 'okay' Katherine" I say barely over a whisper. "Look I know this is hard for you so it is fine and okay" she says as she hugs me tight.

A knock is heard and I pull away to answer the door. "He's here we can go now" I explain while walking out the front door. Damon grabs my arm as I was walking by him "Hey are you okay?" I shake my head as the tears fall. Damon wraps his arms around my shoulder pulling me closer to him. He didn't say anything he just let me cry.

"Let's g-" Katherine gets cut off when she sees me. "Everyone will be in the van. Take your time." She gives me a symapathitic smile. Once I've stopped crying I take in a shakey breath and walk to the van while holding Damon's hand.

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"We are here to celebrate a life. Not just any life, my dads." I pause and look at all the things I wrote hoping to distract the tears that tried oh so desperately to get out. "He once told me that I was his sunflower. So I'm guessing the reason he wanted sunflowers to be at his funeral is because he'd feel connected to me." The tears manage to escape not only from my eyes but through my voice as well.

"He said he'd make it to graduation because mom can't. He's still invited he just doesn't need an invitation." The crowd lightly laughs. "My father worked day and night trying to find this killer. He wouldn't look at any other cases, he'd just hand them to Dave." 

A tear rolls down my cheek as I remember one day waking up for a glass of water. I walked past my dads work room, all his lights were off except his desktop light. He looked very concentrated on the papers in front of him. "Although he worked day and night on the case he still made time for me." I continued.

After the funeral was over I stayed half an hour after his burial. "I didn't know him but he was an amazing man. He help raised a beautiful, strong women like you, he had to be amazing." Damon says. I turn around and grip his waiste, hard, I layed my head on his chest, and let the tears fall. "He wasn't supposed to die. If I would've just stayed home, I might have seen who it was. This is all my fault."

"None of this is your fault Hope." Damon explains. "Do you know what's so funny about my name?" I say as I let go of Damon and wipe my tears. "What?" Damon asks concern written all over his beautiful features. "I lost it a long time ago" I say as I walk off to go get in the van.

"That's why I'm here. To hopefully restore your hope. You just have to let me in and trust me." Damon says running up to catch up to me. "I can't let you in. I lost to many people. I'm always selfless, just this once can you let me be selfish." I state. "No. I will not give up until I'm in your heart and life." Damon says. I smile to myself, he's already in my heart which is why he can't be in my life.