Scorpion Dreams

Two. Condolence

Primrose's plans for the weekend were postponed for the funeral held Saturday.  It was a slow, sorrowful procedure where Primrose stared ahead at the cold soil for two hours while all the priests spoke and prayed.  Personally, she didn't want to be here.  The words spoken were cold and coarse.  The few dozen gathered people were all gramma's friends, but most familiar faces were not friendly.  And though Primrose held back her tears for the funeral, the tears would not come.  She appeared like an ice cold statue, unblinking, unmoving and silent.

The reception afterwards was held at gramma's old house, which the front lawn now had a 'For Sale' sign.  Many of the visitors walked up to Primrose and gave her their regards and condolences.  She would respond with a solemn nod, until she saw Mr. Wittaker's son, Prince. His normally down black hair was spiked like one hawk wing, and his clothes were a level above the grim reaper.  Just barely.

"You wanna get out of here?" He whispered.

"Sure do." She replied.

They gracefully slipped out the back door until she stopped Prince by the arm at the edge of the yard.  "Can't leave the yard, Prince."

"What?  Why not?  Those faggots don't give a shit about you.  I do.  Let's go."

Primrose sighed.  "You're right.  But the stupid social services lady is here.  I'm leaving in an hour."

Prince stared at his friend for a minute, trying to decide whether to get mad or optimistic.  "Leaving where?"

"To The Village," she replied reluctantly.

"The rich people's cove?  You're kidding..."

"I have no family left, Prince," she pointed out.

"You have me."

"It's not going to work out that way.  I'm going to be four hundred miles away."

"I'll visit." He shrugged.

"What?  Every semester break?"

"Yeah. And this summer.  I'll stay all summer."

"I don't know how my foster family is.  They might not allow you."

"I can stay at a hotel."

"That's expensive!"

"Hey.  Whatever it takes, I'll come see you.  You're outta that shit when you turn eighteen, right?"

She sighed with a subtle nod.  They closed the distance between each other and grabbed each other's arms gently.  Prince looked into her eyes while she tried to avoid his gaze.

"Hey," he whispered, lifting her chin with two fingers.  She darted her eyes around for a few seconds before focusing on him.  "I'm gonna visit, so don't lump out on me."

She lifted an eyebrow.  "Lump out? Never."

"Hn, good good." He leaned in closely and she leaned away.  He questioned her with his face, mostly his eyebrows becoming like the Saturn V.

"You cheated.  Remember?" She chorused.

"Meh, not on purpose."

"Still... with Suzie, out of all girls?"

"Don't keep holding a grudge."

She defiantly remained silent and simply looked at him.

"Just a goodbye kiss.  Something good to remember me by." He curled strands of her hair in his fingers, observing her carefully.

She looked at him for a minute with narrowed eyes before replying.  "Alright."

Prince wasn't smug or overzealous, but rather serene and mimicked Primrose's mild sorrow in demeanour and facial expressions, the colour of which could mimick a mellow eggshell.  He approached his friend's lips slowly and touched them only for a few seconds to give her time to recall the familiar embrace of over one year ago.  She hesitatingly responded and pried his lips slowly open with hers, meeting his cold tongue piercing with her tongue with a gentle shiver.  They kissed for a few moments, until the edge of night approached.

"You need to take this back." Primrose said softly, pulling out the same soft cloth she'd received two days ago.

"Why?" Prince asked in confusion.  "You've been looking for it everywhere."

"I can't have it now.  It won't work... not away from the fountain."

"Shall I wait so long?" Prince asked with a frown, taking the wrapped cloth in his hand and pocketing it.

"Over half a year." Primrose replied solemnly.  She stroked his right cheek with the tips of her black fingernails and whispered a calm farewell.