Thank you for all the reviews/subs/favourites etc, you're all lovely :) Here's chapter 3.


NOBODY SAID IT WAS EASY

Mickie stood in front of her bedroom mirror, unable to take her eyes off the unfamiliar frame that stood in front of her. Turning her head, the black skirt, shirt and heels were laid out on her desk chair but she felt reluctant to put them on, instead standing uncomfortably in the sweatpants and oversized tee she'd slept in. It was as if the second those black clothes – her funeral clothes – touched her body, it would mean that Maria was really gone.

Time had passed quickly and already, here she was, getting ready to attend her step-sister's funeral. Worst of all, she was beginning to blame herself for what had transpired. Maybe if she'd have swerved in a different direction, things would've changed. She could've been the one in the body bag, the one everyone was crying over-

"Mickie?" There was a knock at her bedroom door and Maria's mother Janet entered.

Everytime Mickie looked at Janet, she saw Maria. The pair were two of a kind; Maria certainly had her mother's long red hair and slender figure as well as the same carefree attitude to life. Well, Janet wasn't so carefree anymore. The older woman was certainly knocked for six by her daughter's death and despite trying to keep a strong front, it was clear she was emotionally drained.

"I don't want to rush you but we need to leave for the church in ten minutes." Janet was dressed in a black dress that hung loosely over her slim body and her red hair was tied back into a tight bun, as opposed to letting it flow in its usual waves.

"Okay," Mickie nodded, looking over at the clothes but not reacting to what she was being told.

Janet didn't rush Mickie though, instead she sat down on the edge of the brunette's bed and looked out of the window. "It doesn't feel right, does it? Saying goodbye to Pumpkin." Janet had called Maria 'Pumpkin' since she was a little kid, mainly because of her red hair and because she loved Halloween. Most kids were psyched for Christmas but no, Maria spent months organising her costume and always wanted to have the most exciting plans.

It was impossible for Mickie to imagine how Janet was feeling. It was difficult enough for her to say goodbye to her step-sister but having your own daughter die so young and under such horrible circumstances? When Janet gave birth to her daughter, how was she to know she wouldn't even see Maria graduate high school? Maria going off to college, Maria getting a degree, Maria getting married, Maria having kids; there was such a big world out there and so much she'd never experience.

"She was just a kid." Janet's voice shook slightly, before she swallowed and composed herself. "I'm glad you're okay. I don't know what your father and I would've done if you hadn't made it either."

Instantly, Janet realised this wasn't the right thing to say, as Mickie turned as white as a sheet.

"I'll leave you to get dressed." Maria's mother exited, leaving Mickie in peace. She went to walk down the stairs but found herself taking a detour and entering Maria's bedroom.

It was pretty much empty as everything had either been taken to charity shops or was in the attic. The walls were still a garish pink colour that Janet always told Maria was too bright and all that was left was furniture; her wardrobe, bedside table and bed which still held the striped duvet and scattering of pillows. Richard and Janet thought clearing out Maria's room would help them heal faster but for Janet, it just reminded her of what she lost. Janet could hear Maria's contagious laughter somewhere deep in her head and she could smell her daughter's floral perfume.

Janet didn't allow herself to fully go inside, she stood in the doorway frowning. "Goodbye pumpkin."


"Are you gonna be able to get through this?"

Eve turned to her left where Matt was sat in the driver's seat of his car. They were parked outside the church and people were already filing in for Maria's funeral. The deceased's best friend wasn't quite ready to go inside though.

"I don't have much choice, do I?" She whispered.

"If it's any consolation, you look beautiful."

No, it wasn't any consolation but Eve appreciated her boyfriend's kindness. Her mother had come back from one of her business trips to New York with an understated yet beautiful black Isabel Marant dress and some matching Jimmy Choos. Normally the fashion lover would be thrilled but today, the clothes were just fabric; they wouldn't help her and they wouldn't bring Maria back. "Thank you." She eventually said, running her fingers through her brown curls.

"Once today's over, maybe we can all move on and get some closure-"

"You think after today, everything's just going to return to normal?" Eve snapped suddenly at her boyfriend. She couldn't believe what Matt was saying and she banged her fist down on the dashboard, feeling tears springing in her eyes. "My best friend died in a car accident, it's gonna take more than an Isabel Marant dress and burying Maria to heal this!"

