The Start Of Something New.

15.

A week had passed after the fight at Grind House.
And a week had also passed since my dad died.
Two deaths in one day..
You weren't exactly sure how to react with all the adrenaline rushing through you.
And when it finally settled, and you could understand things.
You knew life was no longer okay.
That you were no longer, okay.

"I'm heading up to the church for the viewing, is Bryce still picking you up?" I heard my mom question as I sat at my desk, staring at my closed journal.
"Yeah, he'll be here any minute." I told her.
She didn't leave.
I knew she was still standing there, just wanting to ask how I was doing.
So we could talk about it.

But I didn't want to talk about it.
How do you tell your mom, you witnessed a vampire kill your dad, in pure anger?
If my dad wasn't there..
He'd still be here.
Reading that newspaper, and teasing his kids.
Dancing with my mom to old classic romance songs.
And things would be okay.

It was a massive, wrong place wrong time situation.

I frowned hearing gentle knocks on the wooded door.
Turning, Emberly stood there in a light lilac dress.
My mom declared that no one would wear black to her husbands funeral, that it was too sad.
And she was trying her damnedest not to break down, at such an important time like this.

"Can you help me zip up?" Emberly asked, turning her back to me.
I nodded as I got up, walking over to the other as I zipped her back up.
She turned to me with furrowed brows.
"Lexi, I-"
"Don't." I forced a smile.
"I don't want to hear, I'm sorry from anyone. If I didn't involve myself with Carter, if we didn't go to Grind House last week.. None of this would of happened," I looked at her with tears in my eyes now.
"Its my fault that my dad is dead." I choked back a sob.

Immediately her arms were wrapping around me, caressing the back of my head.
"No, no no. Don't blame yourself Lexi, no one knew a fight would break out and no one knew your dad would be the main one to show up." She frowned deeply as stray tears fell.
"Do not blame yourself over this, okay?" She brushed the tears away from under my eyes.
I frowned looking at her.

A figure behind her came into view as I frowned.
Bryce stood there in his tux.
"You girls ready?" He asked.
Sucking in some air, I nodded as Emberly walked out.
I went to walk past the other, but Bryce brought me into a deep embrace.
"Don't fight me, when I tell you I'm sorry Lexi, because I am. We are all sorry about your dad." He said.
More tears burned my eyes but I pushed back from him.

"Can we just go? Its already hard enough this is just the viewing, and not the funeral itself." I told him now.
He frowned but nodded.
"Yeah, Sage and Monty are in the jeep waiting for us." He said.
I frowned softly.
Bryce locked his arm with mine as we walked out of the house, locking it then headed to the church.
----
"Lexi, I am so sorry." Chloe cried hugging me as I tried to breathe from her perfume.
I managed to hug the other back as she looked at me, her face polished in make up.
"Thanks, Chloe." I looked at her.
She gave a satisfied smile that her job was done after comforting a friend, then walked off to join Jordan and the others at a table from us.

I crossed my arms as I begin to feel out of place, at my own dads viewing.
Everyone was in groups just talking, or pairs were split at the buffet table.

I frowned softly walking over to the buffet table, looking at the options.
But none of it looked good to me.
I think my appetite had shrunk after last week.
I want to say my reason was pretty valid.
But others could disagree.

"I hate that this is just the viewing." I whispered next to Sage who looked to me.
"Why do you hate it? People who cared showed up tonight." She pointed out.
"That's my point, Sage. None of these people truly cared for my dad, yeah he was the sheriff but everyone is here for either my moms or siblings sake. They're not here for the one in the casket." I told her.

She frowned softly.
"So at the funeral this evening-"
"More fake people are going to show, and tell us how sorry they are. When not a single one ever cared to reach out to my dad while he was alive." I scowled softly.
"It makes me sick." I hissed.

"Alexis, dear." I turned to my mom who walked up to us with a man at her side.
He was neatly dressed with auburn hair brushed back and soft blue eyes, he managed a kind smile.
"This is Solomon Shaw." She introduced him to me as he offered his hand out.
"Your mother has been talking about you and your siblings nonstop, I figured the least I could do was come and meet you." He said.
I studied his hand for a moment, before taking it.
To immediately withdraw as I looked at him frowning.
"Your hand is freezing, are you cold?" I asked him.

Solomon studied me as my mom looked to him.
He smiled.
"I tend to keep my car cold."
"But its fall." I pointed out.
"Even so." He shrugged.

"Ah, Solomon. Lets leave the girls alone, I'd like to introduce you to my two youngest." She said pulling him away.

Sage looked to me as I glared now.
"Is she serious right now?" I demanded.
"She was just being frie-"
"No, Sage. She wasn't, she was showing that guy off like a won prize. Like, because my dads dead she can start window shopping for the next available man." I spat storming off.

