Chapter Eleven

Alex stood in the cemetery, raining pouring down on top of him. He sat in front of a tombstone and felt tears run down his cheeks but he didn't cry. He didn't let out the sobs he was fighting back, he just let the tears run down his cheeks. Everyone else in the group was standing behind him. Mitchell, Sarah, Colton, Heath, Jordan, Catherine, and Leo who had a bandaged wrapped around his knee from the stab wound.

"I'm sorry kid." Mitchell spoke up. Everyone was wearing black and had umbrellas covering their heads except for Alex who just sat there, just like the when Chris had passed.

"She was a great girl. She didn't deserve this." Heath added in.

"We're all going to miss her." Sarah said, everyone trying to get a reaction out of him. They all looked at each other and looked at the ground before slowly walking towards their cars on the outside of the cemetery. One by one they left him except for Catherine who stood behind him, staring at her feet.

"I wish I could've helped somehow." she told him.

"Another fucking tombstone." Alex muttered to himself.

"What?" Catherine asked.

"How many more people have to die before I realize I'm the cause of it?! You're probably next." Alex said as he turned his head to look at her. Catherine looked shocked at what he had said but knew it was the grief talking.

"You don't mean that." Catherine said.

"Oh I don't?" Alex asked standing up. "The woman I loved is lying six feet underground Catherine. Get it through your fucking skull! Being around me isn't safe." he began walking away from her but she didn't make it easy.

"Alex just calm down." Catherine tried to reason with him.

"Fuck off." Alex told her as he stormed away, letting the sobs finally take over as he broke down when he was finally out of earshot from everyone. He had gotten to the other end of the cemetery when he dropped to his knees and put his face in his hands, letting it all out.

Alex kicked open the front door to his girlfriend Maxine's house. In his mouth was a bundle of roses and in his hand a box of chocolates. In front of him was a human sized teddy bear that he kicked through the doorway and he saw Maxine's eyes light up. She stood up from the leather couch in her living room and covered her mouth with her hands.

"What is this?!" Maxine asked.

"You think I would forget Valentine's Day for my favorite girl?" Alex asked with a smile as he dropped the roses from his mouth to his hand.

"Oh my god." Maxine said. She stared at Alex who smiled at her and she thought she was going to cry.

"You know, even if I am a screw up most of the time, the one thing I got right was making you my girlfriend." Alex said as he walked up to her, pulled her in for a hug, and kissed her. She kissed him back and rested her head on his chest.

"You're crazy Alex Polk, but I will always love you." she told him as she squeezed him hard.

Jordan and Heath were back at the office after the funeral had ended. They set their umbrellas up by the door and took off their wet suit jackets, letting them air dry on hooks on the wall. They sat down in their usual seats, Heath working on Jordan's campaign behind the computer and Jordan thinking things out in his head. The unusual thing however was the sound of footsteps walking up to the deserted office building. They both turned their head and saw the other man running for mayor, Connor Fox. He had a smug smile on his face and all black suit. He opened the door to Heath's office and stepped in.

"Good day boys." Connor said as he smiled at the two. "I'm here to see if you are dropping out." he looked at Jordan.

"I don't think he got the memo." Jordan said as he looked at Heath. Heath shook his head and looked at Connor.

"Must have got lost in the mail." Heath said.

"Will you two twats answer me." Connor spat at them.

"Such a naughty word for such an official man." Jordan said standing up and getting into Connor's face. Connor looked him up and down and smirked.

"I'm guessing you're still running." Connor assumed. Jordan smirked back at him.

"I'm not just running. I'm winning the election. No more corrupt leaders. It's time someone fair takes over the authority role in this city. Not someone who wants to satisfy their own needs." Jordan said. This caused Connor to laugh, snickering and turning away from the two back to the door.

"If that's what you think then you are dumber than you look. Everyone is corrupted eventually." Connor said with an evil grin neither of them saw. He walked out the door, shutting it behind him while Jordan continued to stand there, watching as he walked away.

"I really don't like that guy." Heath said.

"Bad vibes right?" Jordan asked.

"Right." Heath said with a nod.

"We'll beat him. Don't worry." Jordan said as he sat back down and grabbed a notebook and pencil.

Alex stood in what was now just his house. The thoughts that kept entering his mind was how when he rolled over in bend now, Maxine wouldn't be there. When he remembered his past, Maxine wouldn't be there to comfort him. When he walked downstairs Maxine wouldn't be in the kitchen cooking or in the living room watching TV.

Alex walked into his garage which was connected to his house and grabbed a sledge hammer. He walked back into his house and stared at everything. He whacked the sledgehammer against his hand and felt tears run down his cheeks again. He pulled out earbuds and put them in his ears and played the song "The Regulator" by Clutch. He looked around at the house and used his sleeve to wipe his face. As the song began he walked upstairs and into the bedroom where it was a mess, the blankets scattered everywhere.

Alex brought the sledgehammer back and then swung it, shattering the lamp on the bedside table. He then turned around and swung the hammer into the closet door, creating a huge hole. He slammed it into the wall next, over and over making multiple holes and then kicking the spots in between so it was one big one. He walked out into the upstairs hall slammed the hammer into a painting on the wall, sending a big hole right through the middle. He let the hammer drag on the ground as he walked down the steps, the tears uncontrollable at this point. Alex turned and looked at the living room. He walked into the room and started smashing the plant pots, and then the glass coffee table.

Alex looked up at the flat screen TV that hung on the wall and stared at it. He lifted up the hammer and then threw it at the TV, causing it to shatter sending little pieces flying everywhere. He felt some land on his face but he didn't care.

"Alex!" he heard from behind him. He turned around to see Leo and Catherine standing there, staring at him as if he was crazy. He stared right back at them and felt a sharp pain in his hand and face. He looked down and saw a large shard of the TV screen had landed on his arm and that he was bleeding pretty badly. He saw droplets of blood and water fall from his face and figured the shards that landed there were causing him to bleed.

"Leave." was all Alex said to them as he walked out of the living room.