her. (milklove) {ENG}

Chapter 1

• • ♥ • •

The room was comfortably silent; the sound of a paintbrush moving against a canvas filled the space. One thing was sure: Melody was happiest every time she painted. The smell of paint, the feeling of unwrapping a new set of canvases, the act of cleaning paintbrushes—these were the things that fulfilled Melody.

Painting was her therapy, and nothing could disturb the blissful feeling of letting herself go and pouring her heart and soul into each piece she painted. Her current painting was no different.

Melody was wearing her favorite and most comfortable pair of light blue jeans. This particular pair had endless paint stains, but that's what made them special to her. Paired with a simple white oversized t-shirt, Melody was free to move comfortably. In the background, her favorite playlist was playing—a collection of songs that, now or in the past, stirred something in her chest. These songs filled her with warmth and comfort, as they'd been there for Melody when no one else was and had seen parts of her that no one else had.

You could say that Melody was genuinely happy.

So there she was, letting herself go, her hand with a mind of its own as the paintbrush moved effortlessly on the canvas. The image took shape with every stroke.

• • ♥ • •

Nova was having the time of her life on the soccer field. It was a warm but cloudy Friday evening, and she was sure it would start raining any second. But rain wouldn't stop her from doing what she loved most—playing soccer. Along with her teammates, she attended practice three times a week: on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Nova loved routines; they brought her comfort even in the most hectic times of her life. She could always count on soccer. Both the frequent training sessions and the weekly matches gave her something to look forward to.

"Send it over!" Cam, Nova's best friend, yelled across the field. Nova didn't hesitate, delivering a perfect cross to Cam, who controlled the ball with her first touch. Sprinting down the left wing, Cam didn't try to score herself but instead crossed the ball back to Nova, who had just found her way into the box in front of the goal. With a steady and determined jump, Nova headed the ball past the goalie, scoring perfectly. A feeling of ecstasy overtook her—practice or not, she was proud. She ran toward Cam, hugging her in excitement as they celebrated together.

A whistle from the coach cut the celebration short. "Alright, girls, you did great today," he praised. "Collect the balls and put them away. And Violet?" He looked over to the brunette. "It's your turn washing the jerseys. Make sure they're ready for the next practice." Violet nodded and began collecting the jerseys.

• • ♥ • •

Monday. Another week, another "day in hell"—at least that's how most of the student population saw it. But Melody was different. She didn't mind Mondays; she actually enjoyed, even embraced them. To her, Mondays were poetic. They represented a fresh start, an unspoken promise of giving life another shot whenever it was needed.

Melody was getting ready for classes in her campus apartment. She enjoyed her morning shower, the warm water relaxing her muscles and clearing her head, preparing her for the day. She got dressed, putting on blue jeans (ones without any paint stains) and a dark gray oversized shirt with "Nirvana" printed on it. Checking the time, she realized she wouldn't have time for breakfast at home, so she slipped on her favorite pair of black Vans, placed her Sony headphones over her ears, grabbed her keys, and headed out. She walked to a nearby 7-Eleven, listening to music along the way.

Meanwhile, Nova was also on her way to the same 7-Eleven. She desperately needed a coffee and something to eat before classes. Feeling tired from running laps on the soccer field the day before instead of taking her coach's recommended rest day, Nova's body ached in places she didn't even know existed, and all she wanted was more sleep.