The Strong One

Classy is told the honest truth.

Once you've fallen asleep,  you expect to stay asleep. But, I....stayed awake somehow. 

I was just closing my eyes as my mother sang "Piano Man" in my ear. I closed my eyes, but then I was out of bed, standing in the doorway to my hospital room. I watched as my mother began loud sobbing as she held my limp head against her chest. However, I didn't find my state strange. It felt...fulfilling? It felt completely normal as I watched nurses pull me away from my hysteric mother. I watched as they curled my hair and put nice clothes on me, and place me and a casket "just my size". 

Now, I'm watching at the back of the room as people paid their respects to "the poor girl who didn't see that car coming". I watch my great-grandmother silently look upon my face, and sadly shake her head with unbelief. I see my best friend slowly shuffle her feet toward "me" with silent tears streaming down her face. Lastly, I see all of my beloved cousins walk up as a group to see my body at rest. Lilly breaks down and falls on the floor as her brother Michel catches her and eases her down. Collette's perfect makeup was running down her caramel skin. Six-year-old Ben was sucking on his thumb, a habit his parents have not been able to break since he was a toddler.

"I'm glad she died happily", cried Lilly as she tried to compose herself. I suddenly gasp realizing that they don't realize the truth.  

I  had intended to walk right in front of that Charger when the school had just let out. I felt it was the only way out.

Though I wanted my family to know of my inner struggle, I am glad they believe that it was an accident. A horrid accident. They had all the reason in the world to believe I was happy. I had an amazing boyfriend, I was an A student, and I was the happiest person they knew.

But...

A week before my "accident", I caught my boyfriend with someone else. The quarterback on the football team to be exact. My grades had been slipping since the beginning of the school year, and I had pulled in D's for the first report card. I hid my pain inside with a bright smile and sarcastic humor, and no one knew the pain that had been slowly creeping up on me since Freshmen year. However, I must say I put on a grade A performance on pretending I wasn't suicidal as hell.

And my family sucked it up. 

Why wouldn't Classy be alright? She always is.

Yeah, and now she's going 6 feet under.

I blink back to the present and observe as the viewing comes to a close and the funeral begins. 

20 minutes of "she's going to a better place" and singing songs that are meant to make the attendees sob proceed the eulogies.

The time come for the speeches and I watch Collette and her tear stained face solemnly walk to the podium.

I must say, she does look beautiful....too beautiful for a funeral in my opinion. 

She opens her mouth as she begins to speak in her sweet voice:

"Classy was more than my cousin. She was my sister. We grew up together: we braided each other's hair and pushed each other on the swings up until we were 13. I could tell her anything, and I did tell her everything. Too much if I'm honest. I knew her better than anybody."

I smiled at all the memories that flashed through my mind of us.

"But, I cannot just stand her and flatter her and not tell any of you the truth", she continued, and I grew interested," She would not want me to do that. Instead, I'm going to tell all her secrets, even the bad ones. She was sad. Really sad. Classy didn't think I noticed, but I definitely did. I knew her the best of all. She had been hiding behind her hilarious personality since at least Freshmen year. I watched her, I could see the pain in her eyes. It was the same pain I saw in my mother's eyes before her little accident.

"Sometimes I remember Classy revealing some of her pain to me. It came in spurts. She began crying, and when I asked what was wrong, she would say 'I bumped my head' or something. Another time I remember her being in one of her moods-you know...sad and tired- and she just wanted to curl up in a little ball and not face the world. Then, her phone rang and it was a friend from school. He said his girlfriend had broken up with her, and he needed somebody to talk to. Classy put all of her feelings away and tried to help, all while she was still wrapped up in her little ball. Classy was selfless. She did not want other people to be concerned with her, she wanted to help others. This is the reason she is one of the greatest people I know. She always put her pain aside and let others not suspect, because it would be better for everyone if nobody worried about her.

"In the end, I wish she would have been selfish for once and let someone worry about her. I guess she couldn't be strong anymore," Collette took a deep breath and let out a loud sob, but she nevertheless continued,"And yes! I am implying she jumped in front of that car! I know she probably wanted to you all to think it was an accident, but I know it wasn't. Now, we'll never have our Classy to be strong for us ever again."

She stepped down from the podium and walked back to her seat, her head held high.I was proud of her for telling everyone how it is. 

I view as the room is in a shocked silence, and I chuckle quietly to myself.Then, my vision becomes cloudy and I see a bright light, and I am no more.

Author's Note

It's not good. But that's okay. Please read. Don't be mean.

Reviews

[Norbanus]

You did an excellent job of showing Classy's state of mind and her friend's POV. Perhaps a bit too telling, but there are times when telling the appropriate style.

Nicely done.

There are a couple of typos you might want to fix:

'I must say, she does look beautiful....to(too) beautiful for a funeral in my opinion.'

' He said his girlfriend had broken up with her(him), and he needed somebody to talk to.'

[Chloe]

Thanks for the feedback! I will definitely fix those things!

[Simple poet]

I actually really liked it. You did and amazing job on including not only the main characters point of view but Colletes as well. I really like poems with great detail!

[Chloe]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I am glad you liked it!