Life After Death

Chapter 10

Eurhythmic.

I danced in a eurhythimc way, in the middle of the dance floor. Grace and rhythm through movements of my body made in response to the music that filled the air.

Roman stood one-sided, watching me sway in euphoria.

I loved to dance.

I was in a dance team for our school, and, when I wasn't doing unnecessary school assignments in study hall or after school; I would ditch Amy and run across town to the dance studio. None of my family members or friends knew I danced. As far as they knew, I was on the newspaper club and would often come home late because I was working on it.

Amy didn't know.

I didn't want to tell her because I knew she would blab about it. I knew she would nag on me, urging me to bring her along so that we could experience it 'together'.

But dancing was my thing. It was special because it was just me and an empty room. It felt great. It felt empowering.

"You're good," Roman said, smiling. He seemed surprised. I didn't know if I should have felt complimented or offended.

"Thanks," I said, stopping to walk over to him leaning over the counter.

"You're welcome," he said. "Where'd you learn to move like that?" He sounded generally perplexed. "It's like you're moving on light..."

I laughed, and shrugged. "I don't know." I looked down. "When I was little I always wanted to play the piano – I loved the sound that the keys made – but I couldn't because Nathaniel, my brother, played the piano. And God forbid, twins play the same instrument!" I said sarcastically, and continued, "One day, while in town for some inspiration for the article I had to write for the school newspaper I saw this abandoned dance studio – it was a wreck, so I didn't think anything of it. And then, one night, after I had this big fight with my parents, I ran away and found myself in that studio. I entered, listened to some music, and while staring at my reflection in that grimy studio mirror, I began to dance. It was the best feeling in the world.

"From that day on, I would skip lunch periods and go there, to dance. I cleaned it up a bit and whatnot. It was nice. To have something – even it was just dancing in an abandoned dance studio – to call mine, you know?" I shook my head, laughing at myself. "Sorry for rambling. You didn't want to hear that, I know."

"I did. I was honestly interested," he said.

I looked up, after staring down at the floor and smiled at him. His expression was soft but serious. "Then thanks for listening."

He chuckled. "It's not like I have a choice but you're welcome."

"Do you dance?"

"I don't dance. But I can. I'm pretty good if I say so myself," Roman said.

I laughed.

"What?" he asked. "Dont think I can bust a move?"

"I don't doubt it but –"

"They're making out!" Hannah, a girl that was on the newspaper club with me, said. I had to prevent myself from asking who's making out with who because she wouldn't hear me.

"But she's Meredith's best friend," her friend retorted. "This is Meredith's wake, and she's making out with him? What a slut!"

Blood pounded in my ears. They were talking about Amy. Amy was making out with someone.

David. It had to be David. She ditched me to drive my boyfriend home the night I died. So who the fuck else would she be making out with?

"Okay, calm down there," Roman's calm words didn't help. I pushed him off me.

"Don't."

I looked around the room. Trying to see if I could locate Amy and David anywhere, but as expected, both of them were missing. I let out strangled scream. That slut.

I pushed through crowds of people that danced on the dancefloor; they winced as I came into contact with them. But I couldn't care less, I needed to see it for myself, no matter how painful it would be. I needed closure. I needed to see this.

The French doors leading to the backyard was wide open, revealing the glistening lake and open pastures stretched far and widen.

I saw movement on the bench a few meters in front the lake. Blond hair and black hair. Two people entwined.

David had blond hair.

He was groping her. All over. I could hear their throaty moans all the way from where I stood. And, even though the more I looked at them the more it hurt, I just couldn't seem to look the other way. I was sniffling and heaving – I was a mess. The two people I trusted more than anything were out there, doing the-the nasty out in the open for the whole world to see.

I screamed. Literally. A blood-curdling scream ripped through the atmosphere. Roman winced, hundreds of birds flapped their wings and flew into the invisible tunnel in the sky.

It was when they pulled away. I could see them both perfectly under the glow of the moonlight.

Amy looked pretty, as usual. She was Vietnamese, and was adopted by her gay dads. She had shoulder length black hair, glittery eyes and symmetrical features. She was more than pretty – she was beautiful. It made sense as to why David chose her over me. She's beautiful. She's smart. She's talented. And she's not dead.

Amy stepped away, to look over her shoulder and a moonbeam gleaned on the other face – Nathaniel?

She was making out with Nathaniel?!

Since when were they together? They looked so comfortable together.

It occurred to me that Nathaniel never spoke to me about his latest girlfriend. The only thing I knew was that Mom caught him sneaking a girl out the house one night
– wait, that was Amy! Nate always introduced us to his new girl. But this time, he didn't. It made sense as to why – she was my best friend, thats why!

Why didn't she tell me?

Why didn't he tell me?

Why would they hide this from me?

It was all too much for me to handle. I brushed away tendrils of hair from my face and sat down at the patio table.

"Are you okay?" Roman had the decency to ask.

I looked up at him. "Does it look like I'm okay?" I cursed. "How could they?"

"Meredith –"

"No," I stopped him. "I just need to be alone now."

"You know that I cant –"

"Fine," I got up and stormed inside.

It was all too overwhelming. The thought that there was another secret I had to deal with made my head ache. It was too much. Way too much for one dead girl to handle.

I found myself running up the winding staircase leading to the second floor. I needed to be alone. Far away from Roman and Amy and Nathaniel, and... everyone.

I wanted to enter the bathroom but the door was locked.

I heard someone curse on the other side. I pressed my ear to the door.

"Ssh," the person said – he said. "Someone's there."

I couldn't hear the other person's reply. After five minutes he spoke again, "I know, baby. But no one can know that I like you." That voice sounded familiar. "And you know why."

There was muffled mumbling.

"You don't understand," he said. "Yes, okay? It's because of Meredith. She was my girlfriend, and now, she's you know, dead..." His voice broke toward the end. Then, there was rustling on the other side like they were removing one another's clothes.

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat.

David. That was David Blackburn's voice. He was cheating on me.

But with who?