I walked outside as the cool air hit me.
I ran a hand through my fixed hair but didn't even care at this point.
I was stressed.
This whole situation was stressing me out.

"Want one?" I looked up to an unfamiliar voice.
I looked up to a teenage boy, who stood there in a pair of torn black jeans and a dark red shirt.
His brown hair messy and his blue eyes reminding me of ice.
He held out a box of cigarettes.

"O-Oh, no thanks." I declined him as he shrugged popping one in his mouth.
"I couldn't help but notice how you exited that church, that's kind of how I felt my first time inside of one." He commented now.
I looked to him.
"Who-"
"Oh right, I'm very rude. Sorry, my name is Drake Sharp." He managed a smile now.
I forced my own smile.
"Lexi Grimes." I told him.
Drake smiled.
"A cute name for a cute girl." He said.

I made a face.
"Being flirted with on the day of my dads funeral, isn't something I knew could happen." I stated.
Drake's eyes grew wide.
"Your dads--hot damn, wow I really am rude." He rubbed the side of his neck, clearly embarrassed.
"I don't know how much lower I can get, seriously. I am the worst type of person right now." He laughed.

I smiled softly.
"Its not like you knew I was at a funeral anyway.. seriously Drake was it? Its fine." I told him.
Drake pursed his lips for a moment.
I shivered for a moment as the cold air blew then looked at him.
"Are you hungry? There's a buffet table inside, I mean its free food." I said now.
Drake arched a brow before removing his own jacket, then put it over my shoulders.
"If that's your excuse to get us inside, because you're cold. Then I'd love some free food." He told me.

I smiled with a nod as I walked back inside with the other.

Drake looked around.
"Its pretty crowded for a viewing, was your dad important here?" He asked as we made our way over to a buffet table.
I crossed my arms, walking at his side.
"Yeah, he was the sheriff here. He helped a lot of people, arrested even more. But at the end of the day, he was a real hero." I explained.
He nodded with a frown.
"If I may, without overstepping because I tend to do that." He smiled softly now.
"What happened to him?" He asked me.

I frowned softly taking a soft roll, and pulled it apart.
"You're going to want to leave once I tell you, because I'll sound like a crazy person." I said.
Drake smirked now.
"I like the challenge, try me." He said leaning against the buffet table, pulling apart his own roll.
I looked to him.
"A vampire killed him last week." I told him.

Drake's face fell as he looked towards the casket.
"I thought those old guys were nonexistent, just a folklore?" He questioned.
I shrugged.
"I did too until I started hanging around one, and now look what its gotten me. A dead father, who was only trying to look out for his family." I crossed my arms.

"Okay everyone, we're heading up the hill to the cemetery to begin the funeral." Came my moms voice.
"She makes it sound like a fucking field trip." I spat.
Drake glanced to me.
"I take it, that's your mother?" He asked.
I glared softly.
"At the moment? That's not my mother, shes showing off single guys in hopes to get lucky. I'm pretty sure she'd hold an auction just to buy a one night stand, if she could." I hissed.

Drake made a face.
"Sounds less like a parent and more like a teenager who's had her heart broken, a few too many times." He said.
I looked to him.
"Sums her up pretty well right about now." I told him as everyone began to clear the room.

We walked outside as I looked to Drake.
"Listen, I know we just met as two strangers on the street. But you don't have to come to the funeral as well, I'd honestly feel worse if you made yourself tag along." I said now.
Drake smiled softly.
"I'm not making myself follow you around, I'm choosing too. Honestly, this gives me deja vue. You see, my entire family was recently killed not too long ago by the same creatures you mentioned earlier." He said.

I frowned.
"Wow.. Drake, I'm sorry to hear that." I said.
He stopped walking as he laughed.
I looked at him confused as he grinned.
"Today's your dads funeral, and you're apologizing for my loss that happened a bit ago?" He smiled.
I blushed as I looked away.
"Excuse my soft heart." I said bitterly now.

"Whoa no," he ran up to me as I stormed away.
"I wasn't meaning it like that, I just found it a bit amusing is all." He defended.
I frowned softly before I looked towards the trees, to see not only Carter but Jace and Amy all staring down.

Drake looked up as well with an arched brow.
"Friends of yours?" He questioned.
I frowned softly.
"Yeah, um excuse me for a moment." I said leaving the others side as I walked up the hill to the trees.

"You're sticking out like sore thumbs  by standing outside the woods like this, you can come join us down there." I told them.
Jace made a face.
"Do you want to be the one to tell her, or should I?" He questioned Carter.
Carter looked at me with a frown.
"What is it?" I asked confused.

