noted → calum hood | #Wattys2015

forty nine

Melanie's grades were dropping significantly. As if being accepted for scholarships wasn't hard enough, the last thing she needed was the chance of them being revoked due to her falling GPA. "I just don't understand how this happens, especially with you, Melanie." Melanie's mother sighed, dropping the printout of her daughter's transcript onto the table. "What's going on? Is it Luke? How about that Calum boy? Are they distracting you? Because I-"

"Luke's the only reason I'm passing any of these classes right now." Melanie spits out, perhaps with too harsh of a tone. "As for Calum..." Melanie shrugs. "We don't talk. So no, he's not the issue."

Her mother sighs, grabbing her thermos of coffee and reaching for her keys. "I've gotta get going," Glancing at the transcript, Melanie's mother shakes her head. "As for your grades, get them up. We can't afford for you to lose these scholarships."

And that was true. Melanie and her mother weren't in the worst conditions with their money, but they were in no way even remotely ready to send Melanie off to college on student loans that would only further burden them.

It wasn't long after Melanie's mother left before Mel called Luke, asking that the two go on a walk because Melanie wanted to get out of the house. The two found themselves walking along a path behind Melanie's house and down into the woods. "I love it out here more than anything." Melanie smiles.

"There's bugs everywhere." Luke grimaces.

"Oh, stop whining, Skywalker." Melanie smiles as she pushes a branch away to she can continue walking down the path that had been partially hidden by overgrown plants.

"I don't see how you enjoying this." Luke states, shaling his head. "You're something else, Mel."

She smiles. "A wanderess, perhaps?" Melanie makes her way through a few more trees before she encounters a clearing, Luke following not far behind. "We haven't been down here in years." Melanie states in awe as she looks at the sight in front of her.

There's a pond that had dried up, but the water levels of the small lake had decreased significantly, from what Melanie could recall, at least.

Melanie sits on the bench by the edge of the lake gently, just in case the eroding wood may break. Luke cautiously sits next to her. "It certainly looks different." Luke points out.

"Not eerie, just..  worn down. It's like it aged with us." Melanie smiles sadly as she sees recalls the millions of memories two two left behind at what they would call their secret hideout. "Once our lives got ugly, it did too."

Luke scoffs. "Stop trying to be a poet, Mel." He breathes in heavily, the sun reaching down through the treetops and brushing against his face. "Gosh, so much happened here for us."

"On this very bench, we were nearly each other's first kiss."

Luke laughs slightly. "Were were like what- 14? I tried kissing you and you shoved me off the bench and I hurt my wrist when I fell."

Melanie nods, chuckling. "Why did we ever stop coming here?"

Luke sighs. "I don't even know. I missed it though."

The pair sit in silence comfortably, with birds chirping around them and a cool breeze whistling through the foliage. It's about a minute before Luke speaks, playing with his lip ring as it reflects the light of the bright sun. "Do you think you and Calum will ever be okay?"

Melanie slaps her hands to her thighs as she stands. "There it is- you ruined it."

"What?" Luke questions, confused.

"I was having a nice time reminiscing over memories from when we were little and then you bring him up? That's the last thing I want to reminisce about, Lucas."

Luke stands and frowns. "I didn't mean to upset you, Mel." Melanie rubs her arms, trying to stay warm. "I was just curious, especially now that you're back on good terms with Ashton and Michael."

Melanie shrugs, making her way back up the path to her backyard. "I honestly don't know. I think we're too far from that, at this point."

Luke doesn't press the topic any longer, having already upset Melanie.