Friendship, Love And Hate

Chapter 23 <As best as it gets>

I entered Riley's room and still there was smell of Riley's flowery perfume. It almost felt like she was still here.

Aaron went over to Riley's shelf and picked up an old rusty keychain and held it up "is that what you are taking?" I asked him. It was old and broken.

"It was... kind of our friendship thing. Inside joke that I can never gift her nice things, only rusty old crap that I do not need." He laughed "on her birthdays I always gave her as a present really useless rusty crap. And on my birthdays she re gifted it to me."

It was sweet, a simple act of care...

I remembered Riley's drawing box and got it out from her closet. Riley was an artist and there is nothing that can stop that. Not even death. I didn't want to take all of the drawing because her parents have the right to keep them but I only want to take one. I looked through it and it was picture of girl standing in front of an empty grave facing it. But in the back she has people laughing, flowers blooming and everything nice. While in the grave there is some old bones broken wooden pieces. When Riley drew it I didn't understand it, but now it was clear as day.

I took that one drawing and folded it in half putting it in my pocket.

Aaron walked to the window "this is probably the last time we are here" he pointed out.

"Yea" I said in sigh.

"Do you know when's the funeral?" I asked Aaron.

"It's on Thursday. Want to go together?" He turned to me and I nodded. There wasn't any other person I would rather be with there.

We walked downstairs and said our goodbyes. Of course Riley's parents said to come visit, but I think we all know that that won't be happening. Just because we aren't close. I was close with Riley but not them. 

The next day Aaron had picked me up to school and we went over to the maple tree bench. There was also other guys.

I sat down and noticed that everyone was looking ... ill, or tired, or both.

"Hey guys" max said as light as possible.

"Hi" I say

"How you two holding up? You were the closest to Riley" Jack asks looking at both of us.

I didn't want to answer and thankfully Aaron did "were doing as best as it can get. Just waiting for sorrows to die down" Aaron said.

"Well well. I didn't know we had a poet here" Max said in a bad English accent trying to lighten up the mood. And it worked.

Few laughs escaped even I smiled at that.

Harry shook head "but in all seriousness Riley was amazing and truly magnificent human being. I just wish she would have had more time. Hell! If I'm being selfish. I wish she would have had more time with us. I will miss her. She would have done something great when she'd grow older."

"Cheers!" Max half shouted holding imaginary cup.

Max was good at making these kind of moments less awkward. He just had a way with words. And with his facial gestures that made him comedic in every situation.

Jack stood up to Max imaginary toast. "Riley isn't gone. She will live forever and why won't we too? Let's make the best out of worst and stop sulking about what we lost but start a blank page with what we have..." he looked at all of us "and that is the great memories that no one can take away. And let's live with that forever."

Truer words have never been spoken.

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