𝖥𝖱𝖨𝖣𝖠𝖸, 𝖩𝖴𝖭𝖤 𝟤
𝐎𝐌𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄, 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐀
𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟼 𝙿𝙼
The day of Samir's funeral had came earlier than expected. The church was filled with people, way more people than Syira expected. But then again, her brother was a popular person. Almost the whole school showed out. The dress code was white and red, Samir's favorite colors. Syira wore a custom-made button up white shirt that had a picture of Samir in the back. She also had a pin with his face on it, so did everyone else since she ordered a bunch for people to keep.
Syira sat in the front of the church in between Joel and Tristan as Sekani sat on her lap. With Sekani being so young, they didn't know how to explain Samir's passing to him. They didn't even let Sekani see his brother laying in a casket because of how scary that might've been for him. But deep down Sekani knew something was wrong and his brother was gone.
The pianist played the piano on a low tune as the principal of their school spoke. People were giving tributes and Principal Parker wanted to give hers, considering the fact that her and Samir grew close from him always getting in trouble and getting sent to her office.
A lot of people gave tributes. Syira didn't want to call it fake love but she found it crazy how everyone was claiming her brother right after he passed as if they would check up on him before. Being in the same school as him really made her realize that he was a popular loner. Everyone knew him but he mainly stayed to himself.
The principal finished up her tribute and passed the mic back to Syira's aunt, Diana, who was a big help for this funeral.
"Thank you for that," Diana said into the mic, giving the principal a warm smile. "Does anybody else want to give a tribute before we move onto the family?"
Syira looked around the room. She was honestly enjoying the tributes. Most of them made her smile or laugh. It was her favorite part of the whole funeral considering all she had been doing was crying.
To her surprise, Tink stood to her feet and walked up the stairs and onto the stage. Syira wasn't expecting Tink to say anything, well she thought she would've told her beforehand. She watched as her aunt handed the microphone to Tink.
Tink smiled at her before looking around the church that was filled with people. It was so packed, some people even had to stand because they ran out of seats. It was honestly making her nervous and she never got nervous.
"Hey everyone. Um.. I'm Taliyah, also known as Tink," She introduced herself while awkwardly rocking side to side. "I'm a friend of Syira and I was also a friend of Samir. Sometimes even more than friends."
"I'm not gonna stand up here and act like me and Samir were the best of friends because our relationship was definitely on and off but I loved him. I never admitted it but I loved him.. a lot," She expressed. "And um. Sometimes I jus—" Her voice cracked and she instantly covered her face with one of her hands, not wanting to cry in front of everyone.
"Take your time baby!" Miss Nakita yelled from in the crowd.
Syira felt herself getting emotional just by seeing Tink crying, something she hadn't done since the day they got the news. Tink was so busy trying to make her friend feel better, she pushed her feelings to the side. But she was grieving too. Syira felt bad that she didn't notice it.
"I'm sorry," Tink sniffed while grabbing the piece of tissue that Diana was handing her. She quickly wiped her face before clearing her throat as she looked back up. "I'm sorry. I hate crying.. I don't do it often but I'm really hurt. I'm hurt for my best friend and her little brother, I'm hurt for myself, I'm hurt for anyone else grieving this loss and I'm hurt for Samir, he didn't deserve this."
"And I just wish I could talk to him one more time. Just o-one more time. That boy gave me an headache damn near everyday but there was no love lost. No matter how many times we tried cutting each other off, we still ended up falling asleep on the phone the next day. He was honestly a good person to talk to. Ima miss his voice, his touch, his annoying singing and his corny jokes."
"It's crazy cause literally the day before Syira's graduation rehearsal, he was telling me how he had a surprise for you the day you graduated," She said, now looking at Syira. "And I'm like what's the surprise? He's like I'm not telling yo big mouth ass so you can ruin the shit," She mocked him and everyone started laughing.
"Excuse my language but I'm like excuse the heck out of me then!" She threw her hands up in surrender. Syira laughed while wiping a lone tear away from her face.
"Now all we can do is wonder what his surprise is. But don't dwell on it too much Syira. And I just want you to know I'm here for you. I know I tell you this everyday but I really am. Don't ever give up, your youngest brother looks up to you and I know he's one of your biggest motivations," Tink said.
"Andd.. that's all. May Samir rest in peace," She smiled before holding the mic out. Diana grabbed it and she walked off the stage. She walked up to Syira and gave her a small hug before going to her seat which was behind her.
