I'm not a popular girl | ✔️

Thirteen - Meeting his brother

Zoë

Carden squeezed Zoë's hand as they trekked through the town cemetery. The hallowed ground was silent except for the soft chirping of blue jays, the wind rustling through the trees, and the crunching of leaves beneath their feet. Mrs. Ash had insisted Zoë come with them to meet Jared, or in better words, where he rested.

Plus Carden looked like he could use some emotional support. He looked like he could break at any moment and she wanted to be there to help him through it all.

Mr. Ash had linked arms with his wife and they walked ahead of the teens, talking in hushed tones and flowers in both of their hands. Carden was holding a bouquet of white roses while Zoë held a red rose Mrs. Ash had given her. She felt like part of their family, behind allowed to be there during a special family moment.

"Hey, are you alright?" Zoë whispered as she attempted to keep her hair out of Carden's face due to the wind.

He nodded solemly. "Not really but I am a little bit. I'll be okay." He stared off into the trees. "Jared used to tell me to keep my focus on the future, not the past but with my brother in the past it seems..."

Zoë looked down at her feet. "Hard?"

"Yeah. Zo, Jared was my everything. He was my big brother, my role model, my built in best friend, everything. About now he'd be on the practice team for the Raiders, his favorite team, and he would be playing in the NFL. Except now he's gone and I lost everything."

Zoë brought her hand up to his forearm and gently squeezed it. "You didn't lose everything, Car. You have Cam, your football team, your whole life ahead of you. One thing that I've learned, no matter what happened in the past, is that you can, will live your life until it's over. Jared may have been your everything, but you at least have something."

Carden went quiet. After a moment he quietly whispered, so quiet the words were almost lost in the wind, "Do I have you?"

She smiled softly. "Of course you have me. You always will...that is until you decide you don't need me anymore."

"I'll always need you, Zo."

"Are you sure about that? I thought you were going to stage a break-up sooner or later."

"Shhh!" He put a hand over her mouth and glanced over at his parents. Luckily, they were talking so they didn't hear Zoë's words. "Keep it down, will ya? But I can if you, it's just that..."

"Just what? You can tell me anything, Carden."

He shrugged and averted his eyes. "I just have a feeling you're here for the long haul."

Zoë didn't know how to respond to that but luckily she didn't have too because Mr. and Mrs. Ash had slowed to a stop in front of a black headstone.

Carden and Zoë stood beside them, placing their flowers on the stone. Zoë saw Carden stumble a little so, as a friend, she wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head on his chest where she could hear his heartbeat.

A heartbeat the started beating faster than normal for such a solemn situation.

He tensed a little but straightened immediately, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and burying his face in her hair. Mr. Ash rested a hand on his son's shoulder and one around his wife's waist, who was taking deep breaths to keep from crying.

They stood in silence, staring at the headstone.

Jared Xander Ash
1999 - 2019
Son to two, brother to one, friend to all