The Brightest Stars

Annabelle

Life is like the dust. It's only meant to give life for a little while and then you become nothing as you float away.

I feel numb as I stand outside. I keep seeing him in the wind, and the whisper gush of it is like listening to his low and quiet voice. I shiver every time it comes to me.

It feels as if I'm still hearing Aaron's voice telling me he's dead. It's impossible he's dead. It was just a week ago that I held his warm hand. It was just a few weeks ago that I told him I loved him. It was just a few weeks ago when he whispered to me the tender words of true love.

How could it be? Why is it so cold when we're so soon to step into Spring?

That doesn't matter now. I only see a box in front of me as we stand in front of his coffin. There's not a crowd here at his funeral. Just my  family, friends' families, Mr. Suarez, and Max's family from Spain.

Kristen has her hand in mine. I numbly look at it as she gives me a sad smile. She's been crying. I haven't. I don't have anymore tears in me to take out.

All I feel is anger. My heart's stone. Thanks a lot God....

We quietly watch as a young man steps towards the other side of Max's coffin. He's handsome like Max as he stands tall and confident. Almost business-like posture as he gives us a warm smile and starts talking about Max. I can barely hear him....

Once he's done, he looks over at a girl about a year or two older than us. She wears very expensive clothing for a funeral. Almost with a 70's design to it. And it's very black....

She throws her cigarrette on the grass and steps on it with her black high heels. They must be Max's rich family that he rarely talked about. Even in her walk, she carries an authoritive posture.

With a blank face, she puts a white rose on his coffin and steps back to stand next to the young man.

I take a painful breath.

My eyes stay glued on the coffin and that disgusting white rose. She's so stupid. He hated white roses. His favorite roses were the red ones. He would always give me the red ones....

Then a woman steps up to the coffin. My brows furrow at this woman. Max never mentioned a mother. At least not a woman like this one....

She wears an old outfit like the girl in white hair. Her stance is simple and humble despite of her stern features. Almost like Max. Her brown and mysterious eyes carry years of pain and tears. I see him in her.

This image in her takes my breath away and Kristen looks at me. She's been looking after me. Her care breaks my heart. I don't deserve my friends' care. None of them....

Ainoha is on my other side. She stands tall and firm. Professional as always. But her blue eyes carry everyone's sadness. I've heard her cry during this week. I even saw her one day crying quietly in her room. Helpless. Broken. She saw me stand there at the door. She wiped her tears away and we silently stared at each other. Not knowing what to say.

Then I walked away....

Now, I watch as the funeral people do their last finishing touches on Max's coffin and my hands tremble. This time, I squeeze back Kristen's hand and she holds on tighter. We all watch as they lower his coffin down the Earth. Deep down to the ground he once shook for me.

We slowly watch him disappear....

Everyone is silent, but our hearts wail for him. Our tears are quiet as they go down our cold cheeks. Even his family silently wipe their tears away as they announce the end of the funeral.