Eleanor Nash sat meekly in the 100 degree church, with only one question on her mind.

Who the fuck were all these people?

The whole entire church was covered, not entirely wall to wall, but it was still full. Teachers and students sat on, pretending to listen to the service, when really it was a chance to do their conscience community service for the month. Ellie rolled her eyes. They probably all hated Sean, and he had probably done something to make it that way. Every time she heard a sniffle, or saw a tear, she would let out a chuckle. It was all a bunch of fucking bullshit. She didn't like funerals. She thought they were a waste of time. Why spend two hours making up lies about someone's past? Really, it was all too savage for her taste.

If it were choice, she would've have just took his ashes and spread them around the city. It was at least less obnoxious than this.

She did her required eye roll, and looked around again. Everyone was going to console Emma while she stood awkwardly in the back round. It didn't matter if Ellie was his girlfriend, and Emma had already broken up with him- they were still going to give her their sympathies. Maybe it was because she was one of the nice ones.

Ellie listened half heartedly to the man at the pulpit throwing his bullshit around about how he knew Sean when he was younger, and how much "potential" he had. Ha. It didn't occur to Ellie until now that there were many teachers. Too many. They were almost plaguing the place. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mrs. Suave, with tears strategically placed on her cheek, as if to say "I have feelings too!". And only a few seats away from her was Mr. Raditch, solemn, probably thinking about how to improve his golf swing. Ellie was in a sea of fakers, of people who came for their own reasons besides the one that was really genuine.

Inhaling a huge sigh, she got up, stepping on a few toes. She walked down the church aisle, with the many eyes on her. But she didn't care, mainly because she didn't have the time to. Opening the church doors, rays of sun flashed in her eyes, and wished that it was raining or something dramatic like a hailstorm. Ellie could feel the eyes of many staring down into her back, but she didn't care.

Ellie didn't do pity.

---

Craig Manning watched out of the corner of his eye, Ellie Nash walking out. And for some reason, he felt like going with her. He didn't do funerals, and in fact hated them. Maybe it was the combination of a dead body in a cheap suit that gave him the shivers. Maybe it was the fact that everything felt so fake. He looked over at Joey.

"Hey."

"What Craig?"

"Maybe we should send them flowers." Joey ignored him, obviously like the rest of the adults who were "shocked" that a kid could die this young.

Craig remembered the picture of Joey's porch being filled with flowers after his father's death. It was almost too much to handle. But flowers were perfect in this situation. It was the only way to say you understood without actually saying it. He thought about sending sunflowers. Or even daisies. And even though this was supposed to be for Sean's family, he thought more about Emma. He looked over at her, and two pews away there she was, sitting stiffly and trying not to cry. He felt bad for her. He felt bad that she had to take all of this shit. He knew what she was going through, and how shitty it felt, but was surprised that she was taking it so well. Craig felt like holding her hand and being that clichéd shoulder to lean on. If she needed it, then he would be there.

"Now everyone, you may go outside now, and we will start the march to the cemetery."

Craig let out a sigh of relief, relieved that he didn't have to be in this hell hole any second longer. He paused at the sight of Emma, who was standing in front of Sean's coffin. He walked over. Sean looked OK- in a navy blue suit that was obviously brought the night before, and his hair was gelled to the side. He was definitely not the Sean that Craig knew, nor the one that died. He was just another kid who died nothing special. Craig shivered, looking away, remembering that time on the railroad tracks. Emma stood still, her mouth half open, also staring at the guy in front of her. Craig put his hand on her shoulder, it seeming like the only right thing to do. And even though he wouldn't admit it, he needed to do it for himself. Blinking his eyes, a stray tear bounced off his eyelash.

Craig kept his hand there for a minute, both of them staring at Sean, and unwillingly starting to remember. Emma's reached out her arm towards the coffin, but stopped midway. She turned around.

"We better get going."

"Ok." Craig removed his hand as they both walked down the church aisle. Going out into the sun, Emma laced her fingers in between his. He didn't need to look to know that she trusted him. Things were going to be Ok, eventually. Craig stared up into the sky, almost being blinded in the process. It felt like eyes were on them both.

And Craig felt that those eyes were Sean Cameron's.

---

Death wasn't all that they made it out to be, and Sean Cameron believed this to be true. Besides the waiting, death was actually quite peaceful. The grass was unnaturally green, and you could spot John Lennon now and then. And as of right now, Sean Cameron was having a field day out of watching his own funeral. He laughed when Ellie walked out, felt weird when he saw Emma, and felt jealous when he saw Craig's hand on her shoulder. It was different, watching life go on without you. Sean found it quite refreshing. He perched himself in the grass, which had no remnants of dog poop, and watched on. He could do this for hours, watching the world which he once knew marching on without him. The concept was relatively simple. He would bury his head into the grass, and after a couple of minutes, it would all disappear, and in front of him were all the lives that he left behind. It was like Bruce almighty, except without the god complex. Except "God" was nowhere to be found, and Sean always had one question to ask.

Why him?

And Sean pondered this question daily.

He went back to looking at everyone else, watching them lug his body towards the cemetery. Craig and Emma were holding hands, but by the look on Emma's face it was purely platonic. Standing underneath a tree was Jay, smoking a cigarette, and looking on from the sidelines. He suddenly saw Ellie. Her face was streamed with tears, and her hand was armed with a razor. Shaking his head, Paige Michulchuck appeared in front of him, following everyone else, dabbing at her fake tears. Right behind her were Manny and JT, Manny dressed in a black clad dress which was cut in all the wrong places. She and JT were linked arm and arm, not saying anything. It was almost like he was there with them.

Except that life's a bitch.

---