It’s more likely that it will all go crazy later tonight when we all finally go to bed. Whatever it is they have instore for me, I’m sure I can handle it. What’s the worst they can do? They’re hardly going to threaten me with a bread knife. Although Melody isn’t as convinced about that as I am. I want to walk her to her bedroom door but she refuses. Instead she insists on walking me to mine.
“Just in case my brothers are lurking around somewhere,” she says as she peers round the corner before leading me up the corridor. Anyone would think she thought this was a spy movie and that’s she’s 007.
I kiss her goodnight when we reach my room and her concerned expression makes me laugh.
“Babe, stop worrying. I’ll be fine.”
“I just...”
I don’t let her finish. I pull her towards myself, wrapping her in my arms and kiss her softly. Then I’m turning the doorknob and wishing her a goodnight before closing the door behind me and leaving my girlfriend on the other side.
Her brothers come for me at 3 am on the dot. Of course, I’m expecting them. I just hadn’t known their schedule so I’m awoken to a hand over my mouth.
“Out of bed,” Landon demands.
It turns out Melody isn’t the only one who thinks she’s in a spy movie. The boys have moved a desk that was originally against the wall into the middle of the floor. There is a desk lamp sat on top of it. It’s turned on and it’s the only light in the entire room. They sit me in a chair on one side of the table and they each take a seat opposite me. Their eyes are devoid of the humour that I’m struggling to keep inside.
“We’ve got some questions for you, Mulligan,” Ayden says.
I simply nod my head and wait. “How long have you been with our sister?” Landon asks.
“Since February.”
“What’s the nature of your relationship?” Ayden asks, completely deadpan. I can’t help but cock a brow. Is this kid asking me if I’ve had sex with his sister?
“She’s my girlfriend.” It’s all I’m willing to say. They’ll have to torture me if they want to know more.
“How come we’ve never heard of you until recently?” Landon moves on.
“I was new to the school. Only joined in January.”
“What do you like about Melody?” Landon asks, his voice cold, completely emotionless.
“She’s kind. She’s funny. She’s amazing. She’s anti-social as hell but I think she’s great.”
There’s more I could say. I could tell them how much I love watching her play the piano or how amazing it feels when she kisses me but I don’t. Those memories are mine and I feel protective of them.
“How long do you see yourself dating Mel?” Ayden asks, his voice slightly softer than his older brother’s.
“For as long as possible.”
“Will you marry her?” Ayden continues. Ayden is younger than Melody and me. He’s fifteen and I know that if he was the one being interrogated he’d probably freak out if someone mentioned marriage. I don’t freak though. I can’t answer the question honestly though. I’m only sixteen. Heck just because legally we could get married, that doesn’t mean we would or even should. Besides there’s no way in hell my parents would give me their consent. Married at sixteen? That wouldn’t happen.
I try to think up the best answer. There are two possible options. One. How the hell would I know? Two. Not yet.
Truth is that I’m not anywhere near thinking about marriage. I’m sixteen for goodness sake and Melody is my first real girlfriend. But if I was going to marry anyone, I think Melody would be the perfect wife. “Maybe one day.”
The questions continue. They outright ask if we’ve had sex yet. I reply honestly. No, we haven’t. Am I planning on it? Not tonight, but yes, eventually I want to have sex with Melody Peters. What are my plans for after school? University. After that? Fuck knows. On and on they go until they seem to be satisfied and I’m allowed to return to my bed.
When I wake up the next morning the whole room has been returned to normal and the two boys pretend the whole ordeal hadn’t happened at all. They are slightly less frosty than they had been the day before but I can’t help but wonder if there is still more to come.
The holiday passes pretty smoothly except that I’m highly aware that I am being watched. My every move is scrutinised. Eyes narrow every time I reach out to touch Melody and lines appear across foreheads when Melody and I pull away from the rest of the group.
Every day her brothers seem to like me slightly more but they certainly haven’t decided to trust me with their sister’s heart.
