Status: Updates on Wednesdays!
Forget About It
We All Fall Down
“Corinna, honey,” My mother said as she entered the kitchen where I was sitting and eating my breakfast.
“What’s up mom?” I asked as I hopped up and pulled my book bag over my shoulder, “I was about to head out for school, so please make it quick.”
“I don’t think you’ll be going to school today.” She said solemnly, “You may want to sit down for this dear.”
“What is it mom? You’re scaring me.” I said nervously as her face twisted up and a few tears escaped down her cheek, “M-mom?”
“I just got off the phone with Isobel.” She whispered, “It’s about Daniel, he’s… he’s dead.”
As the words left her lips, I collapsed to the floor. Daniel, the love of my life, was gone- forever.
-
It was August 14th, It had been nine days since Daniel left me here all alone. It had been seventeen days since we broke up, and ten days since we last spoke to one another. If I had known it would be my last time seeing him, I wouldn’t have said those things I did. I would have taken it all back and told him how much I loved him. It was too late for that now, I had lost my chance.
I hadn’t spoken to anyone or eaten anything in almost a week. It was hard to even wake up each day knowing that Daniel wasn’t here anymore. Today was the worst day of my life: Daniel’s funeral. I woke up early to look extra nice for Daniel’s service. I couldn’t bear to go to the viewing and see him like that, with the gunshot wound through his head, it would have been too hard.
“Ready to go sweetie?” My mother asked as soon as I had my black dress on. I simply nodded and followed her out to the car. She tried to comfort me with words of wisdom and her experiences, but none of it helped because it wouldn’t bring Daniel back.
“Mrs. Barakat said she would bring you home, Cor. Tell Isobel that I wish I could be there.” My mother smiled sympathetically before she kissed my forehead. I only nodded my head before I stepped out of the car and made my way into the church. I felt my knees go weak as I entered the room filled with people dressed darkly like myself. I probably would have walked straight back out if Jack hadn’t pulled me into a hug as soon as I walked in.
“It’s about to start, Rian, Zack and I saved you a seat right behind the family section.” Jack whispered as he clasped our hands together and led me through the maze of people. I merely nodded my head at Rian and Zack who smiled considerately. I was getting really tired of everyone’s pity. I looked over at the pew across from mine and my eyes locked with the remaining Gaskarth brother. His eyes were red and puffy, but void of any real emotion. His eyes looked almost vacant as they bore into my own.
“Thank you all for coming today.” The minister began, “We all lost a very special soul recently, Daniel Edward Gaskarth.” He continued to drone on and my tears began to well up as he shared stories about Daniel with us all, especially when he talked about Daniel and me together. I couldn’t take it anymore as the tears began to stream down my face. I buried my head in Jack’s chest to muffle my sobs. Thank God I didn’t wear mascara today. I calmed down slightly as Jack’s thin arms wrapped around me and pulled me even closer. He kissed the top of my head and cooed words of positivity in my ear until I stopped shaking. Finally, the minister concluded his spiel and we were all allowed to converse amongst each other.
Wordlessly, I rose from my spot and hurried over to Mrs. Gaskarth. “Mrs. Gaskarth.” I whimpered, “I’m- I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault dear.” She smiled somberly, “Daniel would have never wanted you to think that way.”
I nodded my head and let out another choked sob, unable to string words together, yet again. I felt her wrap her arms around me just as Jack had and she didn’t let go for a long time. We both stood there crying over Daniel for what felt like a long time before she finally let go and reached for her purse.
“I was going through Dan’s room yesterday, and I found this. It was addressed to you, so I haven’t read it.” She handed the large envelope to me. I looked at it curiously before she continued to talk, “Alex got one identical, but he hasn’t opened it yet. I assume it was Daniel’s goodbye to both of you, but that is just my best guess. I have to go talk to more people, but don’t be a stranger now that Daniel is gone, do you understand?”
I nodded my head as she pulled me in for another hug. I just stood there as she walked off and immediately began another conversation. Isobel Gaskarth was a strong woman; I wish I could be that tough.
I shook away my tears and made my way out of the church; sitting on the steps waiting for the Barakat’s to be ready to leave. I heard footsteps behind me and I turned around to see Alex standing there.
“Alex, I…” I began to say but he cut me off.
“YOU!” He shouted angrily, “It’s YOUR entire fault! Daniel is dead because of YOU!”
“What?” I shouted, “It’s MY fault?”
“Shut up, I’m not done!” He screamed as tears flooded down his face, “If you hadn’t been a stupid bitch and broken up with him, he wouldn’t have- he wouldn’t have- he…” Alex began to sob as he crashed to the ground. I leaned down and put my hand on his shoulder, but he only pushed it away.
“Alex, I’m sorry.” I whispered, “I-“
“NO! Sorry isn’t good enough!” He bawled, “Sorry isn’t going to bring him back!”
“I want him back just as much as you do, Alex.” I sniveled as I reached out to him again, only to get pushed back harder than before.
“Don’t TOUCH me!” He sobbed, “I HATE YOU!”
I was taken aback by the harshness in Alex’s voice. He had never spoken to me like that before, even when he was mad at me for something. I felt tears well up in my eyes again as someone put their hand on my shoulder.
“It’s time to go.” Jack muttered to me, “Alex, I’ll see you in an hour, okay?”
Alex didn’t respond as he watched the two of us leave. His eyes filled with hatred as he looked at me. The look in Alex’s eyes was something that felt almost worse than losing Daniel did, and that scared me.
