Black For Me and You

Black For Me and You

A Chapter by theladygraceling

Will is standing next to me.
He's not crying either.
But he's a boy
so it's not as bad.

He won't stop pulling
on the cuffs of his suit jacket.
I know he wants to take it off
but can't
because it would be rude.

He stares straight ahead.
I can't tell what he's looking at.
His face is expressionless
and he's standing straight and tall,
like every muscle in his body is tense.

I know how he feels.

I feel as though I've been
sttttrrreeeetttccchhhheeedddd out,
pulled taut like a string
that could SNAP
at the slightest touch.

I try to force myself to cry.
Because I hate being like this
in a crowd full of weeping people.
And I can't take the way
her parents are looking at me.

I open my mouth to sob
but all that comes out
is a strange little noise that's a mix
between a hiccup and a gasp.
I cover my mouth.

Will glances over at me.
His head jerks to the side
like it's a struggle for him to move.
When he's not messing with his sleeves,
his hands are clenched into fists.
But he sees me
with my hands pressed to my mouth
and he relaxes his hands
and reaches for mine.

He squeezes my hand tightly
but I don't feel it
over the cast.

It's bright purple.
One color
amidst all this black.

I hate black.

I had gone out of the house that morning
wearing a pretty, white dress,
with a pretty, white sash,
and pretty, white sandals.

Will looked at me like I was crazy
and asked me what I was doing.

"We shouldn't wear black.
I hate black."

"Riley, it's a funeral."

"She loved black.
We can't wear black
to her funeral."

She'd be happy
to see me wear black.

We can't wear black
to her funeral.

But he refused to drive me
unless I changed.

So I decided not to go.

But he bribed me
with a free latte
because he knows I can't turn down
a latte.
Especially a free one.

But the entire ride there,
I kept reminding him
how much
I
hate
black.


© 2014 theladygraceling


Author's Note

theladygraceling
Let me know what you think. This is the second version of this story that I have posted on writerscafe. If you have time, read both and tell me which you like better and why. Thanks for reading!
--theladygraceling

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Added on May 9, 2014
Last Updated on June 2, 2014
Tags: car crash, Riley, Charlotte, Will


Author

theladygraceling
theladygraceling

Hagerstown, MD



About
I am seventeen years old. I have always loved reading and have recently started writing my own stories. I also enjoy drawing and sculpting, have taken piano and violin lessons for 10+ years, and have .. more..

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