Melody's Muse ✓

34. Aria - Cole Op. 1 No.2

Melody

I stand by the doorway, saying goodbye to guests as the party finally begins to die down. I make a handful of plans to hang out with my friends and family in the upcoming months - once my real break starts. Lunches, dinners, road trips, and vacations. I refuse to go through the same isolation ever again. 

I breathe a sigh of relief after I've shut the door behind the last guest. As much as I love my friends and family, I've always been and always will be an introvert. I'm absolutely exhausted from all of the socialization. Only seconds after I've begun to head back down the hall, there's quick, almost frantic, knocking on the door. I assume someone must have forgotten something.

"Carmen?" I raise an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?" I don't recall seeing her here tonight. I can't for the life of me remember whether or not she was even invited. Cole and mom handled most of the guest list.

She looks at me with glassy, wide eyes and suddenly pulls me into a tight, rib-crushing hug. "Melody! I just wanted to say how sorry I am for what happened at the formal!" she exclaims.

"I-it's alright," I cough and try to wriggle my way out of her grip. As insane as that night was, I can't help but empathize with her distress. "Do you want to come in?"

She takes a couple cautious steps into the penthouse. Her eyes nervously dart back and forth a couple times and she chews on her nails before she leans closer towards me and lowers her voice. "Have you seen Alyssa recently? I've sorta been, um, avoiding her since the formal. She's like, super scary when she's mad and I heard she was super mad when she found out what happened."

She can say that again. Alyssa called me that night and she sounded absolutely livid. I had to call Cole to check up on her and make sure she hadn't annihilated Carmen. The two of them live in the same sorority house. I can't even begin to imagine how Carmen's been avoiding her for nearly a week now.

"Well, yes we're cousins," I remind her. "She's still here, she's staying over tonight."

Carmen's eyes widen in horror and she quickly turns back around. She fumbles with the door as she scrambles to unlock it and probably bolt.

"Carmen?!"

We both turn and see Alyssa storming down the hall towards us. Carmen gasps and presses her back against the door. She grabs my arm and tugs me in front of her to use as a human shield. I try to move, but her long, hot pink nails dig into my skin.

"H-hi Alyssa," she stammers. "I just came here to apologize to-"

Alyssa pulls me out of the way - nearly sending me crashing into the foyer's indoor water fountain.

She corners Carmen and crosses her arms. With her high heels on, she's nearly an entire head taller than Carmen. "How could you do that to Melody?" she hisses. "I told the board to leave her alone at the formal. I have every right to kick you out of ADPi you know."

"W-wait A-Alyssa," Carmen sputters as waterfalls of tears almost immediately begin streaming down her flushed cheeks. "I love the sorority! P-please don't do-"

"Don't bother," she sneers.

Just as Carmen looks like she's ready to get on her hands and knees to beg, I quickly pull Alyssa back. Her skin is hot and I can feel the intensity of her anger fuming from her.

"Liss, please don't. It's alright," I whisper.

She laughs dryly. "Mel, I know you're really kind but this isn't the time. People told me how terrified you seemed." Carmen flinches a bit as Alyssa turns back to her - shooting a flash of white-hot anger with her piercing eyes.