Hope

6

"Chloe, hurry up!" I shouted at the end of the hallway, " I told Jack we'd be there at three!"

"Calm yourself, woman, I'm coming!" She replied. I laughed as she caught up with me and we walked out of the school.

"Both of our parents are already there, my mom texted me just before I yelled down the hallway at you," I told her as we walked on the sidewalk.

"Okay," She replied, " And my mom has the cake," she told me.

I nodded my head as we walked in silence the rest of the way there.  Mom opened the door for us when we walked in and Chloe and I went into the living room.

"Hey," Jack greeted us. I smiled as Chloe and I sat down on either side of him.

"We have all our your assignments for the week," Chloe said.

"Thanks," Jack replied. I looked over at him to see his eyes slightly bloodshot, I wrapped my arm around him as we sat in silence. He put his head on my shoulder and looked at the coffee table.

"I feel alone," Chloe told us as she looked over at us. 

I laughed as I grabbed her and she ended up on Jack's legs, " Now I don't feel alone!" She exclaimed.

I smiled as I grabbed my phone and took a picture with my two best friends.

"That's better than last year's homecoming picture," Jack said.

"Just by a little bit though, every time I pass that plant in my house I start laughing," Chloe replied with a smile as she showed us the picture.

Jack, Chloe and I were sitting on Chloe's breakfast bar, smiling widely. Chloe and I were both wearing peach pink dresses and Jack was wearing a suit of a similar color.

"I still remember almost falling off of the counter," Jack pointed out, " And almost breaking your stepdad's plant," he added.

Chloe laughed, " Yeah, we kept laughing and it took our parents ten minutes to take the photo." 

"And remember how Jack asked us to homecoming?" I asked Chloe.

"Yeah! He brought us two teddy bears with signs!" Chloe exclaimed, " I still have it in my room!"

"And then didn't we all go get our outfits together?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," I replied with a smile, " that was really fun."

"Chloe! Time to go!" Mrs. Maxwell said from the dining room.

"See you two later," Chloe said as she hugged us both. She left Jack and me alone in the living room in silence.

I sat back down on the couch and Jack sat down next to me. He put his arm around me and put his head on top of mine.

"You'll be at the funeral, right?" Jack asked.

I nodded my head, " Chloe won't be able to make it though, she'll be out of town," I told him.

"Okay," he responded, " How long will she be out of town?" He asked.

"Only a couple of days, her uncle is getting married in Cape Cod," I explained.

He forced a smile and stood up, I stood up next to him, " Are you okay?" I asked.

"I don't know," He replied. Small tears were at the very edge of his eyes. I hugged him quickly and tried my best to comfort him. I felt his tears hit my shoulders.

I released him from the hug and took his glasses off his face, " And that's fine, it will get better I promise. Slowly, but it will," I assured him. He smiled a little bit, " And I know that life will never be the same but it will get better, I promise."

He hugged me again and I gave him his glasses back, " Did you feel the same way when your dad died?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied, " I reacted almost the same way you just did." He nodded his head and my mom walked into the living room.

"It's time to go," Mom said. 

I got up from the couch and said goodbye to Jack and his family and walked out to my mom's car.

"He's lucky to have someone like you at this time," Mom said to me as we backed out of the driveway.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He has someone who's been through the same thing to comfort him," Mom explained.

I nodded my head and stayed silent the rest of the car ride, looking out at the setting sun. 

* * * 

Friday was the funeral and I skipped school and sat at the piano school near the front of the church.

"Hey, Stella," Jack said quietly as he approached the piano.

"Hey," I greeted, " you ready?" I asked.

"Not really," He replied honestly. I scooted over and he sat down on the piano stool, " I just don't know what people will say at school about it."

"I explained to everyone who asked where you were and I almost punched Maya about twenty times this week," I reassured him, " don't worry, you'll be fine."

He smiled and I put my arm around him and sat with him for a minute or two.

"I have to go," Jack said, " I'll talk to you after the service." I forced a smile as he got up from the piano stool and went to the front of the church.

As people began to file into the sanctuary, I sat up straight and the service started.

Jack nodded his head slightly, giving me the cue to start playing. Differing from the original, I played it more slurred together instead of staccato. I saw the scene replaying in my head and the many times I had watched it with Jack and Mrs. Reagen and felt tears beginning to form. I held tears in until the end of the song. Many people in the church clapped and I bowed and sat down in the front row.

"You did great, thank you," Jack whispered. I smiled and paid attention to the rest of the funeral service.

As people began exiting the church, The Reagen family along with my mom and brothers stayed behind and soon after drove to the cemetery nearby.

I stood by Jack as they put the casket in the ground. I felt the same feeling I did when I saw the same thing happen to my dad and tried to keep the emotional pain hidden.

As my brothers walked with Nicki to the cars, I walked back with Jack to the cars. He seemed slightly disheveled and a bit emotional.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jack said.

"See you tomorrow," I replied.

Merry Christmas! Sorry this chapter is shorter than normal but I wanted to finish the entire funeral half of it before I go to more recent times