A Hopeless Romantic

1

Melanie Pelly hated going to class.

She'd never much liked it before. Too much note-taking and endless talking. But now she positively hated it. It was bad enough that she got in trouble for dozing off, her lack of homework or random comments but now Friday wasn't here to help her keep on track.

Friday was Melanie's best friend. She'd never had a best friend before. She'd had lots of friends growing up and enjoyed their company all the same, but she'd never known what it meant to have a best friend until Friday.

Friday was precise whereas Melanie was vague and they filled in for each other's faults. Melanie looked after Friday in ways that Friday wasn't used to and Melanie, who was never judged by Friday, who'd always protected Mel from the less kinder treatment she got.

Their relationship was functional and supportive. They'd have done anything for each other.

That was until the night that Friday was dragged out of her dorm room in the middle of the night.

Melanie hadn't even known what was happening until she heard Friday cry out. 

She had snapped awake and had seen the broken door and officers in full gear haul her best friend out the door.

She'd run after them (something she'd only done in desperate times), calling out to Friday before she'd been pushed back and Dr Belcredi was there, pulling her back, while everyone just stood there.

She hadn't gone back to sleep after that. No matter how much she'd wanted to she couldn't. She hadn't gone to class the next day either, and no one came to fetch her.

Perhaps it was a mistake, she'd thought when Dr Belcredi told her Friday was up on terrorism charges and they still hadn't looked at her case. Perhaps she'll be back in a few days.

It wasn't until a week later when everyone was having dinner and Melanie was sitting alone in her dorm, listening to her stomach grumble that she realised that wasn't going to happen.

Months had gone by and it was clear Friday wasn't going to be back soon.

She'd eventually dragged herself to class, writing her schedule on her hand so she wouldn't forget.

Friday may not have been the most empathetic person but she definitely wouldn't have wanted Mel to sit around moping.

And so that had become her thought process. When she was confronted with something she'd think, what would Friday do?

It wasn't a healthy way to think, but it was what kept her going and she thought Friday would've approved.

She made her way to history class, feeling sleepier than she'd ever been.

It was worse now that she forced herself to do her homework.

She rummaged through her pockets and patted down her clothes, feeling she'd forgotten something.

Or was missing something?

It was then that her brain registered what she was doing. 

Whenever Friday wasn't around, Melanie felt like something she had with her every day was missing. 

It hurt to think about it. It just hurt in general but she knew she had to go on.

Too bad Ian wasn't here, she thought. Ian probably would've been stressing out and it always helped her to deal with someone else's problems rather than her own. Plus, Ian had always been nice to her and they'd got along quite well actually.

Harrison had moved just a few weeks after Friday had been taken away. They'd tried to keep their relationship going but now that she thought about it, it was mostly Melanie who held it up, writing a letter whenever she had the energy.