Chapter 25: Chapter 25

It had been a week since Eve broke up with me and a whole week since she hadn't been in school. I figured she just needed time to herself to figure out where her life is at the moment which explained why she hasn't answered my calls or texts.

It has also been a week since Lauren moved in with us which I might admit was a bit odd at first seeing her everywhere around the house. She was a very active young woman, if you didn't find her cleaning the house or cooking up a storm she would be doing yoga with my dad constantly keeping him on his toes. I suppose in the end she was quite a perfect match for my dad and I guess how they bonded over losing each other's spouses is what brought them closer.

School was a bit more busy considering it was final exams, which I was not prepared for. It was during English class when my phone rang loudly frightening me along with the girl beside me.

"Phones off!" Yelled my English teacher who turned around from the board to give us death stares. I quickly fumbled to switch my phone to silence before I quickly scanned who was calling me. My dad's name hopped up on the notifications.

He knew better than to call during school time, he didn't send one message so I assumed it was nothing important. I don't know how I left my phone on loud because I always had it on silent during school so when everyone turned their eyes to me my heart flew out the window as sweat dotted the back of my neck.

Not even ten minutes into the lesson there came to a knock on the door, our English teacher sighed before she walked to the door to greet the person knocking so loudly. The school Secretary stood outside and spoke in hushed tones with my English teacher before the English teacher turned to us and spoke.

"Bellenthu you're wanted at the principal's office," she said, not pronouncing my name right.

I shakily stood up unsure why the principal wanted to see me. I packed my things and slang my bag over my shoulder as I walked out of the class following the school secretary a few steps behind her. My heart was pounding out of control at the thought that I might've done something wrong because I've never been sent to the principal's office before in my entire life and the thought of going there to be punished scared me shitless.

"She'll see you now," the secretary said kindly before she went to her desk next to the principal's office.

The waiting area was dead quiet as I anxiously waited to be called by the principal. I didn't have to wait longer than five minutes before the door opened.

"Dad?" I was surprised to see him come out of the office.

"Hey Belle," he greeted me with slouched shoulders, Lauren trotted behind him like the dutiful partner she was in stylish attire that made her look like a model. I gave them both a quick hug before voicing my concern.

"What's going on?" I asked gravely wondering why they looked like someone just died. They led me out of the school silently before Lauren spoke.

"We'll tell you in the car," she said gently, placing her delicate manicured hand on my shoulder. We walked to my dad's car with a cloud over our heads, once we were in the car I waited anxiously for one of them to speak.

Lauren looked over at my dad who looked back at her with a knowing look.

"Perhaps we can talk about this once we get home," she said, getting an agreed nod from my dad. That just made me feel even more worried as to what got them shaken up that they were afraid to tell me.

Throughout the ride home, I was fidgety just wanting my dad to tell me what's going on. I was the first out of the car as I hoped they would hurry up and tell me what's going on.

"Dad, what's wrong?" I asked before we even entered the house. He sadly looked down at me with tears shining in his eyes, I held my breath as my heart skipped a beat.

"Alice-" he began but couldn't finish his sentence as he looked down.

"What happened to her?" I asked worriedly but he didn't answer me nor did Lauren as she stood next to my dad holding his hand in comfort.

"What happened to her!" I angrily asked, shaking my dad from whatever trans he was in before he looked at me with a lone tear rolling down his cheek.

"She died," he choked upon his words before Lauren pulled him into a tight hug but no one was there to hug me as my heart shattered into billions of little pieces. My grandma could be a lot to handle but I grew up loving her a lot more than most people because she never lied to me my entire life rather she always told the truth even if it hurt the receiver.

My grandma was a tricky puzzle but that's what I loved most about her because she always kept you on your toes. When she loved something she always held onto it tightly and loved it no matter what. She was an unpredictable person and I think that's what made people gravitate towards her because she was real and that was rare these days so hearing that she's dead shook me to the core. I love my grandma to death and the fact that I didn't tell her that enough made me feel even worse as constant tears streamed down my cheeks blurring my vision.

A hot burning fire soared in my heart as visions of my grandma clouded my mind from when I was a child till the last time I saw her. A pain so gut-wrenching hit me as I found myself falling to the ground as everything screamed in agony. Lauren rushed to my side trying to hug me but I felt numb to the core as I tried to shove down all my emotions clogging my throat.

