**Author's Note** This story was written as a tribute for a fellow fan fiction writer by the name of Alaina who passed away following a car accident. I hope you enjoy it. **Second Author's Note** This story just won its first award and you can see it above.
Looking at the scene in front of me without crying seemed to be an impossible task. I looked next to me and saw Michelle, the mutual best friend Alaina and I had shared. There were tears in her eyes, which caused tears to appear in my eyes as well. It had finally hit me that Alaina was finally gone for good and I never got to say good-bye. She had always said, "If you lose me, please don’t cry because I will be looking down on you and I don’t want to see you crying." I guess she had never lost anyone really close to her because she never realized how hard it is not to cry, especially at a time like this. I felt someone nudge me and I looked up. Justin was standing there. "Come on man, we are supposed to sing now." He said in a quiet voice. I nodded as I slowly stood. I joined the guys at the front and as soon as I got into place, my brother Tyler started playing the music for "This I Promise You." As Tyler finished the intro, Justin started to sing. "Ohhhh......ohhhhh......, When the visions around you, Bring tears to your eyes," he sang. When he sang that line, I felt tears in my eyes. "And all that surrounds you, Are secrets and lies, I'll be your strength, I'll give you hope, Keeping your faith when it's gone, The one you should call, Who's standing here all alone," he sang. Hearing those lines made me think back to a couple of years ago. She and I had started dating her senior year in high school, but had met when she was just a freshman.
**Flashback**
Alaina and JC were siting on a blanket in JC’s backyard, enjoying dinner and watching the stars. "JC, I am so glad to have had you as a friend for the past couple of years. I don’t think I could have survived without you. It’s been hard these past couple years at school, trying to fit in." Alaina said.
"Its not a problem Lainy. I am glad that I could be here for you." he replied.
"JC will you sing for me?" she asked.
"Sure Lainy." he replied. "Well it's not far down to paradise, At least it's not for me, And if the wind is right you can sail away, And find tranquillity, Oh, the canvas can do miracles, Just you wait and see, Baby believe me, oh, It's not far to Never Never Land, No reason to pretend, And if the wind is right you can find the joy, Of innocence again Oh, the canvas can do miracles, Just you wait and see, Baby believe me, oh, Sailing (takes me away), Takes me away, To where I've always heard it could be, (I heard it could be), Just a dream and a wind to carry me, (Soon I will be free), Soon I will be free, yeah."
"JC, you are amazing. You should try and start up a career." she said as he stopped singing.
"Thanks Lainy." he replied, "right now, I am just hoping that it may help me get a college scholarship, so that I can get out of Bowie."
"I know how much it will mean to you if it does happen." she responded.
"Can I ask you something Lainy?" he asked.
"Sure, what’s that JC?" she answered back.
"Lainy will you be my girlfriend?" he questioned.
"Of course JC," she stated without hesitation. JC took Lainy into his arms and held her in his embrace as she leaned back against him.
**End Flashback**
As we finished the song, I let my eyes wander across everyone seated in the church and noticed that most either had tears running down their cheeks or had put their heads down and were dabbing their eyes. I carelessly wiped my tears away with the back of my hand before Tyler started the intro. I started singing "Sailing" as Tyler finished playing the intro. As I sang the song, tears flooded my eyes and I kept having to swipe them away. It was very hard, but some how I managed to hold on till we finished the song. As soon as we finished the song, my legs gave way and I broke down and sobbed like a baby. Justin and Lance had to help me up because my legs still felt like they wouldn’t support me as I slowly got my sobbing under control. I slowly made my way back to my seat with Justin’s and Lance’s help. I sat back down next to Michelle and lowered my head so that she wouldn’t see me cry anymore.
Before I knew it, the service was over and they were taking the casket out of the church. Everyone slowly filed out of the church after and walked out to the parking lot. From there, we watched as the pallbearers loaded the casket into the hearse. Everyone then got into their cars to follow the hearse to the cemetery. The guys, Michelle, and myself climbed into one of the couple of limos that were out in the parking lot. The driver started the limo and soon pulled out onto the street to follow the rest of the funeral procession to the cemetery.
Once we reached the cemetery, the driver stopped and got out. He held the door open for us as we climbed out. We followed the rest of the mourners to the site where Alaina would be laid to rest. People slowly filed into the seats set up so that people could sit down while the last portion of the service would be done. We took seats near the front as I took notice of the fact that the casket was already set, just waiting to be lowered into the grave. Once everyone had arrived and took seats the pastor started.
Before long, this part was over and one by one everyone was going up to the casket and laying flowers on top of it. We joined in the line at the very end to be the last ones, with me at the very end. One by one each of the guys placed a white rose on the casket and gave it a kiss. Michelle was right in front of me and she laid her pink rose on top and touched it. Finally it was my turn and I walked up and slowly placed my red rose on top of it and then kissed it. "Good-bye my sweet," I whispered before walking to my seat and breaking down a second time today. Then they lowered the casket into the ground and covered it with the earth that surrounded the open site. Before long, they had filled it and had patted down the earth. I walked over and looked at the tombstone. There was her name, her birthdate and the day that she left this world. Also inscribed on the tombstone was the following: "Our Angel who was missing from Heaven, but now God has found and called her back into his company. She will be missed for all eternity." I bent down and paused for a moment to touch it. I stood and looked at the top of the tombstone. For a brief second I thought I saw Alaina sitting on it. I turned and walked away as the tears started to fall one last time.
Song Credits: This I Promise You & Sailing as performed by 'N SyncLinks
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