Lights

Chapter 20.

"Are you ready?" Liam’s voice rang out from the hallway. Skyler took one more glance at the full-length mirror, smoothing the black material of her dress down with her cold hands. Her face was a lot paler than usual, and she had decided to straighten her normally wavy hair, pulling a single black rose through it to pin it off of her face gently. "Did you hear?" Liam asked again softly, sticking his head around the door. She looked at his face as he held her gaze in the mirror. This day was going to be as hard from him at it was for her.

"Ready as I'll ever be." She forced a smile, turning away from the mirror to walk towards the door. Liam caught her hand and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "Liam, I really don't want to break down here." Skyler laughed unenthusiastically, which, in return he gently, whispered the words ‘I love you’ in her ear. "Sorry," she apologized while pulling away, out of his hold, "let's go celebrate our best friends life." 

They walked with their arms linked together down the stairs to where both Josh and Dani stood, Josh wearing suit and Dani a black dress, similar to Skyler’s. Josh nodded his head once at the couple, a small smile tugging on his lips. He held out his hand for Dani, and she took a hold of it without even a second thought, snuggling into his embrace. It was going to be a hard day for everyone.

Skyler felt her heart drop as she remembered Jake, and how he wouldn’t have anyone to hold during his pain. The love of his life was dead. Wrapping her arms around herself, trying to offer herself comfort, it was a futile attempt. Nevertheless, she only had herself to blame, for it had been her that had instructed Kaia and Jake to drink, if she hadn’t had done that, maybe they wouldn’t be attending their best friends funeral today. Sometimes, deep down inside of her, she wished that she had been the one in that car, even if it were for a brief moment, because she needed her best friend. Noticing the cut off body language Skyler was displaying, Liam put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, leading her out into the cold air as she walked numbly over to the waiting black car. 

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The cold air surrounded the dark figures swarming around the heavy, wooden casket that was being lowered to the ground. The sky was overcast with dark clouds, like it was morning the lost of the angel on earth. Skyler let her head fall to pay her last respects to Kaia, a 'beloved friend' so the priest had said at the funeral service. The wind howled, blowing the young girls hair all over the place as she tried to remain whole. Kaia didn't deserve to be there and it sure as hell wasn't fair on anybody to witness this. She glanced at Dani's tear stricken face as she squeezed her best friends hand gently as she cried softly into Josh’s chest as he tried his best to comfort her. They had decided to make up quickly, as there was no need for conflict on a day like this. On her other side, Liam had grip on her other hand as he softly kissed the top of her head. The person that she cared most for was Kaia’s mother. She was stood at the foot of the casket, her mothers fragile body leant heavily into April's side. They were both suffering in silence, longing for their little girl to be back in their arms. April had know Kaia side she was a little girl. She watched her grown into a beautiful and mature young woman, she felt like Kaia was the daughter she never had. As for her mother, only now had she wished she had spent more time with her daughter. She thought she was doing the best by her kids. When Kaia’s father had left, she thought by working as hard she could, she could make her son and daughter happy by providing the best things in life, all accept the love of a parent. And it killed her to think that Kaia had died thinking she hated her from never being there for her. 

A little further back stood Alexa and her boyfriend, both with their heads held low. Paying their final respects to a girl they didn’t really know. It annoyed Skyler that they had showed up, it was hard enough for everyone, the last thing that needed today was drama. Rolling her eye angrily as Alexa shed a tear, she glanced further to the left, spotting a figure with their dark green eyes directed at her. He stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, his perfect plump lips drawn into a hard line. His eyes gave away the sadness locked away inside though, as the blurriness began to take over. But he didn't move. He stayed by the back as the rest of their friends wept softly as the casket reached the bottom of the hole and the ageing man confirmed for her closest family and friends to sprinkle dirt on the casket.