Melody

5

Melody exited the school and turned towards the bike rack, and once again saw Alexander there waiting by the bike rack.

"What are you doing here? School ended over an hour ago." She asked, voice dripping with venom. She was not in the mood for anymore adolescent boy bullshit today. Her bullshit quota was more than full for today. For the week really after today's incident.

"I heard about your gym class today, I wanted to make sure you were ok?" His voice sounded like he was actually concerned about her. Melody did not understand what was up with this guy.

"I'm fine, didn't you hear? I'm the psycho that punched him. I'm the violent problem." The sarcasm was heavy in her words.

"I don't think you are the kind of person to hit someone for no reason. Do you want to talk about it? I'll actually listen if you want to talk." He reached his hand towards her, laying a hand on her arm. She felt sparks where he touched her, like he was electric.

Melody sighed, ignoring the strange electric tingles. She didn't want to give in, but no one else in the entire town was going to take her side or listen to her. "Randy deserved worse." she said, while avoiding making eye contact, looking at her canvas shoes instead.

"What did he do? You can tell me." he sounded almost desperate to know what had really happened.

"He is a gross pervert. He was saying incest bullshit in my ears the whole game, but never where anyone else could hear him. I lost it when he grabbed my ass and I didn't even realise I had hit him until he was on the floor yelling and my hand hurt." He saw as she shook her fist, the memory of the crunch of his nose apparent in her eyes. He reached out and took her small hand in his giant one, gently running his fingers over the bones in her hand and fingers. Where he touched her skin, tingles and little sparks followed.

"Nothing seems broken, your middle knuckle is bruised though" he said softly, still examining her hand.

She looked up, his eyes moved to meet her gaze, "I'd do it again if I could, except I'd probably kick him in the balls while he was down too."

Alexander chuckled, "I like this feisty Melody. I didn't think a quiet girl like you had it in her." He was doing his best to keep his face neutral, to be her friend. But inside he was boiling with rage at what Randy had done, and how no one had taken Melody's side. She didn't deserve what the rumors were saying about her.

"Don't get too used to this, I'm pretty sure my mom is going to kill and bury me in the woods when I get home. She wants this blended family shit to work so she's not just a homewrecker anymore." Melody covered her face with her hands as she tried to hold back all her tears, and rage, and everything else that was wrong in her life right now.

"I put my bike rack on my jeep last night, do you want to go get some icecream? I think you could use some." His voice was gentle, and kind. Melody nodded, and followed as he wheeled her bike towards his bright red jeep. He was able to heft the bike up onto the rack on the back with one hand, swiftly securing the latches in place. He ran around to the passenger side door and opened it, offering his hand to Melody to help her step up into the high vehicle. Something like a static shock passed through Melody when he took her small hand in his again, she looked into his eyes and it seemed like he had felt it too.

She shook off the strange shock, and got settled into the jeep, buckling herself in. It was much cleaner inside the jeep than she expected, most teenage guys were little better than pigs and lived in filth. But Alexander's jeep was completely clean on the inside, no trash or anything. Alexander was at the driver's side impossibly quickly, hopping into the vehicle, and turning the key in the ignition.

"Have you had a chance to go to the Snow Queen yet?" He asked her, his voice still soft and gentle, like he was talking to a scared wild animal.

"No I haven't been able to see much of the town yet, mom and I found a bakery on the weekend, but that's all I have really seen so far."