Blank Space

Chapter 1

Black. It was never really my color. I look better in orange according to my mother but I suppose that wouldn't be appropriate for a funeral. Even a funeral for my best friend. It just simply would have been looked on as disrespectful, not that he would have cared. He would have loved it.

"Francesca stop moving. People are starting to notice your restlessness." My mother said quietly. They are starting to notice how restless I am at a funeral? A funeral that he wouldn't have wanted to sit through either?? I know she means well but image is a big deal for her. She can't help it, it's how she was brought up. Her mother believed in accessorizing and putting on makeup even if you were gonna be at home all day. Luckily for me, my mother is only somewhat crazy about these things. Rule #1 Don't leave home with out the following: Makeup on, purse in hand, at least one accessory including but not limited to scarfs, necklace, earrings.

My mother is also big about what the town is saying about our family. My dad is always traveling and she stays behind to keep up with my brother and me. Half the town thinks my dad travels to see his "other" family in some European country but those story only come from the town gossips who only want this to be true since no scandals ever happen here. Actually nothing ever happens here, well until Thomas got sick. Nothing like a 17 year old boy finding out he has incurable stage 4 cancer to really get a town talking.

"Thomas was a wonderful boy." Pastor Richard began. His voice was steady and comforting. Thomas' family was sitting in the front row on the other side of his coffin. His mother was quickly wiping her tears away, his father was sitting with a stern expression and his older sister was allowing her tears to fall without any shame of mourning her little brother. I had always loved Vanessa, looked up to her even, so see her mourn for her brother so openly gave me a sense of peace.

"He was so full of life, even in his final days." Pastor Richard continued. Seriously dude, did you see him on his last day? He looked like death and he was barely responsive, he was far from "full of life" normal healthy Thomas. And now I'm not even listening to the pastor talk about how talented Thomas was in sports and school. I'm ignoring the part about how much love Thomas had for the world and instead I'm playing with the bottom of my dress. I'm ignoring everything the pastor is now saying not because I don't believe in God but because I don't believe the things he is saying are relevant to Thomas and the short life he lived. It's something his mother surely wrote. Nothing personal about Thomas, nothing that actually matters.

Veronica is sitting next to his mother, holding her hand and trying to keep it together because that is was Sarah is attempting to do. Sarah, Thomas and Vanessa's loving and gentle mother, who had been President of PTO since Nessa was in kindergarten and always had a smile on her face has change since her son became sick. Her smile wasn't as big, her eyes weren't as bright and all together she became somewhat cold. With her son gone she seems to have completely lost that sparkle that had once made her the most loved woman in town. It's truly sad.

Pastor Richard is still babbling on and now I'm starting to regret wearing heels. I hadn't realized I was no longer looking up until I felt a pair of eyes staring at me. Please don't be Ronnie, or Sarah or Vanessa because eye contact with any of them could result in instant tears. Reluctantly I look up from the ground to see a pair of emerald green eyes staring at me from behind Thomas' family. Kyle Henderson...