Despite the constant preparations for the day leading up to it, the constant rechecking the guest list, I was not ready.

Despite even having to do something as checking if the background music was up to par, I still wasn't used to having the emotions associated with the day hit me.

And despite having had a minor fight over Nancy over what I was going wear today, I still felt like it was surreal.

Everything about it was surreal.

It was surreal in the fact that I had decided to go through this. It was surreal that I hadn't even put up a finger to protest what was to happen. And it was surreal that I was in the standing in the middle of strangers whilst they relayed anecdotes, and stories I wish I knew of.

My parent's memorial had come a week after Douglas' somewhat surprising confession.

A week during in which we took this slowly, as if our new relationship was a fragile thing.

He never kissed me again after that, not where it counted anyway. Except he made romantic gestures, gestures that took me some getting used to, especially when it came from Douglas of all people.

And during that first week of our relationship, I had almost forgotten about my parent's memorial, which basically left me trying to come up with how to deal with the new people just the night before.

"I remember Mike telling me that he'd knock me flat on my feet if I brought another girl to our room. That was before he started dating Diana," the giant of a man standing next to me wearing a dark, fitted suit said as he laughed at what obviously must've been a funny memory of mom and dad. A memory I didn't know of. A memory that triggered thoughts of what they were both like in college.

"That doesn't beat the time Diana broke up with him and he got so wasted before going to the girls dorm and saying 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down thy hair!'" Mr Burns began before he cracked up laughing. The others around us laughed along to before casting me a warm smile.

"He was saying that in front of our supervisor's room," the blonde woman that had commented how much I resembled mom said. "So you can guess our surprise when she woke everyone up, demanding to know who exactly this Rapunzel was."

The anecdotes continued on and on, many memories each person had with either one or both of my parents. One was about how dad had taken mom to a carnival and they'd lost each other in the crowd. He'd found her playing with some kids in the bouncy castle.

Another was when mom had first introduced dad to her parents. Mr Burns commented on how dad had been pacing back and forth in their dorm room, practicing what he was going to tell them.

I couldn't help but sadden even more at the memory of my grandparents. I'd lost them when I was eight. Nanna went first then grandpa followed soon after. Dad's parents, however, he himself had never known. He was adopted, so I really had no chance to meet them myself.

"I remember the day you were born, Krystal," the same lady from before said as she smiled a sad smile at me. "Your dad was freaking out when we rushed over to the hospital and your mom...well your mom wasn't a happy camper. That was the worst I'd ever seen Diana been. But as soon a she had you in her arms, she became herself again. And your dad..." she sighed, "he couldn't go a full minute without touching you. You were then best thing that ever happened to them."

"Yes, you were," everyone around us reiterated. All their eyes were on me and I felt like a rare animal on display in a zoo. I felt their eyes burning into me, scratching my skin and trying to fully understand me.

"Krystal, honey, are you alright?" Mr Burns' question finally made me realize that my breathing had become uneven and was coming out in shallow breaths and my fingers were clawing at my chest as if something was burning inside.

"What?" I managed to gasp out.

"Are you okay, honey? Do you need water or fresh air?"

I felt people's eyes still on me and a murmur rushing through the crowd, wondering if I was having a panic attack.

I couldn't stay out here, especially when everyone's sole focus tonight was on me, the child Mike and Diana Sanders left behind.

I couldn't stay out here, having them stare and watch, having them wonder how I was handling things and having them continuously asking me whether I was alright or not.

"Excuse me," I said to no one specifically before I turned around and ran into my room, the door slamming shut behind me.

By the time I was safely behind the confines of my closed door and on my bed, tears had started falling, caressing my cheeks like an unwanted touch.

A knock came on the door and before I could even register it, I heard the door being opened only to close a few seconds later. Then silence dawned.

"Get out please. I need some privacy," I said, still wiping my face with a shirt on my bed, still not looking to see who the person was.

I guessed it to be Nancy. Or the woman from before.

"I can't do that," the reply came and instantly diminished any guesses I had had before. "You see, I can't necessarily just leave my girlfriend crying, all alone in her room, now can I?"

I looked up only then and my heart stopped.

Douglas looked like he belonged on the pages of a magazine in his tailored black Armani suit. His usually messy hair was styled perfectly and he finished it off with an expensive pair of shoes. In his hand was a black, nondescript bag.

When did he get here? I hadn't seen him here at all.

"I don't want you in here, seeing me like this," I said, my voice scratchy.

"Why not? You were there when I was at my lowest and you didn't leave even when I told you to get out." Douglas smirked before he walked over and sat down next to me on my bed.

Who would've ever thought Douglas Burns would be in my room, sitting on my bed, trying to console me?

I wouldn't have.

But here he was, in my room, sitting on my bed, trying to console me.

"I was basically tricked into going there," I defended myself.

"Yeah, but a little part of you was worried about me and you just couldn't resist me," he cocked a brow before wiggling it suggestively.

I cracked a small laugh, realizing what he was trying to do. He was trying to make me laugh.

"When did you come here?"

"I was here since the starting."

"And you didn't come and say hi?"

"I thought you needed some time to get to know about your parents."

I smiled at the thought. "Then why'd you come?" I tried to mask my happiness.

"I'm pretty sure I answered that already. I came to support my girlfriend," he leaned in and poked my nose. "You."

"And?" My eyes drifted to the bag in his hand.

He lifted up the bag. "I thought we could watch a movie together."

My eyes widened at his words. "Really? What movie, what movie?"

"I know how hard it might be, but I thought that today would be the best day to watch it. Besides I'm here for you, Krystal. I'll always be here for you."

I opened the bag and came short when I saw the title. The Great Gatsby.

The movie mom and I wanted to watch together. The movie I still hadn't watched, even after she died. The movie that I couldn't bring myself to watch because of its significance.

I wiped at a stray tear that had fallen before looking at Douglas again.

He was biting his lower lip again, nervous as to my reaction. "So?"

I didn't reply right away. My mind processing through everything.

Mom would've wanted to watch this with me, in fact she did. But she couldn't in the end. She would've wanted me to watch it, living through the moments that played out on the screen, gushing over Leonardo DiCaprio like a high school girl.

I found myself nodding. "You'll be here for me, right?"

Douglas nodded back before he leaned in and pressed a kiss on my forehead. "I'll always be here for you, Sanders."