1:45 A.M

Chapter twenty-five

Twenty five: you make me strong.

***

I hugged Noah and Oliver, we said our goodbyes, Chase was waiting for me in the car. I headed to his car, I got into the car with Chase, and I gave him a small smile. "Ready?"

"Honestly, no," he shook his head. "I have to talk in his funeral, because I was his best friend."

"You'll do good," I patted his shoulder, he started driving to the airport.

"I still don't know what to say," he sighed.

"I'll help you," I said, grabbing my phone from my pocket. "I'll write it for you."

"Really?" His eyes lit up.

"Of course," I nodded.

And I wrote what I wished to say in my parents' funeral but I was too young to understand or talk.

***

We were now sitting in the plane, usually it takes three hours and 26 minutes, but I stayed writing the speech Chase was going to present in the funeral.

I looked at Chase, and he was fast asleep. Nobody could blame him since he barely got any sleep these last few days.

***

Once we arrived at the airport, we went to grab our bags and made our way outside. We looked for Chase's aunt, and he found her daughter who was waving at us like crazy. We walked towards her, and Chase hugged her. "Hey, Rach."

"Chase, I missed you," she smiled. "You must be Scarlett?"

"Yep," I nodded, she pulled away from Chase; and hugged me.

"I'm Rachel," she greeted me. "Nice to finally meet you."

Finally?

"You too," I grinned at her. We followed her to the car, and we got in.

"How is Karen?" Chase asked Rachel, Karen was Chase's aunt.

"She's been better," she mumbled. "Watching her best friend fall apart is really hard, Lily isn't doing good at all."

"Can you blame her? She lost her son, god only knows how bad she feels right now," Chase huffed.

"What about you? How are you holding up?" She looked at Chase, then looked at the road.

"Not that good too," he frowned. "He was on the way to healing, and he just dies."

"And you never even got to say goodbye," Rachel sighed.

My eyes widened at her words, who says that to a person who just lost his best friend?

"It is not your fault, Chase, death doesn't have time, it comes unexpectedly," I tried to comfort him. "Goodbyes are overrated anyway, you know you're going to see each other again."

"I know, but when?" Tears streamed down Chase's eyes. "Rachel is right, I never got to say goodbye."

"Chase, you did not know that he was going to pass away, it's not your fault that god had other plans for him," I said.

***

My heart ached for Chase who was still blaming himself for not saying goodbye. I don't even understand why Rachel would say that, if someone told me that you never got to say goodbye to your parents, I'd be torn.

I know I didn't say goodbye to them, and now that I think about it; it stunk. We were sitting with his aunt, her husband, and Rachel.

"We are all going to die somehow," Rachel shrugged, I glared at her to stop. "He wanted to die before, so I don't really get-"

"Rachel, stop," I spoke. "You never lost someone, did you?"

"No," she shook her head.

"Exactly, you wouldn't know the feeling if you never even tried it," I said. "If you're trying to comfort him, you're making it worse."

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"All we can do now is pray for him," I told Chase, and he just nodded.

"You guys should go rest, you have to wake up early in the morning for the funeral," Rachel's mother said. "Since we don't have enough bedrooms, Chase, you're going to have to share the room with Scar."

"That's okay," he shrugged. "Let's go?"

"Sure," I nodded. We stood up, and went up the stairs.

***

I got out of the bathroom to see Chase lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"This sucks," he said. "I don't even sleep here, I sleep in Cameron's apartment."

"Did you read your speech for tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes, thank you," he nodded. "Thank you for coming with me, thank you for being here with me."

"You don't have to thank me, Chase," I smiled. "You were there for me, and now, I'm here for you."

"I am so sorry for how I treated you back then," he uttered. "You really didn't deserve it. Without you, I'd be dead by now."

"Don't say that," I placed my hand in his hand, as I lied next to him. "I'll be there for you to hold you tight and remind you of how amazing you are."

"Scar," he whispered.

"Hmmm?" I looked at him.

"You make me strong."

***

AHHHH MY HEART :((((

This chapter reminds me of the song 'strong' by one direction, that's why I added a lyric there.

"I'm sorry if I say I need you, but I don't care I'm not scared of love, cause when I'm not with you; I'm weaker, is that so wrong? Is it so wrong that you make me strong?"

Thank you!!

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