Music to My Ears

12

~ Rori ~

warning(s): knife

It had been twelve days since I'd heard from Leo.

Life goes on, I guess.

I was helping Mel move into her new apartment with Luca.

"Babe, can you grab that box?" She gestured with her head to a cardboard box outside the front door.

He nodded, walking over through the doorway and back with the box.

"So, I'm going to put the bed here, and then we'll get a cute desk to put here." We stood in the bedroom as she pointed to areas in the room."

"It's gonna look great, love." He smiled, leaning in for a kiss.

Third wheel. Again.

"Hey, I'll be right back." I left the room, walking outside to get some air.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, dialing Leo's number one more time.

Voicemail.

"Hey, Leo. I'm worried about you, alright? Can you just call me back when you get this? I just need something to let me know that you're okay. Anything. Please."

I sighed, turning the phone off and slipping it back into my pocket.

I looked up to notice someone with dark hair wearing a black jacket walking across the street.

Intrigued, I hurried across the street and tapped their shoulder.

"Yes?" He turned around, looking down at me.

"Oh. Sorry. I thought you were someone else." I stepped away.

"No worries." He nodded, continuing.

Leo, if you're reading this, I'm going to kill you and tell your mom you were attacked by a kitten.

My shoes clicked as I ran up the stairs to Mel's apartment.

They stepped apart once they saw me as if they had been talking.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, of course not." Mel smiled.

I nodded awkwardly, turning away to pick up a box.

"Is anyone hungry?" Mel stood up, stretching her back from bending over to unpack things.

"A little." I shrugged.

"Okay, be right back."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I asked her before she slipped through the doorway.

"No, I'm good."

I used a knife to cut the tape on one of the boxes, taking some plates out and stacking them.

I felt Luca's hand brush over my lower back.

Turning around, I was prepared to give him a look, but his back was turned.

Probably an accident.

I let it slide, walking around the island counter to pick up another box.

"This one's heavy," I inhaled sharply before lifting it off the ground.

He came towards me, taking it from my hands with a smile.

"Thanks." I mumbled, watching him place it on a wooden chair.

"Yeah, no problem." He let the space between us shrink, coming closer.

I furrowed my eyebrows as he reached over by my ear, swiping strands of hair behind it.

"Um, you're dating Mel." I grasped his wrist, gently moving his hand away from me.

"So?"

"So, you're an asshole." I made a face at him, walking back to the counter.

"For what? For knowing when a woman is attractive and acknowledging it?" He followed.

"The only woman you should find attractive is your girlfriend, Luca." I set a cup down a little too roughly.

"That's bullshit, other girls can be attractive while I'm with her. It's not like anything happened."

"Was that your intention? For something to happen?"

"I'm down for whatever." A smirk crept its way up to his face as he looked at me.

"Get away from me." I lowered my voice, continuing to unpack.

He went across the room with a smile, picking up another box.

The clinks of cups as I put them away made the only noises in the room until Mel came in with two brown paper bags.

"Hey, guys, I got Taco Bell, I didn't know what you guys wanted so I took a couple guesses." She set them down on the counter.

"Thanks." I pasted a smile on my face, taking the bag she slid over to me.

Luca came next to her, kissing her cheek.

She smiled, sliding the other bag to him after taking her burrito out of it, "Here's yours."

"Thanks." He glanced over at me before taking a bite.

"So, when do you think we'll be done?" I spoke up, breaking the silence.

"We'll probably be all unpacked by tomorrow, but the furniture we ordered is probably gonna take a little while." Mel shrugged, her mouth full of food.

I nodded, crumpling up my garbage and throwing it out.  "I should get going, it's gonna be dark out soon."

"I'll walk you." Mel offered.

I nodded, watching her come over to me and walk down the stairs by my side.

I didn't know if I should have told her about Luca. She seemed happy. But not with the right guy.

We didn't talk for a while until we were about halfway to my apartment building, where I spoke up.

"Mel, I need to tell you something." I slowed down, facing her.

"What's up?"

"But you can't get mad at me. Just hear me out."

"You're scaring me."

"Luca isn't a good guy." I looked around, lowering my voice, "He touched me and suggested that he would 'be down for anything' with me."

"What are you talking about, Rori? Why would you ask him that?" She smirked as if she was holding back a laugh.

"I didn't ask him, he said he can find other women attractive while in a relationship, to which I replied..."

"Don't worry about me, Rori. I know who he is."

"What? You're not even mad? Luca isn't-"

"I'm not what?" He came over to us, putting an arm around Mel.

"What are you doing here, Luca?" I looked up at him.

"You guys were taking a while, just came to see if everything was alright."

"We're fine. You can go now."

"I'll see you later, Rori." Mel rolled her eyes with a smile as Luca whispered something in her ear.

"Wait, but-"

"1:00 pm!" She shouted, her back turned and already on her way.

Luca turned his head around to wink at me before walking away with her.

I hate men.

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hey guys sorry this one's a bit short but I had to cut it off here

I'm so excited for the next chapter

bare with me here because it'll all make sense in a few chapters