Chapter 9: Funeral

Next day I stood naked in front of my closet. What do you wear in a funeral?

I only had two black dresses - just 'cause - and they were both decidedly inappropriate for a funeral. One was skintight, mini and almost made of lace and the other one was a little longer hitting mid thigh. It had a square neck and the skirt flared a little making it just a smidge more appropriate. I threw on underwear in a bright color - I really really really hate black clothes - and pulled the dress on. On the other side of the closet was my shoe dresser. A piece of furniture in three levels that held all my shoes. I resisted the urge to grab a pair of bright pink manolo's and went with a pair of high heeled back pumps instead. I picked a tuxedo jacket in a sugary tone and my floral purse. My long feather earrings and my moon pendant. The bright and sunny weather decided I should take my sunglasses as well. Alison had picked them for me. they were degranted pink and identical to hers.

The cemetery was on the other side of the town near the school. I parked next to Emily's mom's Volvo leaving my jacket in the car and headed to the church where almost everyone from Rosewood was gathered. Strangely no one was sad!

Inside Spencer was flitting right and left playing the hostess and ignoring the other three. Emily was with her mother looking as if she were on the dentist's chair. Hanna and Aria were chatting together. I had to smile and Hanna's veil. I headed to Emily and excused her and we went to Hanna and Aria

"Nice veil"

"I'm sad"

She mocked and I chuckled

"Who's ringing it this time?"

"Sorry?"

"We thought Ian died hanging from the bell cord"

Aria explained

We walked up to the closed casket and Spencer caught with us.

"Thanks for being here girls"

We nodded. We made Smalltalk for a few seconds till I noticed the cops. Apparently mrs Hastings wanted extra protection against uninvited guests.

"Like who?"

"I thought my no-party-crashers policy was strict"

I asked but Hanna's retort gave Spencer an ideal way of not answering. Aria had caught my meaning though and gave her own opinion 'angry mob with torches'. I chuckled with them. Spencer excused herself and dismissed Emily who looked ready to cry. She ran after a cop but when they came back she looked crestfallen. I asked for a moment and caught up with her.

"Em, what's up?"

"Yesterday after practice I went back to the post office to talk to that guy. Turns out Ian wasn't the one had paid him. It was a woman"

"A woman? We have lots of those"

I deadpanned. Emily looked at me for guidance and I smiled at her.

"we'll talk after the funeral 'k? it's too crowded now"

"ok"

"who was that cop?"

"Officer Darren Wilden. He helped us out the night Spencer was attacked"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"sure"

"don't tell him anything else. I have an idea"

"Ok"

We smiled at each other and I headed to Aria's parents to exchange pleasantries and give Aria a few moments alone to calm her nerves. Soon we were all out watching the casket going down. I stayed behind letting the girls along with Melissa and mrs Hastings in the front row. I wasn't alone. On a bench on my left was a guy looking rather forlom. I was hearing on Emily's chat with Aria with one ear thinking of a way to talk to him. Emily bid us goodbye and Aria was pulled away by her former teacher slash boyfriend was I was left alone.

"Jason?"

"Bella?"

I sat on the bench next to him.

"Are you here to get closure or spit on his grave?"

he chuckled.

"a bit of both and you?"

"The same"

"how are you?"

"Relieved I think. And sober. That helps"

"I'm sure it does"

"wanna grab a drink?"

"anything to get away from the prying eyes and the forked tongues"

he stood up offering me his hand which I gladly took. Short skirts and benches not a nice mix. we headed back to the parking lot and got in his car.

"you still have this car"

"even high I still cared about it"

"Ali and I took it for joyride. I was so sure we going to crush her"

"You'd be dead if you had. I love this Corvette"

Needing to get out of rosewood we headed to Philadelphia. Thirty minutes later we were sitting in a bar that despite being noon already had a few patrons. The barman walked up to us.

"What can I get you two lovebirds?"

I looked at Jason from the corner of my eye. Lovebirds? Jason is like my brother! My very hot brother, whom I used to have a crush on, brother.

"Scotch"

"Bloody Mary"

the tall, black, could-be-a-bodybuilder barman simply nodded not asking for an ID and went to fix our drinks

"I thought you didn't drink"

"I need one today"

Jason nodded seeing my point.

"Ali used to threaten about blowing the whistle on me all the time"

"But she didn't"

"She was too smart for that. Do you remember her when we were kids?"