They’re wary and it’s pretty sweet, I guess. Even if it is a complete cock block. It’s not that I’d expected we’d have sex this week or anything but I wouldn’t mind five minutes to make out. Seriously, if I’d thought it was hard to find time alone at school, I’d had no idea. We’ve barely seen Melody’s father except at meal times. He has been giving the same uncertain look that his sons have been giving me.
When it’s time for us to return to school, Melody’s mum pulls us each into an embrace, reminding us all that we must visit again. Then our hands are stuffed with snacks and treats for the journey back. Landon gives me a pointed look, then raises his hand to his face, pointing two fingers at his eyes before pointing them at me. He doesn’t need to mouth the words for me to get the message.
“I’m watching you.”
Melody is told to send a text when we arrive safely and then we’re on the road.
Chapter Seventeen – Melody
The summer term goes by quicker than it has any business to. It barely feels like days have past since I took my friends home for the Easter break and we’re already in the middle of our exams with only a week to go before the summer holidays.
The idea of not seeing Zach for even half of the six week break is devastating. Zach has snuck into my room and we’re curled up in bed together. It’s around midnight and our last weekend together for the year is about to start but I can’t bare it.
“I’m going to miss you this summer.”
“I’ll miss you too, babe,” he says, his eyes clear and honest. “It’s strange. I’ve never stayed at a school this long.”
“Not ever?”
He shakes his head.
“I’m glad you stayed here,” I tell him, before pulling myself closer to him and kissing him.
I’ve had a few boyfriends over the years. Not loads but a few. I’ve kissed some but not all. I even had sex with Harry but none of it compares to this. Simply lying in bed with Zach, kissing him, is the best thing in the world.
The kiss deepens. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of kissing him.
His hand moves, surprising me as it lands on my chest. His fingers shake slightly as he begins to gently caress me through the material of my top. His eyes are on me, questioning. He’s no more sure than I am. I blush crimson.
I begin to unbutton the buttons of his shirt but his hand stops me.
“Are you sure?” He asks, his voice slightly rougher than normal, a mix of fear and lust.
Am I sure? No. Not really.
I’m nervous as hell but I don’t want to spend the whole summer away from him without having at least done this together once. I nod my head. I’m not sure. Not of anything except the fact that right now, I love Zach Mulligan.
He reacts by pulling me in for another kiss. We have kissing down. Our hands are a fumbling mess as we try to remove our clothes but at least our mouths know what they are doing. When we finally have our clothes off, I’m shy and can barely look. I want to look but I can’t bring myself to do it.
I have condoms. My mum’s motto in life is to always be prepared. Except I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with them. I mean seriously, I’ve seen the demos in sex education but that doesn’t prepare you for the real thing. Instead, I give him a shy smile and offer it to him. He’s struggles to put it on and I’m grateful that I’m not the only one nervous as hell.
It’s a
wkward and messy but it’s also perfect, my body’s actions mirroring the words that fall from my lips.
“I love you, Zach.”
“I love you too, Melody,” he replies through gritted teeth as he tries to maintain at least some control. Then he loses whatever control he still has and it’s all over.
Usually leaving school for the summer is exciting. Usually I can’t wait to jump in the car and return to Surrey. But not this year. This year as I wait for the car to pull up in the drive I’m crying buckets as I say goodbye to Zach. He reminds me that he’ll see me in three weeks time.
“It’s only three weeks, babe. It will fly by.” He’s lying. He looks as disappointed as I am, minus the tears.
He kisses me sweetly and then our friends are on us, telling us that we’ll all have a great time when we meet up. They make plan after plan after plan and my mood improves slightly. I cling to Zach, wishing for just one more hour as I see the Audi pull up. My driver takes my luggage and then I’m really saying goodbye.
I try not to look back as we drive down the drive but it’s impossible. My eyes find his and I wave. I already miss him. If I’d known then that that would be the last time I’d see him, I’d never have gotten into that car.
The journey starts like any other. I’m downcast from having to say goodbye but I’m already on my phone dropping him a text. Then out of nowhere, just as I send the message telling Zach that I love him, a car hits into my side of the car. It’s quick as lightning and there’s nothing that can prepare me for the moment of impact.
