Summary and important notes: What if the wave pool flood had collapsed Briarwood during the school day? What if not all of the students survived? When the names of the victims are released, Massie is shocked and grief-stricken: Derrington didn't make it! The song lyrics describe how Massie feels about this terrible tragedy. The song is 'My Immortal' by Evanescence. Sorry if I repeat certain lines or verses, I was just trying to use the right lyrics for the moment when I put them in. Please, no flames! I'm no Shakespeare, people. I also don't know much about how wakes and burials and all those different services work, so don't jump down my throat, okay? Good.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, please don't sue!

The Block Estate

Massie's Room

Monday, May 3rd

5:00 P.M.

Massie watched the news show on the flatscreen TV before her intently. The dreaded moment had come.

At about 10:00 A.M. that morning, Briarwood Academy had collapsed because of the wave pool releasing two hundred fifty thousand gallons of water onto the roof. Most of the students had survived, but 10 were missing, injured, or dead. Most of the students at OCD went home after the tragic news was announced and there was a lot of chaos and confusion, so Massie didn't have a chance to find out if Derrington was all right.

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

Now that all the families had been notified, the list of victims was being released. Massie was breathless as the names were read. Then, her worst nightmare came true: the fourth name read was Derrick Harrington.

Everything was still for a moment. Then Massie just broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably. Her parents rushed into the room, and immediately knew what was wrong. Her mother started rubbing her back and tried to say a few comforting words, while her father just stood there silently, knowing that Massie just needed to get it all out right now.

These wounds won't seem to heal

The Block Estate

Spa

Wednesday, May 5th

11:30 A.M.

Two days after the terrible news of Derrington's death was released, Massie had been trying to overcome her grief by spending most of her time riding Brownie and relaxing in the spa, so she could try to get her mind off Derrington. But so far, it wasn't working. She couldn't help but think of all the times they'd shared together, good and bad.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

Despite the many failed attempts, Massie tried once again to get her mind off him by relaxing in the emerald-green Jacuzzi with her iPod for a few hours. It worked for about two hours, and then she felt a familiar sting behind her eyes that usually came before a major sob fest. This was because song 'You and Me' by Lifehouse had started playing in her ears. Derrington had once told her that this song described exactly how he felt about her.

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me

No matter how much she wanted to, Massie just could not keep her mind off Derrington. At that moment, she accepted that. So she forced herself to listen to the entire song, even though she was fighting the urge to rip the Bose headphones off her ears and throw the iPod into the bubbling water. After the song was over, Massie succumbed to the urge to break down and cry.

After about ten minutes, she was finished sobbing. Suddenly, a realization dawned on her. Derrington's wake and burial service was in only a little less than three hours, and she hadn't even figured out what she was wearing! She got out of the Jacuzzi, wrapped a towel around herself, and padded across the lawn and into her bedroom to get ready.

Westchester Funeral Home

Derrington's Wake

Wednesday, May 5th

5:30 P.M.

Massie walked silently and slowly into the room where Derrington's wake was being held. She signed the guestbook, and took a little card with Derrington's school picture and a memorial type-thing to him printed on it. She dropped it into her black Coach bag, and went to find the Pretty Committee. They were standing in a corner, dressed in all black just like her. They were whispering to each other, but they weren't giggling or looking at the LBRs that had showed up. They all had serious, grave expressions on their faces when Massie joined their circle. Suddenly everyone was crying and hugging her so hard she could barely breathe.

Alicia said, "Ehmahgawd, Massie! Are you okay? I kept trying to call you, but you wouldn't pick up your phone." The others nodded in agreement, saying silently that they had done the same.

Massie replied with, "I was trying to keep my mind off him, so I didn't want to hear things like 'I'm sooooooo sorry about your loss, Massie.' But today, I accepted that it's gonna take long time for this wound to close and heal completely."

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

All of the services went by, and Massie was still somewhat depressed and grieving over Derrington. But she quit sitting around feeling sorry for herself. Instead, she wrote every single day in a journal about her feelings and anger at herself for being angry with Derrington before he died. This helped somewhat, but not completely. So the rest of her anger and sadness could be controlled, she saw a grief counselor twice a week. She really helped, and slowly Massie began to recover. It would be a long, tough journey, but she would be able to make it.

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along