Melodie.

Back, again, in Melodie's view. Luke's back.

“Luke!” I yelled, when my brother walked in the front door. I threw myself into his arms. He laughed, and spun me around, the only time I’ve been acceptant to being lifted.

            “So how was it?” Alex asked, standing up.

            “Oh yes Alex, it was the greatest time of my life.” Luke answered, as I migrated into the kitchen.

            “Well yeah, I expected that! I see you didn’t get your shoe back.” Alex commented. Luke laughed.

            “No, no I didn’t.” He told my other brother. I smiled. I took a sip of a glass of milk I had poured and watched them laugh, leaning against the counter next to my uncle. He put his arm around my shoulders.

            “Good to have him back?” Tom asked. I smiled and nodded, but didn’t look up at him.

            “Oh I wasn’t gone for more than 3 hours!” Luke exclaimed.

            “Luke, do you know what day it is?” Tom asked.

            “Christmas Day, obviously.” Luke answered, rolling his eyes.

            “Luke. You’ve been in a coma dude. It’s New Years.” Alex told him. Luke laughed.

            “Yeah, sure it is.” Luke laughed, sarcastically. I ran to him and gave him my phone.

            “Hey, you got your phone fixed?” Luke asked, smiling at me.

            “Look at the date bro.” I told him. He laughed and opened my phone, seeing it was the last day of the year.

            “Oh crap! That’s not good at all. I missed a lot.” Luke gasped. I laughed.

            “Yeah, you just had to be all big and bad and almost get yourself killed.” I complained.

            “Oh shut up Mel.” He smiled. I took my phone from him and went back to the kitchen.

            “So how’d you get it fixed?” He asked.

            “I know people.” I sang. He laughed. Speaking of knowing people my phone vibrated in my palm.

            “Meet me in the forest.” Jamie.

            “In the forest. Very specific Jamie.” I replied.

            “Come outside then.” Jamie.

            “I gotta go. I’ll be back later.” I told Luke, and then I walked out the door. Tom followed me out.

            “Mel. He just got home, don’t you think you should…” He started, but he saw me with Jamie. He grinned.

            “Have fun.” He mouthed at me, and went back inside. I looked down shyly.

            “Sorry about that.” I told him.

            “It’s alright. Let’s go.” He told me. I rolled my eyes and followed him into the forest. Obviously he wasn’t as interested in me as I was in him.

            “Where are going Jamie?” I sighed after a while. He groaned and picked me up.

            “Assertive!” I gasped, as he started running faster than any human should. He put me down in front of a cave.

            “Beautiful house.” I mumbled sarcastically.

            “Shut up Mel.” Jamie told me.

            “Anger?” I wondered. He walked over to me and held my face. I shook my head and pulled away.

            “Can I tell you a story?” He asked, studying me. I nodded, sitting down just inside the cave, out of the snow. He sat down next to me, and swiped a strand of hair from my face. I cringed away and he sighed.

            “When I was eight, I discovered my first power. I used to live in Alabama. One day, I was just sitting there, being innocent, playing a game and my sister ran in. I looked up at her, curious, because she was crying, and freaking out.

            ‘Jamie! Listen to me. Mom, Dad and I are going to die. I had a vision. You need to go to the cellar. Grab a few necessities and get down there right now! One day, you’ll meet a man who will take you to Connecticut. Until then you’ll live in the homeless shelter downtown. You’ll face many hardships, and end up living in a cave like a barbarian when you get to Connecticut. But it’s all part of the plan. I’m sorry to lay this all on you. Go now Jamie!’ She yelled at me.

“It was like breezy that day, so I grabbed as much as I could and obeyed my sister’s orders. The next day at about 3 in the morning there was a tornado. I was the only one on my block that survived. I was the only kid in the homeless shelter who survived. I was forced to grow up before I was supposed to, and when the man finally did take me here I was already a warrior at ten.”

            “You’ve been living here for four years?” I interrupted. He gave me a look. I rolled my eyes and let him continue.

