Elle was in her father's room on Sunday afternoon. She knew that the cancer had spread it was only a matter of time. He wasn't even awake anymore. She was in the room with her stepmother Lilly when she heard the beep. It was over. She cried as the Asian-American woman hugged her.
Rebekah was in the waiting room as she waited for news.
"Rebekah?" Her dad asked. She turned her attention to him. "I just wanted to tell you that Eric Greene has passed away."
"Okay." She replied, looking down.
"Can we talk sometime?" He requested. "It's been a few years and I wanted to catch up."
"I don't know if I'm really free." She remarked.
"Please." He begged.
"Okay, how about Wednesday?" She relented.
She went back to the school and at night, she called all of the girls, which didn't include Elle, into the choir room. She was not good at bad news.
"So, I don't know if any of you have heard, but this afternoon, Elle's father died." She stated. "This week, we'll be singing songs about death and we'll be supportive whenever Elle decides to rejoin us. If anyone is made uncomfortable by this week's songs, you will not be required to participate."
"I'll go." Renee declared.
When I got the news today, I didn't know what to say
So I just hung up the phone
I took a walk to clear my head and this is where the walking led
I can't believe you're really gone, don't feel like going home
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Funny how the good ones go too soon but the good Lord knows
The reasons why I guess
Sometimes a greater plan is kinda hard to understand
Right now it don't make sense, I can't make it all make sense
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Drink a beer
Drink a beer
"Okay, alcoholism is one way to deal with death, but not really what I was going for." Rebekah stated. "From this point on, I'm going to say no more songs about drinking because I don't think anyone would be too happy to hear about it."
That night in her room, Gabriella sat on her bed. She didn't know what she was supposed to say to Elle. She didn't know what to say to her girlfriend after her dad died. She was pretty sure that Elle was going to ask her to go the funeral, but she didn't know how to go to the funeral for someone that she never even met.
"What are you doing?" Alessandra asked her.
"I'm trying to figure out how to talk to Elle." She explained. "I know that she's going to ask me to go to her dad's funeral."
"Do you not want to go?" Alessandra questioned.
"I don't know how I can go to funeral of someone that I've never met." Gabriella remarked.
"Well do you love her?" Alessandra asked.
"I don't know." The pink-haired girl replied. "I wish that I didn't have to deal with any of this."
"Well sometimes things happen that you don't have any control over." Alessandra stated. "You should go to the funeral if she asks you to."
"I guess I need to figure what song I'm going to sing this week then." Gabriella remarked before she headed to the shower.
The following afternoon, she took the stage and began to sing her song.
Na-na na-na-na na-na
I miss you I miss you so bad
I don't forget you oh it's so sad
I hope you can hear me
I remember it clearly
The day you slipped away
Was the day I found it won't be the same
I had my wake up won't you wake up I keep asking why
And I can't take it, it wasn't fake, it happened you passed by
Now you're gone now you're gone there you go there you go
Somewhere I can't bring you back
Now you're gone now you're gone there you go there you go
Somewhere you're not coming back
The day you slipped away
Was the day I found it won't be the same
The day you slipped away
Was the day I found it won't be the same
Na-na na-na-na na-na
I miss you
She then walked out of the room. Elle still wasn't back in school yet. She wasn't sure how long it would take. She didn't know how to talk to her and make her feel better. She wasn't sure if she could do it.
Later that night, Lisa walked into her room. She knew that she had to tell someone about it. She decided that a good place to start would be to tell her roommate.
"So I never did find out what was bothering you a few weeks ago." Cady stated.
"Well it's kind of hard for me to explain." Lisa stuttered. "You see I…"
Cady waited for the explanation.
"I'm pregnant." She mumbled.
"I couldn't understand a word that you just said." Cady remarked.
Lisa took a deep sigh and tried once again to let it out. She had enough trouble admitting it to herself.
"I'm pregnant." She finally said.
"Oh." Cady remarked. "How?"
"After Sectionals, I slept with one of the Dudes." The redhead told her.
"Have you told him yet?" The blonde questioned.
