Disclaimer: I don't own anything, yadda yadda yadda...
Chapter 2: Rain
«Do you see anything that you like?»
She looked around before returning to scowling at the linoleum floor.
«No...I don't know...it doesn't matter...»
A mouth opened as if to let words escape before resignedly snapping shut. It's owner breathed sharply before it opened once more.
«Please Serena, just pick something out...anything...»
The girl's eyes shot upwards, retort on her lips before catching sight of the exhausted look on her mother's weary face. She let out a low sigh and trudged towards the rows of similar looking dresses. Dull blues eyes took in the various pieces before finally settling on a random one. She grabbed the thick black dress and checked the size before bringing it to the cash where her mother was waiting patiently.
The bubbly cashier greeted them with a grin before commenting on their purchase.
«That's really nice! It'll look great on you! Is it for a special occasion?»
Upon getting no response, she looked up into the stony faces of her two blond costumers and frowned, quickly ringing up their sale and bagging the dress. As she watched the women leave the store, bag in hand, she muttered under her breath.
«God I hate snobby customers!»¸
Little did she know, the special occasion they were attending was the furthest thing from the one she had imagined upon meeting them.
The car ride home was done in silence like most of their activities in the previous days. Serena stared out at the streets as they drove along a way she knew by heart. Strangely enough, everything suddenly seemed new to her, darker and duller. She felt like she was watching an old photograph, faded from use, its colours drawn out to shades and its surface wrinkled. Every path, every store carved in her memory like precious stones seemed to change to fit her new, darker outlook on life. She shook her head and brought a hand to her forehead, she knew nothing in the town had changed; only she had.
She brought her hand down to fiddle with the radio tuner, hoping her new appreciation for music would distract her from her maddening thoughts. She was losing hope when she finally fell onto what seemed to be the beginning of a song. The soft thrumming of guitar strings filled the small car followed by a low, haunting voice singing softly. Curiosity aroused, she leaned back against her seat and listened intently to the lyrics that seemed to burrow deep into her soul. Tears gathered in her eyes and her breath caught as she heard the voice rise and belt out a shaking:
«Love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah...»
She closed her eyes and listened to the rest of the song, each breathy word penetrating her as her heart clenched painfully.
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The sound of rain droplets hitting the car windows filled her ears as she watched the deserted streets pass by. She snorted inwardly at the irony of the strangely fitting climate for the occasion and caught herself before a hysterical laugh escaped from her tightly pursed lips. Too soon, the car came to a stop and her door was wrenched open, her mother awaiting her, black umbrella in hand as a feeble protection from the torrential rain that fell from the sky. Dozens of ashen faces were turned towards their little family, sympathy drawn over every sad feature of their onlookers. Her father swept her mother away, one hand cast carefully on her back and Serena tightly grasped the hooked handle that was given to her as she followed her parents to the grouping in front of her.
Her eyes passed over the sea of umbrellas before continuing upwards until her vision was filled with dark, cloudy grey. She smiled sardonically and quietly strode forward to the sad proceedings, form hunched over with grief. She barely took notice of the multitude of people who had joined the ceremony but the group of girls huddled together, shooting her sympathetic looks caught her attention for a brief moment before their presence faded into the unbidden corners of her mind along with the rest of the attendants. She felt the slightest surprise when she saw him, stoic as always, standing tall in his dark suit, his black umbrella shading his face. She shouldn't have been, really, but the sight of him barely a few feet away from her after weeks of separation had shot a jolt through her heart. She let her gaze linger an instant longer before shoving all of her emotions away to be contemplated at a later date. For now, her thoughts would be for no one but her younger brother and they would remain so until the raw ache in her soul would be soothed.
Her mother firmly grasped her arm as the priest finally started the customary ritual and she resolutely kept her eyes on the dark, varnished wooden coffin that would lodge her brother forevermore. Time passed fleetingly and soon the priest had stopped chanting and indicated to those who wished to speak that it was the correct time. Footsteps made their way onto the wet grass until they stopped at the spot where the priest was previously standing. Serena drew her gaze to the speaker and got caught in hazel eyes, lined with dark shadows. The two teenagers shared a long glance, speaking silently through a bond no one else would understand. Finally, the youth at the front of the group shot a small, sad smile at the blonde that was shakingly returned before settling a dark boombox on the ground. He drew a long breath, eyes shut in recollection before finally speaking.
«Sam loved this song...I thought it would be fitting.»
He then pressed play and let the music tell the words that were lodged in his throat.
Serena listened intently, the barest of smiles making its way onto her lips as the velvety female voice brought back memories of times long gone.
A smoothly sung sentence struck in its resonance and plastered itself into her mind, bringing tears into her eyes but keeping the smile on her lips.
«Ain't no sunshine when he's gone...»
She shot a grateful look towards her brother's best friend and was given a slight shrug in return. Everyone remained silent during the duration of the song, thankfully understanding the sanctity of the almost peaceful moment.
Serena lingered silently in the same spot long after people started trickling away to their homes. Somewhere in the recesses of her conscience, she felt grateful to the girls for not having approached her and to Him for having kept his distance. She stayed standing in her spot until two small arms surrounded her and her mother breathed a soft «let's got home» against her back.
As they drove back to the house, she traced the raindrops streaking across her window and let a matching tear make its way down her cheek, her arms wrapping around her shivering form in a parody of a hug.
«...it's not warm when he's away.»
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