MELODY (Book 1) ✓

chapter 18 (Return)

"Whew! Melo, are you sick? you look like a zombie today!" Asha squeaked her afternoon greeting when she came back from school and started putting on her work apron.

"Gee! Thanks, Ash." I rolled my eyes at her, "I just couldn't sleep last night."

"Aw! Is it Clark again?"

"You mean Akram," I corrected, " I was worried. I couldn't catch a wink until 3 a.m," I admitted sheepishly as I turned my zombie face towards the coffee machine to prepare another Mocha Latte to go.

As I'd predicted, it really had been a long sleepless night, even though I was lucky enough not to come across Cruella De Viv.

The night had started with frustrated tears and heavy disappointment squishing my chest. I contemplated the possibility that he didn't really care. But then I began to breathe, to clear my mind and think about the other probabilities as well, which were even more daunting. What if something bad  happened to him? He could be really sick! Oh God, what if he had an accident? Or someone hurt him on the way home? What if he was in the hospital?

My heartbeat had sped up like a race car.

That was typical me. My mind always conjured up the worst imaginary scenarios ever. Sometimes I thought that was a good thing to keep me prepared for all the possible situations. But the truth was, I ended up scaring myself like an 8 year old reading R.L. Stine for the first time.

"Poor thing!" Asha patted on my shoulder, real sympathy in her eyes. "Love's tough!"

"Oh, shut up, Ash! We're just friends!" Again, I felt my face turn into a space heater. That wasn't even funny!

Asha would never get it though. There were things I would never share with her or anyone. Whatever she thought about this was not possible for me. Not with the kind of life I'd been through.

For a person who'd never been loved by anyone, and abandoned by everyone, that word was frightening. A person can't give something he'd never had in the first place. It was a risk to hope when you know you'd fail and be deserted in the end. At least that was my life experience.

Friendship was my limit. It was the best I could get and my life just started to feel a little bit better after having Asha's acquaintance and possibly Akram's.

Only if he really meant it.

Asha also didn't know that it was knowing her that made friendship seem so appealing to me. If all friends were like her, people would've been a lot happier. And less talkative.

"Alright, alright. Whatever you say, Dumbo!" Asha rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Stop calling me names, Ash-tray." I retorted. I didn't really mean to insult her, I was frustrated.

Her expression seemed shocked as she froze and glared at me, her eyebrows raised almost touching her hairline.

"I can't believe it!" Asha placed her hand on her forehead. "You just... gave me.... A BRILLIANT IDEA!" She grinned, and threw her fist in the air, her eyes shining with playfulness. It was so easy to forget we were at work.

"You just picked your birthday present, kiddo! I'll make you an Ashtray. It'll be a keepsake. Oh. My. Gosh! I can picture the design right now! You love pink, right? Imagine this! Pink, heart-shaped with our names carved into it and 'Bff's' written at the bottom? 'Melody & Ash' just like 'Tango and Cash'. You know the movie , right? " Asha went on about it with fired up enthusiasm, waving her noisy hands all over the place as she explained her idea.

"Really?" My voice broke. I didn't know why, but my lips trembled and tears prickled my eyes. I didn't see this coming and it was just so sweet of her and... and...so emotional.