Black For Me and You

Will is standing next to me.

He's not crying either.

But he's a boy

so it's not as bad.

He won't stop pulling

on the cuffs of his suit jacket.

I know he wants to take it off

but can't

because it would be rude.

He stares straight ahead.

I can't tell what he's looking at.

His face is expressionless

and he's standing straight and tall,

like every muscle in his body is tense.

I know how he feels.

I feel as though I've been

sttttrrreeeetttccchhhheeedddd out,

pulled taut like a string

that could SNAP

at the slightest touch.

I try to force myself to cry.

Because I hate being like this

in a crowd full of weeping people.

And I can't take the way

her parents are looking at me.

I open my mouth to sob

but all that comes out

is a strange little noise that's a mix

between a hiccup and a gasp.

I cover my mouth.

Will glances over at me.

His head jerks to the side

like it's a struggle for him to move.

When he's not messing with his sleeves,

his hands are clenched into fists.

But he sees me

with my hands pressed to my mouth

and he relaxes his hands

and reaches for mine.

He squeezes my hand tightly

but I don't feel it

over the cast.

It's bright purple.

One color

amidst all this black.

I hate black.

I had gone out of the house that morning

wearing a pretty, white dress,

with a pretty, white sash,

and pretty, white sandals.

Will looked at me like I was crazy

and asked me what I was doing.

"We shouldn't wear black.

I hate black."

"Riley, it's a funeral."

"She loved black.

We can't wear black

to her funeral."

She'd be happy

to see me wear black.

We can't wear black

to her funeral.

But he refused to drive me

unless I changed.

So I decided not to go.

But he bribed me

with a free latte

because he knows I can't turn down

a latte.

Especially a free one.

But the entire ride there,

I kept reminding him

how much

I

hate

black.

Author's Note

Let me know what you think. This is the second version of this story that I have posted on writerscafe. If you have time, read both and tell me which you like better and why. Thanks for reading!
--theladygraceling