3 by Shera Eitel-Casey

couple of scratch marks
on her right hand, and one just under her collar. Other than those
marks it looked like she hadn’t a thing wrong with her. No reason
to die at all.
    Keep moving, keep moving, I
told myself side stepping slowly. I looked at her face she was
beautiful, young. There was a poster size picture of her at the
head of the casket and her full name labeled it “Jewel Ann
Richardson Class of 82.” It sent a chill down my spine and I felt
my eyes well up and my cheeks got hotter. The girl in front of me
did the sign of the cross when she was at Jewel's head and mumbled
“She looks so weird in pants, why couldn’t they put her in a
dress, something normal.” Her girlfriend, whom was holding her
hand, agreed.
    I wonder what normal was,
jeans and a tee are normal for me. When I got to the end of the
casket by her head, I mimicked the girl in front of me, by using
the sign of the cross. I can do this, keep breathing, we are almost
done – I felt myself trembling a bit inside but couldn’t help it.
Storm gave my hand an extra squeeze. Could this have been me this
summer if my brother hadn’t stepped in? No, no, no don’t think like
that, shake it off. I was in a house with others around and Kit did
intervene.
    I was at her head and looked
at her face and down to her wrist where I caught a glimpse of the
scratches on her hand again. I got that eerie sense of déjàvu. I
thought I was going to see me when I looked down but instead I saw
the girl from my dreams and it jolted me. I shook my head, what the
heck had Storm gotten me into, I'd rather be in class. I felt my
eyes well some more and finally a tear escaped. Breathe I told
myself, I turned my head away from the other two and wiped my tear
quickly and took a deep breath.
    We finished, thank goodness,
as we rounded the corner Storm put his arms around our shoulders
and gave us a quick squeeze, I felt relief. Storm thanked us for
coming with him, and that he came for his brothers, and I guess in
turn Nic and I came for Storm. Although, I think it had
to do more with cutting class for Storm. My body still felt shaky,
I imagined it felt something like the aftershock of an earthquake,
and I couldn't shake the eerie feeling I had, like I knew that
girl. I took a deep breath in through my nose and out my mouth,
trying to relax.
    Storm asked me if I felt
okay and I squeezed his arm around me. “Are you cold you're
shivering?” I turned into him to give him a hug and kiss on the
cheek. He turned his head at the last minute, classic move I might
add, and his lips touched mine then he pressed firmly and our lips
parted. After a second, I pushed back lightly and looked at him
quizzically. He had a devilish look in his eyes.
    Nic said “Break it up you
two,” but I kept on looking at him, his eyes were mesmerizing. We
were in a people traffic jam trying to get back into the school. He
kept his arm around me as we moved through the crowd and I realized
I wasn't trembling any longer. I choked back a swallow and realized
that it was fear I was feeling.
    I touched my lips with my
hand and thought that kiss; his kiss wasn't familiar like I thought
it would have been. I couldn’t help wonder if he may have had
practice this summer too, and smiled. 
    We got to the front school
doors and teachers were handing out new schedules, we still had to
go to all our classes but all of them were cut shorter. Half the
high school student body made it to the wake or blew off class. I
noticed Storm was still holding my hand and not out of necessity
anymore. I opened my hand to release and had to jiggle my hand
free. I looked at him and headed straight so Nic and I could get to
Art class. We walked ahead of him; I gave him one last glance
behind us. He was gazing at me with those gorgeous eyes and it was
like getting lost in a sea of green. I smiled softly back at
him.
    While Nic and I were walking
to class I said "I can't believe he kissed me.”
    "I can't either!" She
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