I didn't need my dad, nor Lauren to see how truly weak I was, that was a privilege only Malcolm could have.

I wiped away my tears and steadily got up with the help of Lauren, without saying a word I ran into the house ignoring Lauren as she ran after me. The first thing I did once I was in the house was head straight to my room, locking it behind me and quickly dialling Malcolm to come to fetch me.

Malcolm being him didn't ask any questions and told me he was on his way.

I could hear Lauren banging on the door for me to let her in but I didn't rather let her continue the ruckus outside my door. I was still in shock at the fact that I would never see my grandma ever again.

To believe that she was gone, never to be seen again was unorthodox. Death was something I took seriously and something I took to heart after my mom died. Death was a very delicate subject to me because it's something I dreaded ever since I was a kid.

To know that one day I would die scared me shitless to know that I would simply cease to exist, that thought alone kept me awake a lot of nights. Truth be told, I feared death more than anything in this world and the fact that people didn't take it as seriously as it should be taken made me cringe.

With a heavy sigh, I flopped on my bed making sure to leave the window open before I crawled into a ball scrolling through images of my grandma making myself even sadder to know that I would never be able to see her ever again. Not a mere five minutes later of following in sadness did I hear a noise outside my window.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down thy long luscious locks," Malcolm joked as he grunted crawling through my window falling in a heap of pillows under the window I left in case he ever fell.

"Thank the lord for these pillows." He grunted happily getting up to dust himself off before he noticed my state and his mood dampened.

"What the fuck happened?" He asked his form rigid as he pulled me in for a hug pulling me tightly against his chest.

"My grandma died," I quivered, my voice breaking at the end.

"Shit I'm so sorry Belle," he said resting his chin on my head. I couldn't respond to him as I felt like my throat was clogged up.

"Shh, it's ok," Malcolm cooed, rubbing my back gently whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

"Malcolm is Belle alright?" I heard my dad yell outside my door.

"As ok as anyone who lost someone can be," Malcolm yelled back letting dad know I was still ok. We heard shuffling outside the door before silane, I guess they must have gone back to their shared bedroom.

"I hate this," I said through gritted teeth.

"I know P.B and I'm so sorry you have to go through this," he said sadly in a low whisper.

I felt like my world was crumbling down and the only thing keeping it together was the boy holding me.

He held me until I tired myself out and we ended up laying on my bed staring at the ceiling in silence. My mind was in turmoil and there was nothing I could do to stop the dark thoughts from invading my mind.

"Life happens, people closest to you die eventually and we have to accept that," Malcolm said, holding my hand reassuringly.

"I don't want you to die," I said sadly, turning my head to face him.

"I'm not dying anytime soon and there's nothing wrong with dying, it's part of life, it's what makes life worth living," he explained with a monotone voice.

"Knowing you're going to die gives life meaning?" I asked with creased brows not sure how that made life enjoyable.

"Yes it does, it pushes people to do all the things they want to try before they die, that's why knowing you're going to die gives life meaning," he explained.

" I don't agree on that because of the knowledge of us dying eventually people do unspeakable things because in the end they know we're all going to die so they think they're doing the world a favour," I retaliated not seeing his point of view on death and why he doesn't fear it.

"You're thinking too much into it, death is a part of life as much as life is a part of death. The sooner you accept that the better doesn't mean you have to like the idea of it. It's just a part of life and if we die before our time then that's God's plan, end of discussion." He said with a sigh crossing his fingers on his broad chest death was also a touchy topic for him considering it was his fault that his sister died.

"Sorry I brought this up," I apologized, holding his clenched hands.

"It's not your fault bad things happen to bad people, that's just how life works," he sighed, clenching my hand in his.

"Life is so unfair," I grumbled.

"No it's not unfair, it's what you do that makes it unfair," he said, turning his head in my direction. I could see tears dancing in his eyes and that alone made me feel worse than I already did. I hated the thought of death which made the conversation even worse as I realised how Malcolm grew up being surrounded by it.

He had a very dangerous childhood that he fought so hard to leave behind yet I was dragging him back into that world and I didn't even ask how he was feeling throughout it all.

