Backseat Serenade (Alex Gaskarth~Completed)

|31|My brave girl|

| Ember |

Song: Alone - Falling In Reverse

(The next day)

My phone rings.
"Hello, is this Ember Barakat?"
"Yes, it is. Speaking?" I ask, wiping the tears from my eyes.
"I'm Helen Black, Wynter's mom."
"Oh. Hello. I'm sorry for your loss." I snuffle.
"I'm sorry too. He spoke about you non stop since the minute he met you, about how you reminded him of Rebecca, his sister."
"Yeah. I tired to help him, I'm so sorry."
"You couldn't have done anything, sweetheart. Don't be so down. I was calling to ask if you'd be willing to come to his funeral, and maybe speak?"
"I'd love to." Jack puts his arm around me and I lie my head on his chest.
"I'm making arrangements. I'll call you, save my number. You can get through this, just know he thought dearly of you. I'll be starting things today. It may be next week."
"That's fine. Tell me so I can book a flight, I'm in Baltimore at the moment."
"I know. I'll call you later, you can bring someone if you like, I'm off the the funeral directors now."
"Goodbye."
"Bye." I hang up.
"Who was that?"
"Wynter's mom. She asked if I'd speak at his funeral."
"Okay. I'm coming with you. You need support."
"That's fine. She said she's making arrangements today so we can book our flights as soon as possible."
"Just tell me and I'll do it. Can Cass come over?"
"Sure." I start to cry.
"Shh. Come on sis, you're brave. You've been through bad things." I bury my head into Jack's shoulder and sleep.

*

I must look a mess, I have no makeup on, I haven't made any efforts. Unless you count some leggings, one of Jack's old shirts and my new favourite cardigan as an effort. My hair is up in a messy ponytail and my fringe is out my face.
I'm a mess. I look it and I feel it.
Jack hands me a cup of coffee and I drink some of it. Alex is sat in silence, giving me sympathetic looks.
"I don't need sympathy, Alex. I can get through it."
"I wasn't giving you any. I was just thinking I felt the same with my brother, Tom." I keep quiet and drink my coffee, then pick my book up off the table.
Five minutes later, Cass is at the door. Alex gets it and she rushes to me.
"How you holding out?"
"I'm okay. I've been better. The guys have been sweet though." She gives me a quick hug.
"We're going upstairs Jack, okay?"
"Sure." He smiles, I finish my coffee and put my book down, before going upstairs with Cass following me.
"His mom rang today, asked if I would speak at the funeral."
"What did you say?"
"I said yes. I'll get to say goodbye to him properly."
"I'm glad. You did the right thing." She hugs me and we sit on my bed talking.

*

"I've gotta go now, okay?"
"That's fine. It's been nice to have someone to talk to." I try to smile.
"You know Jack seems immature, but he's someone to talk to. And I know things are still a bit awkward between you and Alex, but I'm sure he'd talk to you too."
"I know. I'll try." We go downstairs and I wave her goodbye.
"Ember, your phone is ringing!" Alex calls. I run to get it, it's Helen.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Ember. It's Helen."
"I know. I saved your number."
"That's good. So I've arranged everything. It's going to be on Monday afternoon, is that okay?"
"That's fine. Four days away is it?"
"Yes."
"Can my brother come?"
"If he wants to."
"He didn't know Wynter, but I need the support."
"That's fine."
"I'll see you Monday."
"Get a taxi to my house. I'll send you the address."
"Bye Helen." I hang up.
"Monday afternoon." I tell Jack.
"We'll have to get a late night flight there on Sunday."
"That's okay." He pulls out his laptop and starts to look at some tickets. I sit next to Alex and lean on his arm, he wraps his arm around me.
"It'll be okay. It always is, Ember. You have me, Jack, Cass, the guys. We've got your back."
"What about Vic Fuentes?" I ask.
"He's still getting married." He chuckles and I laugh a bit.
"Damn. It was worth a shot." I say, my voice laced with sarcasm, but I don't have the energy to laugh.
"You've still got your sense of humour then." I nod and I watch the TV.

*

"Jack, can I borrow some money for tomorrow?" I ask at the dinner table, looking across at him. "I want to find something nice for Wynter's goodbye." I don't say 'funeral', it's insensitive.
"Yeah, I'll come with you tomorrow."
"Thanks." I smile weakly and put the fork in my mouth. I eat in silence, Jack and Alex are having a quiet conversation. I put my plate away and sit back on the couch.
"I'm going for a shower." I say and run upstairs.
I make the water cold, my face feels all hot and puffy from crying. I step under the jet of water and wash my hair. I don't take my time because I think too much in the shower. I'll end up thinking too much about Wynter.
After drying off, I put Jack's black shirt back on with some grey pyjama bottoms. I don't think he's getting his shirt back, it's one of his 'JAGK' ones, his own designer shirts. I brush my hair and leave it down to dry.
Alex's voice comes from his room, so I follow it and knock on his door.
"Alex, it's Ember."
"Come in." He's lay on his bed, phone in hand probably scrolling through twitter. "Hey, my brave girl." He smiles.
"Hi." I lie next to him. "I don't want to say goodbye to Wynter. I don't want him dead."
"You can't change that, no one knows what was going through his mind that day. He's in a better place now, though."
"I guess he is. Away from pain, he's with his sister again now."
"That's all you have to think. It's what he wanted. He wanted his sister back." He rolls onto his side to face me.
"I know." I sigh.
"He wanted his sister. And there was only one thing that could do that."
"He said he wanted either his sister or me, he said his sister was easier to get to." I start to cry and I sit up. Alex sits up too and pulls me into his lap. I cry onto his shoulder.
"You're my brave best friend remember? Reckless and brave? I don't want to see you like this."