22. Everest
G emma Haze was murdered, and the police don’t have a fucking clue who did it.
It’s been interview after interview, report after report, and still they have fucking nothing.
All we know is that someone broke into Harden's mom’s house and took their time torturing and killing her.
My dad said it’s one of the most gruesome killings he’s ever seen, but still I can’t make sense of it.
I mean, it’s no secret that I never liked her, but I’m not sure I’d have wished this on her, and I especially wouldn’t have wished this on Harden.
A week has passed since Griffin’s birthday, and things have only gone from bad to worse.
Harden hasn’t said a word, which given that it’s the norm for him, I wouldn’t usually be worried, except he hasn’t signed a single word either.
Not since the officers told us of Gemma’s death.
His only reaction was to grip Aurora’s hand tight in his, a shock to us all honestly, but after that he’s been radio silent.
We’ve all tried of course, but our efforts have been useless and it’s tearing us apart.
Aurora hasn’t left his side, not even to go to class or back to her dorm, which left me to grab her some of her stuff so she can feel at home here.
My mom also called the president of the university and explained the situation, and I picked up all of our classwork and assignments with the promise they would come back completed.
I’ve managed to keep us all on track, reading all of their assignments and completing them with ease, but today is the funeral, and we are expected back in class next week.
My mom and dad have been back and forth since the morning we found out, bringing us food and planning the funeral, since Harden didn’t seem to care.
Aurora has been helping them to keep herself busy, but still I see the way her worried stare trails over Harden every couple of minutes when in his presence.
Griffin is the same, he’s slept in Harden’s bed every night since it happened, waiting for his best friend to say something, anything really, but it’s no use.
I feel fucking helpless, because it doesn’t matter how many books I’ve read or how much information my mind retains, there is nothing I can do to fix this.
There’s not a magic cure for pain or grief, I should know, and even though I know exactly what he’s going through, there is no way I can help him.
Aurora interrupts my thoughts when she walks down the stairs, all dressed in black, looking as perfect as always, and I can’t take the sadness lingering in her stare.
I haven’t felt the press of her against me since we almost crossed a line during that game of truth or dare.
She’s been too preoccupied with Harden, not that I can blame her, but still I feel desperate.
“He okay, princess?” I ask by way of greeting, pulling her toward me, unable to stop myself, and she offers me a slight nod.
“Griff is helping him get ready,” she explains with a sigh, tears gathering in her eyes, and I wrap my arms around her as she starts to cry. “I just don’t know how to help him, Ever, this whole situation is fucked.”
I know she doesn’t just mean with Gemma, she means with all of us.
I saw the look in her eyes that night before the police came, felt her body react to Griffin’s words, she wanted it.
She wants them, both of them, as well as wanting me, and no matter how hard I try to comprehend that fact, to understand it, it drives me fucking crazy.
I love my best friends, I really do, but when her sights are on them, I want to fucking kill them.
“We’ll get through it together,” I tell her, not believing my words for a fucking second, but I know it’s what she needs to hear right now.
Before she can respond, someone knocks on the door, and I groan as I have to pull myself away from her.
When I rip it open, a delivery man is standing there with an oversized bunch of white flowers and a clipboard.
I frown, knowing my mother is dealing with all the floral arrangements, having instructed them to be sent to the church. So what is he doing here?
“I’m looking for Aurora Gray?” he says, and my eyes narrow at the bouquet, as I feel Rora step up beside me.
“That’s me,” she says softly, before freezing in place, taking in the flowers in the same manner I just did.
“I have two dozen white lilies for you,” he replies, smiling brightly. “I just need you to sign here.” He holds out the clipboard expectantly, but still Aurora remains rooted in place, glaring at the lilies as if they offend her.
“Here, I’ll sign it,” I cut in, grabbing the clipboard from him and scrawling my name, as he hands the flowers to her, and she takes them reluctantly.
When I hand it back, he smiles all perky and chipper. “Okay, well have a great day folks,” he muses, clearly not taking in the reasonings for our all black attire, and I can’t help but narrow my eyes again, as I nod my head and close the door.