"Alright. I'm going to call up the immediate family next; Syira and Sekani. The grandparents apparently couldn't show up but we not gon focus on that," Diana spoke with an eye roll.
Syira hesitantly stood up. She tried to sit Sekani down but he wouldn't let go so she walked on stage with him in her arms. She honestly didn't even prepare herself for what she was going to say. She told herself she was going to write something down but her mind went completely blank when she tried to.
"Don't think too hard. It doesn't have to be long either," Her aunt whispered to her while placing the microphone in her hand.
She nodded, her eyes scanning the room. Everyone's eyes were on her and it was dead silent, if she wasn't stuck before, she was definitely stuck now. It seemed like she was standing there for the longest before speaking. "Um.." She started.
"To be honest I don't really know what to say. I didn't prepare myself for this, I guess I was still in denial until this morning when I actually realized I was going to have to see my brother laying in a casket," She said while looking at the floor. She couldn't keep eye contact with anybody in the crowd so she decided to look down.
"But I know that my brother is at peace. It would've been a blessing if he made it but the biggest blessing is meeting the man above and he was granted just that. We're gonna miss him so much. Everyone is. I'm glad all these people came and showed up for my brother, it really means a lot," She smiled a bit.
"I—" Before she could finish, the doors were loudly swung open and in walked someone she was not expecting to see so soon.
Everyone turned around, some jaws were dropped as others gasped and some murmuring some stuff when they saw Sadie walking into the church. She looked extremely rough, her clothes were dirty and so was she. She was wearing the same clothes from the day of the accident which was almost 2 weeks.
"I came to see both of my sons before I turn myself in!" She announced loudly. Her words were slurred and she was barley even walking straight.
Syira was stuck for a moment but once she looked around and noticed nobody was making a move, she did. She quickly made her way down the stage and dropped Sekani in Joel's lap. Tristan realized what she was trying to do and he instantly stood to his feet. She walked up on her mother with her fist up but he quickly grabbed her before she could do so.
"Tristan let me go! Let me fucking gooooo!" She screamed, hitting his arms that was securely wrapped around her waist. "Bitch you killed my brother and you got the nerve to come up in here!? Let me go Tristan I swear to fu—"
"Watch yo mouth Syira and calm down," He spoke lowly into her ear while walking towards the back exit.
Angry tears started streaming down her face. She knew this wasn't the time or place but Sadie really went too far. Had the nerve to go ghost for 2 weeks after killing her brother then had even more nerve to pop up at the funeral, knowing she was a wanted woman.
"I don't care bro! Let me go pleaseeee let me get her! Let me the fuck go!" Syira was putting up a fight but Tristan wasn't backing down. He understood her anger but he wasn't about to let her embarrass herself in front of all those people.
❤︎❤︎❤︎
𝟻:𝟹𝟺 𝙿𝙼
"Here," Tristan held a plate full of food out in front of Syira. She slowly looked up and eyed the food before eyeing him. She then looked back at her phone that was powered off. She was playing Tic Tac Toe on her blank screen.
"I said I'm not hungry," She mumbled. He sat next to her and grabbed her phone out of her hand, tucking it into his jeans pocket.
"You ain't eat all day. So please.." He said, still holding the plate out. Syira sighed before grabbing it, placing it on her lap. It honestly looked good, she just didn't have an appetite.
They were now at the repast of the funeral. It was held at a small venue that Joel had rented out. There wasn't as much people since some people just came to get food and left. Syira was glad because she was honestly tired of greeting people and people greeting her.
After her mom showed up to the funeral and after she tried to fight her, a few people escorted her out and let the police handle it. She was taken away right in front of the church. It was quite ghetto but everyone was glad that she was finally in custody.
Syira was so mad, she couldn't even sit in the church for the rest of the funeral. She was fuming. She wanted to get her hands on Sadie so bad and she couldn't. After the funeral, they went to the burial where she cried even more. She didn't know she could cry any harder but seeing the casket being lowered 6 feet below the ground broke her heart into pieces.
"Hmm," She heard making her look up again. She was so lost in thought she didn't even notice Tristan holding up a spoon full of macaroni right in front of her lips. She didn't even debate with him, she just opened her mouth and let him feed her.
The taste of Miss Nakita's macaroni and cheese instantly savored into her mouth. She definitely had the appetite now. She grabbed the spoon from Tristan and started to feed herself.
"Hungry ass," He chuckled and she sent him a glare. "My bad."
