Special thanks to my lovely friends @_Imperfect_Writing and @AuroraBorealis9 for the amazing covers they made for Melody.
Shout out for my lovely new readers @TurquoiseSakura @martaxSofia
-NeverEverGiveUp-
I_noticed32
Thank you all for the amazing support for Melody. Love you all too much ♥♥
Enjoy.
★★★★★★★★★★
Ms. Johnson gave me a second warning, I was now an hour late for work and my birthday presents vanished into thin air.
I reported the lost sack to the security, but I knew it was a futile attempt any way. What's lost in the shelter is never to be found. It was my fault not to leave it with the security earlier before the succubus attacked me.
As if it wasn't enough that Tina lost her life on my reputed birthday, I also got a step closer to being dumped in the streets.
What a happy, happy birthday!
I rested my head on the back of an uncomfortable seat in the subway, my whole world wavering along with the monotonous motion of the train. I had to take the train for the first time to work because of the unexpected tardiness this morning. I wondered what would Mrs. Charan say to me for coming to work so late. I was lucky that Asha didn't have school today or it would've been a disaster.
My mind traveled back in time, recalling what had just happened. I was such an idiot to lose my temper like that. I never hit people before. I barely had the guts to defend myself in front of Ms. Johnson.
What was I thinking? Clearly, I wasn't.
Ms. Johnson's words repeated in my head.
"Melody Summer, I'm very disappointed. I'm afraid you cannot stay with us if you continue to act this way. This is the last warning, but the next time you misbehave, we'll have to discharge you of the program. "
Vivian, playing the innocent lamb, was sobbing on a chair in front of the director's desk, while I was the guilty wolf who apparently wanted to eat her alive. I'd wanted to slap her again, to make her stop faking those tears, but I knew better than to move and inch. I was in a precarious situation as it is and I had to control my stupid impulses until I find a way out of there.
Vivian wouldn't leave me alone, I knew it, even if she was lying about slandering me. The idea of her bringing Akram's name into this rotten mess, for him to know the gory details of my worthless daily life, it was far worse than being in jail for a crime I didn't commit. I couldn't bear the thought of him hating me for being such a fraud. God! I miss him badly!
A shiver ran through my body.
I crossed my arms tightly over my chest when I recalled Vivian hissing as we'd exited the office.
"Watch your back. I'll make sure the third time is a charm." She leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"Why?" I jerked my head to face her, teeth and fists clenched. I was more angry at myself for being so foolish.
"Because, when you lose everything, I'll be your only choice. You'll know how much you need me, hon."
She'd left me reeling in the hallway and trotted upstairs like a graceful dancer, all the theatricals in the office long gone.
Right outside the shelter, I was about to pull my phone to text Asha when it buzzed in my pocket. I flipped it open and glanced at the caller ID ' Ash The Panache!'. Asha's grinning selfie welcomed me with her familiar dimples and her playful cross-eyed pose. The same way it had since she'd entered her own contact information into my phone.
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.
"Hello! It's me!" Asha's chirpy voice chanted. "I was wondering if after all those years you'd like to listen to me!" She waved her hand back and forth in front my eyes.
I blinked and glanced at her smirk. "What?!"
"You left planet Earth for a moment. You just missed my best Adele performance. Shame on you, Melo. Next time you'll pay for the tickets." Asha crossed her arms, drooped her head and let her thick dark hair fall over her eyes. Her lips jutted out like a sulky child.
Asha had never really sulked - Except when she'd watched the ending of Batman v. Superman - but her exaggerated expression was fun to watch.
My lips twitched in a tiny smile. This girl is amazing.
"Sweeeet! Since I've made you smile, I think you're ready for this." She immediately returned to her bubbly self, bouncing away to grab a small paper bag from under the front counter. "Tah-daaaah!"
Confused, I stood up watching her produce a little pinkish object, the size of a small bowl, with colorful letters carved on its clay body: M.E.L.A.S.H.
