Hey Stranger

Chapter 4

It was the second funeral Percy had been to within the year. He thought everything was going well but he supposes the moment that the pin dropped and all went downhill was the moment he got too happy. Percy wasn't allowed to be happy, if he was, bad things would happen. He was happy when they were in New York, then his mother married Gabe. After they leave Gabe and move to California, the Golden State, he made friends and felt happy. Then Reyna left, and his neighbor Ed. Now the one that would really destroy his happiness was when Emily Zhang was killed in combat.

She had fought for her country and had tried so desperately to go back home. At the news of hearing his mother's passing, Frank had destroyed their room in blind rage. It was like watching a storm destroy everything in its path out of anger and Percy understood. He wouldn't be able to go long without thinking or seeing his mother. "Frank." Percy called out for his best friend and roommate. The haunted look on Frank's face as he looked up at him would forever be burned into his mind. He looked pale, looking outside of the car window and seeing all the people dressed in their military clothes. "I'm your friend, anywhere and anytime."

Frank nodded nervously and at the sound of Sally unlocking the car door put him into motion. He stepped out of the car and Percy saw him clench his hand into a fist, he was shaking but at the sight of the military officers, Frank laid his hand flat against his leg.

The Chinese-Canadian boy looked like he had aged five years. They were guided over to the front row and Percy locked his eyes on a single grass blade that stood out by the edge of the dug grave.

Frank was no longer crying silent tears unlike he had when he sat in the car, staring out in front of him at the swinging lights of the police car escorting them to the burial site. Sally had held Frank's hand.

They stood there, keeping a passive face, never faltering, not even when the loud airplanes flew over their heads. Frank stared out as his mother's squadmates marched her casket over to the dug out grave.

The three of them had their hand over their heart, normally both Frank and Percy would start to fumble with the fabric of their suits but they didn't do it. They didn't play with the fabrics because they are respecting Emily Zhang, a daughter, a mother and a soldier.

They finally stood in front of them and the casket was lowered, they folded up the flag. Then came the shouts, following the shouts were the shots and they echoed into the air. Percy had kept his head up and he wondered how Frank was so strong. The boy hadn't shown any emotion.

When he looked back at his best friend he saw the silent tears slip down his cheeks as he was handed the flag. He clenched it in his hands, but not hard enough to wrinkle it.

When they returned back home, Percy was dropped off at the school, but Frank had gone with his mother. He wondered if Frank was going to leave him just like Reyna had done, but he wouldn't blame Frank. The thought of his mother being gone and his grandma being in the state that she is.

– – – – – –

"Shouldn't I be put on a flight back home?" Frank said, his voice somber as he sat down and ran a hand over his face, wiping away all of the wetness that remained. Canada was a long way home but it was where his grandmother was, the only one remaining from his family.

"You're staying in California, Frank." Sally said and rubbed a hand over Frank's back. A steaming cup of tea was put out in front of him and Sally sat down in the corner seat next to him. "Your mother had put you in my care."

"Why?" He was taken aback. "What about Grandma?" He asked, he should be taking care of the only person left that shared blood with him. He should have been on the first flight back to Vancouver.