Finding Home | Finders Keepers #1✔️

Twenty-Eight - For Nathan Murdock

After they lowered him down to the ground and buried him, everyone started to hug one another and then, they would move to Chloe and I, hugging us too. Each one of them, coming to us, offering us their condolences as we offered ours to them too because we were a family and every single one of us lost Nathan.

              "Hey."

              Caroline, Alison, Zach, and Kevin wrap their arms around me, holding me for a minute or two, offering their condolences before letting me go.

              "I'm sorry we weren't here there for you when it happened, Rose," Kelly pats me on the shoulder, giving me a sad smile.

              Nodding, Chris moves in front of them, giving me his own hug. This time, I hold him tightly. It wasn't because I felt like even though I lost a brother, there was still Chris, my biological brother. No, right now, I was imagining how he's Nathan and this is the last hug I would be able to give him before he actually leaves.

              When we release one another, Luke wraps his arm around my waist, letting my head rest at the crook of his neck while we stand.

              "That was such a beautiful song you sang for him," Caroline speaks.

              Instinctively, I reach for the necklace, holding the gemstone around my hand. "Thanks, Care."

              Truth is, the only reason I ever knew that song was because of him. There was the one time where he went back at the house to collect mom and dad's things to be given away or to be kept somewhere else and I had too much to drink the night before so I had passed out until afternoon.

              It was about four in the afternoon when I woke up and I heard that song playing through his own speakers, coming from their room. In just a minute of listening to it, I immediately felt it and then, I spent the time crying as he repeatedly played that song. It made me also realize that it wasn't just me that was mourning. We both lost them.

              "Hey, are you okay?" Alison asks, her eyes glancing down at my neck.

              Right. I didn't want to hide the ligature mark made by the belt because it was a statement. One was I didn't want to be labeled as a victim and the other was that I didn't need to hide the marks that someone has inflicted on me. No one has said anything about it because we all sported different kinds of stain—either it's physically or mentally. Still, it wasn't something to be ashamed about.

              Nodding, I deliver a smile. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore. I'm okay."

              "We're here for you, Rose," Kevin jumps in, taking my hand and holding it firmly.

              Zach nods in unison, taking my other hand. "We love you."

              "I love you guys," I rasp.

              "Little baby?"

              My heart flutters at the nickname but my stomach also drops hearing it. My very own alias in the gang that Nathan gave. At first, I thought it was a joke but when a week had passed and everyone was still calling me that, that's when I realized that Nathan was an asshole for giving me that name.

              He's called me that ever since I was a baby, he would say.

              "Yeah, but I'm fifteen!" I yell at him in frustration.

              His hazel eyes light up in amusement. It sucked and I almost wanted to throw the stapler on his deck at him. "So? You're still the little one here. In our family at home and in this family."