Melody's Crush

Chapter 30

The light that poured in from my window pierced the puffiness of my eyelids causing them to burn. Wincing, I rolled over on my side and threw a pillow over my head in hopes that my mind could be tricked into believing it was night and go back to sleep.

Shuffling feet in my room had my heart racing causing me to bolt upright.

"Jake," I said excitedly, but was met with my mother sitting down on the edge of my bed, her hand coming up to cup around my shoulder offering up a gentle squeeze and an arm rub.

My throat tightened again for like the thousandth time since last night after getting home. Immediately, my mother recognized in me what happened and jumped to my rescue before my body crumbled to the floor. It wasn't until in the early morning hour that she unwrapped her protective arms and quieted her shushing lips to allow me to lie back on my bed. Covering my worn out body with the blanket, she tiptoed from my room and quietly closed the door.

Even though there were no tears left to cry, my body still convulsed with sobs after she left.

Now with the sun penetrating my eyes, I had no choice but to face the day.

"Here." My mom handed me one of her coveted coffee mugs. My nose wrinkled from the sweet chocolaty aroma that drifted up in billowy streams of steam as I wrapped my palms around the cup.

"Thanks," I said weakly.

Her supportive hand dropped from my upper arm as she waited for me to take the first sip. Not wanting to disappoint her, I forced my head to dip toward the rim drawing in a sip of the hot liquid. The heat from the chocolate hit the back of my throat and I thought I was going to die from the pain as my esophagus rebelled and closed up tight from the assault.

Somehow, I was able to push hard against the constricted muscles until finally, the liquid pushed through leaving a burning trail down toward my stomach.

Looking up at my mother, she must have understood because she grabbed the cup from my hands and placed it on the floor.

Thank God she didn't start patting me on the back or I was sure I would end up in the hospital.

Instead, she rubbed my shoulder as I stared down at my hands in my lap, feeling empty.

"Do you feel a little better?" she asked cautiously.

I nodded trying to make her feel better. But actually, I just wanted to curl up and go back to sleep for the next couple of years.

"Jake will come around," she offered gently as she continued to rub the back of my shoulder.

Just hearing his name had my lips tugging downward and my chest constricting. Lifting a palm to my eye, I pushed back the stinging as I rubbed at it before dropping my hand back into my lap, unable to keep my arm up from the lack of strength.

I sniffled and looked over at my mom who was offering a weak but reassuring smile. Her finger came up to swipe at a curl tugging at the corner of my lashes and pushed it out of the way.

Her lips pushed into an over exaggerated pout. "And here I took the day off so I could go shopping with my daughter to get her a homecoming dress for tonight."

"I'm not going," I said feeling like razorblades were cutting my throat causing me to wince with pain.

"Yes, you are."

My eyes widened to as far as my puffed up lids would allow them. "Why?" I croaked.

"Because, this too shall pass," she said gently. "Besides, the committee is counting on you to help out."