Forever & Always (The Gangleaders Weakness)

Chapter 23. Confessions

Who else loves Twenty Øne Piløts?
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Melanie's P.O.V.
Andy stares at me in pure shock. I had his jacket draped around my small shoulders, we sat in complete silence. All his movements froze once my feelings came pouring out of my mouth. I sat there staring at him in confusion for five minutes, his face is blank but I can see a small sense of disbelief in his eyes. I hear shuffling around us and see that it's the guys, they look awkward and lost before they tell me they'll be upstairs. I nod my head never breaking eye contact with Andy as I hear them jogging upstairs. Suddenly it hits me....the complete and utter humiliation. I stand up slowly although it feels like I don't know how to move I do it anyways. Before I know it, I'm sprinting to the front door trying to get away from this impossibly awkward situation. I hear Andy calling for me to stop but I just choose to keep running, I stop in the middle of the driveway wondering where to go. My head moves from left to right before I spot the old willow tree in the back of the house.

I run side to side with the black fence and up the hill where the willow tree stands, I hear small splashes and make the conclusion that there is a pond or stream next to it.

Out of breath, I lean against the tilted trunk of the willow tree. I can only make out the silhouettes of my surroundings due to the clouds guarding the sun and the vine like leaves acting like a curtain. Guarding me from reality....
I sigh softly and sniffle. My nose is runny, I itch to wipe it with my wrist. I look down at my ripped shirt and cringe, making sure to button the jean jacket up.
"Melanie!?" I hear a yell in the distance probably just down the hill. I spin around and hide behind the trunk, only to find out that the other side of the tree is surrounded by a large pond.
"Woah..." My breath comes out in small puffs, as I breath hard. My ribs feel like they are being stabbed by small shards of glass as I inhale so I start taking shorter breaths.

Eventually the pain stops and I am able to bend over and put my hand over the water. I can see my reflection so I assume that the lake isn't frozen so when I got in to tap my finger tip I am met by a thin layer of ice that breaks almost immediately. My first instinct is to shoot back and scream:
"COLD!" I quickly shut myself up by clamping my cold hands over my chapped lips. I hear shuffling from behind the tree's leaves and scoot back toward the pond.
"Melanie?" I breathe hardly as I hear Andy's voice just behind the trunk of the tree.
"I know you're there." Silence.
"Why did you scream?" Silence.
"Mel, listen I'm sorry just come out and let me explain what happened." My curiosity sparked but my willpower is much stronger. I felt a warm tear run down my cheek, and splash onto my neck. I hear Andy walk over to the other side of the tree where I am sitting and sit down next to me.
"If you don't want to talk that's fine, but I'm not leaving you out here to get sick." He scoots closer to me, I scoot farther. Closer, farther, closer, farther, closer, farther. This continues until Andy gets fed up with getting soggy dirt on his jeans and scoops me up in his arms. I am immediately surrounded by Andy's warmth and his cozy scent.
"No matter how far you run away, I am always one step closer." I gasp as he pull me into his chest and and embraces me tightly.
"You just don't get it do you?"
"G-get what?"
"That I am completely crazy about you." My heart rate picks up drastically.
"I-I...um...uh...I-"
"The reason I didn't answer was because when I asked you why I half expected you to say something like 'Because I need somewhere to live!' and so when you said that you loved me I just thought it was too good to be true."
"Andy?"
"Yes?"
"You really think that I am like those girls who used you in the past?"
"N-no of course not!"
"Then what is it?"
"It's just....I couldn't believe that someone like you would ever fall for someone like me."
"Someone like you?" He nods his head shamefully.
"Someone....someone who kills and steals....and someone who is just a monster."
"Andy." His head is down and he won't make eye contact with me.
"Andy, look at me." When he doesn't I go under his arms and look into his eyes. I slowly bring my fingers up to his cheek and hold it firmly, then bring our lips together. He responds immediately. His lips are soft and gentle and I know that this is one moment I could never give up. I finally pull away, missing the warm feeling of his lips on mine.
"You're probably the greatest person I have ever met so don't think that I will care about your decisions in the past, because this is now. And if it weren't for your decisions in the past...you wouldn't be who you are now. Andy, I love who you are." He stares at me in silence but this time he pulls my arms and hugs me tightly.
"Melanie Grace?"
"Y-yes?"
"I am in love with you." My heart flutters in my chest and I feel small tears of happiness prick at the corners of my eyes. I close my eyes and hum in response while I clench his large shoulders in my hands.
"Hey what about my mom?"
"I had the boys take her back to her cell."
"Yeah...but we can't keep them there forever you know?"
"I'll figure something out." I nod my head but and feel a slight release of the weight on my shoulders. Then I remember my encounter at the hospital with the man. I push it to back of my mind but understand that it may not be something that I can just ignore, it may be important so I decide to tell Andy about it tonight at dinner. I rub circles on Andy's back before he pulls away.
"We need to get back inside before you get sick."
"Y-yeah." I should just tell him right now while we are alone.
"A-Andy?"
"Yeah, Mel." Andy holds my hand while looking forward.
"M-m..."
"What?" He turns and looks at me now.
"Mud brown eyes."
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Chapter dedicated to: @KaitlinSkeleton