The Tragic Truth

The days went by faster than I thought it would. Maybe it was because I wasn’t going to school. When I didn’t have to visit my classes, I could pretend that Collin was still here, I just wasn’t seeing him. Unfortunately, this was only because I didn’t have another way to deal with my stress.

My cell phone rang, snapping me out of another daydream. I flipped the phone open without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?” I mumbled. The voice on the other line completely sent me back to reality.

“Hello Skye, how are you?” It was Annie, Collin’s older sister. I momentarily stopped breathing.

“Hi. I’m…still alive,” I said truthfully. Nice choice of words. She sniffed on the other line.

“Well…I’m calling to tell you that Collin’s funeral is tomorrow. I thought you might want to come.” I bit my lip. Yes, I wanted to go. What I didn’t know is if I would be able to handle being there.

“I’ll come,” I stated. She sighed.

“All right. It’s at the St. Peter’s church at nine a.m.” I whispered an ‘okay’ into the phone and hung up. I hate death.

The next day I was all dressed up and ready to go at eight. Too bad I still had an hour. Zoe, Derek, and Kae had all opted to come as well. So while they were just starting to get ready, I bided my time by constantly surfing through the channels on the T.V.

We took my Jeep as always. The car was deadly silent all the way there. Just as silently, we got out of the car and walked towards the church. Kae moved closer to me and carefully grabbed my hand, entwining it in his. I looked up at him, really examining him for the first time in forever. His black hair seemed to have turned darker. Maybe it was the mood of the day. His face portrayed a perfect sadness. If only face could have looked that pretty that depressed.

The funeral went by painfully slow. Unlike in T.V. shows, more people were crying. When it comes to death, you don’t just sit there and feel sorry for the family. It pains you, too. I looked around to see that some people that knew Collin quite well weren’t even there. Death affects everyone in a different way…apparently some people can’t even attend their own friend’s funeral. The priest was old with white hair, commenting on how Collin had lived a good life. In my opinion, that wasn’t fair. This guy hadn’t even known Collin. Who was he to tell us how he lived?

After the priest, we got eulogies and more speeches on how great Collin was. Yes, he was amazing. But some of these people had no idea what they were talking about. I wished Collin were there so he could smack them upside the head and say, “That’s not how it was at all, silly! Now, let me tell you a funny story…” Collin and his humor. It never failed.

Kae’s hand never seemed to leave mine, and Zoe and Derek’s gazes were never too far from where I was standing. I was hurt, yes. But I wasn’t going to jump off of a bridge or something. I didn’t think it was necessary for them to watch me as if I was two.

At the reception, people were mildly happier. I guess that’s how it always is when there’s food involved.

We endured the painfully silent car again on the ride home. We all walked through the door to the apartment and somehow found a way to squeeze all four of us onto the couch. Seeing as they were looking at me like I was going to pull a gun on myself, I decided to speak first.

“Who wants to go on another road trip?” I asked. They looked at me confused, probably taken aback by the fact that I was pretending like this funeral shit didn’t faze me.

“Where to?” Derek asked. I thought about it. If I went back to Wyoming, it would only end in me a] somehow running into my parents, which would turn into a total disaster or b] sobbing on the ground at the cemetery again. And pardon me, but I didn’t want to deal with any more death right now.

“What about going to visit your parents, Kae?” I asked. He was shaking his head before I even finished my sentence.

“No thanks. If I get within a one-hundred foot range of them I’m afraid my mother will use her supernatural powers to keep me with them,” he joked. I smiled slightly.

“Texas?” I suggested. Zoe made a face.

“No Texas. Texas is gross. No Texas,” she said, sounding like a toddler. Again I smirked.

“Why not? You’ve never even been to any other part of the states,” I pointed out. She shook her head.

“I’ve heard bad stories about Texas. No Texas. Plus, how long is this trip going to take? I mean, I want to go, but we also have to start taking birthing classes soon.” I nodded understandingly.

“Babe, what if it’s just you and me? We can get more ‘quality time’ in together,” he said, using air quotes for ‘quality time’. Everyone nodded.

“That sounds good,” Derek chimed in.

“So where are we going?” I asked, leaning back into Kae. He smoothed my hair down.

“How about…California?”