Read with the music. ( Yes Mateo did actually dance to this if you don't remember)
Mateo 🍓
I fix my tie in the mirror with tears staining my suit. I close my eyes and try to forget the image. My mind won't let me. Two weeks and 3 days, that's how long it's been without her.
Someone knocks on the door I lowly mumble for them to come inside. It's Ayleo, dressed in a matching suit with me. I turn back to the mirror and sniffle.
Ayleo comes over and turns me around giving me a bear hug. I let it all out and just bawl my eyes out. He pats my back repeatedly to try a calm me down.
" She.. it was to early for her to go." I manage to get out.
" I know bro. An innocent soul, but god wanted her." He let's go of me and we stand right in front of each-other.
It seems like it was yesterday that I was just with her in the hotel. She was sitting on my chest giggling and smiling.
I breathe in and out attempting to calm myself down. " Bro it's time. We gotta go downstairs."
I nod my head and wipe the rest of the reaming tears on my face. I take one last look at myself in the mirror before following Ayleo out the door and outside of the little building.
The entrance of the grave yard is full of people I don't know. But I will consider them family because they were hers.
Ayleo taps my shoulder to make sure I'm okay. I nod my head in approval before he goes and mixes into the crowd.
In the corner of my eye I spot a guy holding a little girl in his arms. She's adorable, dressed in a little black dress with white baby stockings and her hair fixed into a nice curly bun. The guy motions me over to him. I step completely off the stairs and follow his figure into another room.
" You probably don't know me but you've most likely heard about me. I'm Traeshaun Landgates. I was her ex boyfriend." He holds out his hand for me to shake. I take it and shake it and let go.
" This is Areah. Say hello Areah." He looks down at the child. She stares at me and lays her head down on his shoulder.
" This is.. you and Serenity's child?" I question.
" Oh god no. I wouldn't do that to her at the age that she was." He responds quickly. I nod my head and look back at the kid. I could of had a family with her.
" But um I just wanted to introduce myself to you. I'm not one of them crazy ass exs you feel me? I'm cool an collected."
" Thanks bro. You seem like you are. Shall we go back to the entrance? They are about to go and put her casket to rest." I ask. He nods his head and we turn to go back out to the main lobby.
The crowd hasn't died down yet. I see another person motioning for me to come to her. What's up with all these people man? I honestly don't want to be bothered. I say a bunch of excuse me's and thank yous as I finally get over to the girl.
She's short, skinny, and Carmel toned with long jet black hair. Her eyes are hazel, a beautiful color.
She holds her hand out, " Im April her big sister... in sure you have heard all about me." She manages to force a smile.
I look at her hand and shake my head as I pull her into a hug. She rocks us back and forth as she cries into my arms. Eventually she lets go.
" I'm sorry about all the people. Serenity had a lot of friends on the cheer team as I did too back when I was in high school. These are mostly her friends and workers from hers and my job." She says.
" No worries. How are you holding up?"
She sighs and shakes her head, " I would be lying if I said I'm doing good. She's all I had left. It's just me now."
I grab a tissue from the tissue box beside us and wipe her tears, " You will always have me. You aren't ever going to be alone. You can come and stay with us if you want.."
She lets out a small laugh making me smile too. I haven't seen anybody smile in a long time. She has a smile like Serenity. " Thank you for the kind gesture but I'll pass. Chicago is our home. "
" Attention! May I have your attention please! The casket is going to be put at rest in about 15 minutes. Please make your way outside to the grave yard."
I link April's arm with mine and we walk through the crowd of people.
Under an oak tree. They placed the headstone under a beautiful oak tree just as I asked. People gather around the square hole in the ground. Her casket is right next to it.
I watch as people place flowers on top of it. A few of them place cards and some little stuffed bears on it too. I leave April's side for just a moment to go find Ayleo.
I find him talking to that Traeshaun dude. He must be giving my brother the rundown on who he is. I smile at the little girl again but she doesn't do anything back. Damn.
I tap Ayleo to get him to stop talking. I pout to the two bouquet of flowers in his left hand. He gives me one and ends the conversation with Traeshaun.
" It's time." I whisper to him. He nods his head and we walk back over to the area where her casket is.
The crowd of people gets silent as we stand next to it. A few tears slip my eyes and into the casket as I bend down and put a gentle kiss on it. I then place the bouquet of white roses on it along with Ayleo doing the same.
I hear the crowd of people murmur in aw and in sadness. We both take a step back and place our arms behind our backs and wait for the ceremony to start.
" We are gathered her today to reminisce on the life of Miss Serenity Onchez. She was a lovely 16 year old girl who's passion was to dance. Her mother and father were taken from her by the lords calling upon them to join them right after a tragic murder. She only had herself and her big sister April, who is here with us today. Miss April do you have any words to speak?"
The pastor hands he microphone to April. She wipes more tears and begins to talk.
" Serenity was my everything. She still and will always be my everything. I cannot count the number of times where I told her I love her and everything is going to be alright. She was always a happy yet shy girl. That's what I loved about her because once she warmed up to you there is no getting rid of her haha. She will forever be in my heart, and she will forever be in all of yours too."
She hands the microphone to me. All eyes are on me now. A few murmurs from people from here and there.
" I'm Mateo Bowles. I was Serenity's current boyfriend.." I start off. A few more people begin to whisper from each other.
" I loved Serenity with all my hearts content. I still do and nothing and nobody will replace what she holds down inside of me. Serenity was a high spirited goofy and smiley girl. Her personality was everything you thought nobody could have. But Serenity had every good thing in her. Whenever I told her I love her she would smile and blush and it was the cutest thing ever." I pause myself and wipe my tears.
" I'd do anything for her. Anything and everything and nobody could tell me different. It was just something about her that made me fall instantly. She's forever going to hold down a special place in me. Nobody will come in-between that ever." I finish off my speech and hand it to Ayleo who was in full on crying mode.
" My bestfriend. She was my bestfriend. I knew I had to protect her from the jump it's a feeling I instantly got. I'm not going to stand her and ramble on about how great she was and stuff. There is no past with us, it's always the future and she's always going to be here in it mentally and spiritually. Rest easy baby-girl."
The pastor thanks us and takes the microphone back. He then recites a scripture from the Bible. I watch as they release the white doves from their cages. They swirl around in the sky making me smile.
" Now can we all join hands as we set the casket to rest?" The pastor asks.
Everybody comes together and we link our hands together. We bow our heads as they lower the casket into the grave. It all seems surreal.
Tears slip down my face again, " Rest easy my love.."
The End.