True Disaster ✔️

Three

"those we love never truly leave us. there are things that death cannot touch."
–––

I never thought I would be back here.

Standing in front of her grace, remembering all of the laughs and smiles we had with one another, all of the crying sessions we did whenever I wanted to rant to her about my parents, and when she finally confessed why she really moved here in LA.

Alexis Carter
April 16, 2002 - March 12, 2020
Daughter, sister, cousin, niece, friend
we will never forget you

I met Alexis during high school. She and I bumped into each other in the hallway. But we instantly hit it on and I knew that I was going to like her. We were complete opposites but I liked her a lot. I liked her quiet personality and her creative mind.

I've never met some so genuine and calm as her.

She moved here in LA after leaving her Grandma's house, who was bitch to her. She told me all the stories about her Grandma and how she treated Alexis wrongly.

But then she moved to LA with her cousin Wes, who is now attending USC for college football. I know it has always been his dream because I would overhear him talking about how he wanted to go to USC to play football in fourth-period consumers math. His mom, Isabelle is really happy for him and I know that he visits here often. My father keeps up with everyone in our town because he is the priest of the church that's in the center of the town. I know that Wes's mom goes because my mom and dad talk about her and how she is holding up.

But as she started to look happier and enjoy life she died in a car crash.

I hear leaves rustling making me turn my head at the same time as I wiped a tear that fell. When I turn my head I see Kayden Black walking towards where I am standing.

Kayden Black was Alexis's boyfriend. He was on the phone with her as she crashed her car.

He walks next to me and leans down and places one rose on Alexis's grave before leaning back up.

After a few moments of silence, he says, "Didn't think you would be back here."

I clench my fists. "I didn't think I would either."

"How was New York?" Kayden asked.

"It was fine. I didn't like clothing design so I decided to come back though." I look up at  Kayden for the first time since he came to stand next to me. "How are you Kayden?"

He looks a lot better than he did three years ago.

His hair is still the same dark brown color, to me, his hair always looked black but when he stands in his sun you could see it's just a dark brown instead of black. He looks a little bit more cleaned up and his style definitely changed.

"Better. Coming here helps." Kayden motions his hand to Alexis's grave. In his other hand, I see a white journal with a bunch of bookmarks sticking out. "I never told any of you but the day of prom I went inside Alexis's room and I found this journal."

"What's in it?"

"Story ideas, poems, journal entries. They are some pages where she talks about you." I look up at Kayden. "Isabelle said I can keep all of her journals that she wrote in while she was here in California. Isabelle kept the ones from Jersey."

"Do you still talk to Wes and Isabelle?"

"I check up with Isabelle every few weeks and Wes and I text one another every other day."

"How is he?"

"He is distracted which is good. He needs to focus on football."

"What have you been doing these past three years?"

"Helping my mom and I go to this college in Arizona."

I smile at Kayden. "What are you studying?"

" English Literature and Journalism."

"Do you still race?" I asked Kayden.

He nips his lip and looks at the ground. "Sometimes. I need to get my mind off and driving like that distracts me." Kayden holds his breath for a min and lets out a sigh. "I feel guilty everyday Willow," Kayden admitted in a low voice.

I stand in front of Kayden. "You shouldn't. It's not your fault."

"I shouldn't have called her that morning."

I shake my head lightly and then wrap my arms around Kayden. "Never feel guilty that you called her that morning. You calling her didn't distract her. Some idiot just needs some driving lessons." Kayden wraps his arms around me. "If you ever need me I'm always here. I'm not leaving anytime soon." I feel Kayden nod his head and I let go of him so that I am standing in front of him again. "How are the rest of the guys?"

"Ethan is backpacking through Europe right now," Kayden said.

"Classic Ethan," I said with a smile on my face.

Kayden nods his head. "Mathew is studying business in some small college in Orange County

"Never thought he would study that," I commented.

"and Grayson is still in town with Melody."

I feel my heart race when Kayden says his name. "Is he still fighting?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow.

"Yea but it's complicated."

I tilt my head to the side and furrow my eyebrows. "Complicated?"

"You know how Grayson it." Kayden shrugs his shoulders.

"I thought he would stop that."

"He is doing it for the money."

"I thought that he was fine with money."

"A lot happened while you were gone Willow," Kayden mentioned.

"Is he okay?" I asked while sounding a little worried because I am.

"He's Grayson. He doesn't want help from anyone."

"Melody is okay right?"

Kayden nodded his head. "Yea, she is fine. Grayson is handling it."

Grayson Reid.

He was my crush in middle school and when senior year hit he and I started talking. But when things were starting to get serious it was the end of the year. I

He has never met my parents because with how my dad is, he would probably shoot Grayson in the end.

Long story short, I had to leave for New York and he was staying in California so that Melody could stay in school with her friends. Grayson didn't have the money to move to New York either so he stayed here.

I didn't expect Grayson to move for me. He has a life here in LA and his life is with his daughter. I'm not going to step in the way of that.

But I always wondered what Grayson would do once I left. I knew he loved fighting and he needed money so he decided to join this underground fighting club that we have here in California.

"I told Grayson before I left that I didn't want  him in that."

"You can't stop him." Kayden shrugged his shoulders. "He's Grayson. No one can or will change what he does and who he is."

"Does Melody know about him fighting like that?"

"No, but she will probably find out soon. She is getting older and understanding more every day."