Nothing would ever be the same.
“What’s up mom?” I asked as I hopped up and pulled my book bag over my shoulder, “I was about to head out for school, so please make it quick.”
“I don’t think you’ll be going to school today.” She said solemnly, “You may want to sit down for this dear.”
“What is it mom? You’re scaring me.” I said nervously as her face twisted up and a few tears escaped down her cheek, “M-mom?”
“I just got off the phone with Isobel.” She whispered, “It’s about Daniel, he’s… he’s dead.”
As the words left her lips, I collapsed to the floor. Daniel, the love of my life, was gone- forever.
-
It was August 14th, It had been nine days since Daniel left me here all alone. It had been seventeen days since we broke up, and ten days since we last spoke to one another. If I had known it would be my last time seeing him, I wouldn’t have said those things I did. I would have taken it all back and told him how much I loved him. It was too late for that now, I had lost my chance.
I hadn’t spoken to anyone or eaten anything in almost a week. It was hard to even wake up each day knowing that Daniel wasn’t here anymore. Today was the worst day of my life: Daniel’s funeral. I woke up early to look extra nice for Daniel’s service. I couldn’t bear to go to the viewing and see him like that, with the gunshot wound through his head, it would have been too hard.
“Ready to go sweetie?” My mother asked as soon as I had my black dress on. I simply nodded and followed her out to the car. She tried to comfort me with words of wisdom and her experiences, but none of it helped because it wouldn’t bring Daniel back.
“Mrs. Barakat said she would bring you home, Cor. Tell Isobel that I wish I could be there.” My mother smiled sympathetically before she kissed my forehead. I only nodded my head before I stepped out of the car and made my way into the church. I felt my knees go weak as I entered the room filled with people dressed darkly like myself. I probably would have walked straight back out if Jack hadn’t pulled me into a hug as soon as I walked in.
“It’s about to start, Rian, Zack and I saved you a seat right behind the family section.” Jack whispered as he clasped our hands together and led me through the maze of people. I merely nodded my head at Rian and Zack who smiled considerately. I was getting really tired of everyone’s pity. I looked over at the pew across from mine and my eyes locked with the remaining Gaskarth brother. His eyes were red and puffy, but void of any real emotion. His eyes looked almost vacant as they bore into my own.
“Thank you all for coming today.” The minister began, “We all lost a very special soul recently, Daniel Edward Gaskarth.” He continued to drone on and my tears began to well up as he shared stories about Daniel with us all, especially when he talked about Daniel and me together. I couldn’t take it anymore as the tears began to stream down my face. I buried my head in Jack’s chest to muffle my sobs. Thank God I didn’t wear mascara today. I calmed down slightly as Jack’s thin arms wrapped around me and pulled me even closer. He kissed the top of my head and cooed words of positivity in my ear until I stopped shaking. Finally, the minister concluded his spiel and we were all allowed to converse amongst each other.
Wordlessly, I rose from my spot and hurried over to Mrs. Gaskarth. “Mrs. Gaskarth.” I whimpered, “I’m- I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault dear.” She smiled somberly, “Daniel would have never wanted you to think that way.”
I nodded my head and let out another choked sob, unable to string words together, yet again. I felt her wrap her arms around me just as Jack had and she didn’t let go for a long time. We both stood there crying over Daniel for what felt like a long time before she finally let go and reached for her purse.
“I was going through Dan’s room yesterday, and I found this. It was addressed to you, so I haven’t read it.” She handed the large envelope to me. I looked at it curiously before she continued to talk, “Alex got one identical, but he hasn’t opened it yet. I assume it was Daniel’s goodbye to both of you, but that is just my best guess. I have to go talk to more people, but don’t be a stranger now that Daniel is gone, do you understand?”
I nodded my head as she pulled me in for another hug. I just stood there as she walked off and immediately began another conversation. Isobel Gaskarth was a strong woman; I wish I could be that tough.
I shook away my tears and made my way out of the church; sitting on the steps waiting for the Barakat’s to be ready to leave. I heard footsteps behind me and I turned around to see Alex standing there.
“Alex, I…” I began to say but he cut me off.
“YOU!” He shouted angrily, “It’s YOUR entire fault! Daniel is dead because of YOU!”
“What?” I shouted, “It’s MY fault?”
“Shut up, I’m not done!” He screamed as tears flooded down his face, “If you hadn’t been a stupid bitch and broken up with him, he wouldn’t have- he wouldn’t have- he…” Alex began to sob as he crashed to the ground. I leaned down and put my hand on his shoulder, but he only pushed it away.
“Alex, I’m sorry.” I whispered, “I-“
“NO! Sorry isn’t good enough!” He bawled, “Sorry isn’t going to bring him back!”
“I want him back just as much as you do, Alex.” I sniveled as I reached out to him again, only to get pushed back harder than before.
“Don’t TOUCH me!” He sobbed, “I HATE YOU!”
I was taken aback by the harshness in Alex’s voice. He had never spoken to me like that before, even when he was mad at me for something. I felt tears well up in my eyes again as someone put their hand on my shoulder.
“It’s time to go.” Jack muttered to me, “Alex, I’ll see you in an hour, okay?”
Alex didn’t respond as he watched the two of us leave. His eyes filled with hatred as he looked at me. The look in Alex’s eyes was something that felt almost worse than losing Daniel did, and that scared me.
Nothing would ever be the same.
♠ ♠ ♠
The beginning of my first Alex Gaskarth story! I'm excited, please comment and subscribe!