MELODY (Book 1) ✓

Chapter 29 (Need For A change)

With stiff fingers, I pressed 'Accept' and made the mistake of placing the phone on my ear.

"Melo, what happened? Talk to me, are you okay? Did something happen to you when you left last night? Ohmygosh! What's wrong? Is it an accident? Were you attacked? What? Answer me, Melody, don't you just leave me hanging like that!" A torrent of words exploded in my ears and my headache flared up again. I squeezed my eyes shut for an instant.

"I'm sorry, Ash. It was a long night. I-I lost my roomate yesterday. Please, don't let Mrs. Charan fire me." My voice was rough and phlegmy from all the drama in the past twenty-four hours.

"You mean lost her, lost her? Or..."

"I mean she - she died yesterday. "

"Oh, poor baby! I'm so sorry. Where are you? You want to take the day off? I can cover for ya."

"No. I can't. I'm on my way. Thanks, Ash."

*****

Asha received me with a hug and I almost lost my balance. She was feather-light, but my legs felt too over-cooked-spaghetti to stand up on my own.

"Hey, Melo. Oh my gosh, you look like a ghost. Come here." Asha grabbed my hands and dragged me to the stool in the hidden corner of the counter. "Just sit and breathe."

"I'm Okay, Ash, I promise."

"Are you sure? You don't look okay." Asha grasped my shoulders, scanning my face. I must've looked like the walking dead, as if that's new.

"I'll survive." I tried to smile, but it probably looked like I wanted to eat her brain.

"Wanna talk?" She placed her arm around my shoulders. Her tone was low and gentle for a rare moment.

I shook my head, looking at my fingernails. "I, uh, I think I have to move out."

"Oh! The rent must be too high for living solo. Ugh! New York is just stupidly expensive. I wish I can move in with you, but my parents insist that I stay with Auntie. We can fish for a nice place for ya," Asha went on, rattling her bracelets and nodding her head enthusiastically as she ranted on the topic of my residency, and how her parents were tyrannical and adorable at the same time. I came after the morning busy hour, so she kept chatting to fill the time until the next customer would show up.

"I just need a decent room for around five hundred bucks." I bit my lip. I'd never lived alone before but there's always a first time for everything. The transitional program was supposed to prepare us for independent living, so it was going to happen sooner or later. I'd saved enough money to get me started on paying a small rent and hopefully I wouldn't need to wait for too long. I'd have to pay in cash though, since I hadn't opened an account yet. My secret bank account was currently inside the mattress.

Ugh! This financial management thing never registered in my brain.

"Five hundred? in Manhattan? Are you kidding me? You're the one living here all your life, and you don't know it's nearly impossible?" Asha snorted and shook her head. "We'll look something up for you, kiddo. Don't worry."

She patted me gently on the cheek. Her dimples perked up, then the rambling came back as she started reporting the morning events that I'd missed.

The best thing about Asha was that she never questioned anything about me. Everything was so simple and matter-of-fact to her. She just randomly showered me with her care and compassion and endless chatter. Her animated distraction made the worry I'd been bottling up all my life to evaporate for now. Guilt squirmed in my stomach though -or is it lack of food?- because of the wad of money she'd spent, in vain, on my birthday presents. The presents I couldn't keep from being stolen. That was only one achievement in the second... No, third worst day of my life. The list was long and I probably missed a few.