Page 73 of Girl Violence

“Change of heart?” he whispers as she hastily sits down. Not wanting to answer him, she puts her finger against her lips and finally looks ahead. Her eyes flick over the crowd, and that’s when she sees him.

Vince sits next to Diane near the front, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and tie. Her stomach twists into knots. This is the first time she’s properly seen him since their argument, and it kills her how much she aches right now.

She misses him. Misses his touch. His voice. His smile.

He’s staring at the coffin. It makes her wish she was sitting beside him holding his hand. That’s where she should be, as a friend and as someone who loves him.

Truth is, she’s not here for David. After everything he put Vince and Diane through, making his son’s life miserable and a lie, Josette feels nothing for the man in the coffin. Though, she does search the front benches for someone Vince’s age crying but doesn’t come across anyone who could potentially be the girl David destroyed their lives for.

The service continues for twenty minutes, and Josette can’t stop fidgeting. A few family members, including Diane, each take turns to say a few words. Still, Josette can’t take her eyes off Vince the entire time. He doesn’t get up to speak, nor console Diane as she cries.

Josette’s heart hasn’t calmed down. When sad piano music begins playing, she swallows her nerves as everyone stands when the coffin is picked up and carried down the aisle.

Diane clutches onto Vince’s arm as they walk behind it. Being on the end of the bench means Vince is going to eventually walk past her. She’s half tempted to hide behind her dad, but she stays put, tension squeezing every muscle in her body.

She holds her breath when he finally passes her. She thinks she’s been blessed with him not seeing her, but he lifts his head and looks right at her.

Her heart stops. She doesn’t know what to do. Just like she thought would happen, his eyes darken to that deadly shade of dark blue before he turns away. The moment passes. It’s like she doesn’t exist as he continues to walk right by her.

As the pain stabs her, Josette’s dad nudges her to follow the crowd heading outside. She doesn’t feel her legs move or the wind and rain hitting her face as she steps into the storm. Some head in the direction of the graveyard, but her dad stops her.

“That’s for family only,” he says, zipping up his rain jacket and pulling up Josette’s hood when she doesn’t. “Those who aren’t family members are heading straight to the wake. The storm isn’t supposed to hit fully until later, so it will be short.”

“I’m going to wait,” she tells him numbly. “I need to talk to Vince.”

He gives her a strange look, like he doesn’t want to say what he’s about to, but does anyway, “Is this about what I saw on Instagram?”

“You’re kidding me?” She cringes. “You choose today, of all the days, to do your monthly check on Instagram?”

“I know you won’t tell me even if I ask, but just... be careful.”

“It’s not what it looked like.” She groans. “You’re not going to yell at me?”

He shrugs. “Where has that gotten us? We’ve all done crazy things growing up, Josette. It’s how we learn to be better people. We just didn’t have some asshole documenting it with a phone. I know that person isn’t you.”

Josette exhales a deep breath and nods. It would have been hard to explain to her dad if he started ranting and demanding to know what she was doing. She’s not going to question it. At least he isn’t judging her like everyone else is.

“Hopefully, I can try and fix some of the mess I’ve caused with Vince.”

“Just be home before the storm,” he says worriedly, patting her shoulder. His way of saying good luck, she thinks. After he walks away, she turns toward the graveyard and groans. With the dreariness of the day, it looks scary.

The things she does for Vince.

Trudging down the tiny pathway with rows of gravestones on either side, she sees Vince’s family gathered around the grave. The coffin has been lowered into the ground, and they’re dropping mounds of soil on top of it. Josette looks around for Vince and frowns when she doesn’t see him. She walks closer to get a better look but still doesn’t spot him.

Wait—did he leave?

She saw him come in here, and as far as she knows, the entrance is also the exit. She hadn’t seen him leave. She looks around again, confused. It’s then that a gust of wind blows up the dress of her skirt and knocks her hood back. Gasping from the chill, she turns around, but her heart jumps into her throat when Vince stands right behind her.

“Ahh!” she shrieks, her heart jumping to her throat. “Are you crazy sneaking up on people in a graveyard?” He doesn’t smile or laugh, and Josette swallows hard when she sees that same darkness in his eyes as he stares at her. “Can…Can we talk?”

He stares at her for a moment. “Nowyou want to talk?”

He sounds pissed. Despite her anxiety, she nods, her throat achingly dry. “Please.”

“Okay. Fine. Let’s talk.” He takes a step closer, and Josette goes stiff when he leans forward and catches her hand in his. He pulls her deeper into the graveyard.

“Where are we going?” He doesn’t say anything as he pulls her into a section where there are ancient tombstones and the grass is overgrown. “Vince?”

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