**this chapter isn't the best, but this story I think is mostly downhill now that Diana is dead, unless another idea hits me**

School became a blur for Natalie. Everyone found out about the death of her mother and now they tried to avoid her more than they used to. They had no idea what to say to her or how she would react if they talked to her. If they talked to her, they usually said something along the lines of "Hey, I heard your mother died. That's sad." Natalie usually just ignored them, considering the way they sad that sounded really insincere. She didn't even want to be at school anyway. She was too upset to deal with all the school drama. Finally, Friday came, but Natalie couldn't see that as a good thing. This was the Friday that the funeral was on.

Natalie was walking home after school and Henry was running after her. "Natalie, wait up!" he called. He was the only one that still talked to Natalie. "What time is the funeral at today?"

"It's at 6:30," Natalie said sadly. "You don't have to come though, Henry. It's okay."

"But I want to come. You're hurting, and I'm going to be there for you. Plus, I always liked your mom. She was so nice."

"Thank you, Henry." Natalie tried to smile. "I'm lucky to have a boyfriend like you."

"I'll see you at 6:30."

"Okay." Natalie walked home, through the front door and saw no one. "Dad?" she called. "Dad, where are you?" She walked into the kitchen and saw her dad sitting at the kitchen table, his hands covering his face. "Dad?"

"This is too much for me," Dan said. "I can't go to the funeral. It'll be too hard to see her lying in her coffin, all the relatives upset, you… I'm not going to go."

"But Dad…"

"Everything will be fine. You're in charge of the funeral. Tell everyone I had to go on a sudden business trip to Bulgaria or some other random country."

"Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know. I'm going to get drunk."

"Dad, Mom said we had to be strong for her. Getting drunk and avoiding her funeral is not being strong. You think I want to go to the funeral? I don't, but I'm going to."

"Well, I've never been the strong one."

"Now's your chance to be the strong one. I'm almost 17. I still need you as my role model. If you're going to get drunk, that's going to influence me to."

"You're right. Will you be strong with me?"

"Yes. We'll be strong together."

(at the funeral)

Natalie sat down close to her mother's coffin. She found it uncomfortable to be next to a dead body, but it was where her dad made her sit. All of the relatives and family friends started to come, telling Dan and Natalie that they were sorry for their loss and that they were praying for them. Henry ran in and sat down next to Natalie, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry," Henry said.

"It's okay," Natalie replied, wiping a tear from an eye. "Not your fault that this is more emotional than I thought it was going to be." She put her head on Henry's shoulder. "Thanks for being here for me."

"You're welcome. I love you."

"I love you too."

Suddenly, a girl that Natalie had seen at school but didn't know well shyly walked up to her. "Hi, Natalie," she said softly.

"Uh, hi… what's your name again? I forget."

"Deanna Vladinski. I'm from your Honors Spanish V class. I'm sorry for your loss and I'm sorry that everyone at school has been avoiding you and being rude."

"It's okay. Thank you, Deanna."

"Well, I have a surprise for you."

"Huh?"

Just then, a huge group of people walked in. Deanna smiled. "I asked as many people as I could to come to the funeral and everyone said they would."

"Well, that was nice of you, Deanna. Gracias."

"De nada."

"Will everyone please take their seats?" Dan announced. "The wake is about to begin."

Deanna joined the group of people and Natalie and Henry sat down. "Why do they call it a wake?" Henry whispered to Natalie. "Does it wake a dead person?"

"I don't know," Natalie whispered back, smiling a little. "But could you please keep the funniness down a bit? It's cheering me up, but this IS a funeral."

"Okay."