Whispers Of the Heart : High School

Chapter 7 : A Trip To The Hospital

"You lost weight, you look like a zombie," Melody remarked bluntly as she looked at Asher, her concern evident despite her teasing tone. "I bet you've been eating junk."

Asher, lying on the hospital bed, retorted with a smirk, "Better than your food."

Melody's response was swift as she smacked Asher on the back of his head. "Hey, I'm still sick," he protested, rubbing the spot where she had hit him.

Unfazed, Melody continued, her tone stern, "That's why I've been telling you to come home. We'll have a proper talk about your future and—"

Asher interjected, his voice tinged with bitterness, "No way. You know I don't think you have a right to talk like that. Whose fault do you think it is that I left?"

The room grew heavy with the weight of their unresolved history, the emotions between them palpable. It was clear that there were deeper wounds and tensions that had yet to be addressed.

"Well, if you're going to be wrecking your health by living alone, then I'm dragging you back home," Melody asserted firmly, her concern for Asher taking precedence over their argument.

Asher scoffed, a defiant glint in his eyes. "You don't even know where I live."

"The doctor told me, Asher," Melody replied, her tone softening as she revealed the source of her knowledge.

Asher's gaze flickered to Selena, a mix of surprise and annoyance evident on his face. "You blabber," he muttered, clearly not expecting Selena's involvement.

Melody didn't miss a beat as she scolded Asher, hitting him on the head once more. "Is that how you talk to the person you owe your life to?"

"C'mon, cut it out with the hitting," Asher protested, rubbing his head once again.

The back-and-forth banter between Melody and Asher continued, their familiarity with each other evident despite their disagreements. In the midst of their argument, Selena took the opportunity to make her exit.

"I'm just gonna go," Selena interjected, picking up her belongings. Her presence had added an unexpected layer of tension to the room, and she seemed eager to remove herself from the situation.

Melody, sensing that her interaction with Asher had affected Selena, quickly got up as well. "I'll walk you out," she said to Selena, her expression softening as she realized the impact of their argument. 

As Melody and Selena walked down the hospital corridor, Selena's gaze happened to fall upon the ring adorning Melody's finger. It was a simple and elegant ring, the kind that often symbolized a commitment between two people. Selena's mind began to race, and a certain suspicion started to take root.

Her thoughts swirled, and she couldn't help but wonder about the nature of Melody's relationship with Asher. The recent argument between them, combined with the sight of the ring, led Selena to a startling assumption—could Melody and Asher be having an affair?

As Selena received Melody's business card, she noticed the same last name as Asher

"Oh, I'm Asher's sister-in-law," Melody confirmed with a smile. "His older brother Max is my husband."

Selena nodded, feeling a mix of curiosity and relief. "It's nice to meet you, Melody."

As they continued talking, Selena and Melody found themselves engaging in a pleasant conversation. They both head home.

As Selena continued to compare herself to Melody and felt a pang of insecurity, she couldn't shake the thought that perhaps she would be as confident and self-assured in a few years. Her mind was a swirl of emotions, and she found herself grappling with worries about Asher, her financial situation, and her relationships.

Determined to help Asher and ease her own concerns, Selena hatched a plan to cook him a hearty meal. She believed that if she could provide him with a taste of home-cooked comfort, he might reconsider going back and help alleviate her financial burden. With newfound determination, she spent the evening preparing a variety of dishes, pouring her heart and soul into each one.

The next day at school, Selena's world took an unexpected turn. As she walked through the halls, she noticed that people were staring and whispering about her. The rumors seemed to have taken a life of their own, and the talk of her dating Asher was spreading like wildfire.

Even Felix, her close friend, seemed to have caught wind of the rumors, and his annoyance was evident. Selena's heart sank as she approached Mira, hoping to confide in her and share the truth. But Mira walked away, leaving Moon feeling hurt and confused.

Throughout the day, Selena's attempts to reach out to Mira were met with silence and avoidance. Determined to understand the reason behind Mira's behavior, Moon followed her, unintentionally stumbling into a chase that led them both to the rooftop.

As they finally caught their breath on the rooftop, Mira's frustration and disappointment came pouring out. She accused Selena of lying and putting up a front, feeling hurt that Selena hadn't confided in her about her supposed relationship with Asher. Mira's words struck deep, and Selena felt a mix of guilt and regret.

"I'm sorry, Mira," Selena finally managed to say, her voice tinged with remorse. "I never meant to hurt you or keep anything from you."

Mira's anger seemed to subside slightly, her expression softening. "I know it's not easy, Selena, but we've been best friends for so long. It felt like you were shutting me out."

Selena nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You're right, and I should have told you the truth. It's just that... Asher and I aren't actually dating. We're just pretending."

Mira's eyes widened in surprise, and Selena hurriedly continued, "I know it sounds complicated, but it's a long story. I didn't want you to get caught up in it."

Before they could delve deeper into the conversation, the class bell rang, signaling the end of their discussion.

As Selena and Mira explained the situation to Leon, he listened intently, absorbing the details of their fake dating arrangement to conceal the fact that Selena and Asher were living together. His eyebrows furrowed in surprise and concern as he processed the information.

"So, you two are pretending to be a couple to keep your living arrangement a secret?" Leon clarified, seeking confirmation.

Selena nodded. "Yes, exactly. We didn't want anyone to find out and cause unnecessary complications, especially for Asher, given his situation." 

As they walk, they separate to go home.

Selena's frustration with Asher's lack of communication grew as she confronted him about the situation. "You couldn't even tell me? I've been worried sick!"

Asher looked slightly sheepish as he scratched the back of his head. "I don't have your number," he admitted.

Selena blinked in surprise, realization dawning on her. "Oh, right. That makes sense."

They exchanged numbers, and just as Selena was about to apologize for being so harsh, Asher added, "But hey, don't always text me. I hate texting."

Selena rolled her eyes, a mix of annoyance and amusement washing over her.

As they were about to part ways, Selena's phone buzzed. It was her mom calling to check in. She answered the call, her tone shifting to one of respect as she spoke to her mother.

"If you're not in the top half, you won't be living alone anymore," her mom warned, her voice carrying a blend of concern and authority.

Selena's heart sank as she hung up the call. The reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks. She had been so caught up in the events of the past few days that she had forgotten about her impending exams.