Embracing Chaos [Sweet Pea]

Chapter 43

*** Jughead's POV ***

Date: September 7th, 2017

Time: 9:00 am

Location: Riverdale Cemetery

It was rainy morning, everyone was dressed in Brooke's favorite colors like Hermione said to, but everyone did have black umbrellas to sheild them from the pouring rain. This just made Brooke's funeral so much more depressing than it already was. Veronica had just finished her heartfelt eulogy, and I knew it was my turn to speak. Brooke's loss was a blow to all of us, but for me, it was more than that. I had feelings for her, a truth I had kept to myself until this moment.

I stepped up to the podium, my heart heavy with grief and an even deeper, unspoken sorrow. "Brooke was a bright, shining star in our lives, but she was more than that to me. She was a friend, a confidante, and someone I deeply cared for." I began.

The gathered mourners listened attentively. "I remember the moments we shared, the late-night conversations, the way her laughter could light up a room. Brooke had a way of touching my heart in a way I couldn't quite put into words." I continued.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I struggled to find the right way to express my feelings. "I wish I had the chance to tell her how much she meant to me, to explore what could have been between us. Brooke's passing is a profound loss for all of us, but for me, it's a loss of unspoken possibilities."

"Brooke, you'll be missed more than words can express. Your memory will live on in our hearts, and I'll always carry the regret of not sharing my true feelings with you." I simply said.

As I finished, I looked out at the mourners, my own grief mingling with the collective sorrow, and I knew that Brooke's memory would endure, even as I carried my unspoken feelings with me.

The weight of unspoken emotions lingered in the air as I stepped away from the podium. The gathered mourners, some with tears in their eyes, offered their condolences. Veronica, my friend, understood the depth of my feelings for her sister, and she gently squeezed my hand in silent support.

As the memorial continued, I couldn't help but reflect on the missed opportunities, the words left unsaid, and the potential that was never explored. Next to speak was Sweet Pea.

He stepped up to the podium with a paper in his hands. "Brooke was more than just a friend; she was family. She had a way of making us all feel like we belonged, like we were part of something special." Sweet Pea started to say, I glanced at AJ who was sitting next to Toni. I looked back at Sweet Pea.

"She was always there to offer a smile or a kind word, a shoulder to cry on, no matter how tough things got. She was a fighter, and her spirit inspired all of us to keep pushing forward." Sweet Pea continues. "I'm sorry for those that didn't know her. She was an amazing and sweet girl that didn't deserve this."

My eyes met Sweet Pea's, and I could see the pain and heart break in his expression. "I know many of us had feelings for Brooke, and we all carry the weight of unspoken words today. But in her memory, let's remember the love and the laughter she brought into our lives." As he finished, I couldn't help but feel a sense of closure, as if I had paid tribute to the friend we had all lost.

A few of our friends and other strangers spoke, even some of Brooke's friends from New York. Right now, the next up was Mia. "Many of you know Brooke, as Brooke, but I knew her as Violet. I have known her since we were little kids. For as long as I remember, she's always been the center of the universe, she loved all types of attention. Everything revolved around her, even if she didn't want it to. It just was. She was-is so talented for only a 16 year old, she had her entire life ahead of her. For those that don't know, Violet was a dancer, and at a dancer at heart. She was the best dancer in New York City, her goal was to be the best dancer in the world." Mia chuckled sadly as did the rest of us since we knew that Brooke wanted to be a dancer.