𝐀𝐕𝐀

XXII. You'll Be Missed

Chapter 22, You'll Be Missed
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" She didn't die alone, this going to sound so cringe and cheesy but I died with her. "

~ Lori-Anne's POV ~

A month had passed, I was getting dressed for the funeral for Harper when I sat down on my bed and reached under my pillow for her diary that she allowed me, I reread it every night before going to sleep because it made me feel as if we were talking again.
The funeral started at six in the afternoon and it was currently three, I wanted to write a letter back to Harper but knowing she wouldn't be able to read or get it, I decided it would be mailed to her house but addressed to go under her bed the way she always kept her mail and private letters.

I got from the bed and walked to my desk, pulling out a paper and pen, I didn't know what to write but I knew that Harper didn't mind whatever I wrote, before we had phones, we had to write to one another and mail the letters.
So I would tell Harper the basics and she would tell me the basics plus the drama that would go on in her home or in her classes, Harper's dad passed away due to heart failure before Harper was born which was why it was just her and her mother.

Not being able to move on from Harper's father, Ms. Larson didn't dare go back out in the dating world to have someone to lean on when things got rough, instead she waited for Harper to get double digits to then begin to teach her all the things she was taught.
Except it was so that if something happened to her, Harper would know what to do when she would be taken to another home, I began to write the things that came to my mind knowing that Harper would understand it.

I made sure to write down all the tea that was going on although everyone was more focused on her missing than to have their own drama, Harper would have joked about being the spotlight.
Harper would have loved to be in the spotlight but for dancing, that was something that she always spoke so highly about, she never once spoke about being in the spotlight for horrible things.

I hadn't noticed how fast time passed until my mother yelled for me to go downstairs, I grabbed the letter and folded it like I always do and grabbed my phone before going downstairs.
My family were dressed nicely before walking out of the house and into the car, I put my seatbelt on and stared out the window not wanting to touch my phone, I didn't need to see the messages of people feeling bad for me.

They didn't need to feel bad for me, they didn't need to say sorry to me either, I didn't want their pity nor did I need it either.
Spacing out was the best option I had, when we arrived to the funeral home, I got out and sighed, mentally preparing myself.

    I walked into the funeral home with my older brother and younger sister, I walked over to Charlie and Dylan who were trying their best not to cry at all, we hugged each other before sitting down to speak.
   As we spoke, we watched as Kaylee walked over to us with the most fake depressed look.

    "I'm so sorry for your loss, I feel bad for you guys."

  Kaylee tried to give this fake condolences and I got up from the couch that we were sitting on.

    "Don't feel bad for us, because we didn't go through what Harper did! We didn't go through a damn thing!"

   I shouted causing everyone's attention to come towards us and resulting in Kaylee flinching a little bit, I was never the aggressive one nor was I the one to be the mean loud one but this was getting under my skin.
   My best friend passed away because she lost a fight that she had been going through alone, she didn't tell us a single thing and now we were going through it?!

    "Harper was the strongest person that I knew, she went through this alone because I couldn't see through her fake smile! So don't apologize Kaylee, don't give us sympathy either if you don't feel the things that I felt!"

    I screamed, my face was all red and my tears threatened to come out but I refused to let them fall, I didn't need to cry to make my point, I needed them to see that the pity they give doesn't solve the pain that I feel.
   The pain that Harper must have felt when everyone just walked away because nobody decided to listen to her when she lied, nobody read between the lines.

   " She didn't die alone, this is going to sound so cringe and cheesy but I died with her. "

    My voice broke as the tears brimmed my eyes, I looked at the ground and sat back down on the couch, Kaylee walked away due to crying because of my words.
   I closed my eyes and clutched the letter in my hands before getting up, I decided to leave the note in her coffin instead of leaving it under her bed.

     "I'll love you forever Harp.."

  I muttered to my best friend as I put the letter into her cold hands, I walked away from the coffin and decided to wait in the car before I had a complete melt down.
   As I closed my eyes, I thought about the song Ava by Famy knowing that that's where I got my nickname from, she's an angel sent from above that was soon called home again.

   Even though she's gone, I know she's with me even if I couldn't be able to see her, we're best friends forever.
  

 

  Dear Harper,

    I know you won't be able to see this but I know you're reading this anyways because you don't play by the rules, okay let me stop.
   You're my bestest friend and you were taken away too soon, you make me feel like I wasn't different at all because you never disagreed with all of my insane plans.

    Harper, there's not much I could say but that I miss you and that I'll continue to miss until my last breath, I should have known how you felt but instead I didn't and I feel like a horrible person.
   Thank you for choosing me to be your best friend and thank you for holding me when I couldn't even hold myself.

   You were a sight for sore eyes Harper, for my sore eyes as well and I want you to know that.
  
    You'll be missed dearly Harper, more than I could ever put into words.

   

    You'll be missed Harper, heavily.

          

Harper Jane Larson

Sunrise: February 16th, 2005    
Sunset: December 6th, 2022