Pacifier

Thomas

"How long have you been up? Are you hungry?" Corey asked from behind the couch.

"Uh no not really." Mel responded standing there.

"Are you sure I can just pop into the kitchen and make you something!" Reba continued.

"No really I'm fine." Mel said a little to harshly.

"Ok." Reba agreed sitting down.

An awkward silence filled the room.

"What where you two talking about just now?" Mel asked nervously.

"Talking?" Corey asked.

"Yeah."

"I wasn't talking where you talking Reba?"

"No I wasn't talking Corey where you talking Mel?"

"What?" Mel asked confused.

"See no one was talking." Corey stated walking into the kitchen.

"No you guys were definitely talking."

"Let me think." Reba said bringing her manicured hand up to her chin. "Oh I was talking about that new romance novel I was reading wasn't I bro?"

"Yep." Corey nodded from the kitchen before pouring himself some orange juice into a clear cube shaped glass.

"Yeah maybe that's what you heard Mel."

"Okay.."

"Also I didn't properly introduce myself. I'm Rebeca, Corey's sister but everyone calls me Reba. I'm obviously the better looking twin. You told her about me right?"

"Yeah he mentioned you." Mel admitted, answering for Corey.

"Juice anyone?" Corey asked walking in with a small tray with three glasses filled with juice on it.

"I hope he told you only good things." She laughed grabbing a glass.

"Mostly." Mel smiled crossing her arms. "He said you liked romance novels and so do I."

"Oh my gosh I do! What have you been readin-"

"Is this the part where you two gossip about romance novels for hours because I can and will leave." Corey joked taking a sip of his juice. "And why are you just standing there?"

"Oh." Mel laughed nervously before walking over and sitting on the lone seat beside the sofa.

"So what's the agenda for you guys today?" Reba asked breaking the silence.

"I don't really have anything planned, what do you want to do?" He asked looking over at Mel.

"Me? Umm I don't know.."

Corey tried not to laugh at Mel's shyness, it was actually quite cute! He wondered if she was shy because of meeting Reba who "randomly" popped round this morning to check in on things, which was her code for spying on him and Mel. Or was she shy because of what happened between them last night. He assumed it was the latter.

"Well I'd recommend going to the shops or maybe seeing a film I heard that new one with Idris Elba is good. Do you like films Melody?" Reba asked.

"Umm yeah." She whispered trying not to physically react to her full name being said by practically a stranger.

"Well I should go.." Reba said after finishing her juice. "Mum said she wanted me to help her pick berries from the garden this afternoon." She lied. She really just wanted the two to have some alone time.

"Okay sis I'll text you later." Corey stated before getting up and walking her to the door.

"Bye Melody! Talk to you soon." She called.

"Yeah bye nice meeting you." Mel replied as she watched Corey hug his sister and close the door behind her.

"Sorry my sis can be a bit full on when you first meet her but she grows on you."

"I didn't think she was full on at all." Mel stated sarcastically. "She was very calm."

"Ok ok that's my sister you're talking about." Corey joked standing behind his sofa using his arms to prop him up against it.

"So the movies huh? We could do that if you want."

"Sure I don't mind." Mel stated in an uninterested manner.

Corey raised his brow as he wondered if Mel was even listening to him at all. She had a blank expression on her face as she stared out of his windows.

"Or what about skydiving that's sounds fun." Corey questioned absently.

"Sure sounds great."

Annoyed Corey walked over to the wall of windows and look out onto the city.

Mel fell back into the chair, not sitting up straight anymore.

"Are you okay with being here Melody?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you acting like this?" He sighed watching as some kids harassed a cat outside.

"Like what?"

"Distant."

"I don't know I guess I'm just in my head that's all."

"Do you regret what happened last night?" He whispered.

"Umm let me think, what happened last night? The part where we were together on your bed or the part where you left?"

"So your mad then?" He stated turning around. "I left because I-"

"I'm not mad Corey." Mel stated rolling her eyes.

"Ok."

"Ok." She copied taking out her phone.

"So you're going to ignore me now?" He frowned crossing his arms.

"I'm not ignoring you." Mel mumbled.

"Look if you want to go back to your boyfriend in Birmingham go! I don't need you here if you're just going to be moody all day. Moody Melody it suits you." Hi hissed and instantly regretted it when he saw the hurt look on Mel's face.

"You don't get to be mad when you're the one lying to me!" She yelled putting her phone away. Corey stood there dumbfounded.

"I heard everything you guys said earlier, about lying to me, about not wanting me to know what's going on. And you can't even say that wasn't about me because if it weren't you two wouldn't have acted so weird when I came out the room. So what are you hiding Corey?" She persisted standing up. "Tell me!"

"But if I tell you you'll hate me."

"I won't. I promise I won't."

"Sit down."

"Don't tell me what to do." She retorted.

"No it's just easier to take bad news that way."

"Corey you're worrying me just spit it out!"

Corey struggled to tell Mel the truth but he knew that if he did, Mel would instantly blame him.

"You're dying aren't you?" She whispered suddenly.

"What no? I'm fine."

"Then what could be that bad?" She laughed nervously.

Corey ran his hand through his hair trying to put it as delicately as he could, "It's your friend.. Thomas was his name?"

"Yeah.. How did you-" Mel struggled to understand before she was cut off by the harsh reality of the situation.

"He's been kidnapped."