"I heard about her, she's bad for you."
"Like you were any better."
"She's going to ruin you."
"Then let her."
Blake Gunner always looked for the bad in people, to know that he's not the only one. Yet to also see if they can defeat the bad like he t...
I wasn't close to Jennifer and her funeral was another reminder of it. Silence hung in the air and broke with Jennifer's mother... again. Instead of blaming Keene as she did with Noel, she blamed Miranda. Except Miranda wasn't at the funeral. No one's seen her since she ran after her mother that day in court.
"I don't think I've ever been to a funeral, and I didn't know the person." Ursula took the seat next to me in the diner's booth. She looked around at most of our classmates from Jefferson High. "Isn't there like... a gathering after the funeral?"
"Jennifer's mom wasn't exactly fond of us, so guess we're not invited." I looked across our booth at Clarissa who comforted Melissa. Her cheeks stained with mascara and tissues piled beside her.
The last time we were in here, that table had Miranda and Jennifer. They're gone now. Kelly, Britney, and Katherine approached them. I thought there'd be silent glares but Melissa sniffled up at Kelly. She stood up and raised her arms. They cried on each other's shoulders. I found it interesting how people set their differences aside when someone else connected them. A funeral either pushed people apart or brought them together no matter their differences.
"Ah, remember when that was you?" Ursula pointed out the window where Levi, Jaden, Keene, and Axel smoked. They each held it differently. Thumb and index finger, between the index and middle finger, thumb and middle finger and with all fingers apart from the pinkie. It's weird the things you notice when you're not the one doing something.
"Yeah, I do and to be honest, I wouldn't mind one now." A sigh escaped my lips as I watched them. They stood around Levi's car and spoke. It didn't look like a friendly conversation because neither of them laughed or smiled. Why would it be anyway? A girl just died, one disappeared, and another was on trial.
"They say gum is good." Ursula took my jaw and forced me to look away. We locked eyes, and I assured her I wouldn't smoke. In return, I received a kiss. Someone cleared their throat, and we pulled away. Carter smiled at Ursula but his eyes flickered from Ursula to me. Ursula raised her eyebrows and pecked my cheek. "I'll go see how the girls are doing. Always in need of another shoulder to cry on."
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When Ursula left to sit beside Clarissa, I huffed at Carter who took her seat. Aidan sat at the end with Ethan opposite us. The waitress went to the girls first. Melissa raised her arm and announced that lunch was on her. For Jennifer. We didn't know how to thank Melissa without her bursting into tears so we all nodded.
"Any news of Miranda yet?" I kept my voice low because I knew Melissa wouldn't want us talking about Jennifer or Miranda. She seemed occupied at the moment by ordering our food. Levi, Keene, Axel, and Jaden joined us with Levi and Axel having to pull up stools to sit at the end.
