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Liam
I dug out my old chucks from under Sam’s bed and went to see if Amber needed a ride to the Fraser’s as Sam had taken off with the car a few hours ago. She was sitting on the couch in her room watching TV. On screen, Kevin Bacon was teaching some guy hoe to dance.
“Footloose again?”
“You know me too well, little brother.”
“That I do, big sister.”
“Yep. You going to Steph’s?”
“Yeah. Rory’s making me.”
“Good. Its about time you went out and had some fun.”
“Are you gonna come?”
“I dunno, I don’t have any taxi money and Sam’s gone AWOL as usual.”
“Just come with us, Jamie won’t mind.” Amber hit the stop button.
“Okay, I’m in. Give me a minute.” I smiled at her and went to write Sam a note, in case he came home and wondered where we were.
Sam
Me and Amber gone to Fraser’s with the Murphy’s. Probably see you there so this note is pointless, but whatever.
Liam.
It was then realised I was starving. I checked the fridge, but there was nothing as usual. I really hoped there was some food at this party. I grabbed a twenty, just in case. As I was trying to track down my cellphone, I heard a toot from outside. I opened the front door and waved to Jamie to tell him I would be there in a sec.
“Amber!!” I called up the stairs, as I picked up the home phone to call my cell.
“Coming!” she yelled back. I dialled and held the phone away from me so I could hear mine vibrate. Ah-huh! It was sitting on top of the microwave. God knows how it got there. I flicked off the living room light just as Amber ran down the stairs and into the car. I locked the front door of the house and climbed into the car next to her.
Jamie and Rory were in the front, and Amber and I were in the back with Jas Doherty. I was pretty quiet on the drive out to the Fraser farm. In fact, I believe the only words I said were “hi” and “cheers” when we arrived.
How was the party? On the whole, pretty crap. Jamie, Jas, Amber and Rory all disappeared soon as we got there. I grabbed a beer from the table and sat outside on the porch steps, watching people arrive.
My mate Chris Jarvis pulled up with the radio blaring and Gemma Dunbar, Richie McLennan, Hannah Wade, Bex Mariano, Georgia Mason and Mike Keogh got out. How they had managed to not get pulled over for overloading was beyond me – especially seeing as though Chris only had his restricted licence and wasn’t allowed any passengers at all, let alone 6.
“Scotty!” Chris yelled, chucking me another beer from the box he had grabbed from his car as he went past.
“Jarvie!” I said, catching the beer and setting it down beside me. Rich and Mike said hello and followed Chris into the house. Hannah, Gemma, Georgia and Bex took their time, probably trying to make an entrance. I realised with a pang that usually Bex wasn’t part of that foursome and someone else was, and that person was Renee.
God, she had only been dead a month. Not even that. Why were we all out at a party? Jamie, Rory, Me, Georgia, Hannah, our friends…what were we doing? Since when had we stopped caring? Holy shit. I felt like ass right at that moment. I downed the rest of my beer and cracked open the second one.
Georgia sat down next to me when Hannah and Bex went into the party.
“Hey.”
“Hey, Gee.”
“I know that look.”
“What look?”
“The one that’s been on your face the last month.”
“Yeah, well.” I kicked my heel against the step. Gee leaned her head on my shoulder.
“It’s ok to miss her Liam, and it’s ok to cry sometimes too. I know I do.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“It can be, trust me.”
“I feel like I shouldn’t be happy ever again.”
“We all feel like that sometimes hun. You just have to be stronger that it.”
“What if that’s too hard?”
“Nothings impossible.”
Wow. I had never seen this side of Georgia before. She was right. We stood up together and I hugged her on an impulse. She hugged me back and laughed.
“What’s that for?”
“For caring. Look Gee, I’m gonna take off okay? See ya later.”
“Bye. Oh wait, Liam?”
“Yeah?”
“Where can I find Rory?” Typical. I shoulda known – I’ve seen that look in her eyes before.
“Um…he was hanging out with Chloe Rutherford and Jared Wilkins last time I saw him, in the kitchen.”
“Cheers. Catchya.”
I waved in response. I pulled out my phone and dialled the number of a local taxi company. Then I snapped my phone shut and started walking, in the opposite direction from my house. It may seem crazy, but I knew exactly where I was going.
The dirt was soft because of the heavy rainfall we’d been having the past week. The headstone had finally been put in place; I brushed a few drops of water off the top and sank down onto the patch of dirt.
“Hey baby.” I whispered into the darkness. “I'm sorry. I’m so sorry.” I studied the headstone in front of me – ‘Renée Alicia Murphy, 27.9.1991 – 31.10.2006. Dearly loved daughter, sister and friend. Taken from us too soon, Rest in Peace forever.’ My eyes began to mist over.
I tried to stop the tears from falling, but then I remembered what Georgia had said and I let them go. They weren’t the sort of tears you see in the movies, where the tears just quietly slide down the actor’s cheek. These tears were hard, they came thick and fast, and they were real. I don’t know how long I sat there crying, but it was a long time before I could control myself. I stood up and brushed dirt off the back of my pants.
I stood and stared at the grave one last time, then I whirled around and ran out of the cemetery, not stopping until I reached the road. Then I flipped out my cell and dialled the number I had meant to before.
“Hello, Dunedin Taxis? Yeah, I need a taxi from Ocean Grove Cemetery to Cliffs Road, for Liam Scott. Cheers.” I sat down and waited. The taxi arrived within a few minutes, and I was home 5 minutes after that.
MeLovesDavid – yeah, you will find out what happens at the party, although I don’t think I’ll go into too much detail.
SaraElizabeth – I have that feeling too, although I cant do anything about I until I know what the problem is!