"I don't know if it's any of his business to know especially since it wasn't supposed to mean anything." Lisa stated while biting her lip.
"Sweetie, you're not the first girl to get pregnant from a meaningless hookup." Cady replied. "I'm not going to tell you what to do when it comes to this. You're going to have to decide whether or not you want him in this baby's life."
"So, did you have a song that you were going to sing this week?" Lisa asked her. She didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"I did." Cady remarked before she began to sing it.
Hey Lucy I remember your name
I left a dozen roses on your grave today
I'm in the grass on my knees, wipes the leaves away
I just came to talk for a while, got some things I need to say
Now that it's over, I just wanna hold her
I'd give all the world to see, that little piece of heaven looking back at me
Now that it's over, I just wanna hold her
I've gotta live with choices I made and I can't live with myself today
Here we are now you're in my arms I never wanted anything so bad
Here we are for a brand new start living the life that we could've had
Me and Lucy walking hand in hand, me and Lucy never wanna end
Just another moment in your eyes, I'll see you in another life
In heaven where we never say goodbye
Now that it's over, I just wanna hold her
I'd give all the world to see, that little piece of heaven looking back at me
Now that it's over, I just wanna hold her
I've gotta live with choices I made and I can't live with myself today
Here we are now you're in my arms
Here we are for a brand new start
I've gotta live with choices I made and I can't live with myself today
Me and Lucy walking hand in hand, me and Lucy never wanna end
I've gotta live with choices I made and I can't live with myself today
Hey Lucy I remember your name
That night, Renee prepared to go to bed alone again. She was pretty worried Elle. She had called Cady to see if she wanted to spend the night with her, but she said no because she was helping Lisa with something.
On Wednesday night, Rebekah went to meet her father. She wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say. The two of them hadn't had any sort of extended conversation in three years. She didn't even know that he had moved to New York. Maybe they did need to reconnect because it probably wasn't good for them to be cut off from each other like they were.
"I'm glad that you came." He told her. "So, you're a teacher now."
"So why don't we just get down to business?" She requested. "Why did you want to meet me with me?"
"I may have come off a little strong a few years ago." He replied. "I was stressed over your mother's death and I took it out on you. I just had this image of walking you down the aisle on your wedding day."
"You know that you can still do that." Rebekah pointed out. "I can get married. Anyway, I told you because that was the last thing that Mom told me. She wanted me to tell you that I was gay."
"Why didn't you tell me that before?" He questioned.
"I was angry and I really didn't want anything to do with you." She stated. "So are you going to be at the hospital for a while?"
"Yes." He answered.
"Well, do you want to meet my girlfriend some time?" She asked.
"Sure." He declared with a smile.
The following afternoon, Lisa was in the choir room singing her song for the week. She tried to find something that she liked.
I close both locks below the window
I close both blinds and turn away
Sometimes solutions aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only way
And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
In cards and flowers on your window
Your friends all plead for you to stay
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only
And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
On Friday morning, Elle came back to school. Her uniform skirt swished as she walked. She kind of felt like all of the eyes in the school were on her. She knew that it was probably an absurd thought because she doubted that everyone at the school knew about her father or even who she was. She headed to Rebekah's music class and took a seat. There all eyes definitely were on her.
"Miss Mays, can I please sing something?" She asked.
"Sure, Elle." The teacher declared as she gave the floor to her.
Back when I was a child, before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me
And then he would spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me and I knew for sure I was loved
If I could get another chance, another walk,
Another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
How I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again
Sometimes I'd listen outside the door and hear how Mama would cry for him
I pray for her even more than me, I pray for her even more than me
I know I'm praying for much too much but could you send back the only man she loved
I know that you don't do it usually but dear Lord she's dying to dance with my father again
The whole room clapped for her as she headed back to her seat…before getting up and leaving the room and cry. Gabriella followed after her.
So Elle's father died. Her stepmother is played by Kelly Hu. The songs in this chapter are "Drink A Beer" by Luke Bryan (The only Luke Bryan song I like), "Slipped Away" by Avril, "Lucy" by Skillet, "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park and "Dance with my Father" by Luther Vandross. Please don't forget to review,