It's a Cold World Without You

It's a Cold World Without You 3

It has been a week. The party had been on a Thursday, and Hailey found herself surprised that Thursday came again. 

When Hailey had gotten home from the hospital, she went to bed and slept for two days straight. But, sadly, she had woken up. 

The funeral was held on Sunday. She was only surprised for about a second when she noticed her father wasn't there. She guessed he was too busy with his real family. Her mother managed to make the funeral arrangements, and even show up looking mostly sober. But she couldn't stop crying and eventually walked away from Hailey because Hailey hadn't shed a tear. Many kids from school were there, but Hailey kept her distance. She didn't want to talk with anyone, she hadn't spoken a word in three days. Hadn't spoken, hadn't cried.  

Monday came around and Hailey decided to go to school, although she knew no one would complain if she didn't. She went to her closet but realized she didn't really want to wear her clothes, they were all too colourful. She didn't feel colourful, she just felt nothing. So, she slipped out her door and into the room across from her own. She looked into Kyle's closet and took his favourite hoodie. It was just black but it had a golden zipper up the front. He used to say that the zipper was the same colour as Hailey's hair and that's why this sweater was his favourite. Hailey took the sweater and went back to her room. She put on a white tanktop that didn't show because of the hoodie, and really dark skinny jeans, the darkest thing she owned actually. School passed in a wirl of faces and voices, Hailey never recognizing one of them.  

That's how it went for the rest of the week too, but now it was Thursday. A day Hailey foolishly never expected to see again. She really didn't want to go to school today. She didn't think she could deal with school today. Well, she did have to do something about her wardrobe because she couldn't keep wearing Kyle's clothes and she never wanted to see her bright cheery ones again. So, she had to go shopping. 

She ended up wearing Kyle's hoodie again, and decided she would keep it. Then, she went out to get some clothes of her own.  

The stores hadn't been busy because it was a weekday. She got home at around 3:00 pm. She grabbed a watter bottle from the fridge and made her way up to her room with her hands full of bags. She set her water on her nightstand and bags on her bed. She got boxes out of the hall closet and got to work on packing up all the clothes she planned on never wearing again.  

It took Hailey three hours to get her clothes packed and in the attic, then to put away all the new ones. Her closet now looked like Kyle's, entirely dark, any colours were muted. She was pleased with her work, but it was only six in the evening. Too early to go to bed, she wasn't tired yet, either. She decided she'd take a walk.  

She walked down the street with no real idea of where she was going. She was surprised when she found  herself standing in front of the cemetery gates. Hailey took a deep breath before walking through. She knelt in front of a small marble headstone, reaching out her head to lightly brush her fingertips across the engraved letters of his name. Wind suddenly blew; whipping her hair around her face and nipping at her exposed skin.  

A shiver passed through her and she realized she was wearing only a tanktop, having taking off her sweater  as she put her clothes away earlier. Funny, she thought, as she only noticed this now and she's been outside  for about 45 minutes in the middle of November. It had to be Kyle, he was always looking out for her. 

Hailey stood up silently and carefully made her way out of the graveyard. It took her about 15 minutes to walk home and by then her teeth were chattering from the cold. She crawled into bed and pulled the blankets up over her bare shoulders. But she couldn't sleep. As usual, his face was there when she closed her eyes. There was one difference this time, though; it brought her no comfort. She sighed getting out of bed and headed to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. There she found a bottle of Tylenol and swallowed three before going back to bed. She slept dreamlessly after that.