Unwritten Pages

Chapter Ten: Something Beautiful

     I watch the dirt being poured over. Until there's nothing left. Until there's nothing but dirt.

     So this is it. This is truly it. She's gone.

     Arianna is sobbing hysterically, with Con's arms around her. Desiree is crying too—though she's not sobbing. But she's very close to sobbing. Because she's shaking—like that time in the girl's bathroom.

     I had wanted to hold her first, but Drew had beaten me to it. Also, Desiree doesn't look as if she wants my company. I'm almost sure that she'll push me away or do something similar if I try to hold her.

     “Why did she have to go?” Arianna asks. Con holds her tighter.

     I think about Drew's words.

     “So if her death can be blamed on someone, it would be me.”

     I wonder what Drew has done. It must have been bad. Maybe he knows the reason why Winter committed suicide.

     I look at the sky—the cloudless blue sky. Why is everything so beautiful? Why is there something beautiful about something so dark?

     Out of all the students, only us, the people that actually know Winter, are standing by her grave. Everyone else is lingering closely, watching us. Or—socializing with their friends.

     I see a lot of annoying girls socializing with their friends. Wouldn't they care? No—of course not. They didn't know Winter. The end. What would they do if their best friend had died?

     I wonder if some of them have the nerve to say that some speeches were boring.

     People can be cruel, insecure, stupid and pathetic.

     I sigh and kick the grass around me. The green is so lush. Now I'm wondering why the cemetery is so...cheery and bright.

     Now this cemetery doesn't even look appealing anymore. It's something beautiful from something so dark. It makes sense to be buried in a creepy and dark cemetery now. That actually symbolizes death—whereas here, it's so nice. Something beautiful for something horrible.

     My parents aren't speaking to me yet. I know they're still upset about the Liane thing. But I don't care. I keep looking at the grave. Winter's name is engraved on the tomb.

     I kneel down by the tomb and I trace my finger over the strokes of her name.

Winterlyn Evaline Lawly

“Do Not Swear By The Moon, The Inconstant Moon.”

     I don't know why that quote is engraved in the tomb. It's one of Winter's favourite quotes—I get it. But I don't think it has anything to do with Winter's death.

     It's a quote from 'Romeo And Juliet'. It's one of Winter's favourite plays. She finds the romance intriguing. I find it kind of...odd. But interesting enough. Two feuding families—a pair of star-crossed lovers. What more can an audience want?

     I stand up. I drop my phone on the grass. Luckily—it's grass and not cement, so it doesn't break. But I swear anyways and pick it up to check for cracks on the screen.

     There are no cracks that I can see. Just in case—I run my hands down the screen. Smooth. I assume that there are no cracks.

     Before I can slip it into my pocket, Arianna catches sight of it. Not that she hasn't seen my phone before.

     “Oh,” she says, “Andrew, I called you earlier, but you didn't pick up.”

     I remember the phone call that led me to listening to Winter's music. I look at the grave suddenly as I think of the songs she's composed...before her death. The hidden meanings that I couldn't decipher yet.