Memory of Him

Before: First Dates

"I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you."
Kiersten White (The Chaos of Stars)

The morning after my first Aussie Swim, I was woken by a loud pounding on our door, followed by Finn's voice booming. Lucky Maggie was a deep sleeper, so I was the one who opened the door.

"You're famous Melody!" He strode into our dorm.

I yawned and pulled my robe across my body, and watched as Finn walked to the kitchen to make a coffee.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, following him.

I pushed him away from the Keurig. No way was he coming here so early and obnoxious, without me having a coffee first.

"You haven't seen it yet?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes at him and sighed, "I wouldn't be asking if I knew what was going on."

"Okay, okay. Here, look on the cover of the Morning Herald." Finn pulled out a rolled up newspaper from the back pocket of his jeans.

He handed it to me and I unrolled it. The first thing I saw was the picture. It was one of the pictures that the Photog took of Lachlan and I at the beach. It must have been taken while he was joking about PornHub, only because we were smiling at each other.

The heading came next: Lachy's got his eyes on the prize! I almost choked. I opened the newspaper to the page about Lachlan. It talked about his victory at the comp, and his new American Trophy-me. They included another picture of us, but it was me smiling at the camera, and Lachlan staring at my chest.

"Damn, Melody. Haven't even fucked the guy and he's totally sold." Finn joked.

I felt my body temp rising. I wasn't sure what pissed me off the most; being called American, compared to a trophy, Lachlan blatantly staring at my boobs, or Finn's stupid remark. Since Lachlan or the photographer weren't there, I opted to hit Finn.

"Oh my god! Shut up!" I said as I whacked him with the paper.

He chuckled and pulled me in for a hug.

"Come on, you love it! Just think, all of Sydney and the country is gonna know that there's a hot foreign girl hanging with Lachy."

"Ew, Finn. I'm not even American! Not even close! I can't even get mad at him, he had no control of this shit!" I groaned. 

  That groan was my  death. Maggie's door burst open and she had the look of a devil on her face.

  "Why are you making so much noise? We have late classes today!" She demanded.

  "It was him. He woke me up too." I pointed at Finn.

  "Woah. I only came to tell her about her newspaper debut!" Finn put his hands up in surrender.

  Maggie narrowed her eyes at him, "What?"

  "Here, look for yourself." Finn handed her the paper.

  I rolled my eyes and went back to making my coffee. Milk and no sugar. The way my dad drinks it.

  "Holy shit! Melody! This is crazy!" Maggie exclaimed when she finished her investigation.