noted → calum hood | #Wattys2015

twenty four

Is there a certain way I'm supposed to dress for a party?"

"I don't know, Mel. Just wear what you normally do," Ashton groans. "You'll be fine." He's been helping Melanie get ready for about an hour now; an hour too long, in his opinion.

Melanie sighs. "You're not much help."

Ashton lays back on Melanie's bed and awaits her final choice. "We could've been there by now, you know."

Melanie scoffs. "Oh, shut up. Keep in mind who introduced me to this idea in the first place," The older of the two doesn't respond. "You alright?"

"What if Alexis and Jonah are there?" He sits up quickly. "I'm finally starting to get over her, Mel. Seeing her with him will be like taking five steps back."

She thinks the situation over. "I'm not sure, Ash. But I promise you that if you feel like we need to leave, we can go."

Ashton nods, trying to contain his worry.

»

Sooner or later, Melanie manages to find the courage to stop stalling and go to Ashton, who's decided to wait in his car. "You look nice." He points out as she gets in.

"I don't know of I can do this, Ash."

"What makes you say that?"

Melanie runs her hands through her hair. "I don't know. I don't want to get drunk or anything."

"Then don't drink, simple as that. I won't be drinking, so..." Ashton doesn't finish his sentence.

"Can't we just go back inside and watch a movie or something?"

Ashton shakes his head and pulls on his seatbelt. "Nope." He pops the 'p' at the end of the word.

»

It's an agonizing twenty minute drive for Melanie, to say the least. Worst case scenarios are all she can think about, and they're destroying the little excitement she has for the event.

"Some things to go over before we go in there," Ashton starts. "One, if you get uncomfortable at anytime and we're seperated, text me. Two, there are water bottles and soda in the garage. Drink that, not anything they have in the kitchen. Three, don't trust anyone you don't know. Four-"

"Ashton, chill," Melanie laughs lightly. "You sound like my mom."

A small blush rises to Ashton's face. "I just want you to stay safe. It's your first party and-"

Melanie shakes her head. "Ash, really. We'll be together most of the night. Michael told me he'd be here too, if anything I'll be with him. You know me better than to do something stupid."

Ashton sighs, defeated. "Let's not waste time then," He opens his car door. "There's a party in there calling our name."

Melanie smiles and follows him in. Ashton doesn't greet anyone, but heads straight to the backyard with Melanie trailing not far behind him. "Where are we going?"

Ashton keeps his head forward. "Michael said to meet him back here." Melanie doesn't question it.

"Ash!" A familiar voice calls out. Michael makes his way over to the duo. "Mel, nice to see you too."

Melanie feels really out of place in this atmosphere, even with two of her best friends with her. Parties aren't her thing, and the whole idea of everything that could go wrong had implanted into her brain with no route out.

"The guys are playing pool in basement. I'm about to head over, you wanna come?"

Ashton doesn't have a second thought in regards to Michael's request. "Sure!" He looks to Melanie. "You'll be alright, yeah?"

She waves them off. "Of course. Go have fun."

The two leave her and Melanie feels more out of place than originally. She didn't want to hold Ashton and Michael back from having fun, though. The last thing she wanted to be was a killjoy.

Melanie walks back inside and stands against the wall. She takes out her phone to pretend to be occupied, in hopes that nobody would bother her.

Either way, everyone around her appears to be having too much of a good time to have given her w second thought.

Everyone is enjoying themselves; everyone but her.

»

About an hour and a half into the event and Melanie has yet to runite with the two boys. Not knowing how long a game a pool would take, she's never bothered to go looking for them. The last thing Melanie wanted to be at a time like this was a burden.

She begins to walk around because, who knows, maybe she'll find someone she knows.

She wasn't planning on seeing him. Oh, God, she wasn't planning on seeing him of all people. She reprimands herself for being so optimistic and not expecting him to show up.

It's like the two are magnets and Calum is Melanie's attraction. She begins to walk over to him, still reprimanding herself because why on Earth is she doing this!?

Calum doesn't see Melanie walking to him, but he sees Mackenzie. Right about now, Melanie's wishing that she hadn't seen either of them. Mackenzie hands Calum a cup and gives him a quick kiss.

It's at that moment when Melanie feels the room is getting smaller. Her chest feels like it's going to burst, and all she can do is push past the semi-wasted people around her to retreat into the backyard.

She sits against the fence with her knees pulled against her chest. Why she's reacting this way to something so small, she just doesn't get. Calum meant nothing to her eight hours ago, but now Melanie's on the verge of crying over him.

"You okay?" Melanie looks up to see a red-headed Michael looking down at her. She shakes her head, to which Michael responds by sitting next to her. "Want to talk about it?"

Melanie sighs. "I'm so stupid," she sniffs. "You know, I thought that by suppressing every thought I had about Calum would fix something..." She shakes her head, looking at the ground dumbfounded. "It didn't."

"Why are you just bringing this up now?" Michael asks, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"I saw him kiss Mackenzie. I don't know what was different this time. I've seen them kiss a million times before."

Michael rubs Melanie's arm and rests his head on hers. "I think you've got a lot of emotions going on, but don't know how to give the right ones the right attention at the right time," he clears his throat. "I say that in the nicest way possible." Melanie tries to blink away her tears, but a few still manage to fall. "Oh, no, don't cry, Mel. You're stronger than that."

"I don't think I am."

Michael shales his head. "No, don't say that."

Melanie moves Michael's hand away. "You're just saying that because you're drunk."

The boy shakes his head. "No, I'm saying that because I mean it. Plus, I haven't been drinking, mind you."

Melanie smiles a bit, but it soon falls. "God, I hate him."

"No you don't."

She runs her fingers through her hair and groans. "I know! And that's what sucks about this whole ordeal. Mackenzie's everything I'm not," She looks to the boy next to him. "Why can't I be the full package?" She rolls her eyes. "I sound like an emotional drunk and I haven't had anything to drink tonight."

Michael let's out a small chuckle. "You know what, you've got something she doesn't."

Melanie stares at him curiously. "What's that?"

He smiles at her. "A good heart."

"That's so dumb."

"Maybe, but it's true."