Paying Respects

The memorial. It wasn't really a place that the artist liked to visit, but today he felt the need to come back up here to revisit all of his friends that he had lost so long ago. He knew that by now, he should be over it considering it was 20 years ago, but he just couldn't help but think back to all the horrifying memories that flashed through his mind. It had forever scarred him, digging itself into his brain to make sure he never forgot exactly what happened at Beata Academy, and the memorial just exponentially increased the somber and heavy feelings that came along with the list of people who had died while at the horrible school which he hadn't seen sine he had graduated, although he considered that a blessing. He never wanted to go back.

But as he walked up the path towards the memorial that forever haunted his dreams, Sean looked up from the ground to see that he wasn't the only one with this idea. As he walked up, he didn't really even bother saying anything to let Paul know he was there, for he was pretty sure all the noise his footsteps were making were enough to alert deaf people about his presence, yet he didn't think it mattered much. He was sure that Paul wasn't going to pay him much attention if he was here for the same reason as Sean was. He wanted to pay his respects, but the horrible and saddening feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach seemed to keep him from properly doing so. Even the beautiful scenery around the small shelter couldn't cheer him up. The different colors lying on the ground from the leaves of the trees as well as the new life that was forming among the branches with the sunlight shining its rays, creating dancing shadows on the ground as a very light breeze tugged at the branches. It was a gorgeous day, but he still couldn't feel anything lighter than the sinking in his heart when he finally reached the list of names that the memorial was built for.

It seemed like forever before Sean moved again. His gaze had been locked on the list for quite some time before he let out a heavy sigh and finally sat down on the steps leading up to the several pictures and incense and wilted flowers that decorated the memorial. Man, he really hated coming here, but he felt like he was a terrible person for not visiting every once in a while. But he had to get his mind away from the racing memories in his head. He turned his attention to Paul again before speaking. "Hey," he said, his voice a little raspy from lack of use in the time that he had been there.

"What are we doing here, Mama?"
"Saying 'Hi' to an old friend, Sweety."

The woman stopped shakily in front of the old building. She heard a man inside singing, and the dim lighting of candles through the windows - but it wasn't being here with a stranger that had bothered her. Oh, no. She had worked hard for a long to time to make sure she could always protect herself, as well as the young girl she carried in her arms, who clung to her chest. She didn't think that there was much to fear from an a guy on a ukulele anyways.

No, she stood at the door way for a different reason - her breath and body shaking, scared to even touch the girl. Twenty years. It had been twenty years since she had been here, anywhere near this school, and twenty years since she had been this close to his memory. She couldn't exactly be sure why she came. A little birdy told her many old students were coming back at this time - to pay their respects. She had tried to get this place out of her head for so long though... She wasn't sure she wanted anyone to know she was here. She hadn't even told her sister she was coming.

Melody... How was she? She hadn't spoken to her in so long...

Biting her lip and holding her breath, Harmony Delangelo - No, her name was Harmony Myers now - finally gathered up the courage to step inside, pushing open the old wooden door. She glanced briefly at Paul - and it seemed someone else was here too (no one she recognized, though he seemed like a nice guy.) She simply stood in the doorway as her gaze swept around, finally resting on a familiar picture. Her heart lurched.

"That man. He looks funny." Serenity whispered in her mother's ear. The woman laughed lightly and breathlessly, setting her daughter down and walking across the room. The little girl walked up to him, though, watching Paul curiously. He smelled kind of bad too, but she didn't mind, smiling and deciding to clap along with his song. "This is pretty, huh?" Her bright blue-green gaze completely innocent of the thoughts running through their minds.

Sean didn't really say anything, even after Paul had asked the question. It had been pretty obvious why he was there and didn't feel the need to express it, although when he saw the little girl walk up to Paul, all he could think about was his own little girl. Yep. Sean had a daughter too. Her name was Isabelle and she only three years old, but he never really saw her. Poor Sean used to be happily married to a woman named Jennifer before the two got divorced because of monetary issues and other certain things. It was mainly his job. Sean was still painting long after graduating Beata and he had made it his career. For quite some time, he was getting a good bit of money, but it also caused him to stay out late and not be home very much due to organization and new commissions and other things which infuriated his wife until her breaking point. It wasn't that she wasn't nice, it was just that she was rather impatient and always wanted his attention... Okay, so she wasn't the greatest wife, but their daughter was Sean's world. Well, until it was ruled that due to his busy life, he wasn't fit to be a great father. So his ex-wife had gotten custody and she doesn't allow him to see her very often. Maybe once a year, but he had been fighting for so long to make it more than that.

Letting out a loud sigh, his attention soon turned from Serenity to Harmony before looking back at the list one more time as if he had missed something important. Yet, everything was still the exact same as it was five minutes ago, and it was still the same as it was 20 years ago. Nothing had changed, and yet he felt that if he wasn't watching carefully, he was going to miss something critical in every visit-- as if suddenly everyone was just going to come back alive the memorial would stop existing as soon as he stopped studying it. It was a stupid feeling and the expression on his face just made him look dumber, but he couldn't help it. It constantly dragged him down, and the visits from other Beata alumni didn't help much. But he also just couldn't ignore them. "Hello," he said in a flat, monotonous voice as he turned once again back to Harmony and her daughter.

"Pay our respects?" Serenity repeated, looking rather confused. What did that mean? Eh - whatever. She was more enticed by the mini-guitar thingy in his hands. She wanted to tryyy ittttt. ;A;

Harmony didn't seem to notice the two men looking at her, either that or she really didn't care. The woman walked to the other end of the room, pausing in front of an old dusty picture of a boy. While some others were decorated with fresh flowers and lots of trinkets, this ones wasn't one of them, having a few items to show respect, but nothing that particularly stood out.
She got down and rest on her knees, a faint smiling forming on her face as she picked up the end of her scarf, dusting off the glass that covered his face: a boy, strongly framed, but still very young - with stupid pink *coughsorrybrown* hair and eyes.
"Hey, Kobe..." The smile grew on her face as she tilted her head down, a few tears she had been holding back starting to fall as she clenched her skirt with her hands. Idiot. She was stupid for crying over him, or at least, that's what she was sure he would say if he could. Her stubborn, jackass of a best friend from her time at the school. Back then, she had been so attached to him - it probably was considered strange. Back then, though, she also thought she had loved him - and she had thought those feelings were returned. Now, she wasn't sure what to think about him exactly, only how badly she wanted to see him again. She had ran from his death. Never mourned or thought about it. She still wasn't over him.
The woman turned her head, shooting a broken smile at Sean and Paul, "I miss him." she said, an empty laugh following. Harm thought she probably looked stupid right now.