As she continued eating, Tink walked over with a small bowl of meatballs in her hand and she was holding Sekani's hand with her other. She sat on the other side of Syira while Sekani climbed onto Tristan's lap.
"Kani how you gon go to him and we was posed to eat these meatballs together?" Tink frowned.
"Cause he like me better," Tristan shrugged as Sekani laid his head on his chest.
"Wow Sekani... don't come to me no more with that fake love!" She exclaimed while shaking her head. "I don't like how people keep coming just to pack food and go. I get it's a repast and you're here for food but it's also a gathering. Not a giveaway, hungry ass thots."
"And it's mostly the people from school too. Like get y'all hungry asses on. It seems like this the only thing they was looking forward to," She said with a mug on her face.
"Just let them be. The day'll be over soon," Syira replied.
"Yeah. Ain't shit we can do. The food is there to be eaten so we can't tell em to stop," Tristan added.
"Yeah yeah. Every little thing is just pissing me off today."
"You ain't lie there. I'm still upset I couldn't get my hands on the sick bitch that gave birth to me," Syira said with a mug. "I'm starting to think she's not really mom. She's too evil bro."
"Yeah y'all are nothing alike," Tink said. "And you saw the way she came in? Slurring and limping around and shit like she was drunk? She's on something. I don't know what it is but that shit was not normal."
"Cocaine prolly," Tristan said.
"She always blames her behavior on her mental illness but now I'm really starting to think she really is on drugs..." Syira mumbled.
"That's some crazy shit."
Syira nodded in agreement, stuffing her face with more of her food. She was already almost finished with it and she just got it. That alone showed how long it had been since she ate a full meal.
"These meatballs good as fuck," Tink said aloud while nodding her head. Syira looked at her and peaked in her bowl before grabbing a meatball, throwing it into her mouth before Tink could do anything. "Bi— what happened to miss ian hungry?"
"I wasn't. But now that I'm eating I might as well eat good."
Syira noticed Joel walking up to them. When they caught eye contact, he sent her a small smile before waving her over. She slowly stood to her feet and brushed her clothes off of any food. "Be right back," She told Tristan and Tink before following Joel who was walking outside the front of the venue.
Once she caught up to him, they stood outside and she looked around awkwardly. "Everything okay?" She asked.
"Yeah everything's fine. Just wanted to check up on you and talk to you about something," Joel said.
"I'm fine for right now. Are you?" She replied.
"Yeah," He nodded. "I guess you can say we finally got closure as to why everything happened... When police asked why she crashed and ran she said it was an accident and she got distracted while driving and left because she was on drugs and didn't wanna face the consequences."
"I knew it," Syira chuckled bitterly. "I swear I knew it. My brother died over something so damn little. And he probably could've lived if she just called the police."
"I know. But she's gonna get her karma," He told her and she only crossed her arms while looking around. "But I wanted to talk to you about how we're gonna do this now. And by this I mean raising Sekani. I wanna figure out the living conditions and though custody automatically goes to me now that his mother is gone, I don't wanna take him away from you."
"Yeah.." She nodded understandably. "I just want what's best for Sekani. Now that I'm out of school I do wanna see him more and I know he would wanna see me too, especially because of how attached by the hip he's been since this whole thing happened."
"But I also don't wanna take away too much of yall time because you just got out and stuff and you're still tryna build that bond with him," She said and he nodded in agreement.
"So we can just stick to the weekends for now. Every weekend. And whenever he wants to see me I'll come pick him up, if that's fine.." She trailed off.
"Yeah yeah of course. Sounds great," He agreed.
There was a moment of silence before Syira spoke again. "Thank you."
Joel pinched his eyebrows together in confusion. "Thank you for what?"
"For being here with us throughout this whole thing. You honestly didn't have to since Sekani is your only son but you did and I really appreciate it. A lot more than I can express," She told him honestly.
It sucked to say it but she honestly had more love for Joel than her mother. Since he got out, he showed her nothing but love and respect when she honestly didn't expect it. She didn't even expect to build a bond with him until he texted her randomly sometimes just checking on her.
"Oh that's nothing. Though you aren't my kid biologically, ima treat you like mine. You're Sekani's sibling. It wouldn't feel right if I treated you and Samir like outsiders. Especially when I lived in the same house as Samir," Joel shrugged.
"Can I give you a hug?" She asked, nervously. Smiling, he held his arms open and she walked right into them. She hugged him tightly as he rubbed her back in circles comfortably...
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hey
yea guys it's not a dream, Samir's dead... long live dat boy!
thoughts?