Pariah

I know I only want to talk to you

"The only thing I'm really sure of. I'm unsure of almost everything. But, I know."

Ashlyn shuffled in through her front door like she normally does after practice. Loudly and tiredly.

Melody eyed her from her place on the white leather chair clear across the room. She's probably not doing a good job of hiding the fear on her face, or the guilt, or the everything else she's feeling. Her legs are crossed in front of her and her hands are folded in her lap. She probably looks like someone's therapist.

There's some irony in that somewhere.

Ashlyn turned around after placing her car keys on their hook and kicking her shoes off. She stopped in her tracks.

"What's going on?" She doesn't sound surprised. And she shouldn't be. She knew Melody would be over at some point in the day. No, not surprised. Ashlyn looks skeptical, hesitant.

"Can we talk?" It's soft as it leaves Melody's lips. Her fingers bend and twist restlessly in her lap.

"Not if you're going to break up with me." Ashlyn's eyes narrowed. She could see the apprehension in Melody's eyes. The tension running through her limbs. She knew what that normally meant.

"...Ashlyn." Melody's legs propelled her into standing. Her limbs hanging limply at her sides. What was she supposed to say to that?

"No, I love you, Melody. And I'll spend the rest of my life trying to convince you I do." Melody isn't sure how true that is. Surely, she'd get tired of trying to prove herself eventually. But, that was beside the point.

"Ash. I believe you, but it's not that. I just-" Melody abruptly ends her sentence with a sad shake of her head pointed at the floor.

Ashyln's jaw clenches in hurt more so than anger, "You don't love me." It doesn't sound like a revelation like Melody expected. It sounds like deep in the back of her mind, she already knew.

Melody has nothing to say to that either.

"It's Hope, isn't it?" Ashlyn's biting the inside of her cheek for reasons Melody doesn't make herself privy to.

Melody shook her head earnestly,  "Honey, I don't think you want the answer to that question."

"I don't, but tell me anyway." It's a struggle for Ashlyn to continue looking Melody in the eye. But she does her best. This is all happening so quickly, but she's not exactly being blindsided. She thinks they may be doing this out of order, because somehow they're already at at the closure stage. Ashlyn needs to hear it out of Melody's mouth for closure.

And Melody doesn't hesitate.

"It was always Hope." It was always Hope. There was evidence and proof and exhibits A-Z of that entirely true, irrefutable statement.

For Melody, it was always Hope and that fact was as true and easy as breathing.

But Ashlyn likes to ask the hard questions, "Have you slept with her since we've been dating?"

Melody chuckled dryly, all humor long gone, "Ash...You don't want the answer to that either."

"Oh my God, you have! I'm going to kill her." Ashlyn sort of half shouts, half yelps in duress. Her hands coming to grip the sides of her head in exasperation.