Chapter 18:

Gradually the days passed. Slowly days flowed into weeks and weeks into months and Anna and Ryan and Summer became a unit. They walked the halls together, ate lunch together, often left school together, and once or twice arrived together. Occasionally they spoke to someone outside themselves, Marissa or Luke perhaps. But in the natural progression of high school they became Anna-and-Ryan-and-Summer, a single entity to be referred to in one breath. Not that they were referred too all that often.
Everyone knew they were friends of that kid who'd died. He hadn't had many and these three had never quite gotten over it. Not that three months was enough time to move on, but it was enough time to start to try. They didn't seem to be trying to get over that Cohen kid though. They didn't socialize much, not with anyone else. Either Anna-Ryan-and-Summer were together or they were alone. There was no one else. Luke tried, and Marissa for awhile but apparently her patience had run out. For awhile there had been rumors of bizarre ménage a tois, rumors of necrophilia. They had disappated quickly, the novelty of Anna-and-Ryan-and-Summer had worn off and now they were rarely mentioned.
In the background Marissa had stopped all of the rumors. Quietly and calmly so that Anna and Ryan and Summer never heard them. Ryan had ignored her, and Summer had gently brushed her off, and for awhile Marissa was hurt and angry. But then she looked a little closer at the threesome she had once been so close to. Marissa saw how they healed one another, how gently they had taught each other how to laugh again. She hadn't understood before, wasn't sure she understood now, but Marissa knew she had to protect Summer and Ryan and Anna. They reminded her of a chrysalis, sealed off from the world to grow and become whole. She had to let them be, some day they would re-emerge into the world and Marissa would be waiting to greet them with open arms.
In the meantime, Marissa was a busy girl. Between protecting her friends and maintaining a façade of perfect Newport girl, she visited Seth frequently.
Lunch was a good time to drop by. The cemetery was quiet at noon. Marissa sat next to the tombstone and touched it gently. Sometimes she talked, sometimes not, but it had been awhile since she had visited and things needed to be discussed.
"Hey Seth. Sorry it's been so long," Marissa apologized softly. "Prom is turning into a disaster."
"You couldn't care less about Prom," Marissa cut her rant short. "Me either at this point." Marissa sighed.
"I'm avoiding the issue. I know I promised I'd leave them alone Seth, but it's been so long. I'm starting to get worried Seth. It's like they're completely unaware of the world. I know Ryan's parents, um, sorry, your parents, I know they were having some trouble there for awhile, but that's all fixed now. There's nothing left to hurt them," Marissa stopped herself. She rested her forehead against the cool stone of Seth's tomb and took a calming breath to ease her frustration.
"I didn't realize what a hard job it is watching out for your friends," Marissa muttered. "They're a stubborn bunch."
Eventually Marissa looked up and noticed the pale yellow butterflies zipping around nearby graves.
"Seth are you giving me a sign?" She asked in a tone that wavered between annoyed and amused. "Is this your oh-so-subtle way of telling me to lay off?"
As she asked Marissa knew she had her answer. She stood, silently thanked her friend, and walked back to her car.
She didn't know if Seth was really sending her signs, somehow she doubted it. But visiting Seth, sitting in the quiet with no distractions, Marissa could feel herself open up. She became more receptive, more aware of the world. If Seth hadn't died, if Marissa hadn't taken over the duty of watching over his friends, she never would have seen the butterflies, never would have seen the answer.