The Chosen [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14

"Aaron Beckett lost his life in a mining accident late yesterday" 

That sentence kept running through my mind. I sat there, sobbing into my hands.

The funeral was going to be in a few days and I was going to be able to go. I was excited to see my family, I just wish it was under different circumstances. I was going to need an officer with me, which meant I was going to have August at my side the whole time. 

August held me close to him, letting me cry. I was slightly embarrassed having August see me cry, but I was not going to stop any time soon. 

I could not process that one sentence. It seemed like this was all a dream and I was going to wake up and Aaron would be alive. I thought about how my mother and sister were. My mother must have been devastated when she heard the news. 

I was able to leave as soon as I was ready so I went to say goodbye to Farley. I found where her room was instead of going to the lounge. I did not want to be around large groups of people yet. 

When I told her the news she looked like she could have been crying. Once I was ready to go, I went down to the entrance and got into the limo that was waiting for me. I was expecting Easton to give me his condolences, but I never saw him. I was too sad to worry about him right now.

August and I sat next to each other for the ride home. He tried to keep me calm by talking about other things. 

"I'm excited to meet your family." 

"They can't know about us," I said. 

"I know. I get to meet them from a distance." He smiled. He was able to make me laugh a few times during the ride, but once we got to my house, I was hit with sadness again. 

I saw a large mob of people on my small lawn. When they saw that I had arrived they crowded around the car. August stepped out first to give me space to walk out. But once I stepped out the reporters crowded around me again.

"Megan, How are you feeling?"

"Megan, are you going to drop out of the Queestrial?" 

I kept my head facing the ground, and stayed quiet. I reached my door and August and I quickly went inside. My mother and sister were waiting for me. I ran over to them and hugged each of them. I could tell my mother had been crying. She gave me a distressed look. 

"I'm so sorry." 

"Mother, it is not your fault." I cried. I could not understand why she was feeling guilty. Breklyn stayed quiet by my mother's side. 

"How are you guys holding up?" I asked them.

"Alright, I guess." My mother asked. A bright flash from outside distracted grabbed our attention. 

"Those stupid reporters. Is there any way you could get rid of them?" Mother asked August. 

"I can try, but I can't guarantee anything." August left to go deal with the reporters.

Once I was alone with my family, we talked about the funeral plans. It was going to be tomorrow and each of us was going to say something. I had to think about what I was going to say. When August came back in, he commented on how greedy the reporters were. 

"I got them to leave, but the started asking me questions." He joked. 

On the day of the funeral, I dressed in a black dress my maids made for me. They also made dresses for my mother and sister, but my mother already had something. We reached the funeral home and saw more reporters. I was getting tired of being followed around. 

When we walked in, I saw his casket on the other side of the room. I felt tears starting to appear in my eyes. It was the first time I was going to see him like this. I broke away from my mother and went to go see Aaron's body. 

He was pale and lifeless. I started sobbing again just looking at him. I spoke quietly to him, thinking he was hearing me. I was waiting for his still body to wake up and gasp for air and his eyes to open. 

A tall man walked up behind me and introduced himself.

"My name is Paul, may I ask you a quick question?" I slowly nodded my head. I had no idea who he was, but I know one of Aaron's friends was named Paul.

"Due to your brother's loss, do you think you will stay at the Palace?" 

"Leave." I turned around to face him. The man never moved. 

"Now." 

"But miss-"

"Officer Wood. Escort this man out." August rushed over and grabbed the man. I felt a scream building up inside me. 

August came back inside and found me.

"What was wrong?"

"He was a reporter." 

"How did he get inside?" August asked himself. 

The funeral was hard to get through without crying. People talked about their memories with Aaron. Some people explained how it was hard for them, and had to be hard for my family. I got up to say a few words, but I could not stop crying. Thinking about what I had to say next made it worse. 

I shortened my speech and then went into the hall to be alone. I walked up and down the hallway trying to clam down. I heard footsteps coming closer to me. 

"Hey, are you alright?" August asked me. I nodded my head. It was too hard to say words. 

"It was a nice speech." He hugged me. I stood there in his arms, getting my tears in his uniform. 

We heard music and then people started to walk to the doors. August kissed my forehead before letting go of me. We walked back and found my family thanking people for coming. People would come up to me and say how sorry they were. A few people asked me what it was like at the palace. I wanted to be able to grieve Aarons's loss without having to think about the Queenstrial. 

The days flew by, and before I knew it I was leaving again. Saying goodbye this time felt so much different without Aaron. 

"Keep up what you are doing." My mother said. I promised her I would stay longer so she could continue to get paid by the palace. Breklyn wanted to hear about my dates with Prince Easton. I told her only half of the details, she didn't need to know everything. 

I hated leaving them again. I knew they were both happy for me. I got back into the limo and left my family once again.