It's Like Music In My Ears

CHAPTER 6: THE CONFESSION

The sunlight spilling through my bedroom window felt harsh against my eyes. I couldn’t shake the heaviness in my chest from last night—Mom’s hurt expression when I snapped at her, the way her voice had dropped when she walked away. I couldn’t stay in bed, though; I had to make things right, even if the guilt was eating me alive.

I dragged myself downstairs, the weight of everything pressing down on me. Mom was at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee, staring out the window. She didn’t even look up when I walked in, and that just made the knot in my stomach tighten.

"Mom," I started, but my voice cracked. She looked at me then, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and something else—something that made me feel even smaller. "Can we talk?"

She nodded, and I collapsed into the chair across from her, feeling like my heart was about to burst. I tried to hold it together, but the words tumbled out before I could stop them.

"I’m sorry, Mom," I choked, tears welling up in my eyes. "I didn’t mean what I said last night. I was just… I’m so messed up right now."

She didn’t say anything at first, just watched me as I struggled to keep it together. Her silence made it worse, and before I knew it, I was crying—really crying. The kind of crying that makes your chest hurt, that leaves you gasping for air.

"I’ve been pretending to be Melody’s friend," I admitted, the words tumbling out between sobs. "Just to beat her in the competition. I thought if I could get close, I could use what I learned against her… but now I feel like the worst person in the world."

Mom’s expression didn’t change much, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. It cut deeper than anything else. "Francis, that’s not who you are," she said quietly, her voice steady but with an edge of sadness. "I raised you better than that."

"I know!" I cried, my hands shaking as I wiped at my face. "I’m such a jerk, Mom. I didn’t even think about how she’d feel. I just wanted to win so bad, but now… now I’ve messed everything up."

She reached across the table and took my hand, her touch warm and comforting despite everything. "You’ve made a mistake, but you’re realizing it, and that’s a step in the right direction. You need to tell her the truth, Francis. Own up to what you’ve done."

"I’m scared," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "She’s gonna hate me. And she should… I deserve it."

Mom squeezed my hand, her expression softening. "It’s not going to be easy, but you owe it to her and to yourself. You can’t undo what’s been done, but you can try to make it right."

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew what I had to do, but that didn’t make it any less terrifying.

---

I walked into the school like I was heading to my own execution. My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweaty as I made my way to the library. Melody was already there, flipping through a book, completely unaware of the storm I was about to bring.

She looked up and smiled when she saw me. That smile—it made everything so much worse.

"Hey, Francis," she said, her voice light, like nothing was wrong. But everything was wrong.

I sat down across from her, my hands trembling. "Melody, I… I need to tell you something."

She frowned, tilting her head slightly. "What’s going on?"

I couldn’t look at her, not directly. I stared at the table, my heart racing. "I’ve been lying to you," I whispered, my throat tight. "I wasn’t being your friend because I wanted to… I was doing it to get an edge in the competition."