Meet Me Halfway

Aubrey

Death -- it’s inevitable. It’s bound to happen at some point in our lives, but sometimes one has to wonder, why it happens to someone so young, whose life was just beginning, and who was a great person.

I sat near my window, leaning my head against its smooth texture, watching the morning rain clear and the clouds fade. Everything about today was starting to look depressing and the funeral hadn’t even started. My best friend was here one minute and gone the next.

I couldn’t bring myself to put on the black dress that lay on my bed. It wasn’t just because if I put it on, it would make today more real, but because Lauren and I had promised each other we would wear a color other than black at the other’s funeral. I had just hoped I wouldn’t have to be the one to do it.

I heard my door creak open and soon felt the comforting touch of my mother as she placed her hand on my shoulder. “Are you ready? It’s time to go sweetie,” she said in a low tone.

I gently wiped away the tear that had escaped and nodded my head. I took my time walking to the car; it wasn’t something I wanted to rush. In all honesty, I just wanted to fast-forward this whole day. I know how bad that sounds, but I didn’t want to say good-bye to my best friend, to say the last thing on my mind in front of people I didn’t know.

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“I wish people would stop staring. They act like they’ve never seen a yellow dress before,” I hissed under my breath, enough for my parents to hear.

My mom turned her head to look back at me and gave me a weak smile. “You should’ve worn that black dress I bought you,” she answered.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, I made promise and I’m keeping it.”

“Well then, don’t complain and worry about what others think.” I hated to admit it, but she was right. Today was about Lauren and no one else.

It was quiet inside, held down to whispers of people giving their condolences to Mr. and Mrs. Vosteen, while others quietly sat in the pews waiting. A congregation was down the aisle, dead center where I knew she lay. I stood frozen in place, just staring; I knew I couldn’t see her yet.

I walked up to the Vosteen’s, who appeared more composed than anyone here did. “Mr. and Mrs. Vosteen…,” I said hugging them both.

“Aubrey. You look lovely. Lauren would’ve picked that exact dress,” her mother said smiling, rubbing my arm.

I turned my head to the right slightly, looking back at the pearly white casket in the distance. There she lay, still and peaceful, looking like a porcelain doll. I felt the tears rush again as I started to walk towards her, but someone stopped me.

“I’m sorry sweetie, but the service is starting,” her mother told me. I was a little grateful she stopped me.

Then it began and ended as fast as I sat down. The end of it was “the most important part” according to Lauren; the part of which I was most terrified. I heard Lauren’s mother introduce me up to the podium and for a moment I froze, but her warming smile helped me overcome it.

I finally looked up into the crowd of faces, every single one of them looking at me, waiting for me to speak. I tried, I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I looked down in my hand and revealed the bracelet I had been gripping throughout the whole service. It was the best friend bracelet I bought her with the heart emblem engraved with Best Friends, almost identical to the one I was wearing. I smiled as I respired and was ready to speak.

As I looked up I saw him, the last person I expected to see here, making me do a double take. JR? I questioned, but when I looked back he was out of sight.

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I felt overwhelmingly claustrophobic with everyone around me. Close family and friends gathered back at the Vosteen’s home, to comfort, to share stories, and even laugh.

“Aubrey,” I heard someone call my name from behind the sofa, a familiar yet distant voice.

I whisked my head around and stared in disbelief. He smiled weakly, waiting for me to respond or give him a different reaction. I turned back around darting my eyes everywhere, regaining my composure.

I rose slowly, brushing off invisible crumbs from the bottom of my dress. I had hoped when I looked back around he’d be gone, but not everything you hope for comes true.

“Hey,” he greeted me.

His appearance never changes. He still looked the same since the last time I saw him in February and that was eleven months ago. He seemed a little uncomfortable, wobbling back and forth on his feet, and his hands securely in his pockets.

I arched an eyebrow, curiosity filling my facial expression. “What are you doing here?” I asked, I will admit, rudely.

He gave that ‘seriously?’ face and I knew immediately that I had said the wrong thing. “That’s real nice Aubrey. You know, I thought at least today of all of days, we could put our differences aside and actually maintain some civilness,” he said with a temper.

I sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just surprised you’re here is all. I wasn’t expecting to see you,” I said as apologetically and honestly as I could.

He nodded his head understandably. “Of course I was gonna come. She was one of my best friends too.”

