"Good morning Mrs Jones"
Tessa greeted happily as we walked into the house.

The older woman smiled as she extended her arms for a hug.

"It's been forever darling. "
She said in her accent that sounded a lot like Jerry's.
I stood, gaping at her like a fish.

"And who's this? "
She addressed Tessa while looking at me.

"Um this is my cousin, Mitchie."
Tessa answered. A smile broke out on her face.
"You're Mitchie kale?"

I nodded. She dragged me in for a second hug.

"It's lovely to meet you. I'm Jerry and Kira's mom... Vanessa. "

"Nice to meet you too ma'am. "
I responded as nicely as I could as she was squeezing the life out of me.

"Well Jerry's not home but kira's sleeping upstairs. "
She informed, still smiling.

I frowned, why would she think I was coming to see Jerry? I shrug, Probably because I'm with Tessa.

"We'll wake her up Mrs k."
Tessa said with a sly grin, causing the woman to laugh.

Tess took the stairs two at a time, rushing into the room and I bet she wished she didn't because when we opened the door, we saw an almost naked Kira with link almost totally ontop of her, feasting on her face.

"Kira!"
Tessa screeched as quietly as she could, without alerting her mom.
A startled Tessa and link fell off the bed, with a loud thud. I stood watching, with my mouth open.

"Is everything okay honey? "
Came Mrs k's voice from downstairs.

"Um yeah mom we're fine. Tessa tripped is all."
An embarrassed Kira shouted from the floor.

"Be good. "
Came the reply.

"Start talking. "
Tessa barked as she plopped down on the bed, crossing over the two almost naked people on the floor.

"He was helping me do homework? "
She said sheepishly.

"You. Window. Now. "
Tessa pointed to link.

"Bye Kira, Mitchie"
He mumbled as he strapped on his belt and got ready to jump out the window.

"What was that"
Tess said, furiously shaking her arms to emphasize her point.

"I-"

"And you didn't even lock your door you big idiot. "

"Tess I just "

"And.... And you didn't tell me. I'm supposed to be your best friend but you didn't tell me. "

"Tess I'm so-....."

"What about Jerry. Oh my God does Jerry know. Link is so dead. "
She put her head in her hands, after her ranting.

"Tessa! "
Kira yelled before she could start babbling again.

"I think I might be in love with him. "
She said shyly and I suddenly felt uncomfortable in the room.
Tessa's mouth was hanging open slightly before she started crying and pulled her in for a hug.
"Well why didn't you say so"
She whined.

"I'm sorry. "
Kira said and they both started to cry again. I was shifting awkwardly on my foot, feeling so out of place when Kira patted the spot besides them, I'm the bed. I shook my head at telling her that I was fine but then she and Tessa stood up and dragged me into their hug. I felt warm, I felt safe, I felt wanted and despite myself, a small smile graced my lips.

"Gosh I hate funerals. "
Kira said as she took a sip of her coke.

The whole gang had decided to come over, to pay our respects to the dead classmate and so far it was not going well.
Jerry and link had been giving each other hate filled glares. Nickolas had been brooding, Shelly had become even more annoying and Tessa..... I think she was the only one actually mourning the girl.

I was trying my best to avoid Nickolas, Jerry, Shelly and link and let me tell you, it is a very stressful job.

I'm avoiding Nickolas because he said we weren't friends, Shelly because she makes me want to do violent things to her and link because I feel embarrassed of what I saw him do and last of all, jerry. Because Jerry has been such a nice person but I'm keeping a secret from him.

"Totally. It's like so boring, I mean who wants to see them bury some dead looser girl that nobody really knew. "
Shelly scoffed.

Kira glared at her before moving away but I could swear I heard her mutter."Heartless bitch."
Under her breath.

As soon as Shelly made her statement, a little girl broke into tears behind us and ran out of the room.

Oh no. She must have heard what shelly said.

I gave one last glare -Which went unnoticed- to Shelly before moving away.
I heard the small sobs of the little girl and something in me was tugged to follow her.

I went out through the back door.i followed her print and met her on the floor, by a tree some distance away from the house, sobbing her eyes out.

