A Dying Girl's List

Chapter 12

(18 months left) (February)

Today was the day.

Lissa was notified a week before and now the day had arrived.

Today was the day, that Lissa laid her best friend to rest.

Steph's funeral.

Lissa managed to find a graceful black dress to wear, and Jace was dressed in a black and white suit.

Lissa couldn't contain her tears today, especially at the cemetery, when they descended Steph's coffin six feet below the ground.

There were a lot of people at the funeral — some family, some acquaintances, some strangers. Stephanie sure made herself known, and it has shown. It was a short ceremony at the chapel, but it was memorable. Steph's parents said a speech about their daughter. Most of it was inaudible due to the sobs and the sniffles – mostly from Mrs. Howards. Lissa said a couple of things as well, along the lines of,

“She was a total ball of energy. A red-head firecracker. She was always up for a challenge, and extremely frustrating sometimes, but that was what I loved about her,” sniffle, “Every school day seemed less antagonizing because I knew she'd be there to 'turn that frown upside down'--” chuckle, “--her favorite saying. I'm going to miss her, so frieken much, but, I know she's okay wherever she is, and free from all the pain she's felt,” and then one or two teachers spoke about her and how she was really trying to improve her grades, and how she would've gotten far in life.

Everyone threw marigold flowers on the coffin, and the people from the funeral home covered the coffin with sand. Just like that, it was over. It had started to rain, so everyone rushed to the cars to shield themselves from the rain, but Lissa stood at the grave, drenched from the rain, as another high-school-moment memory from Steph surfaced, a conversation they had while strolling on the sports field during lunch,

“You know, Lissa, when I die, because let's be real, everyone has to die at some point, right?” Lissa nodded, “So when I die, and I go to heaven or whatever, I want it to rain on my funeral,”

Lissa cocked an eye at her, “Why rain?”

“Because, who knows? I might be watching and that will be me crying all over everyone, standing at my grave. Now that I think about it, people hate getting wet, so they would probably just run away,” she said as she laughed,

“Not me, though,” started Lissa, “if that day comes, you best believe I'll remember this conversation, and I'll stand in the rain getting drenched in your tears,”

Stephanie aww'd and gave Lissa a tight hug, whispering in her ear, “You'd do that for me?”

“Of course, I would,” Lissa replied, “If I know it's you, there's no doubt about it,”

“I love you,” Steph said, breaking the hug.

The memory faded away and Lissa was back to reality, she could no longer feel the raindrops falling against her shoulders. She looked up, and saw a black umbrella overhead, then looked to the side and saw Jace, his hair sticking to his forehead as the rain dripped from the tips and rolled down his nose and cheeks, and she gave him a small smile,

“I love you too, Steph,” Lissa told her grave, as she walked away.

•

There Lissa was. Soaking wet and sitting on her bed, with her head against the headboard. Her eyes were closed as she took slow breaths, and tried to process the incident that occurred the month before. Emphasis on tried.