Melody POV
It felt good to breathe again.
For once, I wasn't thinking about exams, revenge, or cold nights spent sleeping in my car. I wasn't walking on the edge of panic or grief. Life surprisingly was starting to make sense.
I had a place to stay. A job I loved.
A man who made my chest ache in the softest way.
And today, I had something else: friends. Something I never thought I'd have again.
"Look at you, big girl," Stella teased as she opened the door to her apartment. "Showing up early like a responsible adult."
I laughed, stepping in. "You're one to talk. Last time we met, you came thirty minutes late with a milkshake in hand and no apology."
She smirked. "I came fashionably late. There's a difference."
Marc was already there, lounging on the couch, phone in hand. He looked up and grinned when he saw me. "Hey, sis."
"Hi, twin," I said, bumping his shoulder as I passed.
Drex, Stella's twin, came out from the kitchen holding a tray of snacks. "Party people! Who's ready for movie night?"
"Only if you don't pick another sad film again," Marc groaned. "Last time, Melody cried for hours."
"I did not cry for hours," I said, even though I kind of did.
Everyone laughed, and for a moment, the atmosphere felt light. Easy. Like this was what life was supposed to be before all the pain and secrets.
Stella handed me a drink and sat beside Drex on the floor. "So... tell us, Melody," she said, stirring her glass slowly. "How's the dream life going? Job, man, house. You're ticking all the boxes these days."
I blinked. "It's not a dream, Stella. I worked hard for all this."
"Oh, I know." She smiled, but her voice held something else beneath it. "Just seems... fast, that's all."
Marc sat up. "She deserves fast. She's been through enough slow heartbreaks to last a lifetime."
Drex nodded. "Facts. Honestly, I'm just glad she's smiling again."
I smiled back at them, heart warming. "I'm trying."
But as I caught Stella's eyes again, I noticed a flicker. A tension I couldn't name. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
I brushed it off. Maybe I was overthinking.
We continued chatting, laughing over childhood stories. Drex was full of random jokes, and Marc kept stealing the popcorn from my bowl like it was his personal mission. Stella was quieter than usual, just sipping her drink and nodding occasionally.
Then it happened.
I was standing to grab a napkin when Stella turned sharply, her hand jerking and the entire contents of her cup splashed all over my top.
Cold. Sticky. Red.
I froze.
Everyone stared.
Stella's mouth dropped open. "Oh my gosh, Mel—I'm so sorry!"
I looked down at myself, heart thumping in confusion. My white blouse was stained, and the drink had run down my sleeves.
Marc jumped up, grabbing tissues. "Whoa, that's everywhere."
"I didn't mean to," Stella said again, her tone quick but her eyes… they didn't match her voice.
Drex looked between us, tense.
"It's fine," I said, even though it really wasn't. "It's just a shirt."
I turned and walked slowly to the bathroom, dabbing at the mess with shaking fingers.
It had felt... intentional.
But why would Stella do that?
She'd been one of the few people who stood by me when things got hard. She was the one who called when I was on the edge, who checked in when I stayed up studying. She'd cried with me once. She'd defended me.
But people change.
Maybe they don't stay forever.
I stepped out a few minutes later wearing one of Drex's oversized hoodies.
Everyone was quieter now.
Marc gave me a look like he knew I was holding something in.
"I think I'm gonna head home," I said softly.
"You sure?" Drex asked. "You could still stay for the movie-"
"No, it's alright. I'm tired."
Stella stood too. "Let me walk you out."
We walked down the hallway slowly.
She didn't say anything at first. Just walked beside me in silence.
Then, right before I reached the door, she said, "I really didn't mean to spill it."
I nodded, not looking at her. "I know."
But part of me didn't.
Because deep inside, I was starting to notice the shift in her voice whenever she asked about Marvis.
The way she flinched when Marc praised me.
The slight pause before she smiled at my good news. I hated doubting her. I didn't want to lose her. But something in today's silence told me:
She already felt like she was losing me. And I didn't know how to fix that. Not without breaking something else.