Until The Day I Die

Chapter 22

     I missed school for the rest of the week. I had no care for my grades. Chloe's funeral was that Friday, Valentine's Day, and it was so damn hard for me to walk up to that casket. Everyone who came got into a line, and individually walked up to the casket to say their final goodbyes. Her parents gave her a kiss on her hand and forehead caressing her head. Mom and David did the exact same thing. I planned on doing that as well, but when I stood next to her, I dropped to my knees and cried with my head leaning on the casket. David quickly came next to me helping me stand back up, and he hugged me. I cried on his shoulder for a second. I felt someone's hand rubbing my back, and I knew it was Mom. David put his arm around me as we walked outside. After a couple minutes, we watched some men bring out the casket, placing it in the car. As the car drove up the small pathway in the cemetery, we followed behind. Mom and David were still holding onto me. We got to sit under the tarp, and many people stood around us. Chloe's mom and dad stood in front of everyone to give their speech. I couldn't pay attention to what they were saying because I was staring at the casket. Old memories from when we were younger started playing in my head. I remember the very first day I ever saw her. She was walking on the beach by my house, wearing a beautiful floral dress. Her long brown hair blowing in the wind, and her skin was shining in the sunlight. I remember the first time I ever met her. She walked into my classroom at school a bit late, her dress was covered in juice and everyone laughed at her, everyone but me. I invited her to my house that day. I don't think I ever made a smarter decision. I would've never known such a beautiful angel who was so charismatic, so loving, so supportive and motivating. Someone who never looked at the bad side of me. She's the one who got me over my smoking addiction that Mom probably still doesn't know about to this day. She never did anything wrong. She was everything you could ever ask for, and I'm so thankful that I fell in love with her. I'll always remember my first love, and I'll never forget her.
     After they finished their speech, they began to lower the casket into the ground. We all picked up some dirt and laid it over the casket. We were supposed to go home while they finished burying her, but I wouldn't leave. I stayed in my seat watching everything, but Mom grabbed my hand, and said we need to go. I guess I had no other choice, so we went. Eli had left with his grandmother. I had planned to see him the next Monday at school, but I was unsure I'd be able to make it.
     When we got home, it wasn't a good feeling. I walked through the front door, and everything just felt empty. It felt like I was walking in an empty house. I walked up to my room and laid in my bed, but it didn't feel like a comfortable bed anymore. It felt hard, and rough. The pillows didn't feel fluffy, and the blanket wasn't warm. I sat up on the edge of my bed. I was trying to figure out what I was feeling, but I couldn't feel anything but loneliness. I felt like I was trapped in some dark room with no one to save me. In that moment, I felt a tear roll down my cheek, and then I felt another one. Without realizing, I was sobbing, but quietly. I didn't make a sound. I didn't want anyone to hear me but at the same time, I wished someone would walk in my room and just hug me, tell me I'll be okay, that I'm going to be able to smile again. I covered my face with my hands, resting my elbows on my thighs. I stayed like that for what felt like a long time. I didn't move, didn't think, or even make a sound.
David called for me twice, but I didn't answer. For a couple seconds, it was complete silence, until I heard footsteps come closer and closer to my room. David didn't have to say anything for me to know it was him. His loud footsteps and deep sigh gave it away. He sat down next to me and rubbed his hand across my back. His affection made me feel more sad, and I started crying out loud. David pulled me towards him hugging me. I rested my head on his chest, crossing my arms.
"It's gonna be alright, Brandon. Everything's gonna be alright, okay?"
I nodded my head.
"Her parents are here, so come downstairs." He lets go of me and heads out of my room. I still sit there for a second before following behind him.
We get downstairs and I once again greet Chloe's parents. Chloe's mom gives me a hug rubbing my back. I could tell she was crying too, well, of course she was. Her daughter just died.
She came over to tell us that they were leaving. She said they were moving to California to start a new business. They had their own business in Jacksonville but because of how much money they've made over the past couple of years, they felt the need to upgrade, so now, right after their daughter dies, they leave.
I was upset with them. Why would they leave everything behind because of some business? I looked at them confused. "You're leaving?" I said.
     Chloe's dad said, "I'm so sorry, Brandon, but now that she's gone, we have to move on. It's for the best."
     "You're just gonna leave us?" I said. I sounded a bit more upset than calm.
     "I fucking knew it," David said. His eyes were filled with rage.
     "David," Mom said, "watch your language."
     Chloe's mom tried reasoning with David in a calm tone. "David, I'm not sure why you're so up-"
     "No, you know exactly why I'm upset!" David yelled. He pointed his finger in front of Chloe's mom's face. At that moment, her dad stepped in front of her mom staring into David's eyes. He was pissed watching David put his finger in his wife's face. David then put his finger down and stepped closer to her dad. "You didn't give a damn about us, did you?"
     I lowered my head remembering a conversation I had with Chloe. She told me this was going to happen. That must be why they got into a fight that day, and it looks like there might be another one.
     It only took five seconds before David punched Chloe's dad in the face making him fall on the ground. Chloe's mom looked shocked but not really. She put her hand over her mouth while watching her husband fall to the ground. Mom was yelling at them to stop and attempted to pull David by his arm, but he was much stronger. I quickly rushed in between them trying to stop it. I didn't want David getting hurt again. I pushed David back a bit making him glare at Chloe's dad before walking away. I turned back around towards her dad and tried helping him up. I reached my hand out, but he smacked it away and got up on his own. His wife grabbed his arm asking him if he's alright. He didn't answer and just started fixing himself while rubbing his lip. She then started rubbing his lip as if she was healing it somehow. He moved her hand away from his face and walked towards Mom.
     "You've officially lost all respect from my family," he said coldly.
     Mom laughed at him. She walked closer to him and looked him dead in the eyes. "You lost respect from my family a long time ago, buddy," she said with a cold tone that I've never heard before. It scared me a bit. She then walked away in the direction David went.
I was then left with Chloe's parents. It was silent while her dad was still fixing himself.
"We're leaving now," Chloe's mom said. They both started turning around.
"Wait!" I said.
"What," Chloe's dad said, a bit irritated.
"Did we really not matter to you?" I said as my heart broke into even more pieces. Chloe was right about everything. They didn't care. They just pitied us.
"Truth hurts, kid," her mom said, "get over it. We're moving on, and you should too." They both turned back around and walked through the door.
I stood there the whole time, even after I heard their car drive off, and for the millionth time in a row, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I would say I stood there for a good ten minutes before I went to my room. I shut my door behind me and slowly walked over to my bed gently sitting at the edge. I was unsure what I was feeling. In fact, I don't think I was feeling anything at all. Everything was just blank. I laid down after a while trying my absolute hardest to clear my head. After some time, I had fallen asleep. This was shocking to me because I never thought I'd be able to fall asleep again.