Alex Schimdt
Being home again was indescribable. On one hand, it was good to be back, to see the place he grew up in. Now that he was older, everything seemed so much smaller, and dare he say it, sillier. But on the other hand, it was more than just a little saddening because the reason he had returned in the first place to go to Adrian Kane's funeral. Alex was unable to believe the man was dead when he received the news. He was so young, how could it be him? How could it be the great and successful Adrian? He had a huge future ahead of him and had just been robbed of it and they were supposed to accept it? Yes, because the only thing ever certain in life was death. Everyone died, Alex knew that, but it wasn't supposed to happen t Adrian, not so soon and not without any answers as to how.
Even standing at his old friend's funeral, Alex had constantly wondered, how? How did it happen? It was too difficult to just move on when there was nothing anyone told them. But then again, Adrian had been rather secretive himself. Some days, he was kind of a stranger to Alex. Maybe he should have pushed more to see what he was hiding, but who was he to do that when he often did the same thing? Hiding his pains and troubles and pushing other people away from it.
When made things more hard was seeing the old faces of friends in the past. Seeing Jesse. Alex had not anticipated hurting so much just to bump into her again after all the time had passed. He had lost the ability to speak and in the end, walked away without so much as a "hello" or a "goodbye". It was awful of him, he knew that Jesse was closer to him Adrian more than him, probably more than anyone else besides Vincent. Instead of saying any words of solace, he walked past her as if she didn't exist. Yeah, he was an ass, and he wouldn't blame her for hating him if she didn't already. Some days, Alex hated himself too.
He stayed in town, in his parents' old vacation home. Like him, they had moved on and away, it made it easier for him to see them when they lived so close. He had taken a lot of days off from work, DJing at a nightclub was not at all appealing to him when he was grieving not only the loss of a friend but the loss of a person whom he had loved. So, he stayed within his vacation home until Jesse had contacted him
It was impossible to say no. How could he deny Adrian's wishes despite it meaning to see all of his old friends again? He would be forced to confront Jesse, for a whole week. But if she could do it? Why couldn't he? It wasn't about him, it was about Adrian. And he would not let his personal feelings and issues get in the way of any of it.
He packed his bags and headed over, driving the car his parents had bought him for his nineteenth birthday. Yet, when he pulled up into the driveway, he hesitated to exit the car. "Come on, Alex. Get a hold of yourself." He whispered to himself a moment before exiting his car and entering the house.
Bradie was the first one he noticed. Alex only sighed and set down his bag. "It has been a long time since we've been here, huh?" said Alex, instantly noticing the place had been cleaned before they arrived.
Tilde Durand
It had been in one word ... surreal. Surreal to be standing at Adrian Kane's funeral. What was it? Only a month or two when they had met up once again in the city? "See you later Miss-Til-de-lot, come back home and visit sometime, I'll treat you to all the whip cream you want!" Those had been his last words to her. And now, he was gone, no longer amongst the living. Tilde wasn't sure if it was the shock that prevented her from crying or something else entirely, but she hadn't shed a single tear, even when catching a glimpse of her old friends. Even when seeing Jesse. And that was even stranger. Tilde, sensitive, heart on sleeve wearing Tilde hadn't shed a single tear. She felt as empty as a shell inside, and she didn't know why. She couldn't feel anything else, not at the funeral, not when seeing Jesse, not even when she first received the message making her aware of her friend's death. Tilde was hollow and stone-faced.
When she had returned, that was when it hit her all at once. It was as if someone threw a weight at her chest and knocked her off her feet. And the only thing she could do was cry and she couldn't stop. Brice tried to comfort her the first day but left her alone when she refused to get out of bed the next. Tilde could barely operate that day, but she knew life went and so she had to as well. Still, it was hard, some days she had randomly burst into tears, reminded not only of Adrian but her friends, the old days.
Tilde did particularly miss them, but she did miss certain aspects of them. However, you could never go back to the past no matter how much one wanted to. It was in possible, she was stuck with what she had now and she had to make the best of it. But when Jesse had asked them all to meet again, for a week, to spread Adrian's ashes the way he wanted, Tilde found she could not refuse.
She had packed her bags and was ready to leave the house, all before her boyfriend came over for their planned dinner. It had been a silent one and awkward, at least it was for Till. Brice had been too busy reading and sending text from his phone.The slight smile on his face was something she recognized as the one he wore when in contact with his "friend" Corrine. Tilde wasn't stupid and she was more than aware he was cheating on her, but at some point down the line of pain and hurt and betrayal, she was used to it. Something about that was messed up, she knew that. But she couldn't let go of him, was it because of love, familiarity or security? She didn't know.
"Let's go on a break."
That had caught his attention. He set down his phone and looked at her seriously. "Till, seriously?" And that was his response. It hadn't been the first time she suggested it, but in the end, she always backed down from her decision.
Dropping her fork, Tilde asked. "Do you love me?"
"Of course!"
"Would you marry me?" She asked, already knowing how he'd respond.
"Till .." He sighed, seemingly annoyed. The sight of it made Tilde smile slightly, she was getting really good at predicting Brice and his next words and moves. And not in a good way.
"So, you don't love me?"
"I do! I just …" He groaned, "I love you Till you're beautiful and … but you're not the type of woman I would marry."
Ouch. She had not expected those words to hurt so much and the saddest part about it was that this time he wasn't lying to her. He was being honest. She was ready to cry and Brice must have picked up on it because he groaned, now very exasperated with Tilde and constant mood swings.
"Let's go on a break," she repeated, this time her voice cracking as she rose from her seat and moved to retrieve her suitcase. After grabbing it, she slowly turned to face him, using all her strength not to break down into tears as she said next, "and then when I come back, you can decide if you really want to be with me."
"If I had to choose now, my answer would be no."
Tilde had left her apartment, the city, crying. And by the time she had made it to the beach house, her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. Looking in her compact mirror at her terrible state, she sighed and stepped out of the car, unable to stand to be alone a second longer. There were cars outside, which meant some of them had already made it. Knowing the others were inside comforted and scared her both. She had avoided them at the funeral, but she wouldn't be able to now.
The brunette prepared herself with a deep breath and pulling her suitcase along with her into the house. The first person she saw was Bradie and then Alex. "Hey," she spoke with her voice barely above a whisper.
Alec has left Nashville the second his sister decided to stay with Ben. How could she love such a manipulative jerk, Alec wondered. Mixed emotions filled him. He wanted to just continue like nothing had happened, but it did and he was furious about it. Many times he dreaded seeing Aurora again.
