You're Different - Scott Reed

39

Weeks had passed, things had changed. Nothing good had come from the death of Bryce Walker and the incarceration of Montgomery de la Cruz. In fact, only more death had come.

"Good Morning everyone... My name is Isabela Arroyo and I am a senior at Liberty. I transferred to Liberty at the end of my sophomore year after my mother died. I remember when I first got here I got the whole warning about Montgomery de La Cruz, but my mom always told me I was hard-headed. *giggle* Don't get me wrong, Monty had his temper and it was hard to get past it but if anyone would have done the work to get past it, they would have known the Monty I did.  He was hard to deal with but he was also so worth it. Montgomery was funny and charismatic but he was also trustworthy and loyal. I didn't come up here to show you the side of Monty  I saw but to give you a look at the person I lost." She took a deep breath and wiped her tears before continuing. 

"I got stares and text for mourning the death of such a mean and angry boy. I know he did wrong, we all do but as I said we all didn't know the things he could've done with a little push. He finally decided to get his grades together so he could go to school out of state. He had finally taken a hold of his own future. He did wrong, we all have but he was a son, a teammate, a friend, and most importantly a person. He was a person, my person. Everyone thought he was so in love with me *giggle* he was for some time but he respected my past relationship always, I was so grateful for him. I think I always will be." she took another deep breath looking out into the church and at the people. 

"We all heard of him, we all saw him, we all dealt with him but, I knew him. I knew the Monty that I will always mourn and always love for being the funny, annoying, overprotective, and all-around amazing friend that I lost to such a brutal act. I always told him I believed he could be whoever and whatever he wanted. I still do, wherever he is, he is the person he wanted to be. He's happier now." she took another deep breath, taking one last look at the now glossy eyes of the people filling the church. She connected her eyes with the one person she didn't want to see ever again. Ani. She blamed him, she threw him in that place. She got him killed. 

She huffed and continued. " These are only 3 of the schools he was accepted into." she held up acceptance letters from various schools. "but the University of Alabama was his top choice. He doubted so much he would get in but he did. Monty did it." She looked over at the casket "You did it Mon." she smiled lightly with tears streaming down her face. I had not decided what I was going to do after graduation, I had a couple of options one is going to U of A with my best friend but I now will be attending U of A in his memory. I'll do everything we dreamed about doing with him on my mind. He would want that, he had such a big heart." she smiled looking over his casket once more.

"Thank you for giving me the privilege to see the Monty nobody else ever did. It breaks my heart in a million pieces to know I will never hear him say "Morning Princess" or get a text from him that he needed a place to crash and have me up all night talking. The last thing he said to me was that he loved me and he was grateful for me but in reality, I was so grateful for him. So, thank you, I love you, and until we meet again my very best friend. Goodbye." she wiped her tears placing her hand on his casket before taking her seat between Winston and Jeff. 

Winston grabbed her hand instantly squeezing it while she tried to hold back her sobs. It was like she lost her mom all over again. He loved her and he cared for her and she did the same for him. Nobody would ever understand the relationship they had but they did, and that was all that mattered. 

She knew he would never kill Bryce, he thought he was his best friend. He had done some messed up stuff, like what he did to Tyler but he would never kill anyone. He never deserved how he was treated by his father. He didn't deserve to die. 

It was unfair. The people she loved the most were always the ones that left.

After the viewing, everyone gathered outside. Jeff, Winston, and Isabela stood together under a tree. They had all been looking around and kind of zoned out until a person walked up to them.

Ani

"I'm so sorry for your loss, my condolences." She spoke directly at Isabela.

"You stupid bitch!" Isabela grabbed her shirt shoving her against the tree. "You did this! You got him killed to protect you precious fake ass friends! He was my best friend and now he's gone why? Why? Because you were in love with Bryce and one of your stupid "friends" killed him? You did everything to protect them when they don't give a shit about you. Didn't you learn with Hannah? They only care about themselves!" she shoved her again harder.

"My best friend is going into the ground tomorrow because of your stupid ass! So take your stupid ass condolences and shove them up your ass and go back to where you came up bitch." she pushed her harder against the tree before walking away with Jeff and Winston over to the football/baseball players.

They all surrounded her hugging her. She had obviously taken his death the hardest.

"She threatened me! How dare she threaten me." Ani complained to the group as they stood looking at the team hugging her.

"Can you shut up for 2 minutes Ani? That girl has been through some shit okay?" Justin defended her.

Jessica and Clay both looked at him weirdly.

"First she lost her mom then Sherri almost killed Jeff now Monty is gone. We all knew how he was with her, he always was different with her so cut her a fucking break." he walked away leaving them all with their mouth agape.