MAC: The Twisted Alternative

13: Time

—SQUIDS POV—
After having about 2 hours sleep I went downstairs into the kitchen where I made myself some breakfast.
My mum was already there, the coffin had been closed over, people would be coming round in the next hour or so to bring it to the graveyard.
"Morning mum." I greeted, eating my cereal.
"Morning Dave- I heard you talking from the other room, is everything alright?" She asked,
"Yeah.. just a problem with work, it's all good now." I sighed, thinking of Beth. She loves me.. oh god she loves me.. I can't just ruin my relationship with Joe! He's my best friend, and I'd hate to ruin his relationship with his girlfriend.. if I go with Beth then Joe will be alone.. if I go with Joe then Beth will be alone.. but if Joe goes with Beth then I'll be alone.. there's no easy way out of this, and I can't deny that I really like Beth..
"You got a girlfriend?" My mum asked me, out of the blue.
"W-what?" I questioned,
"I saw your phone kept buzzing from someone called 'B' on your phone- lots of 'X's at the end."
I laughed, "it's complicated."
"Whats her name?" She asked,
"Beth." I replied.. "we aren't.. anything.. don't talk about her to anyone." I said, regretting telling my mother her name.
"I won't I won't.." she sighed, looking over to the coffin. "Better get ready."
I nodded, looking down at my suitcase. "Okay."

After I dressed myself in a black suit I walked downstairs to see the living room crowded with people all coming to the funeral. I spotted Joe with his sisters in the kitchen.
"Hi mate." I greeted, walking down the stairs, "Hi Netty hi Rachael, it's been ages." I said, hugging them both.
Joe and his sisters started talking to another group of friends, I went over to the other side of the room and ease dropped on Joe's mum and my mums conversation.
"Joe's got a girlfriend," Joe's mum, Catherine, brought up.
"Oh Davids got one too- what's her name?" Asked my mum.
"Beth." Said Catherine,
"Oh.. David's girlfriend is called Beth too... he did say it was complicated."
The two started chuckling, "I'm glad I'm not living in that household!"

I walked away, laughing slightly at our mothers' conversation.

After a while, me, Joe, Timmy, Martyn and two of Toms old friends carried the coffin to the large graveyard followed by a huge crowd of our friends and relatives.
Joe walked behind me as we heaved the coffin into the graveyard, I slowly started to break, as I tried to keep myself together I felt Joe gently tap me, filling me with a sudden burst of comfort.
I took deep breaths in and out as we placed the coffin onto a stand on the graveyard.
The day was gloomy, someone started talking about Tom as if they knew him the way I did. I didn't even look up to see who was talking.
"Tom was such a strong and kind-hearted man. He was such an inspiring figure to all of us.."
I continued to look down at the coffin, lost in thought.
My family started saying words, I couldn't pull myself to listen, it was only when my mother nudged me I became aware again, I had to speak.
I looked around, everyone watched me in anticipation.
"I- eh.." I tried to speak, my mother patted my back, "Tom..  Tom was my hero when I was young.." I improvised, taking a deep breath, "he was my big brother.. he used to read me stories when I was little. He'd sit at the end of my bed with a book, a new one every night. I guess you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." I looked around the room, feeling so sad, "you see.. the trouble is, you think you have time. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.. I thought that I'd have time to come home, show Tom what I've done and see what he's done, thought we'd have the time to laugh, the time to grow a little older and make new memories.. and the time to say goodbye.. I know it'll be hard to forget someone that gave me so much to remember.. so thank you Tom, for giving me your time. Thanks for the memories. You were the best."

We threw the roses into the grave before it was done. It was over.
I felt so broken, my mum and dad hugged me, my eyes and nose tensed and I knew I couldn't hold on anymore.
With tears in my eyes I looked at the grave, with no words to say, just a head full of regrets and tears full of a million apologies I never got to make.

We all left the graveyard, we were supposed to drive over to a hotel where we had booked and paid for lunch for all the guests.
I got in my car, I had let my parents borrow it while I was in New York and used it to drive to the graveyard today.
I climbed in, turning on the engine I put my foot on the break and then the key. I remained stopped. I looked out of the window as it started to rain.
I leant my elbow on the steering wheel and pushed my hand over my eyes as I cried.
Suddenly there was a knock on the window, Joe opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.
"Hey, mind if I grab a lift?" He asked, I looked over to him, my eyes red from crying.
"I-I'm sorry I think I'm just gonna go home." I told him,
"I'm going where you're going." Joe said, "I'm not leaving you alone today."
My stomach jerked, feeling touched that he cared.
I nodded, my eyes beginning to water again.
I drove out of the graveyard and onto the road, I spiralled along the small country lanes, trying to make sense of what had happened in the last few days.