I stare at him. His lifeless mannequin body lying in the casket. Some may say he was an amazing person who always wanted to do right by his family. Others would call him a hateful person. I was the only one left to tell the truth now. Nobody saw the real him. Well nobody except me. He got what he deserved.
Rebecca. It was the name my parents settled on upon countless, meaningless arguments. One of which ended with my mom walking out. She always came back. Well until one day she didn't. They found her drugged and beaten and thrown in a river. She was airlifted to the closest hospital where she died twenty minutes later. I didn't cry. I haven't cried since I was six and realized people didn't live forever.
Rebecca Bree. I'm 17. This is where their story ends... And mine begins. Hopefully, you make it to the end.
" I'm sorry about your dad. I heard-" I stopped listening after that. These condolences meant nothing to me. I didn't listen when they added ' I heard he was a part of a gang'. He wasn't. He just messed with the wrong group of people and earned himself a beating. Well... A killing rather. The whispers filled the hallway. All of which included my father's name most likely. I didn't care.
" Becca!" Marcus greets me. My best friend of 13 years. The only other person who knew some of the things my father did. And the people he messed with.
" Hey."
" Um... I should say 'sorry about your dad' but I know that would piss you off so... How are you feeling?" Something in his voice was off. He was obviously hiding something.
" You okay?" I run my hand down his arm.
" Uh yeah. No... My parents were fighting last night and I locked myself in my bathroom. They were arguing about who would take me when they divorce and like I know I'm supposed to be strong cause I'm a guy but I-" I grab his arm and pull up the sleeve of his shirt. There were cuts all on his wrists... Some overlapped each other.
" Marcus!"
" Becca... I'm sorry." There was a certain strength about him that I would never understand.
" It's fine. It's fine. Just- Just don't do this again." I pull his sleeve back down and look around to make sure nobody saw what I just did. " Come over to my house later. I'll help you clean them..." He nods and drops his head.
" Okay... Please don't tell my parents. They have enough stress to deal with I don't want to add onto it." I think for a short moment.
" Marcus. You can't keep doing this to yourself. I'm sorry but I have to-" He cuts me off.
" Rebecca! If you are really my friend... You won't tell them." I flinch at the anger in his voice.
" Okay okay."
" Thank you." And without a single ' goodbye' he wanders off to go join his boys in their game of soccer outside. I debated going out and watching since I had no intentions of actually going to class today but I decided against it because he was obviously angry with me. I snuck to the locker rooms that were separated into 2 parts by a door. One for the Guys and one for the Girls. I didn't find it fair that boys were able to sneak in and peep at girl's underwear, but if the girls even talk about doing so we were sent to detention. But it was whatever.
I take a seat on the bench and pull out my phone, tossing my bookbag to the ground forgetting that my computer was inside. I hear footsteps but ignore them because it was a usual occurrence in this place.
I had my back facing the door so I didn't see him wandering in. His arms snuck around and hugged my waist. I try to peel his hands away but he was strong. Much, much much stronger than me. " Alex." I turn around and he chuckles.
" Hey, baby." Alexander. Annoying ex-boyfriend.
" Hey, idiot." I stand from my seat and turn back to him with my arms crossed and my hip to one side. I bet you all the money I have that I look like my mother right now. " What do you want?"
" I um... I wanted to know if you would go to prom with me?" I scoff and roll my eyes.
" Like you would want to go with me after you dumped me." I grab my backpack off the ground. " Alex... Can we not do this today?" He bites his lip. Ugh! Why did he have to be so hot!?
" I love you... Y'know that. Right...?" There was some hesitation and hurt in his voice.
" Yeah, Alex... I do. But you need to love yourself first remember?" I grab his hand. " And then... Maybe." He squeezes my hand once before dropping it and looking around.
" That was a year ago..." He raises his eyebrow. " I love myself... So please. Becca. Let me love you too." I look up at him. He didn't know. Of course, he didn't know. And then... I finally willed myself to cry. after years of emotionless torture. " Becca...?"
" M-My mom... And dad are gone." He pulls me into his arms. " I'm alone." I sob into his shirt and he pulls me back slightly. He wipes my tears away
" You have me..." I throw my arms around his neck and pull him down to my level. His lips brush against mine and then we're kissing. He leans against the wall and starts peeling my jacket off of my arms. It falls to the floor and he runs his hands under my shirt, still kissing me. This moment is broken by someone clearing their throat.
" Rebecca... Alexander? Please see me in my office." I wipe my mouth and turn back to Alex.
' I'm sorry.' He mouths. We both follow behind the principal and I grab his hand suddenly afraid of what would happen.