I shuffled awkwardly before taking a seat next to her.
"You're Sarah's little sister? "
I asked. She didn't answer, her sniffles being the only audible sound.

"I think you're  her sister because you look as pretty as she did"

"Really?"she gave me a hopeful look. A look I knew too well until I lost it.

"Yes, really." I said, earning a toothless grin.

"I miss my sister a lot. "
She wailed, falling into my lap.

I remembered, many years ago when I was in her shoes.

"Hey kiddo"
Aunt Layla ruffled my hair.

I managed a small smile. I hadn't seen my aunt in forever.

"How are you holding up? "
She asked and my eyes began to get wet. Nobody asked me that before, they just wanted me to cry or get angry and stop being an 'Unemotional wall of stone' as my mother put it.

"I miss my sister ."
I wailed, bunching fists of cloth in my hands.
"I miss her so much it hurts auntie. It hurts. Make it stop. Please "

She folded my small body in hers.
"I miss her too but she's happy now. She's in heaven with God and he says he'll take care of her and nothing will ever happen to her. So she doesn't want you to be sad because now she's happy. "
She explained.
I widened my eyes.
"You talked to her? "

"Yes, God let me talk to her and she said her time was up so now she's meant to be happy. "

"Wasn't she happy with me and mommy and daddy? "
I asked, inching closer to her.

"Yes, that is why even though she's happy in heaven, she'll still be watching over you everyday. "

"Oh. Then she would not want me to cry? "

"No honey she wouldn't. "

"Mother never said so. "
I frowned.

"I won't be sad anymore. "
I declared, making my aunt smile sadly and hug me.

"No you won't honey. "
..........

"I know. But she misses you a lot too. "
I said to the girl
"She does? "

"Yes, she's happy in heaven but she's still looking our for you because she loves you. "

"Really? "

I nodded in response.
"She's resting now but everyday, she'll make sure she checks up on you and I'm very sure when she does, she wouldn't want to see you sad right? "

She shook her head.
"Well I'll still miss her but I'll try to be okay. "
She smiled a small smile and I ruffled her hair.
The girl settled in my arms and she soon slept off, with the dried tears cacked on her face.

My phone beeps in my pocket and I move to remove it, careful not to awaken the sleeping child.

I look at the screen and an unknown number is calling.
"H-hello"
I stuttered, feeling the chills from the other person like they were right in front of me.

"Hi sweetheart"
The gravely voice on the other end said.

"Who's this? "
I said, more confident than before.

"Come into the woods and you'll find out. "

I hesitated for a minute before deciding to ignore the warning bells in my head and enter the daunting forest behind me.

I rested little girl against the tree I was on and I proceeded into the dense trees.
The sun was penetrating through the thicket and leaves, enabling me to see.

"I'm here. Show yourself. "
I said into the phone, when I was a considerable distance away from the girl.

"Keep walking. My sweet. "
The deep voice responded.

I continued, as he asked, ignoring the endearment that gave me shivers.

"Stop."
Came the voice. It was so sudden that it startled me, making me drop the phone in my hands.
The manaical laughter from the other end had me rolling my eyes. I bent to pick my phone, when I noticed where it landed. Close to a brown puddle...... No red. A red puddle, a red puddle of........ My shrill scream rang through the forest, disrupting the peace and causing the birds around to take flight.
The laughter increased.
"Do you like my gift? Do you? Do you? "
I scooted away from the puddle, putting my hands on my ears.

"Go away! Please go away! "
I yelled.

"Look up Mitchie. " "Look up and see what I have for you. Look up Mitchie look. "

I reluctantly raised my head and I immediately wished I didn't. Directly above the puddle was a woman, hanging face down, in the branches. Her cold green lifeless eyes mirrored mine, her fair hair fanned around her face, her pink lips were parted open slightly, dripping blood on the forest floor.

I didn't have it in me to scream a second time. It was like the dead body was sucking away all my energy, making me as empty as she was.my mind became fuzzy and I fell with a thud, seeing a pair of black boots in front of me. I willed my eyes to stay open as the feet came closer but the more I tried, the faster I was pulled under until nothing but darkness was in my line of vision.