3 - Pity party

Melody’s POV 

I hate having pity parties, but it’s inevitable that bad things happen in my life, I don’t like being angry it’s a waste of good energy and it always brings me back to him, the one person that changed me, Tommy.

The first time I met him, I couldn’t take my eyes off him, he was gorgeous, tall, his wavy brown hair sexily ruffled by the wind, as he leaned against his car talking with a group of his friends.  I remember staring at him like a love sick school girl, which is exactly what I was then.  My friend Maria elbowed me, “stop staring at him, he looks like bad news, the type of guy our Mom’s warned us about.”

My voice came out too dreamily, “yea, he does.”  We continued to walk in their direction, and she pulled me into the nearest store, I know she wasn’t paying attention to where she pulled me into, because an auto store is nowhere either of would be in.

I looked at her, “why did you pull me in here?”  I looked around and scowled at her, “what do you need in here?”

She laughed, “you needed to stop looking at that guy and well….”

She was cut off by a deep baritone voice, “hi, I’m Tommy and you beautiful are perfection.”

I spun and there he was, his green eyes sparkling at me and a smile that took my breath away, he was talking to me and my heart did a flip in my chest.  He stood there just waiting for me to respond and I did and felt like the total love struck little girl I was, “I, well, I’m, I’m…”

Maria huffed, “her name is Melody, and she’s not interested, go away.”

His lips curled into a smug smile, “that’s not what I’m seeing, I think she is, and I am very interested in her, who wouldn’t be with those beautiful blue eyes and her long black curls,” he winked at me. 

My mind was in a fog, he’s too perfect, too handsome and wait a minute, did he just say he’s interested in me?  I smiled sweetly at him, “Hi,” I could feel my cheeks heating up and knew I was blushing.

His eyes darted to my lips and then back to my eyes, “Melody, I was wondering the entire time you were walking towards us, if I had enough guts to ask you for a date and it seems I do, so what do you think, would you honor me by having dinner with me and maybe a movie?”

I stammered, I had never been asked out on a date, didn’t even know if my parents would allow me to date, the subject never came up.  I blinked at him and shook my head, “I have to ask my parents if I can before I can answer you,” I bit my bottom lip.

He smiled, “you’ve never been on a date before?”

I shook my head, “no, never been asked on one,” I shrugged.

He laughed, “something is wrong with the boys around here then, letting a beauty like you get past them,” he walked over to the counter and wrote down something and returned, “here call me when you find out if you can or not, it’s my number.”

Maria scoffed, “come on Mel, were going to be late getting home and my Mom’s going to skin both of us alive, I’m sure she’s worrying about us right now,” she pulled me out and we started walking home.  She glared at me, “get rid of that number Mel, he’s up to no good, I can feel it.

I pouted at her, “why, he seems nice, sweet even and he’s gorgeous, did you see those eyes?”

She shook her head, “Mel, he’s too good looking, too perfect and too nice, that’s the problem.”

I cackled, “that’s ridiculous sounding,” I shoved the number in the front pocket of my jeans and just kept thinking about those green eyes of his, how they sparkled. 

The next day he was at the same exact spot, waiting for me outside the auto store and Maria rolled her eyes, “you didn’t ask your parents, did you?” she whispered to me.

I shook my head, “I did, and they said no, but I thought of a plan, so just go along with it.”

I stopped in front of him and his smile was bright, “hi gorgeous, so when are we going on our date?” he arched his brow, and it made him even more handsome.

I smiled, “Friday night, but you’ll need to pick me up at my friend Carla’s house and drop me back off there, I’m spending the night with her, so I can’t be out too long, so either a movie or dinner but I won’t have time for both.”

I shook my head from the thoughts, yea, I gave him the green light right then, he knew my parents didn’t approve and I was sneaking out just to be with him.  I sighed as I picked up the last of the pizza I had delivered and chomped into it.  He didn’t ask me which I wanted to do, no he chose a movie and that’s when he took my first kiss, as we sat in the theatre, lights out and only the glow of the screen, he leaned in and took it, didn’t ask but it was fine and he made my toes curl.  I chuckled, my first kiss and he stole my heart with it, I’m sure he knew he had, and I was so smitten by him, I didn’t see the red flags being waved all around him.  That first date was the only real date we ever had, all the rest were in his car as he worked on his way to win his prize.

For 6 months he stood at the same spot at the same time, waiting for me to walk home from school, until he had finally gotten his prize and then poof he was gone.

My anger flairs and I stand, kicking the empty pizza box off the table and head for the freezer, rocky road ice cream, that will cure it.  I take a spoonful into my mouth and head for the couch, the wound festering within me, keeping me strong enough to never be fooled again and I giggle remembering what my grandma use to tell me, “only fools fall in love, a smart girl falls for money.”  Another tear slips from my eye, now I’m thinking of the family I once had and how I’m alone without any of them to comfort me when I need it.