"That guy you're with," he crossed his arms.
"Are you aware hes a vampire?" He asked me.
My eyes grew wide as I looked over my shoulder, looking to Drake who stood around awkwardly, until I watched Sage and the others approach him.

"He's a-"
"Yup." Amy frowned.
"I can smell him from here, he smells like you Jace." She hissed.
Jace glared.
"Excuse you? I smell like a fucking delight, this kid smells like.." his face scrunched up.
"I don't know what it is, but I smell like a damn treat so how dare you compare me to that." He hissed now.

I rolled my eyes.
"Should of known more of your relatives would be roaming aro-"
"He's not related to us." Amy told me with a frown.
I looked to her confused.
"Hes not?" I asked.
Carter frowned.
"Hes an outsider, if he was related to us we both would of felt that connection that he was family. This is just some guy who walked into this town, and is easily fit in." He said.

I frowned deeply.
"Okay so I just invited some random stranger to my dads funeral, great. That's just great." I said irritated.
Jace smirked.
"Someone has a temper." He pointed out.
I flashed him a glare.

"You really can not say a damn thing Jace, because of you and your cousins fight. My dad got himself killed." I hissed.
Jace blinked as he stepped up.
"Sorry? Are you trying to mistaken me as someone who cares? Your dad showed up at the wrong place at the wrong time, I had no idea Joshua was going to kill your fucking dad. So if you want to blame someone, other than yourself for involving your pathetic human life with us. Then by all means, fucking blame me." He growled as the veins appeared.

I stood there as Carter took me by the shoulders.
"Come on, lets go be with your family. You two need a breather, especially Jace." He pointed out walking me down at the hill, with Amy at our side.

"He didn't mean any of that just now, Lexi. I hope you know that." Amy said with her arms crossed.
I looked to her as she frowned.
Carter nodded.
"The day your dad was killed, he ran and destroyed everything in his room then took down a few trees with his fists. He's trying hard to redeem himself for others, but after that? He felt like he lost his redemption, he blames himself for your dad getting killed and hes pissed that you're blaming yourself." He told me.

I looked towards the woods to find Jace nowhere in sight.
I frowned softly.

"There are you," Bryce frowned as I joined the others with Amy and Carter.
"Sorry." I frowned.
"I was talking to them and forgot where I was for a moment." I said.
Bryce frowned but nodded.
"Well the funerals starting, so lets go find a seat." He told me.
Nodding, I left Carter's side who sat at the back with Amy while I sat up front with my family.

The entire time the preacher was talking.
All I could hear was people crying or whispering quietly through out the whole thing.
I wanted to scream at everyone to have respect for the dead.
But I couldn't make myself cause a scene.
Not at my dads funeral.
I had to bite my tongue and sit through this, tuning everyone out.
----
"Tonight's on you kids, I'm not cooking." My mom said heading to the car.
I frowned.
"Didn't want you to cook anyway." I found myself saying bitterly.
My mom whipped around, scowling.
"Lose your attitude, Alexis." She hissed now.

I glared at her.
"Lose my attitude? How about you keep your hormones on the down low!" I yelled earning family and friends to stop and turn our way.
My mom stood there, her face molting red with embarrassment.
"Lower your voice." She hissed.
I frowned at her.
"Why? Its not like dads here to see what a slut you're trying to become, what? Hes dead so you're suddenly trying to find our new dad? Fuck you." I spat.

I walked away from the other to only have that man from earlier grab my wrist.
"Don't you dare talk to your mother like that, this is a time for mourning." He scolded.
In seconds Carter and Bryce were both in front of me, glaring at him.
"How about you back up there, friend?" Bryce hissed.
"Laying your hands on a young girl, is very non gentlemen like." Carter added.

Solomon fumed standing there.
He looked to me.
"Show your mother respect, her husband just died." He told me.
I frowned at him.
"How about you stop trying so hard to impress her?" I turned away as I headed back up the hill.

"Alexis, where are you going?" My mom demanded.
I turned to her.
"Don't call me that, only dad was allowed to call me by that name. Its Lexi or Lex to you, mom. Keep Alexis out of your mouth, you guys want to lecture me about having respect because you lost dad? I fucking lost him too! Its not just about you!" I screamed at her running off into the woods.
----
It got dark quick and honestly I had no idea where I even was.
The voices that called after me, died down eventually like they gave up, trying to find me.
It was a good thing, I wasn't afraid of the dark.
Or else I would of just screwed myself.

I frowned deeply as this old abandoned church came into view, it looked like it was falling apart.
I wonder if this was that old church that burned down, however long ago it was..
I'd have to ask Mr.Phillips in class about it.

Walking up the broken stairs, I walked into the old church.
Everything was ash, there was some benches that were still intact.

