𝑇𝐻𝑅𝐸𝐸 𝐷𝐸𝑀𝑂𝑁𝑆

x 48 x

x DEMON x

The air is still. The park is quiet as hell. The trees are softly blowing, the quiet sounds of small wildlife snaking their way through trees. The grass is slightly damp, and I can smell that it was freshly cut. Mixtures of body odor, perfumes, and candle scents wafted in the breeze as hundreds of students, faculty, and community alike crowded Northwest park. All of this, for my Synara.

I had planned the event, but I let Syn's parents lead everything tonight. They deserved it, after all, this is for their daughter. But...this is also for me. To let go of any feelings that might have still dwelled in my heart for her. To let go of my past toxicity, to let go of an old era of me that hopefully will never see the pages of Laura or Devana's textbooks.

I let my balloon go, watching as it was the fourth to reach for the lonely moon in the sky. Synara's parents, Devana's, and now mine. I hadn't seen Laura all night. I had texted and texted. I didn't think she'd really take me for my words yesterday at school, but I really wished she had come. This was a moment that might have brought her some closure from the flashbacks she still has, a moment that would have let her let Synara go properly too even though she didn't know her as much as Dior or I.

I pulled out my phone and text her again, but my messages weren't even going through now. She had probably blocked me. I pushed away any thoughts of her and focused on this night. Laura's being selfish right now, and I'm supposed to be here celebrating my friend's life. Shit, even I'm being selfish.

I found Devana in the crowd, our eyes meeting. I walked across the grass to her, wrapping my arms around her as we both cried. "I miss her so much, Khloe. I miss her so much."

"I know. I know. Me too," I said back.

"I can't believe Laura really didn't show up," I said. I grimaced. I wasn't supposed to be thinking about her. Damn it!

"Maybe she really doesn't care about you or Syn the way you thought," Dior said, laying her hand on my chest. "But it's okay, because I'm here for you."

I started crying again, wondering if maybe tonight I had also unexpectedly found the answer to who I wanted to be with. Maybe, in a small way, Syn had blessed me with some sort of eye opener to who really loved me. And all this time, I squeezed my wet eyes shut, I thought it was you, Laura.