I was a pretty bad friend and even a worse best friend.

"Why are you pouting like I just denied you sex privileges?" Malcolm asked with a playful smirk.

"Gross," I cringed, sticking my tongue out in disgust.

Malcolm chuckled, his smile shone brightly as the sun brought a small smile to my blank face.

"Then what's got you so down beside the other thing," he said in a sad tone once more.

"Ever since Eve broke up with me she's been mia on social media and any contact I had with her was cut off and I'm worried about her," I sighed tiredly turning sideways to face Malcolm who gave me his full attention. I roughly threw my leg over his legs resting my arm on his chest.

"Oh wanna play a little rough? I'm down for that," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Keep it in your pants Scooby-doo," I scoffed playfully, closing my eyes as I noticed how my erect heartbeat slowed down thanks to Malcolm.

The more I thought about what Malcolm said the more it painfully made sense, death was a part of life and in a way, it was a beautiful process. From life to death is a painful process but a necessary one at that.

"Wanna go for a road trip?" Malcolm asked me.

"To where?" I asked him.

"Anywhere," he replied with a small smile.

"Well I have one place in mind but it's far," I told him.

"That's the whole point of a road trip so let's go." He said sitting up.

"Oh give me a sec I'm so lazy to get up now, "I groaned into my pillow.

"Get your lazy ass off the bed," Malcolm said, pulling my leg along with the rest of my body across the bed.

"Ok hold your horses I'm coming," I grumbled slowly getting up.

"Hurry up then," he said, throwing me a jacket since the sun was being obscured by clouds and the wind was picking up.

"Road trip yeah," Mal whooped, throwing his hands in the air like an excited teenager. I chuckled lightly behind him pulling on my jacket with my phone in hand. I closed my door behind me before we headed through the hall to the kitchen where my dad and Lauren were talking in hushed tones as if the world was ending.

"Belle," Lauren said in surprise to see Malcolm with me.

"Hi," I quietly said, not able to look them in the eye as my throat clogged up remembering why they looked so gloomy.

"Where did you come from?" My dad asked Malcolm with a raised brow.

"How any rebellious teen gets into a house," Malcolm shrugged his shoulders with a sly smirk.

"I think it's about time I put bars on those windows," dad said with creased brows.

"That's not a bad idea," Lauren agreed.

"Really auntie?" Malcolm scoffed.

"Yes Malcolm, now go back home, we have things to do and we can't babysit you two right now," she said authoritatively.

"What things?" I asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about at the moment Belle, I suggest you stay with Malcolm for the week," she gently said as if a mother talking to her child.

"Not like I'm complaining but why?" I was confused as to the sudden decision.

"Belle for once just do as you're told, don't make this any harder than it needs to be," my dad sighed and that's when I noticed how truly tired he looked by the bags under his eyes and slouched form.

"Sorry dad," I apologised with my head hung low.

"It's alright dear just consider this another long sleepover with your best friend, I mean who wouldn't like that." Lauren smiled gently lifting my chin with her soft gentle hand.

"Ya right," I said looking at Malcolm with a knowing look.

"Right so shall we then Belle," Malcolm said.

"Ya coming," I told him, giving Lauren a big hug and my dad before rushing to pack a bag in my room.

"You sure do love taking your time," Malcolm shook his head after ten minutes of packing my bag as I walked into the lounge.

"And you complain too much," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Promise you two will be safe and take care of each other?" Lauren asked me, holding me still by the shoulders.

"We promise," I spoke for Malcolm as well.

"Alright take care then." She hugged me tightly, I hugged her back.

"Be safe ok." My dad said once I stood in front of him.

"Always." I smiled, hugging him tightly.

"If anything happens to her I'll have your head boy," my dad threatened Malcolm who looked at Lauren looking like he was wondering why she chose him to fall in love with.

"Yes sir," Malcolm answered with a respectful nod.

"Good then we'll see you guys at the end of the week," my dad said letting me go.

"Ok, see you guys soon," I waved to them as Malcolm carried my bag.

"Bye." Lauren waved gently.

"Bye." I waved back watching as my dad put his arm around her waist looking at her fondly. I smiled at the sight, glad my dad finally found someone who could make him smile again.