Castaways {Jariana}

Memorial Service

Memorial Service for

Ariana Grande Butera

and

Jaidon Domenic Matthew Brooks

A memorial service and reception will be held on Sunday, May 14, 2014 at 2:00 PM in the Beverly Hills High School Auditorium to remember these two outstanding students. Ms. Grande and Mr. Brooks were in route to France when their plane crashed on April 8, 2014. They were declared missing, presumed dead, when a vigilant search of the crash area failed to find them.

Please join their families and friends to remember their life and achievements. The families request, in lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Ariana Grande / Jai Brooks Memorial Scholarship Fund. This combined fund will seek to support students who are interested in pursuing studies that combine team sports with performing arts.

"I can't do this", whispered Zac. His fidgeting was causing the ancient padded auditorium seat to squeak loudly. His mother reached over and gently touched his arm.

"It's difficult for all of us, honey, but we have to be strong."

"Why?", he hissed back, loud enough to cause whispered murmurs from the rest of the auditorium. Never before had he dreaded being the center of attention.

Joan and David sat on the front row of the high school auditorium, a position they had frequented often during the many performances of their daughter. This was one performance neither of them ever expected to attend.

Joan cast a worried look over her shoulder at the throng of people seated behind her. The Efron's sat on the left side of the aisle and her visual sweep of the room landed on Gina Brooks who sat with her sons on the right side. It occurred to the brunette, not for the first time, that if this was a wedding and not a funeral, they would be occupying what was traditional considered the bride's side while the Brooks' were on the groom's - a tragic irony, indeed. Gina's and Joan's matching tired eyes locked and in that moment they both recognized that they now belonged to a unique and exclusive club - membership to which no one ever wanted. They were both bereaved parents who had survived their own children. A parent should never outlive their child.

"Please, Zac", David urged through tight lips to his only son. Zac was his only child now, he realized, belatedly. "People will hear you."

"I don't give a damn who hears me!", Zac shouted back, breaking in one sentence every rule of decorum and etiquette. "I won't believe she's dead until they find a body." Then, he jumped up and addressed the auditorium. "And I can't believe you people are going along with this sham!" With that, he ran up the aisle and burst through the doors, tears streaming down his pale face.

Joan laid a steadying hand on her husband's arm to restrain him. "Don't, David. He needs to work this out on his own."

Suddenly, the stage was bathed in a soft light, spotlighting two displays indicative of the two young people they were gathered to remember. On 'stage right' was a gold frame that held numerous flyers about all the shows Ariana starred in and on 'stage left' sat a stool with a Beverly Hills High track jersey with the number 19 emblazoned on the back.

Mrs. Blake slowly approached the podium and cleared her throat. She had no need of a microphone for she was an actress of the old school and she knew how to project her voice to an audience.

"Thank you for joining us here today to remember these two wonderful young people..."

Although there was no way Zac could hear Mrs. Blake from where he sat, he could just imagine her grandstanding in front of the whole school. He sighed loudly and banged his head back into the hard, cold stone of the BHHS stone obelisk which dominated the front of the school.

"Ow." Good, he needed the pain to keep him focused, so he did it again.

A shadow drifted over him and Zac squinted up to see who it was, but all he could see was the silhouette of a someone set against the bright sunlight. "You know you could do serious damage to that stone if you keep doing that."

Recognizing the voice, he gestured for her to sit down. "Not a problem. My dad will just buy them another one", he said bitterly. Then, he turned to study her more closely and saw that she was wearing a very conservative dress. Zac also noticed in her eyes the same haunted look that he saw when he looked in the mirror. "Shouldn't you be inside mourning the lost of your boyfriend?"

Miley took a deep, calming breath. "I'm still trying to work up my nerve. I'm not really into being in the spotlight and if I go in there now..."

"All eyes will be on you?"

"Exactly." She let her own head bang back against the obelisk and groaned. "I understand now." She turned to Zac and explained. "Yeah, it hurts, but it lets you know you're alive."

"Yeah."

"So..."

"So... You want to go somewhere? Do something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know... we could get drunk, smoke cigarettes, drive our cars insanely fast..."

She let out a small, delicate chuckle. "I don't know about any of that, but how about a cup of coffee?"

"Sure, but I want to do just one more head bang first."

"I think I'll join you."

"Ow."

"Ow."

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I hope this wasn't too depressing. At least we know our beautiful Jariana are okay. My loves. 💜