"She was fearless. Would push and pull me to come out of my shell"

"she needed to be, Bella. I was always jealous of her. I guess that's why my parents can't even look at me anymore. They know they lost the wrong kid"

Damn you Ali! I touched his arm

"Don't say that. Your parents may be 'unique' but they always loved you"

"I was the crack head and she was the princess"

"Everyone falls off the wagon sometimes. Maybe going to the funeral was a mistake. It's messing your head"

"Just the opposite actually. You don't know how good it feels to know it wasn't me. I don't remember a thing from the night Ali died. I blacked out and woke up the next morning with a wicked hangover and this"

He handed me a note. 'I know what you did.' no signature written with green ink

"Who gave you this?"

he shrugged

"you thought you killed her?"

"I was jealous and when i got loaded, i got angry. But Ian's confession has changed everything. He did it, not me."

"Jason, I may not remember a lot of things from that night but I know you wouldn't hurt her. Maybe you needed a few spanking sessions growing up but you wouldn't hurt Ali."

the bartended handed us our drinks and silently walked away.

"when you two went missing I kept saying to myself that you were together. You two were enough trouble to make anyone beg to give you back but then you were found alone, hurt and almost didn't make it. It destroyed me. That day I threw out all my stash and got clean. Cold turkey. I visited you, everyday. I even thought about adopting the cadaver dog that found you when everyone else gave up"

"I feel so guilty"

"why?"

"being the alive one"

we sat in silence for a few minutes sipping our drinks.

"I'm sorry I didn't come to the funeral"

"I'm sorry I didn't come to see you when you finally woke up. I didn't know if you wanted to see me"

"why wouldn't I?"

I asked genually surprised.

"we grew up together and crack head or not you were always there"

"gee thanks"

"you know what I mean"

"I kissed you that night Bella. I was high and I came onto you without even asking"

I could feel the head raising my cheeks. I still remembered that kiss. Along with the slap that accompanied it.

"Well I did slap you. That would be a reason enough for you not to come near me again"

"You want me to leave you alone now?"

"no"

He gave me a true Jason smile that showed his dimples and made his eyes shine and I pushed the bangs out of my eyes smiling back. We changed the subject then to more pleasant things like him buying back his house and remodeling it to chase away Alison's ghost, being clean and even played darts. Luckily I didn't hit anyone's eye! We returned to Rosewood by Twilight with the note in my purse.

"Thank you for today, I needed to relax"

"any time neighbor"

Biting the bullet I pressed my lips softly to his cheek and bid him goodnight. Today was surreal! I called Renee and we talked for a long time, then feeling full of energy I decided to go for a jog and changed into a pair of sorts and a tank top with a hoodie. true to my word I mailed Charlie a pic of me saying I was going for a jog and was out the door with my I-Pod, cell phone and keys in my pocket. I was nearing the park when my phone chirped with a new text. Emily said to meet at the cemetery in ten minutes. Picking up my speed I was there the moment they pulled in

"Hey, what's up?"

"cute outfit"

"thanks Hanna. I don't really care what I wear when I work out"

I shivered.

"It's so cold, can we hurry up?"

Emily then told us about the new -A- text and we made out way with torches to Alison's grave.

"Ok, if we get caught we're in so much trouble!"

Prissy Spencer said with the new and improved Hanna butting in

"Oh, please. Like we're the first teenagers to sneak in a graveyard?"

"Right, almost every B-rated slasher movie starts this way!"

"Guys! Not helping"

"Sorry Spencer"

Hanna sung and I chuckled. After a long debate on why -A- helps them when she ultimately wants to hurt them we arrived at Alison's grave. I had never been here and I could help the shiver that went up my back. A video started playing on the wall of the church. Alison was wearing the yellow top she wore the night she went missing with a black jacket on. It was sunny, still daytime. The camera moved to show Ian and then Ali's hand, the one with the friendship bracelet, the same one I lost that night, as she fell down. The girls thought it was the video of her death but it didn't make sense. She laughed and Ian got dressed, kissed her and walked away. The four girls had hidden behind me and they were gasping. I was silent as Suddenly my brain put two and two together.

I know what happened! The four panicked girls started looking for the projector and I shouted

"Girls! I got to go. See you all tomorrow, sleepover, my house"