Aurora is still standing there, glaring at the flowers, and when I clear my throat, she forces a smile to her face, avoiding my stare. “I should put these in some water,” she breathes, rushing away from me, but I follow after her.
“Who is sending you flowers?” I ask, startling her a little as I come up behind her, and she places them in the sink with a thud.
“I don’t know, there’s no card,” she replies, her voice hitching slightly, allowing me to detect the lie. “They’re probably for Harden, but Mom told them to send them to me,” she adds, adding more layers to her deceit, and I watch as she continues to avoid my gaze.
I know everything about Aurora Gray, all of it burned into my mind to recall whenever I please, which means I know she’s a terrible liar.
She always has been, it’s one of her very few downfalls, along with being in love with my two best friends.
Which means I know she is lying to me right now, and anger churns in the pit of my stomach.
“You know as well as I do that you’re a terrible liar, Rora,” I snap, and she flinches slightly, telling me everything I need to know.
She knows exactly who the flowers are from.
“I’m not lying, I don’t know who they are from,” she replies calmly, and her tone sounds more honest this time.
“Fucking bullshit.” Anger fuels my tone, it’s bad enough dealing with her feelings for the other two, I’m not fucking adding a third.
Her only answer is a frustrated sigh, and all it does is piss me off even more.
I stalk round the island and rip the flowers from her hand, tossing them into the sink.
“I’m trying, Rora, I’m really fucking trying, so don’t test me,” I warn, reaching up to cup her cheeks in my hands, dropping my head to hers.
Still, she doesn’t say anything, just reaches up and places a soft kiss on my lips, that somehow dims the anger inside of me without her even trying.
She tastes like strawberries from the smoothie I made her earlier, and it takes every bit of restraint I possess to not lay her out on the countertop and taste the other sweet parts of her.
She kisses me until she can feel the evidence of my arousal against her, and only then does she pull away, the first bit of amusement in her stare in over a week.
I open my mouth to interrogate her some more, when Griffin and Harden appear dressed in their suits.
Both of them look solemn, but I don't miss the flash of heat in Griffin’s stare as he takes in our proximity.
I tighten my jaw at the way Aurora relaxes against me at the sight of them.
“Harden,” she sighs in relief as she spots him, disregarding the flowers in the sink, and me, before rounding the island to get to him.
I grip her arm before she can pass me, lowering my voice. “This isn’t over,” I tell her firmly, but she doesn’t say anything as she rips her arm from my hold, ignoring me completely.
“You look very handsome,” she tells Harden, his eyes flickering ever so slightly at her compliment, and I see the way her hands flex at the need to offer him more comfort than just her words.
Between her and Griffin, they haven’t given him a moment's peace since we got the news, and I’m sure he’s secretly going out of his mind beneath all their attention.
Harden has always preferred the solace of his own company over anything else, and though I know they’re only trying to help, I think they need to give him some space.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I eye the incoming text message briefly, before focusing back on my family.
“Roger’s outside,” I tell them, my stare fixed on Harden, which means I don’t miss his slight flinch at my words.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say he doesn’t want to go to his own mother’s funeral.
It’s what has me erasing the space between us without thinking, until I am barely a breath away, as I add, “Just say the word and we won’t go.
” His eyes search mine in confusion. “I know you better than you think I do, Haze, so say the word, sign it, I don’t fucking care, if you don’t want to do this, if you can’t do this, then tell me and I’ll take care of it, no questions asked. ”
I feel Griffin and Aurora staring between the two of us at my declaration, and for a moment I think I’ve done it, I think I’ve gotten through to him, but then his intense stare turns blank once more.
He doesn’t say anything as he turns on his heel and walks away, heading straight for the front door, which I guess gives me my answer.
The next couple of hours pass in a blur.
It’s just a bunch of fucking people, acting like they give a shit when they clearly don’t.
Funerals are basically a bullshit circus, where the audience only comes to see how those left behind are now performing.
Harden still hasn’t said a word, didn’t shake a single person's hand, or even bother looking in their direction when they offered their false condolences.