"Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust." The low voice of the minister brought me out of my trance. My eyes had been fixed on the maple caskets that held my grandparents and my thoughts had drifted to happier times of Camp Green Lake with the D-Tent boys. My eyes floated back up to see the remorseful faces of Squid, ZigZag, Magnet, Armpit and X-Ray. Stanley stood beside me with a protective arm around my shoulders and Zero stood next to him. Stanley's parents completed the circle along with his grandfather and the minister and of course, the minister's wife. My grandparents were not very social people so it was not strange to see only my friends at the funeral.
My eyes refocused from the minister's shoes as the last shovel of dirt was put into the hole. I remembered digging it. It had been my tribute to my grandparents since they never made me dig holes for them; they'd figured that I had dug enough of them. Though, over time, your hands can get pretty soft. Stanley and I had been going out for 2 years and we were seniors in high school.
"Deyna." Stanley's gentle squeeze brought me back.
"Oh, sorry." I smiled and then put my thinking face back on.
The funeral was soon over and the minister hugged Deyna before leaving.
"You've grown into a beautiful young woman. I hope that you find someone who will take care of you." He smiled and looked at Stanley (hint hint). I had grown a little taller, my hair was past my waist, I had pierced ears and I dressed more like a girl, but I wouldn't say that I was beautiful. The minister's wife hugged me before taking her husband's arm and leaving. Stanley's parents followed them because they were going to go to lunch with them. Stanley's grandfather was going to go back to Stanley's house and we were going out to lunch by ourselves also.
"Are you ready to go eat lunch, Deyna?" Stanley asked me while he caressed my shoulder with his fingers.
"Yes, let's get out of here." The other boys smiled and we all walked to Stanley's car.
"Shotgun!" I yelled and ran the rest of the way to the car. I heard D-Tent laughing behind me as I slid into the car. Zero sat next to me and Squid, ZigZag, Magnet, Armpit and X-Ray squeezed into the back seat. (Imagine 5 guys in the back of a Plymouth. Funny sight.)
"Seatbelts on?" Stanley asked before he put the key in the ignition. After a few clicks and then some yeses, he started the car.
On the way there, I fiddled with Stanley's radio. It first stopped on a rock station, then a classical station, then a pop station and then my favorite one. It played my favorite theaters songs with no vocals so you could sing along with it. Armpit groaned.
"Oh come on! Do we have to listen to this?" I heard ZigZag hit him.
"Hey, dude, don't mess with Stanley's woman." The back seat laughed. "If she puts it on a station, then it stays." Stanley smiled at me. He didn't like the station but he loved to hear me sing to the music. So did Zero.
We arrived at the restaurant and Stanley helped me out of the car. The back seat tumbled out and they stretched their limbs.
"Boy Armpit, you don't smell half as bad. Did you take a bath?" Magnet asked him.
"Yep." He smiled and lifted his arms up. "But I didn't put on any deodorant!"
"Auuuuuuuuuuuugh!!" We all turned away to avoid the smell and ZigZag pulled his arms back down.
"Aww! Armpit!" Stanley took my hand and we entered the restaurant. Magnet rubbed his hands together.
"All right! Mexican food!" He laughed and led the way to our table. The people in the restaurant stared at us as we walked by.
"What's their problem?" I asked Stanley as I clutched his arm. He shrugged one shoulder and pulled out my chair.
After we had ordered our food, we devoured the chips in the middle of the table. It was then that I noticed a strange woman watching my every move.