A WEEK LATER

.·:*¨༺ Harpy Hare ༻¨*:·.

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

0:59 ───|────── 2:02

   "We gather here today to celebrate the life of a young Oris Vale. Taken from us too early, it appears the Lord needed him at the same time we did." The pastor spoke. Astra held her brother's funeral at their church. They had been going there for three years now.

   "Astra, Oris's sister, would like to say a few words." She was called up. As Astra walked to the stand, everything she had planned to say left her mind. She stood in front of everyone, the people who also cared for her brother. Many familiar, and unfamiliar faces. She made eye-contact with her boyfriend, Levi, who gave her a reassuring smile.

   "My brother was the best person. He never once doubted me or made me feel like I wasn't enough." She began to tear up. "He was incredibly kind and funny. He helped me in so many ways, through our parent's deaths." Her voice broke.

   "I'm sorry. I just—I'm bad with words. Oris was and forever will be my favorite person. The only person who truly understood me. I can't believe he's gone." She quickly walked back to her seat and sat down. In-between Levi and Kaia. When she sat, the pastor called Kaia up.

   "Oris and I were planning on getting married." Kaia began. She lifted her hand to show her engagement ring. "We hadn't announced it yet, hadn't even told Astra." They held eye contact. Kaia felt the sorrow in Astra's eyes. "Thank you for being everything to me, Oris."

That was all Kaia could say without crying. She came and sat back next to Astra. As the pastor said goodbyes and everyone headed to the burial, Astra couldn't move. She sat in the pew, looking at the stained glass art and at the casket where Oris's body laid. Closed-casket. Kaia and Astra agreed upon this, they couldn't bear to see how pale he was.

Kaia and Levi stood at the doors, making sure everyone knew where to go for the burial. Levi came back over to check on Astra, once everyone had left. "Astra, love, we have to go to the burial now." He said. It seemed as if Astra was looking through him. He stood in her field of vision but she didn't even notice him.

"I'm going to bring the car up, Kaia will wait with you." He kissed her on the forehead and left. Kaia sat next to her, and without a word, took her into an embrace. Astra was hesitant at first, but she hugged Kaia back. Kaia felt her silent sobs as she hugged Astra. She pulled away to wipe the smudged mascara on Astra's face. They walked to the car hand in hand.

└── ⋅ ⋅ ──  ⋆⋅ ☆ ⋅⋆  ── ⋅ ⋅ ──┘

  "Astra, I need to talk to you. Now." Levi demanded. He pulled her away from the last person leaving the funeral reception at Astra's house. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow Nik." The blonde boy hugged Astra and patted Levi on the shoulder. As soon as they entered Astra's room, Levi yelled.

"The hell do you mean, Oris was the only person who understood you?" Astra was beyond flabbergasted. "What? Levi, he was my brother." Astra replied, tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Don't do this, not today." She pleaded. "Fuck." He muttered. "You're right. I'm so sorry Astra. I don't know what came over me." He apologized, squeezing Astra into a too-tight hug. "Please forgive me."

   Astra didn't reply, she didn't know what to say. Levi left soon after. Astra didn't know how to feel. Levi had never reacted this way, to anything. He'd never been unkind or raised his voice at her.  But of all days, the day she buried her brother was when he chose to.

   She turned to her friends, the only people that could cheer her up. Aside from Oris, of course. She called for her best friends, Isabelle and Raina. She felt bad for asking them to come back, since they left only an hour ago.

"He's an asshole." Raina said immediately after hearing what had happened. "For God's sake, you're mourning and he's upset about it." Isabelle added, taking Astra's hand, offering reassurance. Astra gladly took it.

   "He's not upset about it, he just didn't know what I meant." She said, looking down at her hand interlocked with Isabelle's. "Don't defend him Astra. He doesn't deserve it." Isabelle explained. "But he-"

   "No Astra." Raina said, taking Astra's other hand into a sandwich between her own. "He may be apart of our team, but that doesn't mean we have to like him." "But I love him." Astra replied. Isabelle visibly grimaced and shifted away, detaching their hands.

   A phone buzzed. "Shit, I have to go Astra. I'm so sorry." Raina hesitated. "It's okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for being here for me. I know you're grieving too." Astra said as she stood and hugged Raina.

   "Do you want me to talk to Levi?" Isabelle asked, placing her hand on Astra's cheek. Astra leaned into the touch. "No, thank you though. I'll talk to him. He apologized and left so abruptly." Astra said, shifting to lean her head on Isabelle's shoulder.

   Astra looked up at Isabelle. Isabelle's instinct was to lean in, but Astra jumped up. "Sorry I—." "I'm sorry, I just thought—." They said at the same time, Astra laughed. Isabelle smirked and said, "I'd better go too. You know how my mom is about curfew." Isabelle said.

   "Evelyn Amora." She said with a horrible posh-accent. "Your mom scares the bejesus out of me." Astra teased. "Yeah, me too." Isabelle said, clearly bothered. "I'm sorry Isabelle." said Astra. "It's not you at all. I'll see you tomorrow." Isabelle hugged Astra for a moment too long and when she let go, they locked eyes.

Isabelle's hands lingering on Astra's waist. Astra's hands around Isabelle's neck. They stared at each other for a moment, before Astra smiled and they parted ways. Astra watched her leave. She felt like she should stop her, and say something, anything. But she didn't. Instead she curled up into a ball under her blankets, and cried herself to sleep.

ᴀ/ɴ: ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
ɪ'ᴍ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ!
ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴛᴀʀ ★ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ ❦