It's Our Melody

Chapter 16: Back Home

I finally was let out of the hospital and everything was seeming more normal. CJ and Chris were up front and decided to take me home. It was the longest drive of my life and I felt fine but something in my  stomach was uneasy. "Melody, are you okay? You're really quiet." CJ looked back at me as I laid down in the seat closing my eyes. "I'm fine just feeling a little sick to my stomach." I shrugged it off and started listening to my ipod. I turned on Something Beautiful by Stained Ashes, a local band I was a huge fan of. I started drifting to sleep and Chris and CJ talked about the concert which sadly didn't go as smoothly as I thought. Before I knew it Chris was carrying me up some stairs and I mumbled. "What are you doing?" He smiled hushing me. " You need rest, get some sleep." I looked up at him and gripped his shirt. "Where are we?" I asked trying to stay awake. "Hotel, we're about an hour from your place but I can't drive anymore and CJ fell asleep in the car so he can't drive." He sat me down on some stairs while he opened the door and picked me back up. "Alright, into bed." He pulled off my vans and pulled down the crisp blankets laying me in bed. "Chris..." I started to say something but he hushed me again and brushed my bangs out of my face pulling the blankets over me and just like that I was dead asleep. Chris crawled into the bed next to mine and was out cold in a matter of minutes and CJ was in another bed across from mine, we were wiped out and sleep was just what we all needed. By tomorrow I'd be back at Munro's and I might not see Chris or CJ again. With that in mind I was scared but then I started thinking about Dustin again. What if the police didn't catch him? What if he hurt me or my friends, or kidnapped me again? I dreamt about the rape again and sprung up from my sleep in a cold sweat and tears. "Great.." I sighed looking around, Chris and CJ were still asleep so I slipped into the bathroom for a much needed shower. Slipping off my jeans and pulling my tank top over my head I looked over my bruises and cuts with remorse. I wished I had never met Dustin or had to go through any of this. I slipped into the hot water and sank to my knees letting the water run down my back and cried. I had finally snapped and lost my mind, and it was all Dustin's fault. He won. I hung my head in shame and looked at the bottom of the tub watching the dirt wash away from me, but it wasn't really gone, the dirt was inside of me breaking away every bit of me I had left. I blasted Hurry up and Save me and just cried my eyes out. Surprisingly I didn't wake CJ or Chris with my minor freak out session, but that sick feeling came back over me. I sighed looking through my bag for something to wear pulling out deep red skinnies and my Dark Heart tank top. I slipped them on and pulled my black Avenged Sevenfold hoodie on pulled my hair into a messy bun letting my bangs go everywhere. I brushed my bangs out which were starting to dry and threw on some eyeliner. I felt just gross and turned the light off and sat on the edge of the bed with my bag and pulled out some white ankle socks and grabbed my cigarettes off the nightstand and walked outside. I sat down on the cement sticking my legs through the railing and lit a cig taking a drag off of it resting my forehead against the bars. I heard the door open and didn't even bother to look back to see which one had woke up but Chris sat by me rubbing my back. "Are you okay?" I just laughed and took another drag off of the cigarette. "Mel." He made me look at him this time and I stopped smiling. "I'm fine okay." I looked away from him and back out at the highway with cars passing. "Don't gimme that bullshit, you and I both know something is wrong." He sounded actually worried. I took another deep drag off my cigarette and bit my lip. "Chris." I looked at him and then down knowing what I was about to say was going to make me lose him forever. "What?" He rubbed my hand and just as I opened my mouth to say something CJ stepped out stretching and hugging me. "Morning Melody." He laughed hugging me again and I just looked away from Chris. I smiled at CJ but it wasn't real. "CJ I need to get a haircut before heading home, mind taking me?" I asked him as we threw our bags into the car and started driving again. "Chris? What about you....want to come?" I asked hesitant. "Sure, what kinda cut you going for?" He asked glancing back at me. "I'm actually just getting my bangs cut straight across instead of angled. Can't drive if I can't see." I smiled slightly. "Do you think it'll look okay?" I asked curious. "Considering no one can see your eyes yea it'll look good on you." I smiled blushing softly. "Hey now, hitting on my sister is okay when I'm not here." CJ laughed punching Chris's arm. "Hey hey if she doesn't mind then I'm allowed." Chris was laughing and we finally got into town. It was busy, kids were playing and running down sidewalks with parents behind them. "Melody? Which place you wanting to go?" Chris asked as I looked around squirming around in the seat. "The mall has a good haircutting place and we could get some shopping in and lunch." I asked looking at Chris then at CJ. I smiled at them. "Please?" I made a pouty face at them looking back and forth. "Okay okay just stop being so damn cute." Chris smiled driving towards the mall. I snapped a photo on my phone posting to face book. "Say goodbye to my bangs." I closed it sliding it back in my pocket as we pulled up to the mall, Chris got out and helped me out as CJ jumped out too. We walked side by side into the mall and I realized just how bad I looked. Messy hair and a hoodie, I was excited though, maybe a new look would be good for me to forget Dustin and all of his trouble. "Hey there's a place right there." Chris pointed over to a little shop that cut hair and did nails too. I ran over looking around smiling. "How may I help you?" A lady behind the counter smiled at me looking me over. "Oh I need to get my hair cut." I smiled softly looking at her as she pointed to an empty chair. I sat down as she started at my hair. "Hey Mel we're gonna go to the video game shop over there okay?" CJ smiled pointing across from the shop we were in. "He's dragging me along Mel don't let him fool you." Chris laughed as CJ pushed him out of the shop. I smiled and the woman started again on my hair, she trimmed up my layers and cut my bangs. "Boyfriend?" She smiled starting conversation. "Oh no the one with the longer bangs is my brother. The one with blue eyes is my friend. "Oh I see, well blue eyes is quite attractive. He has a thing for you and it's quite obvious." I blushed slightly at the thought. "No he doesn't." She smiled walking in front of me evening up my bangs and trimming the ends of my hair. "Sweetheart, you can tell by the way he looks at you. He's got something for you and when I'm done with your hair he'll be after you even more. You're gorgeous and he'll surely love it." She was really nice and we talked about my brother and I told her about how he left when we were younger. She was finally finished and hugged me. "Good luck sweetheart. Enjoy the haircut." I handed her the money and a tip for the advice and walked out snapping a pic of my hair posting it to face book. "What does everyone think?" I smiled closing my phone walking into the game shop looking for Chris and CJ. "Melody?" CJ walked up to me hesitating. "Yeah?" I smiled at him tilting my head. "Holy crap I didn't even recognize you!" He picked me up on his back walking over to Chris. "Dude look at her!" He turned around and you'd think he had seen a ghost. He was quiet the entire day and we went to lunch but it was time to leave and get home. "Melody you can stay at my place tonight if you wanna." CJ laughed as we pulled up to his house. "Uh okay?" I smiled getting out looking back at Chris worried this was it, that I wouldn't see him again. "Chris you're staying too!" Yelled CJ out of the blue and Chris just parked the car and got out. "Why am I staying?" He laughed walking into the front door. "Cause you are that's why." Chris grabbed my bag and his out of his car and followed through the living room. "Guest rooms through there." CJ pointed upstairs to a hallway where I ran upstairs claiming a big bedroom laughing as Chris was right behind me. "Mine!" I jumped on the bed laying on the pillow. I was exhausted and had no idea why. Chris laid my bag in the table and walked downstairs where CJ was waiting to talk to him.