A Goodbye Never Said

Chapter 18

Umm so... before y'all start this chapter, i want you to know that there are several spoilers from the "shatter me" series by tahereh mafi in this chapter so yeah...

Love ya!

Melissa's POV

The air inside the apartment buzzed with excitement as everyone settled down in the living room. Monica, Nicole, Sophie, Celine, Aaliyah, Carolina, and of course, Michael were sprawled around the room. But the real action? It was in the snack bowl—specifically, the giant bag of ✨ITALIAN CHIPS✨ that I had smuggled in from Italy. They were an essential part of any gathering, especially when you had to keep the group entertained.

"Okay, seriously, you need to tell me where you get these," Monica said, holding a chip up in the air like it was a golden nugget. "I've never tasted anything like this. These ✨ITALIAN CHIPS✨ are next-level."

"They're imported from Italy," I said, grinning. "You can't just get these anywhere. You gotta know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy."

"Wait, you're telling me you know a guy?" Nicole's eyes widened, her voice dripping with excitement.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, I have connections."

Aaliyah, who had been quiet for most of the evening, smirked. "Sure, Mel. Just like you know how to run a book club. Is that why we're all here?"

I laughed, tossing a chip in my mouth. "Absolutely. You're all here to talk about Shatter Me, my personal favorite obsession, and to consume as much of these ✨ITALIAN CHIPS✨ as possible. It's a win-win."

Michael, who had been munching on his own batch of ✨ITALIAN CHIPS✨, looked over at me. "You know, I never thought I'd be sitting here, eating chips, and listening to everyone discuss fictional characters like they're real people."

"Yeah, well, it's part of the Melissa experience," I said with a wink. "Get used to it. Also, the M&M's experience. Get it? M for Melissa and M for Michael?" I raised my eyebrows, waiting for someone to catch on.

Celine, who was the closest to me in terms of sarcasm, snorted. "M&M's? Really? You two are gonna start a candy shop now?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's a nickname. Don't ruin it for me. It's perfect."

"And why do you have to be M&M's? What about me?" Aaliyah said, crossing her arms and giving me a fake pout.

"Well, you can't be M&M's," Celine said, feigning seriousness. "Because you don't start with an M. I think you're officially banned from the club."

"Rude," Aaliyah shot back, but her lips were quirked up in a playful smile.

"Wait," Michael said, raising his hand like he was in class. "Did anyone else here get forced to read Shatter Me by Melissa, or is it just me?"

I grinned, leaning back in my chair. "Oh no, Michael. You're not alone. I threatened everyone with the most dangerous weapon I know—dog-killing threats."

"You didn't actually threaten us," Monica said, but the amusement in her voice was clear. "But yeah, I remember. You literally sent me a message saying, 'If you don't read this series, I'll come for your dog.' Like, what even?"

"I was serious," I said with a deadpan expression. "Look, if you're not reading Shatter Me, we can't be friends. Simple as that."

Nicole burst out laughing. "I was skeptical at first, but now? I get it. Aaron Warner is a whole vibe."