The Bad Boy's Melody

Chapter Twenty-Four: It's a sleepover.

Chapter Twenty-Four: It's a sleepover.

I didn't know how Austin roped me into hanging out at his house Friday night, but here I was standing outside the front door of his house with Freddie beside me.

"You look like you're about to step onto the set of the conjuring."

I blinked, "Uh, Freddie, the last time I was here I wasn't exactly welcomed."

Freddie shrugged, "You'll be fine, Jess. The Cole's were just tense that day."

The door opened and I stared down at the birthday girl herself. "Melody!" Belle exclaimed her hands wrapped around my waist.

I smiled down at her, ruffling her hair. "Hey Belle. Happy early birthday."

"Are you my present?" She asked as her doe eyes met mine. "Because I wished for you to come over again. You make everyone happy, even Austin is happy when you are here."

"Not welcomed, huh?" Freddie smirked at me, before he walked into the Cole's house leaving me with the eight, soon to be nine, years old hugging me.

I spotted another blonde running down the hallway and he grinned as he saw me. "You're here! I'll go tell Austin. He told us to tell him when you arrived."

Belle pouted, "Luke, don't tell him just yet. I want to play with her first."

"But Austin said–"

"What did I say?" Austin walked out of the living room and his eyes met mine. "You're surprisingly early."

"Freddie collected me early," I shrugged. Freddie had told me that he'd drop me off at the Cole's because he had some work to do over here with Nate, but I didn't pry as to what. I just expected it to be business work.

I told mom that I'd be spending the night at the Cole's and she was basically forced me to go saying that I needed to get out of the house more. She was still trying to get over whatever dad said to her the other day, but she was doing better than when he left.

But I was still trying not to get my hopes up too much. She might be putting up a façade.

"Belle, let Melody go," Austin told the younger girl softly, "she's my friend, not yours."

Belle sighed loudly, letting me go to fold her hands across her chest. "She is my friend too. We're both princesses."

"You can be princesses with Fred," Austin suggested as his hand slipped my backpack off my shoulder. I raised an eyebrow at him as he slung my back over his shoulder. "What?"

"I'm able to carry it, you know?"

Austin shrugged, "You want it back?"

"Nope," I grinned, "you can carry it now."

Austin grinned at me, but shook his head tightening his hand around the strap of my bag on his shoulder. "Where did Fred go?"

"He said he had to talk to Nate," I told him, "probably boring business talk."

"Nate's here?" Austin asked Luke more so than me or Belle.

Luke nodded, smiling almost innocently. "Damon told me not to tell you, because you upset Nate when you told Thea to–"

"It's okay," Austin mumbled, but judging by his tone, it wasn't okay.

I nudged his arm, "You want to tell me why I'm here with an overnight bag?"

"Come on," Austin smiled at me softly, "I'll tell you away from these prying ears."

"But I want to play with Melody," Belle pouted.