Dead and Deader ( Reggie / Julie and the Phantoms )

2. I Just Want You To Hear Me

I slowed down the speed in my run once I realized I was getting close to my grave and wanted to be quiet, even if no one could hear me. I stuffed my hands in my shorts' back pockets and slowly approached the two girls sitting on a picnic blanket in front of my tombstone. Music was playing at a low volume from a speaker in front of the two girls, hidden from my vision by the picnic snacks they had brought to munch on. I circled them before sitting at the head of my grave, leaning against my tombstone. 

"Hey, April," I waved at one of the girls who scrolled through her phone, probably searching for a song. I face the younger girl to April's right and smile. "Hey, Andrea. I see you're both here this Sunday. I missed you, Andrea, but I know you had a volleyball thing last week so I forgive you. I know how much you love that sport. So how's mom and dad?"

"Did you find a video of them?" Andrea asked, looking over to try to get a peek at April's phone screen. She pouted when April shook her head and tossed her phone ontop the grass. "Damn, I really picked the worst possible day to take a mental health day. You should have gotten a video of them."

"It was so quick," April said, shrugging. "But you would have loved it. They were so good and the holograms were insane! And cute! I wish they were real! "

Andrea sulked and picked the grapes in a tupperware container before grabbing one. "Hopefully they play at school again. I really want to hear them play. "

"Hear who play? What happened?" I asked, knowing full well they won't answer.

"I know, me too," April said, and then her eye gaze went to me but I know she was just looking at my name on the tombstone I was using a chair back. "Ale would have loved them. Honestly, I wouldn't have even been surprised if she joined them just because it seemed like fun."

"She definitely would have," Andrea exclaimed. "Don't you remember my ninth birthday? God, she was so embarrassing! Ugh, but it was so funny I couldn't even be that mad at her!"

"Hey, I'm not embarrassing!"

"Oh don't remind me. I remember that vividly. I'm pretty sure I'm still cleaning frosting out of my ear to this day," April joked and picked at her ear. I giggled at them and picked at the grass next to me. "Do you wanna..?"

I looked at Andrea and she shook her head, focusing on the grapes. April sighed and looked straight at me and it almost seemed like she could see me. "So, as always, I don't know if you're here, up there, or you know... down."

"I'm right here."

"But I just wanted to let you know I love you and I really wish you were here. You would have been at your dream school right now if you were alive. Probably chasing after your stupid math teacher dreams," April said, her voice wavering. Andrea scoffed and pushed April away from her.

"Don't talk about that dead like that."

April rolled her eyes, playfully. "She would have been a horrible math teacher, and you know it. She was good at math but man did she not know how to explain anything. Girl probably had some undiagnosed ADHD. And since you rudely interrupted me, you can go."

Andrea sighed and turned to look at me, glancing at April for a split second. "Hey, sis. How's it going down there?"

"Andrea!"

"I didn't mean in that way. I meant six feet...God, okay, umm," Andrea paused for a second and gripped her fist together. "Mom and dad, they... they think it's time to clean out your room but I don't–"

"What?" April shouted, slapping her hand over her mouth to keep her anger down.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Andrea said, a tear slipping from her eyes.