Warning: Extremely sad chapter ahead omg :( Lowkey cried while writing this because my love for Kory is so strong.

***

I stood there in the hall right before you entered the main church- watching everyone pile in through the small window. Up on the alter sat Kory's coffin, decorated in white roses. Those were his favorite.

Sadness was all I felt right now. I wasn't happy that I just saved the world- I was sad because I couldn't save him. I rubbed both parts of my arms that my long, black fitted dress didn't cover. That's when he walked over.

https://youtu.be/6u0DGIh3wLA

Through the corner of my eye, I saw Will open his mouth and close it repeatedly. He didn't know what to say, but then again, comforting words weren't his thing.

"Hey." He finally spoke up, shoving his hands in the pockets of his nicely groomed suit.

"Hi." I barely managed to spit out. I wasn't exactly in such a good state to be talking right now.

"How are you doing?" He asked. This conversation was definitely awkward.

I cleared my throat and switched my eyes from the many people pouring into the church, to the floor. "I'm uh- I'm doing okay, I guess. Um, how about you?"

"I'm fine." He nodded his head a few times too many. I mirrored him with an uncomfortable smile on my face. "Hey, Ella I-"

His words stopped once he saw the tears start to form in my eyes. We used to be so comfortable with each other, and now we can barely even have a conversation.

"I know it's a sad time, but try to smile. Kory would have wanted it that way." He said, trying to comfort me.

"Smile?" I scoffed, a few tears falling down my cheeks, "How can I smile at a time like this? It's not just that the person I was closest to has died, Will. It's also because I can't even look at the man I love right now due to what he did to me."

"He didn't do anything." My head shot up at the sound of her voice. I turned around to see Nadia, standing with her head down.

"Great." I shook my head, "Just who I needed to see right now."

"What are you doing here." Will scowled, glaring at the beautiful woman in front of us.

"I came to clear things up. Ella, I want you to know the full truth about what happened that day you found us, It was all my fault-"

"I know it was your fault. You screwed my boyfriend." I snapped, flashing her an apologetic look afterwards, "But it's also his, because he went along with it."

"That's the thing." She avoided eye-contact with both of us, "As you know I was working with Kade. He told me to bring you guys apart so you'd be distracted and back off. Doing my job, I drugged Will- making him have a sudden attraction to me. That's why when he saw you, he woke up from the trans and didn't remember a thing."

My heart stopped, and I suddenly hated myself. My mouth opened, and I quickly turned to Will, who was staring at his feet. I wanted to tell him I was sorry, but the words wouldn't come out. All the cruel things I've said, all the cold things I've done- It was all for nothing.

"Ella?" A short woman appeared from the church looking for me, "Ella- there you are! We need to go over a few things for the eulogy you'll be giving." I continued to look at Will with sad, apologetic eyes. Just as his beautiful hazel eyes met mine, the woman dragged me into the church.

I received the orders of what I had to do, and took my spot in the reserved section in the first row, next to Kory's mother, and father. They told me earlier that he once called them, obsessing over how much I meant to him. He was the only child who ever kept in touch with him, and because of the kind words he exchanged about me, his parents considered me family.

The service began, and Pastor Joseph delivered a beautiful one. During the time for the eulogy's, Kory's mother went up first. Her speech had everyone in the room bawling- unless you were a man. Then his father went up. His had a lot of sad, humor in it. Lightened the mood just a bit.

But last it was my turn. I gulped before standing up, and making my way to the stand. St. Mary's Christian Church was pretty big, and surprisingly every seat was taken. I didn't know Kory was loved by so many people.

https://youtu.be/9omSmQYVRSQ

I took a deep breath, and began my speech, "Most of you don't really know me. I'm um- I'm one of his close friends, Ella Greene. He and I worked together to save all of your lives not long ago. That's where he exchanged his last words to me. 'I've done some pretty rough things in my past, and think maybe it's time I say goodbye to the world'. They weren't that meaningful, honestly. Actually- They were quite stupid." I closed my eyes as they started to water.

"Kory shouldn't have said something like that. I wanted to tell him to shut up, because what he did in the past didn't matter anymore. I knew that now he was a great guy. Sweet, caring, and actually had a sense of good inside him- unlike his brothers, who still remain alive and breathing. God- Why do bad things happen to such amazing people?" A single tear dropped down my left cheek. I looked at his mother who was sobbing once again, holding on to her husband who also had tears in his eyes.

"He was the only there for me when times got a little bit rough. He took me under his wing and provided me a place to stay, warmth, clothes, food- and more importantly, comfort. He always knew how to make me feel better." Now the tears began to pour out of my eyes, "He didn't deserve his death- I tried so hard to keep him alive. It's all my fault, too. If only I wasn't such an emotional mess, and could control my feelings." I clenched the front of the stand, crying intensely. "I just- I miss him so much."

Everyone stared at me with sympathy. Their eyes were filled with just as much sorrow as mine. Kory's parents wept along with me. I had so much more to say, but stood there crying instead. I needed to calm down. Britain, who also stuck around for the funeral, walked up and enveloped me in a giant hug.

I held his arm that was stretched across my torso in my hands. I continued to cry, but tried to calm down so I could close my eulogy. Through my tear filled eyes, I was able to make out the blurry picture of Will, who was watching me with sadness- not for Kory, but for the state I was in.

I wiped a large quantity of tears off my cheeks, before leaning back towards the microphone, "Kory was the only Holland brother who had any sense of love in him. He died trying to help save the world from his brothers' leadership. Kade gave me a choice to either kill him, or someone else close to me. I couldn't choose- It felt so wrong. I begged him to take me instead, but it was no use. Kade killed his own brother by his choice, and not mine." I looked at every, single person in that room. "Sorry- I just had to clarify that. I feel like it's my fault, and- you get it."

I noticed I was up there for quite a while, and thought Pastor Joseph would want to finish the service quickly. In respect of that, I closed my eulogy.

"The world works in the most mysterious of ways. I don't understand why it'd allow an innocent person to die instead of one who is guilty, but that's the mystery. Kory was one of the most greatest guys in the world, and now he's dead. Words can not describe how much he'll be missed- By his parents, his family, his friends-" I paused to catch my breath , "By me."

A few more tears swelled up in my eyes, "There will never, be a day where I wont think about him and all he's done for me. Kory James Holland will forever be remembered- in my heart." I placed my hand over my chest, signaling the end of my eulogy. Britain escorted me off the altar, back to my spot. Mrs. Holland reached over, and squeezed my hand.

"Thank you." She whispered.

The rest of the service wasn't long. The Pastor said his last words, and a few of Kory's old friends picked up his coffin. They preceded out of the church, and we all followed behind them in two lines. Britain and I walked right next to each other- looking for Will most of the time, who happened to go M.I.A.

We walked the long path up a hill, to the part of the graveyard where he was going to be buried. The men left the coffin on the ground next to the hole where it would soon be put inside. One by one, we all walked up to the coffin, and said our last goodbyes.

For the last time, I walked up to his coffin. I admired the fine design it was, but let those thoughts go once I remembered that Kory's cold, lifeless body lied underneath the sealed top.

"Goodbye for now,"I whispered, placing a small, meaningful kiss on his coffin, "Sweet Cakes."

I backed away, and watched as they lowered his coffin into its grave. A graveyard worker began to cover the coffin in dirt, as everyone started to leave. Mrs. Holland grabbed my hand, and we both got into a car, that would take us back to Kory's home where the reception was being held.

As the car took off, I looked back at his grave spot. Once again, I thought about how nice it would be if he was still alive. I turned back around in my seat, and once again, started to cry.

***

:(

I miss Kory a lot.

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