Chapter Fourteen

 

Everything seemed to be going wonderfully.  That spark of happiness that had been smoldering in the depths of Sara’s heart was beginning to flare to life again.  The peculiarity of it was that she didn’t shun it.  She wanted it.  It’d been a long time since Sara had called upon happiness.  It was good.  It didn’t backfire on her.

Mel was back in the other end of the house fidgeting with something or another when Sara had this epiphany of sorts on Jared’s lap.  Looking down at him she smiled and he smiled back, it was almost as though they were still dating.  That wouldn’t be happening, so she jumped up and went back to Mel.

The bedroom door was closed, so Sara took that as being where Mel had gone.  She couldn’t have been more right.  She heard Mel talking in a hushed voice.  Hushed but angry.  Who is she talking to?

            “No.  Stay away damnit.”

            Pause.

            “I said no.  How is it that nothing ever matters if it’s coming from my mouth, huh?  I said no and I mean it.  Stop contacting me in all ways.  I don’t want to hear from you again.  From anyone.”

            Something clattered and fell to the floor and Sara took that as her queue to go in and see what was up.  Mel was sitting in the middle of the big bed with her legs folded under her.  She was running her hands through her hair in a frustrated, nervous manner and didn’t see Sara come in.

            “You okay in here?”

            She seemed a bit startled.  “Yes.  I’m fine.  How much did you hear?”

            “Enough to know you were arguing.”

            “Oh.  Well I might as well say it straight up.  That was Josh wanting to know where I was…   to come and ‘visit’.  Like he’d actually visit.  He’d just start s**t.  I’m tired of his s**t, so I ended it.”

            “He’s going to be pissed.” 

            “I don’t care.  Don’t look so worried about it.  It was in the making anyway.  We wouldn’t have lasted much longer.”  She looked up and her eyes were glazed over with unshed tears.

            “So.”  Sara moved to climb on the bed.

            “Stop.”

            “I’m sorry.”  Climbing on further.

            “I said I didn’t care.”  Mel’s voice had broken a little at the end of the sentence.

            “I know, but I can see you loved him at least a little.”  With that, Sara climbed onto the bed and embraced Mel while she let her emotions flow through her.

            “I don’t know why I’m teary, he was such an a*****e!  Ugh, this is so pathetic.  I’m sorry Sara.”

            “It’s okay, don’t be.  We’re both emotional train wrecks.”  Sara kissed the top of Mel’s head and took in the sweet scent of her shampoo, her hair, and underneath that, the essence of her smell.  It was sweet and fragrant to reflect her personality.  She memorized that smell and stored it away.  Please don’t let this girl get hurt anymore.  She smiled, nothing like praying to no one.

A few moments passed with them holding each other in the middle of the bed and then Jared called them out into the living room.  He sounded odd.

“Coming!”  They shouted simultaneously, and went out a little faster than needed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s getting to be late, don’t you two want to go out for dinner?”

“What time is it?”  Sara asked.

“Oh about…”  He looked at the stove clock, “8:00.”

“Are you serious?”  Mel sounded astonished.

“Yeah, time flies when you’re having fun.”  Jared laughed, but not like he usually would.  It was more a scoff than a laugh.

“Or when you’re having an epiphany of sorts.”  Sara’s voice thick with sarcasm.

“And sleeping.”  Mel looked at Sara.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Well, if you two want food, where are we going?”

Mel shrugged.

“I don’t want to stay out… can’t we get take out or have something delivered?”

“Sure.”

“Well you two can choose.  I don’t care, I don’t even know if I’m going to eat anything at all.  Don’t have much of an appetite.”  Sara went and curled up on the corner of the couch and stared off into space.  The sound of something falling and making a loud thump, accompanied by the soft vibration from a cell phone brought Sara back to reality.  It wasn’t the most wonderful thing to bring her back.