Sweet peas! She made the ashtray!
"Oh, Ash, you were serious?" I choked, placing my hand over my lips. The pottery wasn't perfect or symmetrical or pretty, but it made my heart swell that she even bothered to make it. I didn't care about all the clothes as much as this little lumpy thing meant to me.
"I'm always serious. You just don't take me seriously because I'm super funny." Asha flipped her hair dramatically and raised a warning finger at me "And don't you dare cry right now!"
"Thank you." My lips curved and I pressed them together to prevent the emotional outbreak. "What's 'Melash'?"
"Our friend 'ship' name. Duh!" She shrugged and returned the ashtray in the bag, handing it to me. "Next year, I guess I'll throw together another masterpiece with the name 'Meloram' in bright red and a heart with a cupid arrow." She wiggled her eyebrows and giggled.
The words took a minute to sink in before a deadly flush attacked my pale face and my eyes went wide. "Ash! I can't even...!"
Feeling heat invading my cheeks, I spun around to fiddle with the coffee machine, doing anything to hide the obvious red bloom. I heard Asha giggle again before the customers began to bust in for lunch.
The afternoon was slow and I drowned myself into work and Asha's constant distractions, until the shift was nearly over. I began to feel the stress lessen a bit when Asha abruptly muttered. "Oooooh boy!"
Careful not to spill the latte I was working on, I glanced at her with a question mark written on my face.
"You won't believe who's here!" Asha angled towards me, her hands curling around her mouth and her big dark eyes even bigger.
My heart burst into a drumroll, trying to read her expression. Holy Frappe! Not Vivian again! I can't take another round of this torment today!
While finishing the drink in my hands, my body was shaking. I wanted to just close my eyes and disappear- A thought that would likely occur to a four year old who didn't want his mother to catch him red-handed stealing cookies.
"Hello. Um! Is Melody here?"
The voice made my heart stop and restart with a fluttering thrum. My breath caught as I heard Asha's teasing. "Well, of course she's here. Where else could she be? Can I get you anything else on the side?"
A low chuckle hummed closely, stirring me up from my shocked state and pulling me in like a magnet.
"I'll tell her myself if you don't mind."
Am I dreaming? But I never have happy dreams!
Hypnotized, my feet drifted of their own accord, to follow the origin of the voice that sounded like warmth and music in a lovely summer evening.
With the front counter separating us, I froze in front of him, gawking up at his face wordlessly. The café seemed to brighten up with his exquisite smile and the warmth flowing through his cinnamon eyes. My heart pounced too fast as if it wanted to jump in his arms. No, that was actually me who longed to fly over the obstacle between us and loop my arms around his neck and just stay there. My surroundings blurred and disappeared, except for his handsome face, but I still couldn't get myself to speak. I wanted to open my mouth. I wanted to say 'hi' or greet him somehow, to express how much I'd missed him, but I just kept staring like an imbecile.
"Y-You're really here?" Was the most meaningless choice of a question; my only response after a long moment of stillness.
"I'm really here." Akram's smile was in full capacity.
He offered his hand across the countertop to shake mine and I felt the familiar buzz run through me from the top of my head to the pit of my stomach. My knees went weak at his touch and I never wanted to let go.
And that's when I knew he was really here.
Akram is finally back to me!
★★★★
A\N
I'm sooooo sorry I kept you all waiting for too long. It's been really difficult for the past weeks and I hope this update is not a disappointment. I hope you enjoy it and maybe vote and comment to tell me what you think.
*What do you think of the chapter?
*how do you feel about the characters so far? Any remarks or questions? (No spoilers though ;)
*why do you think of Akram's surprise return?
*what do you think will happen next with akram and at the shelter?
*did you like the song for this chapter? Does it fit? ;)
*Anything you want to share? Please don't hesitate.
that's all folks. I hope the next chapter won't take very long. Wish me luck. Love you♥♥