Chapter 3

A Chapter by April Destinee

“Marckus?” I yelled. My distraught voice bounced of the shiny cream walls of the funeral home bathroom. I squinted my eyes, the brightly lit room could blind even a blind man�"if that’s even possible. “Out of everyone Marckus?”

My mother nodded. “Your father and I thought it would be best for you.”

“Best for me?” I squeaked. What is wrong with these people? Moving in with my 21 year old brother is best for me? Laugh. “Mom, the last time we saw Marckus he was a stoner and he ran away after he stole your money. Don’t you think you want to rethink this?” I questioned her. I gazed into her eyes.

She straightened her black pants skirt and shook her head. “The last time I heard from my son, he had a job and was in rehab. Marckus is fine, we called and he said yes.”

“I’m not going.” I crossed my tanned arms over my chest.

My mother looked at me beseechingly. “Please, you may start to notice this is f�"”

“No,” I cut her off firmly. “Mom, how can you even think of shipping me off to Marckus when I just lost my best friend? For crying out loud, we are in his funeral right now!” I swished my hands around the golden stall bathroom.

My mother stared at me, pleading replaced with unyielding eyes. “We made it final, Mackenzi, you are staying at your brother and that’s it.” My mother turned away from me and looked into the mirror. She leaned against the sink, drilling her nails into the black granite counter. She stared into the hand basin before meeting my eyes in the mirror.

Her hair was stripped of her natural volume and dazzle. Her unyielding eyes turned back to begging. The screamed I’m trying, but it’s so hard. She didn’t look her natural self. All life in her body was drained from head to toe. I could tell she was hurting. Hurting that her daughter has lost some of her memory, hurting that Jacob’s mom is hurting, and hurting that I’m not cooperating.

I sighed and looked away. “How long am I staying with him?”

My mother sucked in shaky breath and turned back to me. She rested her butt on the counter and stretched her legs out in front of her. “About two years.”

“Two years?” This is absolutely ridiculous! Two years of violated personal space with my brother? I’m sorry mom but I know you’re hurting but there is no way in Hell that I’m staying two years with Marckus Eder. “This is not the best for me; this is trying to get rid of me!”

“We need some time to think about this.”

“Mom, I only lost memory of three days. I haven’t lost half of it.”

“Mackenzi, stop being so hard to deal with. Just go with it and leave it alone.” She snapped. I stared back at her astonished she would even use a tone like that.

My mother ran her hand through her haggard hair and pushed up off the counter. She glanced at me again, her eyes once again soft and then turned to walk away. I closed my eyes, trying to stop the brimming tears and listened as the clicking of her black heels faded away slowly.

When she was gone, I dashed to the door and locked it. I ran back to the sink and slammed my palms into the edge of the counter as my tears slammed out my eyes. My sobbing grew louder as I took every breath. Stop crying you, stupid girl, before someone hears you. I ordered myself, but I didn’t follow.

I groaned loudly and slapped the tears away. I hate you, Jacob. You left me all alone. I looked up and a stupid looking girl, black tears stained her cheeks. She looked so weak and pitiful. Her brown eyes morphed slowly to deep blue ones. I blinked and backed away.

The blue eyes turned dark and full of rage. I looked up and Jacob stared at me, his eyebrows pulled down. His lips were moving quickly, it looked like he was yelling. He stabbed his finger at me and shook my head.

I hate you. Whispered on his lips. A breath stuck in throat as I back away.

“Jacob.” I whispered hoarsely. His eyes lit up with alarm and his face vanished. I darted out the bathroom and down the hall. Once the cool air of New York hit my face I relaxed.

You were just dreaming…or hallucinating. I told myself. It’s normal when someone dies.

I closed my eyes and sighed. A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I titled my head up and open my eyes slowly. My father smiled down at me, “So, your mother told you?”

I nodded.

“We don’t mean to push away, Mack, we just need some time to sort things out.”

“I know.” I said and looked up at the tall willow tree. “I just wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

“I do, too. Are you coming? We are about to eat.”

I shook my head and walked out onto the willow tree. I looked down at the gravestone.

Jacob Rogers “He left the earth, but he’ll never leave our hearts”

Born: 1994 Died: 2011

Died from car accident and burning house.

I promised Jake that I’d never go his funeral. We both agreed that if one of us died, we’d never go because funerals were too sad and grim. But yet here I am, breaking my promise just like her broke his. And here I am staring at his gravestone like a pitiful loser thinking, only if I had been in the car instead of him.

“Still sulking over your boyfriend?” Someone asked. I tensed and turned around. I narrow my eyes and looked away from him.

“This is all you fault.” I said plainly.

“My fault?” Jules asked. He threw his head back and laughed. “Really? If you hadn’t raped me�"”

“I didn’t. If you wouldn’t have gotten high, then I wouldn’t have left the car to save you and we would still be moving on the highway. If hadn’t been stupid, Jake would be here.”

“Don’t blame this on me, becau�"”

“I’d rather Jacob alive than you. I wish it was you in the ground and burning in Hell.” My voice came out sharp. I knew it pierced him where it was supposed to.

“Of course, you’d rather Jacob. You loved him.”

“I didn’t not.” I lied and continued to stare at Jacob’s grave.

“You did. Everyone could see it in your pathetic eyes. Every time he was with some girl you would stare at them in the distance moping.”

“Shut up, Jules.”

“Look, pipa, everyone has lost something or someone in their life. Give it up.”

“No, I cared about Jake unlike you.” I finally turned to him. I peered straight into his sick, twisted, cold eyes. “Jake was the only reason I would even think about waking up every morning. I loved him.” I admitted. “Don’t you dare look at me and tell me to ‘give up’”

“Look, love struck bum,” He snapped, I could tell his annoyance level was going up high just like mine. “Jacob wouldn’t want you to be mourning like this.”

“You don’t know what Jacob wants, you only stood around long enough to see him get high and destroy himself.” I snapped and found my way around Jules, roughly hit his shoulder as I did.

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