Golden Melody (Editing)

Chapter 30

Chapter 30 – The Walk of Doom
Zatariel's Point of View

So this was it.

My final few hours of freedom before reporting to juvenile hell—also known as the DSDWD.

Officially: the Department of Social Discipline for Wayward Delinquents.

Unofficially: the place where naughty teenagers go to be "reformed" and come back either saints... or emotionally hollow vegetables.

I stood in my room, freshly showered, wearing clean clothes as if I were about to attend a funeral.

Technically, I am.

My social life's funeral.

How exactly was I supposed to explain this to Mom?
Hi Mom, don't panic, but the President personally assigned me to delinquent rehabilitation.

Yeah. She might faint.

The Dom Mansion felt weirdly quiet today. Like the house itself knew I was about to be temporarily detained.

On my way down the hallway, I passed Miexha's soon-to-be bedroom. Soon, this place would smell like cherry shampoo, pink everything, and heartbreak.

Right now, though, it still looked like Asha's battlefield. She was inside with her sleeves rolled up, arms deep in a bucket of pastel paint while hanging pink curtains.

She noticed me standing outside the door. Her grin appeared immediately.

"Well, well," Asha said, hands on her hips. "Look who it is."

"The detainee walks among us."

I sighed. "Go ahead. Light a candle for my freedom. Maybe sing something tragic."

"Oh shut up," she laughed. "It's volunteer work, not solitary confinement."

"Same thing if they make me supervise kids who bite."

She tossed a fluffy pink pillow onto the bed. Of course, it was pink. Everything in this room is pink. Miexha loved pink.

Asha tilted her head toward the doorway, her voice lowering slightly.

"I made sure her room is near yours."

That stopped me. Mid-step.

"...Wait." I blinked. "What?"

"Yup." She grinned proudly. "Two doors from yours."

A beat.

"Total coincidence," she added innocently. "I swear."

I wasn't sure if I wanted to yell... or hug her. Asha, you evil genius.

"You're a monster," I muttered. "A romantic, manipulative monster."

"You're welcome." She flicked paint off her fingers. "Enjoy your stay at DSDWD."

I waved lazily and started walking again. But my smile faded almost immediately.

A few steps, I stopped. Then turned back.

"Doesn't this feel... weird?" I asked quietly.

My eyes drifted to the floor.

"Coming here all the time... while my crush is literally living here?"

Asha didn't answer right away. She leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. For once, she wasn't joking.

"The engagement can still be undone, Zat," she said. "And you and I both know Jayson's heart is still on a one-way train to Ofreigha."

She shrugged. "Even if he keeps pretending he missed the stop."