Chapter Eighteen – Zach
If I’d known I’d never see her again, I’d never have left her side. I wouldn’t have let her leave. I receive the text. I reply to the text. But she will never read it.
I love you too, babe. I’ll see you soon xx
If I’d know I’d never see her again, there are other things I would have said on the steps to our school. I’d have told her everything. The way her smile made me feel alive. The way the sound of her playing the piano was like a sound created by heaven just for me. Her melody was made for me. That’s how I felt and if I’d have had the chance or more if I’d realised that I’d never have the chance again I’d have told her it all. But I was only sixteen. I didn’t know that life was fleeting or that death took without warning.
I didn’t know.
If I’d have known...
I don’t find out until much later. The next morning, in fact. I get up for breakfast and can’t hide my surprise when both my parents are sat there waiting for me. The cereal laid out. Toast prepared. The moment would be a perfect family picture if not for two things. First, I know that my family isn’t perfect and we don’t eat breakfast together. Second, the looks upon my parents’ faces tell me that something is terribly wrong.
They don’t speak.
I sit and pour a glass of orange juice and wait for whatever news they are going to give me. I worry that they are planning on taking me out of school again. In that moment that’s the worst thing I can imagine but what they say is in fact so far beyond that that it brings a whole world of pain.
Melody Peters, my girlfriend, the girl I love is dead.
I sit shell shocked, in complete disbelief as they explain that a drunk driver hit Melody’s car on the way back to Surrey. They tell me that Abby is hurt but alive and I know that I should feel something – relief that I haven’t lost two people but I can’t rally those feelings. All I feel is loss, desperate, unending loss. She’s gone.
Everyone says that the funeral is beautiful. A lovely service. I barely notice it. The kids from school show up and give me hugs and pats on the back and they tell me they’re sorry but they don’t really understand. They don’t know what it is to lose the girl you love. Her family cry. I cry. They show photos and play videos of her playing the piano and I’m reminded of what I’ve lost.
The people around me say the nicest things about her but their words are meaningless. All I hear is noise. It isn’t until I get into bed that night and all the noise and chaos of the day fall away that I finally hear it. Somewhere in the recess of my memory there is a melody playing. Only for me.
And then I know that in my mind and in my heart she’s still playing that beautiful, soul crushing melody and she always will be.
Epilogue
There at the piano sits a man and his wife. Between them on the piano stool sits a little girl. Landon Peters tells his five-year-old daughter a story. He tells her of her beautiful aunt and the music she could create.
Three sets of fingers move in unison, the hand of the husband, the hand of the daughter and the hand of the mother all playing together their own tune in perfect harmony, weaving one melody with another.
Landon would always miss his little sister. All the lives that Melody had weaved her way into would forever miss her. It was Melody that taught Landon how to love without reservation or fear. It was Melody that taught him what love was – the entwining of two lives in a perfect, seamless melody. The little girl that sits between him and his wife, Aurora, in many ways reminds him of his sister. Her hair falls in curls down her back, her smile is bone deep and her eyes twinkle. Everything she says is said with such conviction that you would hardly believe that she’s only five. In many ways she reminds him of his sister, not least of all her name, Melody.
A Quick Message From Hanleigh
I’m sorry if I made you cry but so many of you asked to hear her story, I just couldn’t refuse you.
Love isn’t always built to last but no matter whether it lasts for a day or for a hundred years, it never really leaves us.
Thank you so much for reading.
Hanleigh xxx
Hanleigh’s Books
Hanleigh’s London Saga
The Rules Series
Broken Rules
Enforced Rules
Revised Rules
A Secret Melody
The History Series
Repeating History
Deleting History
Forging History
A History In Paris
The Intimacy Series
Damaged Intimacy
Entangled Intimacy
Forceful Intimacy
Call Me Doctor
The Fate Series
A Bleak December
Inescapable Fate
Inexplicable Fate
Irreversible Fate
Lust & Lyrics Contemporary Reverse Harem
His, His Or His?
Kumari’s Kitsune – A Reverse Harem
Cursed by the Crown
Tainted by Prophecy
The Elite – Dark PNR
INSTINCT
A Secret Melody Page 6