            “Like I said, I was a warrior, and this man’s tribe wanted me. Nee-yah, the man, was from I believe the Treasure tribe? Anyway, Nee-yah wanted me on his team, and attempted to take me to his base to live and I refused. He tried to grab me and force me to go but I, without meaning to, killed him. I screamed that I wished he would die and he dropped dead. My first power was the power to get what I want in a time of need. Like if I wished your ears would fall off, well, there would never be a situation that I would need that. Well I mean if I didn’t want you to hear something, maybe. But anyway, it has to be really important or else it doesn’t happen. But I lost that power.”

            “How?”

            “Fell in love. I guess love is the ultimate wish.” He told me. I couldn’t help but feel a stab of jealousy.

            “Who? When? And why aren’t you in love anymore?” I pestered. He looked at me.

            “Tell me!” I begged. He kissed me.

            “Melodie, can’t you see? You’re the one I’m in love with. You’re the one I was meant to be with. Trust me, I know. I have a lot of psychics on my side.” He told me after that breath taking kiss.

            “Oh.” I said. He laughed.

            “But you’re not acting like it.” I mumbled.

            “How am I not? I’m trying to protect you Melodie. There are things in the forest, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

            “Why didn’t you just tell me that?”

            “Mel, I wasn’t planning on telling you like this.” He told me. I slapped him. He grabbed my wrist.

            “Hey! What was that for?!” He complained.

            “You should’ve told me sooner.” I smiled. He kissed me again, running his hand through my-finally-brushed hair.

            Now, I’m not gonna get all romantic with you. I breathed in the smell of his blah-bah-Dee-blah cologne or whatever. I’m only 13 for crying out loud! This isn’t a romance! It’s an adventure. So anyway, we kissed and then hung out for quite sometime. Finally Jamie got really quiet because he was having a vision. I closed my eyes to see if I could get the same one. Oh, we did alright. I sprang up from my spot on the dirt.

            “I’ll walk you out.” Jamie told me.

            “But don’t…” I started. He picked me up and started running.

            “Carry me.” I finished, breathless when he put me down at my front door. He laughed.

            “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He told me, kissing me lightly. I walked in the door and sat on the couch, watching George Lopez, waiting for Alex to come down because I know he saw that.

            “What was that?” Alex asked, coming downstairs laughing. I looked up. He made kissy-faces at me. I groaned.

            “You are so annoying!” I groaned. He laughed.

            “Love ya too sis.” He said, patting my head.

            “Luke?” I asked.

            “Store.” I answered.

            “Don’t tell him, he’ll…”

            “Freak out, yeah I know. Who was…?”

            “None of your…”

            “Business, I’ve heard it all…”

            “Before, I know. And you’re going to hear it…”

            “Again, I know. I’ve heard it…”

            “So many times you’re used to it. I…”

            “Don’t care. Mel, you’re so…”

            “Predictable, I’ve heard. Okay, he’s my…”

            “Well obviously! I didn’t think he was your…”

            “Cousin, best friend, pet fish? I’ve heard that all before…”

            “Too. I know. But seriously…”

            “I’m not gonna…”

            “Tell me or I tell Luke I saw you making out…”

            “I wasn’t making out!”

            “Luke wouldn’t know any different.”

            “Would you seriously tell Luke?”

            “Wanna test me?” He asked. I groaned.

            “Again I repeat, you are so annoying!” I yelled. He hopped over the back of the couch and sat next to me. I cringed away.

            “Soooo, tell me everything.”

            “You sound so gay Alex.” I grumbled.

            “Who is he?”

            “This guy! He fixed my phone and the living room. He’s amazing. He’s my boyfriend. He’s a precious one. He’s gonna help me fight Gerard’s tribe. Satisfied?” I groaned, and then went up to my room. I heard him laugh. I threw the bag of candy he gave to me for Christmas down the ladder.

            “Yo, Melodie! Eat before you die!” Luke yelled half an hour later, walking in the door.

            “I’m not hungry!” I yelled back.

            “Get down here right now!” Luke yelled.

            “No!” I yelled. Tom came up and carried me downstairs and sat me in front of a bucket of chicken.

            “I’m not fat!” I complained.

            “Obviously. Now eat.” Luke commanded.

            “What if told you I was turning vegetarian?” I asked.

            “I would tell you I don’t care and you’re eating no matter what.” Luke told me. I groaned.

            “I hate you.” I whispered. He didn’t hear me which was probably a good omen or something. I ate as much as I could unhappily, and then went to sleep. I practiced like usual for the next couple days until school started.