Matt had to bite his tongue to stop himself yelling back at Eve. She thought he didn't understand; of course he did. He had stronger feelings for Maria than he could let on and he had to bottle if all up which was even worse. Everyone else could cry and mourn but he couldn't do anything. He looked at his girlfriend; her wobbling lips and damp eyes; what was he meant to do? He used his thumb to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm so sorry baby." Eve leaned forward to kiss Matt softly on the lips. "I shouldn't be pushing you away, I really need you today."

"It's fine, today's going to be difficult for everyone."

Neither of them said anything and there was a deathly silence outside too as the James-Kanellis' approached the church doors. Janet stood in-between Mickie and Richard as they each held one of her hands.

"We should go inside." Eve decided. Matt looked to her for conformation and she nodded. It was time.


There was a light tug on the elbow of John's black shirt and when he turned around, a petite woman with a dark brown bob was there to greet him. "You were her boyfriend, weren't you?"

He nodded. No-one ever said who they were talking about anymore; people just knew.

"I'm Richard's older sister, Mickie's aunt and Maria's step aunt." The woman explained. Her gaze fell over to the mantel piece where a photo of the step sisters on last year's family holiday to the Grand Canyon sat. Sunglasses covered their eyes but their smiles were beaming, reflecting happier times in the family. "I consider myself a Christian but it's times like this when my faith is tested. How could God take away someone with so much left to give to this world?"

John didn't know how to respond.

"What happened was tragic. Mickie must be in pieces." She tore her eyes away from the photo to look up at John, a gentle smile gracing her features. "It was a beautiful service."

It was only the second funeral John had ever attended – the first being his grandpa's when he was barely out of kindergarten and therefore he had little recollection of. He knew Maria's funeral would stick with him for a long time. The whole day had been sombre. The service was short and peaceful and afterwards, everyone walked down to the spot Maria would be buried and watched as her coffin was lowered into the ground.

Even as that happened, John couldn't quite grasp what was going on. Was he such a bad person for feeling nothing? He'd never experienced grief before but everyone apparently acted in different ways. Maybe this was just his way of going about it.

After the funeral, everyone returned to Richard and Janet's house. There was a buffet and everyone stood around talking. People kept telling John how 'tragic' Maria's death was and yeah, he agreed but somehow he just wasn't as emotional as everyone else. All her friends cried – damn, he even thought he saw Matt Hardy shed a tear during the service – and surely the dead girl's boyfriend should be the most crushed.

Across the room, John caught Richard's eye. He was the nearest thing Maria had to a father and John could sense his pain, even if he wouldn't show it. A small nod from each man happened before John excused himself from Richard's sister and escaped the crowded living room for some fresh air.

He got himself a drink from the kitchen and walked up the silent stairs. The whole of the upstairs seemed so desolate compared to the usually friendly atmosphere of the house. All the doors were shut – Janet and Richard's bedroom, the main bathroom, the study/guest room, Mickie's bedroom and Maria's bedroom. Cautiously, he opened Maria's bedroom door and was greeted by a figure sitting in the darkness on the floor, their back to Maria's bed.

"Hello?" He switched on the light and saw the figure was Mickie.

The brunette's eyes were red and although she wasn't crying, there looked to be tears on her cheeks. "What're you doing up here?"

"Things are a bit too heavy downstairs. I needed to get out."

"Yeah, that's why I'm up here." She admitted, wiping her wet cheeks against her shirt sleeve.

"What're you listening to?" John signalled at the iPod on Mickie's lap. It was Maria's.

"Coldplay. I don't know why I'm listening to her iPod when we have pretty much all the same music." She laughed softly, her thumb running over the gadget. "Dad and Janet don't know I still have this...it was in the glove box of my car. I just don't really want to throw it away, you know?"

"Maria loved her iPod. She'd hate for you to just get rid of it." He'd been stood with his hands in his pockets before asking "Need some company?"

She nodded sadly and John sat down on the floor next to her, taking one of the earphones and letting Mickie rest her head against his shoulder as 'The Scientist' took them away for a little while.


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Next time – There's a new girl at Fitzwinter High School and Jeff makes a startling discovery.