Memories Can Hurt Just as Much as Trauma

04:Overconfident People, Huntress Cameos, Old Friends , and 'The Meme'

Melody POV:

Once we stopped at an ARCO station, I laid Luke's head on my jacket, which I had taken off, grabbed my bag, and headed off the bus. I tossed the bars in the trash can by the door and headed into the store area. My 'friends upstairs' tell me, "Luke probably can't handle coffee right now, and Dick is likely a '0-additives coffee drinker." I snicker a little bit and start on Luke's tea and my coffee. Back on the bus, Luke is up and asks, "Where were you?" I half-smirk and answer, "Tossing the poison bars and getting caffeinated drinks." I hand the drinks to their respective owners, knowing who they go to since I wrote an initial on the lid. Once back in my seat, Grayson hands me a note that says There's someone watching us a few rows down and they kinda look like you. Like she's the Kathrine McNamara to your Holland Roden. I thumbs up him and whisper in Luke's ear to relay that info, and he looks back at me with wide eyes. He whispers to me, "I quickly looked at her earlier and she radiates an aura of Confidence and Egotisticalness." I nod to him and we continue on our way.

3 hours later, at the next stop, the girl that Grayson pointed out walked out as we did and was conspicuously following us. Once I was in the bathroom, I heard her walk up to the door and ask me, "Hello. Are you in any danger?" I scoff and say, "No, I'm not in danger. The fuck made you think that?" The girl answers back, "The fact that those men were staying so close to you." I roll my eyes and snap back with, "1: those are my friends, and we're traveling together. 2: the only on in danger right now is you, if you don't stop spouting mierda. 3: Deja De Ser Una Perra Entrometida!" The girl walks away and I finish using the bathroom.

Once we were in Minnesota, I told Luke and Grayson, "We should get out and get drinks at a cafe in town. I can also introduce you to some good friends of mine!" They nod and follow me to Cafae Latte, and once we enter, Rethu, the gender-fluid dragon at the register, says, "Welcome to Cafae Latte!" I respond, "Hi, I'll have my usual, an Eldritch Smash with 3 drops of Eldritch Blood, and a few brigadiers. Luke, Grayson, what do you guys want?" Luke scans over the menu and says, "I'll take the thing that's on the 2nd row and 4th column and a chocolate chip cookie. What exactly is it?" I lean over and answer him with, "Heavenly Latte. You couldn't read it because of good old demigod dyslexia." I turn to Rethu and ask, "Is JC in?" Just then, the bell rings, and when I turn to look at it, I see the couple that I helped get together. "JC! Nicole! It's been a while! How have y'all been? Still going strong?" JC snickered as Nicole said, "Yes. Why are you back in Minnesota?" I answer back, "Quest." I turn to JC and say, "Heard you're the Head Baker now. That's cool!" JC says, "Thank you." Once our drinks are done, we head out and get back on the bus.

In Indiana, we strangely see the Huntresses of Artemis staring at me as the bus passes by. I just shrug it off and say, "Wish y'all could've met Cyrus." Grayson snarkily asks, "Who's that? Your boyfriend?" Shocked, I say, "Fuck no. Neither of us would think of each other like that, and I am sure as hell not ready for dating again after my ex. I said that because you could've met everyone involved with the Cafae Latte version of that one meme." Luke springs up and questions, "Which one?" I reply, "People who've been fucked over by the queer community. I'm bi, JC's Non-Binary, and Cyrus is Asexual. I.E: the trio of the meme." Grayson, like the psychoanalytic he seems to be, asks, "What was your ex like?" I answer, "He and I dated for a year. He started showing his toxic traits pretty quickly. He was extremely manipulative, narcissistic, and controlling. He turned all of my former classmates against me and wouldn't even let me talk for myself. And the final push I needed to break-up with him was finding out he'd been cheating on me for 9 months. I caught raw-dogging his side-piece on my 18th shortly after I'd dropped out of the high-school we both went to." Grayson and Luke lean over and hug me, Luke staying there a bit longer. I nestled into his chest and quickly fell asleep.