Two Lovers One Kiss

CHAPTER 15 - DRESSED IN BLACK

From then on she knew that her curse was similar but with just a slight different if she kissed anyone anywhere that she loved whether romantically or family-wise or friendship wise, they would die. Her eyes widened with emotions locked inside. Fear, sadness, astonishment, anger, guilt and emptiness. Her knees wobbled, her legs shivered in the cold. She kneed. Fingers and legs shivering, body trembling, heart running and just like a pipe ready to explode with water, her eyes were the tap and the water came bursting out with full force. She cried profusely. Her body shuddered with every sniff through the nose, she clenched her chest, for she felt as though her heart was in literal pain. Her little brother had died. The wind ruffled by flipped the tarp up, and there it was again. Her brother, pale and dead on the floor. Karry saw Liam running to the scene. He wasted no time finding Genevieve. Liam sat on the frigid ground beside and comforted her tightly, her arms wrapped around his waist and his arms around hers. She cried aloud, feeling heavier than usual. Karry wanted to comfort her best friend too, but she knew who she wanted the most at the moment. She wanted the person she fell in love with at her side. She didn't feel offended, for she understood. When you're depressed, you desire to be held by the one you love. However, she needed to be there whether she wanted her or not. Karry sat next to her and she let go of Liam to squeeze her arms around Karry. Now, Genevieve sat there with her arms now hugging herself and the two hugging her from the sides. Stephon heard from Liam's mom that he had gone to Genevieve's. He walked casually to the house, then sped off with a sprint as he saw the flashing lights indicating the police. His eyes ran across the floor to see Karry and Liam embracing Genevieve, and though he did not know the entire story, he went to her and sat in between her lap, laid his head on her thigh and stared at the broken, crying, Genevieve. She rested her cold hands on his warm face and he closed his eyes as a tear fell on his face. The two still hugged her from the sides. Genevieve felt that this pain was worse than when she lost Liam for 3 months. The dark blanket invisibly rested on the sky, Genevieve looked towards the stars, hoping it contained the message, in the dark, there is light, you just need to find it. Liam offered to stay with Genevieve for the night but figured that was a bad idea since it was one in the eyes of many, so Karry offered to stay instead.

Her eyes dusty from the tears and knees bruised from the fall onto the ground, Genevieve was held tight by Karry in her bedroom as she cried once more. To the point of slumber.

The sun was ready to show itself to the world once more. It rose in a mist of clouds, creating a hoax of rain. In such an ice-cold atmosphere many shivered, some even bundled up with clothing, at least until the sun was fully up, cascading its light down the streets of the country. There was a silence unheard of in the neighbourhood, no dogs barking, no chirping of birds or buzzing of insects, not even the wind that whispered could be heard all that well. In the Sterlyne household, Genevieve and her mom prepared for the funeral that was today, Karry went home to prepare herself. Liam and Stephon did the same and so did all who knew Alex or the Sterlyne Family. Alex's body was buried below. To join the earth and its ecosystem. In the immaculate graveyard set on by a little hump in the middle, rested Alex. A willow tree was set in the middle overshadowing his gravestone engraved,

'Alex Sterlyne 2018-2024. We love and adore you always. Adorable troublemaker'.

Genevieve held in her tears. Gathering all the strength she could muster to not cry. She felt it was her fault. She felt she was the reason her brother died. She thought,

*If I hadn't kissed him on the forehead, if I were more cautious, if I wasn't so reckless! He'd still be here and someone else's grave would have been set in the ground, not his...not his...NOT HIS!*
Liam walked over to her, opened his arms and instantly was wrapped by the two arms of Genevieve.

"Genevieve, you can take off your 'I'm ok' hat off now. Go ahead, fall apart, it's just me. I'm not going anywhere. It's ok to cry"

Liam said in her hears softly and kindly and with that, she broke down into a puddle of tears and depression. They both dropped to the ground and she cried, Liam was crying too, however very silently. Tears just rolled down his face as he sniffed a couple of times. All watch as the elder sister of young Alex, cried into Liam's strong chest.

"K...Ka...Karry......Ste....Stephon....I....I..need them....here...with me".

she said sniffling, tears in her mouth, rolling down her neck and mucus leaked down her nose by half an inch. Karry and Stephon heard her cry and went to her. All three of them went in the same position as last night. Stephon laid on her thigh as she played with him hair, while Karry and Liam hugged her from the sides. At this point, they felt like true best friends together, they felt an unbreakable and strong connection. Everyone stood there with sad faces, head bowed praying.

"M....M...Mom...".

Ms Sterlyne heard her cry and sat at the back of her, hugging her from behind. Genevieve needed all the emotional support she could get.

When the funeral was over, Karry wanted to stay with her best friend, to hold her as much as she wanted, however, she knew for a fact that when depressed, though having your best friend is therapeutic and comforting, being with the person you love is just as good or even better. Not because they are better than your best friend's comfort all the time, but because you're in love. So she killed two birds with one stone, by giving Genevieve her love to be with and the comfort she needed to heal from such a deep and agonizing wound.

It had been 3 weeks since the funeral. Liam and Genevieve did so much together. Love suffused in every inch of their body, wanting each other physically and emotionally. They would walk with their hands glued to the other, play with waves on the beach not far from the university and cuddled whenever they could, whether at their houses, in a movie, in a jetta or even in college. It was all so beautifully magical and marvellous for both of them. Even though they were both cursed, even though sadness lived on in their hearts from Alex's death, Genevieve still managed to smile and a genuine one at that too. Liam and Genevieve had to remember to thank Karry. It was for sure. Karry felt emotional pain. Not because Genevieve wanted to be with him, but because her best friend was hurting with excruciating pain, and she chose to be distant just for a while. Although it hurt to watch her best friend be sad and do nothing, it was worth it in the end. To see Genevieve happy, Karry smiled brighter than the hyenas of Lion King. She was so happy to see her little fragile-strong bestie smile and laugh again.