Soon it was Aunt Becca's turn to speak. She looked at her husband, Uncle Peter who just gave her a swift nod and motioned for her to continue. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, before marching towards the small stage like set up. She looked at me, Mark and my dad and we all just nodded.
"You know they say that your sister is your first best friend. They have known you all along. They know your deepest, darkest secrets. They have seen you at your best and at your worst. And they have been not only your beat friend but also your enemy. And right now I couldn't agree anymore. Patricia. She was like the sunshine of our house. You know the type of girl that always managed to bring smiles on their faces even when they are having a real bad day. She was that type of a person. I was totally different from her. I was the mischievous kid of our house and she was the mature woman in a body of a teen of our house. My parents always used to compare me with her. I mean who wouldn't? She was a blissful person with imperfect flaws of her own which were even better than being perfect. But she was a beautiful person inside and out. Her soul was a window to her purity and the purity was beautiful. I don't even know how am I ever going to live without her mature and practical outlook on life. She's always helped me through challenges and now that she's--" she paused and took a sharp intake of breath audible enough for us to realise how tough this moment is for her.
"I'm always going to miss you Pat, always. Remember when we were kids and you told me that if one of us ever left the other one in the middle of life, we won't let the fact of other person's absence get to us. And I know it's my turn to stay strong and not let your absence get to me. But guess what Pat? It's so tough for me. But I will not let you down. I love you and forever will," she ended her speech as her voice cracked at the end. But she was still holding up stronger than I will.
After a few such speeches later, it was my turn.
The moment I stepped of the stage, my legs turned into Jell-O and my heart stopped beating. A new wave of fresh tears sprung at the back of my eyes and I closed them in an attempt to stop them from falling. My hands shivered and so did my body. It was a sight to see really. I opened my eyes and looked at my dad. He gave me small reassuring smile and nodded. I took a sharp intake of breath and exhaled as I braced myself to say something.
"My mom..." I started off but soon a sob from my chest raised and I found it difficult to breathe. I decided to breathe calmly in a manner to calm myself down but to no avail. All the memories came back to me in flashes and I found my tongue tied. I was trying hard not to collapse on the stage and break down. That would be weak and low even for me.
As I was about to say anything, I realised I couldn't find my own voice. As if someone's taken my voice away. My throat was on fire, burning. I felt like I was stranded in a desert, with a sandstorm fast approaching me. All that I could see was my mum's face, her blonde hair, her beautiful smile and the way her kind eyes always reminded me of home. There was a comfort in her voice that not even the most expensive furniture in the world could provide me with.
And now, I could never feet any of it. Ever again.
I knew I couldn't say anything. I just couldn't get my voice out of my throat. So I just calmed down and braced myself to say even just a word, anything at all.
I looked in front of me. People were patiently waiting for me to speak up.
But I couldn't. Eyes burning, chest aching and my head hurting, I bit my bottom lip to stop the sobs that were slowly wracking through my soul. My shoulders shook with the wind as I tried to control myself. I couldn't.
"I'm--- I'm sorry," I said into the mic and sprinted down the stage, running for my life. Running away from everything, everyone and most importantly from my mother and her memories.
I quickly made my way out of the cemetery. Even if Hailey or Mark or anyone was following me, I couldn't care less. I didn't give a flying care to what people might be thinking, might be saying, whispering. They should know better than to pry into the life of a teenage girl who just lost her mother, her inspiration.
Soon, I was on the main road and was still running from everyone when my legs started to give out on me and I felt myself getting exhausted.
Out of exhaustion, I stood in the middle of the road, not caring or afraid if I was going to be run over. But my head started hurting real bad. I felt dizziness engulf me and I held onto my head. My feet started getting wobbly and without even realizing it, I was hugging the road. I felt queasy and I didn't even realize that a bike had stopped right in front of me and the owner, who even despite my dizziness I could make out was utterly hot biker wearing the black leather jacket was making its way towards me. That was the exact moment when my body decided to give up on me and I fainted.
The last thing I saw before blackness engulfed me was a pair of sea green orbs staring at me with concern etched on the owner's handsome features.