Just Smile, Stupid

Chapter 12

I'm falling more in love with you,

Letting go of all I've held onto,

I'm standing here, until you make me move

I'm hanging by a moment,

Here with you.

Chapter 12

“Shit!”

That was the first word I uttered when I woke up the next morning and saw my clock on the nightstand. It was ten-thirty and I was supposed to be at the funeral at nine-thirty. I couldn’t believe I overslept. Brilliant. Just freaking brilliant.

Cursing some more, I hurriedly dressed myself in dark jeans and a black full-sleeved shirt. I vaguely wondered if what I was wearing was the correct attire, but I had no time to change into anything else. Glancing at the mirror to make sure I was looking at least a bit decent, I dashed out of my room and out of the apartment to hail a cab.

When the cab pulled up beside Elizabeth’s house twenty minutes later, I almost thought I was at the wrong place. If it weren’t for the many cars parked on the street and the people dressed in black filing inside the house, I would’ve asked the driver if he got the address right.

The house was huge. I knew Elizabeth was well-off since she was Sarah’s friend and lived in the posh side of town, but I didn’t think that she’d be the owner of a freaking mansion. I groaned, wishing I didn’t have to go in there. Rich people always irked me. If it wasn’t for Elizabeth, I wouldn’t have stepped foot in this neighbourhood for anything. Man, I never would’ve guessed that she came from a background like this. She was so simple, so pure...and rich people were so...bleh.

Sighing, I dragged my feet down the grassy front lawn towards the front door of the house. I followed some people into the living room, scanning everywhere for one face. When I was just about to head into another room, I saw her.

She was standing in a corner with her arms crossed across her chest. Her eyes were fixed onto the floor and she simply nodded to whoever offered their condolences. My heart ached when I noticed that her cheeks were tearstained. I walked over to her side but she didn’t notice my presence.

“Want to get some air?” I asked, touching her shoulder softly.

She looked up at me with startled eyes. “You came,” she said.

“Of course I did. I told you I would.”

We headed outside to the backyard which had a swimming pool and several reclining chairs around it. Elizabeth sat on one of them and I took a seat beside her. We kept silent for a few minutes, with her watching the water sparkling in the sunlight and me, watching her from the corner of my eyes.

I broke the silence. “I’m sorry I couldn’t attend the burial service.”

She waved it off. “It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for that,” she said.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I’m okay.”

I could tell she wasn’t okay. Her voice sounded too heavy and almost broke at ‘okay’. I reached for her hands clasped in her lap and enclosed one in mine.

“No, you’re not,” I said softly.

Her lips quivered. “I – I choked, Aiden. I c–couldn’t think of anything to say at the service. I didn’t know her at all.” She slipped her hand away from mine and covered her face.