"There you are."
I turned to find Carter there, looking relieved he found me.
I frowned softly.
"This whole day was a disaster, my mom hates me." I said.
Carter shook his head.
"She doesn't hate you, Lexi. She knows you're hurting, shes also hurting but we all mourn differently." He walked up to me, looking around as he frowned.

The tears fell as he brought me into a gentle embrace.
"If I could find a way to turn back time, to stop Joshua from killing your dad. I would in a heartbeat." He told me.
Sniffling against him, I only clung tighter.
"I wish we didn't have feelings like this." I said quietly.

Carter frowned softly.
"That's one of the many perks of being a vampire, we're able to turn our emotions off like a light switch." He told me.
I looked up at him.
"Turn me so I can." I told him.
He smiled sadly.
"This isn't you talking, Lexi. You're hurting, and there's nothing worse than turning into one of us and turning your switch off." He explained caressing my cheek.

My brows furrowed.
"If you won't turn me, at least kiss me so I can try to feel better." I told him now.
His eyes studied me for a moment, he smiled softly.
"So pitiful." He said pressing his lips to mine.

"I see you found her." We both turned to find Amy there, and even though I was hurting. I was relieved to see Jace there with Monty.

Monty raced up to me, wrapping his arms around me now.
"You scared everyone by running off like that, Lex." He said breathing me in as I hugged him back.
"I'm sorry, I just got caught up in my emotions and couldn't be there." I told him.
Monty looked at me.
"But you're okay right? Not hurt anywhere?" He asked.
I shook my head looking at him.
"I'm fine." I told him with promise.

He nodded looking back to Jace and Amy.
I crossed my arms looking to Jace who rolled his eyes.

"You didn't lose your redemption." I said now.
He looked at me confused before he glared at Amy.
"You told her?" He growled.
"No, I did." Carter crossed his arms.
Jace glared at him.
"I wasn't ready for that to be found out yet, you bastard." He hissed.

Monty walked over to the other, smirking softly.
"It'll stay between the four of us, no one else needs to know you can be a softy." He teased.
Jace smirked bitterly at him.
"I was fine with it just being you, now princess has to be apart of this big secret of mine." He sulked.
Monty grinned.

I smiled softly then looked back to Carter.
"I think I'm ready to go home now." I told him.
He nodded as Monty looked to me.
"I'm crashing over." He said.
I smirked with a nod.
----
When my house came into view, I felt nervous about seeing my mom.
"Its going to be okay." Carter reassured me.
I nodded getting out of the car as I walked inside.
Monty wanted to wait outside to make sure it'd be okay for him to come inside.

I took my coat off as I froze at the sound of running.
My mom appeared at the end of the hall.
Tears stained to her cheeks as she looked at me.
My stomach sank.
"Mom, I-"

"Oh thank god." She ran up to me, bringing me into a tight embrace.
I couldn't breathe as she cried into my shoulder.
"Baby I'm so sorry about today, that wasn't me. You know that wasn't me." She cried holding my face as the tears fell down her cheeks.
"I loved your dad and no man will ever replace him, okay? I'm sorry for acting like I didn't care. But please, don't ever run off like that. I can't lose you too." She cried.

My heart broke right there.
People in fact, did mourn different.
And she took full responsibility right there about it.

The tears fell so freely as I hugged her back.
"I'm sorry too." I cried now.
She shook her head, kissing my forehead as her hands began to shake.
"No baby, you had every right to be upset with me. Don't apologize, okay?" She looked at me to make sure I understood.

Trying not to cry.
I nodded.
"I won't apologize." I told her.

She smiled softly.
"That's my girl." She kissed my cheek heading into the kitchen.
"Are your friends coming inside, or are they going to sit in that car all night?" She called from the kitchen.
I could hear the sound of sizzling meat from on the stove.
I thought she said she wasn't going to cook?
Ignoring it I headed outside.

"My moms asking if you guys are going to come inside." I said at the driver side window.
Carter looked at me.
"Are you sure its okay?" He asked.
I nodded.
He looked to Jace and Amy.
"What do you guys-"
"If it means not going home, then I will." Jace said getting out with Monty.

Amy smiled softly.
"I guess we'll crash here tonight." She said now.
I nodded as I headed to the door, Carter walked in just fine with Monty.

I looked at them.
"Would you two like to come inside?" I asked.
Jace rolled his eyes.
"I really hate your invitation voice." He said walking inside.
Amy walked in next with a grin.
"He really doesn't." She smirked.

"Amy, I swear to God shut up." Jace groaned.

Carter pulled me aside, pressing his lips to mine.
"Do you feel better?" He asked.
Kissing him back, I smiled softly.

"I do."