Chapter Six

Melissa entered the house, her lips tingling from the kiss, and found bills lying on the floor. Sighing out of frustration, she picked up the scattered envelopes, and started sorting through them. Ir was time again, for her to decide which facilities of modern life she cared enough about to pay for, and which ones would have to wait another month or two.

These were decisions she had been making for the past few months, as her mother's condition worsened, and she was old enough to understand these things now. She couldn't afford to pay all the bills. She had to save a lot to be able to buy food. Melissa took out the money her uncle had given her earlier that morning. Counting it, she thanked the heavens that the house, at least, was theirs to keep, as it had been left in her mother's name.

"Melissa, is that you?" her mother croaked.

She's speaking!

"Yes, it's me, mom!" she shouted from her room.

"Next week, let's watch another movie!" she remembered Brian suggesting earlier.

"Uhh...guys, I'm broke, remember?" she told them, laughing nervously.

"You don't have to go!" he snapped at her. Brian had a tendency to be mean, sometimes. But that was just the way he joked, so Melissa didn't mind.

Olivia gave Melissa a tender look.

"It's okay. I have a large collection of DVDs at my place. How about we all meet there?" said Olivia.

Everyone cheered. Melissa sighed of relief. She had to be careful. At the rate that everyone was going out, they would soon find out about her lack of wealth. She cursed Brian. She cursed her fate for meeting Olivia. Then regretted it immediately.

Her cupboard door was open, from taking out the money. She glanced at the clothes stuffed in there. She was sick of wearing the same ones again and again. Everybody had probably noticed she was doing it. When was the last time she washed them, anyway? She probably stank all the time. She couldn't do laundry now, though. She had homework to finish and tests to study for.

Melissa looked down at herself, and then at her reflection. She was still in her shoes, which had now begun to pinch her feet. Her hair was a mess, and her make-up had started to melt off her face, forming a paste on her skin. Had she been looking like that all day? She slid her ballet slippers off, and the stench of her feet reached her nostrils. She hated herself, and her life.

Not realizing what she was doing, she grabbed a large sheet of paper, set it on her art clipboard, set that on her easel, and gathered colored paper. The easel was the last birthday present her father had given her. The different forms of paper and other art supplies, were gifts from Martin on several occasions. The first time he asked her what she would like for Christmas, he was rather surprised to hear her response. But after Melissa used her present to make his Christmas present, he was filled with pride at his niece's talent, and since that day, he encouraged her to pursue her dreams.

Her eyes wandered, for a moment, to where she had dropped her money and her bills.

I'll pick those up later...

She ripped the colored paper to shreds, enjoying the therapeutic effect it had on her stress level. She took some glue, sticking the pieces to the big white paper on her easel, she took a tube of black paint and started spraying it at her collage. Furiously, she squirted the contents onto the colored paper, until her unfinished art was full of black splatters. Deciding she wasn't done yet, she took a few other colors, such as pink and neon green, and did the same as she did with black. After a few more squeezes at the paint tubes, she realized her work of art was complete. Breathing heavily, she smiled at her masterpiece, wondering how she had gotten so worked up.

But her attention was broken as Melissa heard severe coughing, and following that, some noises of vomiting.

"Melissa! her mother screamed, "Meli-" and then some more wretching.

Reviews

[Racy Daniel]

Good writing.

[Addi]

Beautifully written. I love the way Melissa calms down with her artwork and how its kind of an escape for her. Nice work! :)

[BL]

Oh no a turn for the worse, you are keeping my attention all the way through

[Blue Ivory]

Thanks a lot for staying with the story C:

[BL]

Lovin it B

[Jack...]

I knew it, I knew something bad was going to happen...now I am waiting!!!!

[Blue Ivory]

Thanks so much for reading it :) I will try and update ASAP

[UnderCompulsion]

Great story! Keep on with it! It is interesting and I am really wondering what will happen with Mel... But how happend that that boy walked her home? Isn't she afraid that he will find out that she is poor?

[Blue Ivory]

Another friend of mine pointed that out too. You'll see what happens later ;)

[UnderCompulsion]

Okay,can't wait! ;)