I hate it when he said that -- called her his “best friend.” I don’t know why it bothers me, but it does and I’m not afraid to show it. I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his statement. I could see him doing the same thing.

“Look. I don’t wanna fight okay? This is most likely the last time we’ll see each other…ever. So, let’s just put everything aside and try to act friendly towards one another. For Lauren,” he said looking at me dead in the eye.

This was probably the last time we’d see each other and I know Lauren was probably shaking her head in disappointment at the way we…I was acting. I nodded in agreement.

“JR, there you are. I was looking for you everywhere,” a girl I did not know said.

He smiled at her, taking out one of his hands and intertwining their fingers. They were obviously more than just friends.

“Aubrey this is my girlfriend Ashley. Ashley this is…my friend, Lauren’s best friend, Aubrey,” he introduced the two of us.

“Hi. It’s nice to meet you,” she said sticking out her hand for me to shake.

I looked at JR, narrowing my eyes at him. “You brought your girlfriend to this?” I asked angrily.

I didn’t mean it or at least, I didn’t mean to blurt it out, but surprisingly he didn’t look mad.

“Yeah I did. I’m pretty sure Ashley would’ve regretted not coming to her friend’s funeral.”

“Friend? Since when was she ever Lauren’s friend?”

“What? Lauren didn’t tell you? She came to visit me in October and she met Ashley. They became pretty good friends after that,” he explained.

I shook my head in disbelief. Why didn’t Lauren tell me she went to visit JR? Why did she hide it from me?

“Oh good, just the two I was looking for. Follow me. I have something from Lauren to give to you,” Mrs. Vosteen said coming up to us.

I took one quick look at JR and then followed Mrs. Vosteen up to Lauren’s room. It still looked the same from what I remembered. The only things missing were the items she brought to put in our dorm room.

JR and I took a seat on her bed and waited for Mrs. Vosteen to give us what Lauren wanted us to have. Lauren was always organized, the planner, so it didn’t really surprise me that she thought through everything before her timely passing.

“Here,” Mrs. Vosteen said handing each of us an envelope with our names written in Lauren’s handwriting and left us alone.

I stared down at mine, not sure if I should open it now or wait. I felt JR get up and walk towards the door.

“Where you going? Aren’t you going to open your envelope?” I asked in a nicer tone.

“Ashley and I have a flight back to Washington in an hour. We were only able to come out here for a day. I’m just gonna open it on the flight,” he said putting the envelope in his inside pocket.

I got up and for some reason beyond me I hugged him. At that moment it felt so right to hold him in my arms, to lay my head on his chest. He finally wrapped his arms around me after the initial shock of me showing any affection towards him, but I needed the comfort.

“Bye Aubrey, take care. Maybe I’ll see you on campus this semester,” he said smiling after we let go of each other.

“I thought you said this would be the last time we’d see each other?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Could be? Berkeley’s a big campus, who knows,” he said smiling.

I couldn’t help but smile; if I liked anything about him it was definitely his smile. After he left, I sat back down and opened the envelope. I should’ve known. Lauren loved writing letters. She said once if we had gone to different colleges or one of us had moved away from Long Beach, she’d write a letter to me every day.

Trigo my love,

Oh how I’m gonna miss calling you that and I’m sure you’re gonna miss me calling you that, since I was the only one who did and could. I’m so sorry I had to leave you so soon. I was really looking forward to Vegas on our 21st. I know we had so much planned for our futures, but I guess they’re right when they say, “all good things come to an end.” Oh God, that sounded depressing. Never mind, that doesn’t apply to us, because no matter if I’m gone, our friendship can never end. Anyways, I didn’t want this letter to be long, just a little prologue to something bigger than you know. As you’re aware, every summer we go down to the beach house and live it up like it’s our last and just because I’m not there, I don’t want you to stop. Therefore, I’m making it a final request that you go back in June and spend the month there, for me. I promise you won’t regret it. The key is on my dresser, so go have fun this summer and live it up like it’s your last.

Xoxox your best friend, always Lauren.

A teardrop, soon to be more, stained the page, smearing the perfect black ink. I looked towards her dresser and saw the beach house key. I got up and picked it up, clutching it tight in my palm.

I took a deep breath and said aloud, “I’ll be there Lauren, don’t worry,” smiling as I looked up towards the sky.