A few weeks after the crash, Cara's parents decided to have the funeral. Jake's mother read about it in the newspaper.
"We should go to it. After all, we have known them since Jake has been in the fifth grade and we would be lousy friends if we didn't show support," Mrs. Sanford said. Jake's sister, Amy, walked into the room. She was best friends with Cara's little sister, Josephine.
Amy sighed as she sat down. "Josy hasn't stopped crying. I just called her, checking in on her. She just started bawling and wouldn't stop. She hung up."
"Well, it is hard to lose someone you are close to. I should know. When your Aunt Elizabeth passed, I was devastated. I had always looked up to her," their mom said.
"Then it's decided. We will go as a family," Jake's dad announced. Jake wanted to hear that. He thought it would be good to say goodbye to Cara.
The Saturday following that discussion, Jake was getting ready. He was wearing a nice black shirt and a pair of black dress pants he wore to his brother's wedding. He had a bouquet of lilies, Cara's favorite. He had no intention to speak, but if someone asked him to, he would. He promised himself he would stay under control. They drove to the cemetery in Jake's mom's minivan. They found that when they got there, there were no parking spaces. They wound up parking under a tree half a mile away. After getting to the cemetery's gates, they heard music. Cara's favorite songs were playing from her iPod's playlist. A single tear slipped down Jake's cheek.
The service was long and hard. It had begun to rain and Jake knew why. Cara was crying because her family was mourning over her and she hated it. He knew it. He was jealous of the dead, and of the Lord. They had Cara and he didn't. It wasn't fair. That Isabelle girl was there, the one who had quoted Cara. She didn't cry a single tear. What was wrong with her? Cara Rodman, surely the most prettiest girl in school, was dead and Isabelle didn't shed one tear.
He finally got to kiss her. Cara. He kissed Cara. Only it wasn't what he had planned. First of all, he had planned for her to be alive. And second, he planned for her to kiss him back. But not everybody got what they wanted, did they? Tyler supported him as he ran away from the group to cry and be alone. Tyler was fine. Jake didn't care if he was there, but Isabelle followed, and he didn't want to see Isabelle.
"You need to calm down," she said bluntly.
"You need to go away," Jake replied.
"But I am okay with death. My mom is dead, and so is my dad. I was an only child and so were my parents, so I have no aunts or uncles. And all of my grandparents are dead, too. I am an orphan, and I am okay with death. Everyone should be. It's natural. It's not fair, but natural," she told them.
Tyler stepped up. "I am really sorry to hear about your folks, but Jake here has never lost someone. Let alone someone he loved, so it is a lot harder for him. He doesn't understand death, and neither do I. I think you should leave and let him be alone."
Isabelle didn't seem happy about that. "I want to help him, and I don't want to leave him."
"Tyler is right. Leave me alone Isabelle. The girl of my dreams is dead, and all you are doing is hurting me by talking about it. Now leave." That was all Jake said, and it was okay with him. He didn't want the girl there, and if he had to hurt her feelings, then he would. It sounded harsh, but it made sense.
"But I do want to help," whispered Isabelle as she walked away with tears running down her face.
