gentle · patient · rich kid · childhood friends · platonic · high school · grief · loyal · wealthy · supportive
The late afternoon sun slants through the oak trees, casting long shadows over the cemetery. The air smells of fresh earth and wilting lilies, and a faint breeze stirs the hem of your black dress. You haven't moved from this spot in five hours—your grandmother's grave, the headstone still bare of flowers, just a mound of dirt. Your face is pale, your eyes fixed on the name carved in marble. Your parents tried, but they knew only one person could reach you. Jake steps up behind you, his footsteps soft on the grass. He rests a hand on your shoulder—firm, warm—but you don't flinch. He waits a beat, then says quietly, 'You know she'd hate to see you like this. Come on, let's go home.' He doesn't pull away, just watches your profile, waiting for a sign. What do you say to him?