As the others called out to her, inviting her to come and say goodbye to her mother, Minnie remained seated. She refused to budge, her expression unyielding.
The scene was one of intense emotion, with Minnie's refusal to say goodbye to her mother serving as a poignant reminder of the complex feelings that surrounded her loss.
The burial ceremony continued, with the attendees eventually dispersing as the ritual came to a close.
However, Minnie remained seated, her eyes still fixed on her father, her expression unreadable.
★
Snow's mom was present at the burial, trying to catch Snow's attention.
However, Snow deliberately avoided her, not wanting to speak to her mom.
As Snow navigated through the crowd, she accidentally collided with someone, drawing the attention of a few people. When she looked up, her eyes widened in shock.
It was Mr. Bryan, and Snow's reaction was immediate. Her body trembled as if she had been shocked, and her brain seemed to have shut down. She couldn't speak, her mind gone blank.
Mr. Bryan smiled mischievously and apologized, but Snow was unable to respond.
She was paralyzed with fear, her friends watching in concern as she swayed unsteadily.
Just as it seemed like Snow was about to collapse, Oliver stepped in and caught her. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Snow didn't respond. Instead, she pointed to a nearby seat, indicating that she wanted to sit down. Oliver nodded and guided her to the seat, his eyes never leaving hers.
As Snow sat down, her friends gathered around her, asking if she was okay. "Snow, what's wrong?" one of them asked, but Snow just shook her head.
Meanwhile, Minnie's dad approached Minnie, his face twisted in anger. "Today is your mom's burial," he shouted at Minnie. "I don't want any drama. You were supposed to say your last goodbye, but you just stood there, numb and dumb. Now, your b!tch of a friend almost collided with one of my best business partners."
Minnie's dad whispered to her ears to berate her, his words cutting deep. "You're not good for anything, just like your wretched mother." Minnie scoffed, her expression turning cold.
"And what are you to correct me?" she shot back. "You're not my father. You were just my mom's husband, and now that she's gone, we have no relationship."
The argument escalated, with Minnie's dad becoming increasingly agitated. "You're just a worthless child," he spat.
Minnie's response was fierce. "And you're a murderer," she shouted back. "You killed my mom. I hope you like orange color, cause you are gonna wear it for the rest of your miserable life."
The scene was intense, with Minnie's dad eventually slapping her across the face.
William stepped in, holding Minnie back as he shouted at her dad.
"What the hell is wrong with you, man?" William demanded, his voice filled with outrage pulling Minnie away from her dad. "How could you hit her at her mom's burial?"
Minnie's dad sneered, his face red with anger. "And who the hell her you, young man??" he snarled.
But William wasn't backing down. "That's not the point," he said, his voice firm. "You need to get your so called act together otherwise.."
The atmosphere was toxic as every word was deep. Minnie's friends watching in shock.
Snow, still seated, looked on, her eyes wide with concern.
___
Minnie walked forward to confront her dad, her eyes blazing with anger. "I know you're happy about all this right now," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "But I promise you, you'll shed the most tears for the rest of your abominable life."
With that, she turned to the mourners and said, "Complete the burial. I'm sure my mom is already on her way to heaven. She doesn't need bastards to get her there?"
Minnie's words hung in the air as she turned and walked away, leaving her dad and the others in stunned silence.
She made her way to Snow, who was still seated and looking pale. "Are you okay?" Minnie asked, concern etched on her face. "Can you walk?"
Snow nodded, and Minnie helped her up. "Let's go," Snow said, her voice barely above a whisper.
As they walked away, Violet, Leo, Oliver, and William followed closely behind.
Snow's mom, however, caught up with them, her expression determined.
"I need to talk to Snow," she said, her voice firm. The group waited beside the car while Snow's mom pulled her aside.
"Snow, my baby, are you okay?" her mom asked, her voice filled with concern.
Snow shook her head. "I'm fine, mom. You don't need to worry about this right now."
Her mom's expression turned serious. "He's back, Snow. You know that, don't you?"
Snow nodded. "I know, mom."
Her mom's eyes narrowed. "Snow Ellis, why didn't you tell me about this?"
Snow sighed. "Mom, telling you about it won't change anything. I can handle it. I'll handle it myself."
Her mom's expression turned stern. "You can't handle Bryan Smith by yourself. It's never possible."
Snow's jaw set. "I did it before, mom. Before you came into the picture, I did it. And I'm very sure I'll be able to do it again."
With that, Snow turned and walked away, leaving her mom standing alone. "Go meet your husband," Snow said over her shoulder. "He's waiting for you."
Snow rejoined her friends, and they got into the car. "Let's go," Snow said, her voice firm.
As they drove away, Snow's mom stood watching, her expression a mix of concern and determination.
As the night wore on, the group's silence gave way to the soothing hum of the engine and the soft glow of the dashboard lights. Snow, nestled comfortably between Oliver and William, allowed her head to rest on Minnie's shoulder, her eyes drifting lazily towards the passing scenery outside.
Leo, at the wheel, navigated the winding roads with ease, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The occasional streetlight cast fleeting shadows on his face, accentuating the sharp lines of his features.
In the backseat, Minnie wrapped a gentle arm around Snow's shoulders, holding her close. William, on the other side of Minnie, sat quietly, his eyes fixed on the night sky beyond the window.
As Snow's head lolled forward, Minnie and Oliver exchanged a concerned glance. "Hey, Snow, you okay?" Oliver asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Snow stirred, raising her head to meet their worried gazes. "I'm fine," she said, forcing a weak smile.
Minnie's brow furrowed. "What's wrong, Snow? You're not just tired, are you?"
Snow hesitated, her eyes darting between her friends. She didn't want to burden them with her worries, not now, not when they were all having such a great time. "My system is just...overreacting, I guess," she said, trying to sound convincing.
Minnie's skepticism was evident in her raised eyebrow. "Your system can't just overreact over something so unnecessary," she said, her voice laced with gentle teasing.
Snow's smile grew a little more genuine. "I'm fine, Minnie. Really," she said, turning to Oliver for support. Oliver's nod of agreement seemed to satisfy Minnie, and Snow settled back into her comfortable position, her head resting on Minnie's shoulder once more.
As the minutes ticked by, the group's conversation turned to their surroundings. Leo glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "Guys, it's getting late. I don't think we can make it back to the hostel before curfew."
Oliver nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's still far away from the hostel. Let's find the nearest hotel and stay there for tonight. We can head back tomorrow."
Leo nodded, his eyes scanning the road ahead for signs of nearby accommodations. "Ride on, sir," he muttered to himself, accelerating gently as he spotted a sign for a nearby hotel.
The silence that filled the car was palpable, a somber mood settling over the group like a shroud.