Baby Clifford

Never Again

It was the second and final night of the show, the same result for Melody, an excellent performance, but no family to watch her. Vince and Ryan had came to this show.

Melody let tears fall and ran to Mr. Jacobs, hugging him as he came to tell her good job like the rest of the cast. "What's, wrong?" He asked. "T-they didn't come. At all!" She cried into his chest. He had empathy for the poor girl, she probably wouldn't have been so perfectionist in her role if it wasn't the thought of her family being there. "That's their own lost. Anyone who is clueless enough not to see you in this play is idiotic. You did more than a wonderful job, it was more like a mix of excellent and magical performance. Melody, no one else could've done such amazing acting and singing like you did tonight and last. You sang with heart and didn't let anything back. Melody you were perfect. Hell, you did such a beautiful performance that your family couldn't even get the privilege of watching you." Mr. Jacobs explained while gently rubbing small circles on her back. She sniffled into him. "Now after that performance, you need to have your head high for being confident, eyes open to keep yourself from getting lost in reality, and smile on because you are a wonderful girl, that bad things happen to, but you're strong enough to live through it. Melody, I'm astonished and overly proud of you." Melody wiped her eyes and smiled up at him. "That's what I love to see, now go have fun, I think Ryan and Vince are waiting for you." He chuckled and went to the next dressing room.

"Come on, I say that you guys need a celebration since you did such an amazing job with this play. My house?" Ryan suggested at Danny and Melody. "I don't have a problem with that." Melody remarked, deciding to be rebellious to her father. "Alright then, Danny, you go or no go?" Danny walked over to his mum and asked something, she nodded. He said something back and came towards them. "All good to go," he smiled. "Great, my parents are gone and my siblings are somewhere else. So we have the house to ourselves." He mentioned happily. The group of four then walked to Ryan's house.

"I love my cousin," Ryan said, coming back into the living room with a 30 case pack of beer and a large bottles of rum and whiskey. "Thankfully it's Saturday night." He smirked and ripped the top of the case open, grabbing a can of beer. "No one is going to tell anyone right," all of them shook their heads. "Good, I can't get caught," Ryan spoke and began to drink. Vince copied his friend's action and then Danny did the same. Melody hesitated, but grabbed a beer. "Cheers to the rest of our fucking lives," Ryan out his can out and the rest of them tapped their cans together and took a swing.

Eventually, there was about twenty-four beer cans on the floor and scattered shot glasses in the room and Melody and Danny where making out hard core, Danny's hands on her ass and hers in his hair. "Spank her Danny!" Ryan laughed with slur meanwhile Vince was playing with an empty can like a cat. Danny obeyed Ryan's voice and spanked Melody's bum cheek. Melody pleasantly moaned. "Again, again!" Vince yelled in a childish voice. Danny repeated his action, "Hmm, Daddy," She moaned then giggled. "I meant Danny," She giggled and attached her lips to his again. "Don't worry MJ, I'll make you feel good no matter what you call me." Moaned Danny.

Eventually, they all passed out on the floor and couch in the middle of the night.

An annoying ringing woke Melody up from her slumber in the morning. Her head pounded while answering her phone. "Hello?" She groaned. "Melody where the hell are you?" Michael's voice ranged through the phone. "At Ryan's," she groaned and got up, going to the kitchen. She grabbed the Advil bottle and took two of the pills, trying to get rid of her headache. "Melody, what did you do last night?" Michael asked. "Dad, could you quiet down some, my head really hurts." She groaned and rubbed her forehead. "Melody, stay at Ryan's house, I'll be there to pick you up in a few minutes." Michael said, his voice full of disappointment. "Okay," Melody hung up and grabbed a pen and paper and wrote that she had gone home for the guys to find.

She huffed as her dad drove into the driveway. Melody crossed her arms and got into the car. "Melody, breathe my direction." Michael said with no emotion. "What? Why?" Melody declared, which hurt her head more, but she didn't bring attention to it. "Just do it!" He snapped at her. She harshly blew into his face. "Happy?" Melody snapped. "No, I'm disappointed in you, Melody. You aren't legal age to drink and you have no fucking idea how scared I was, not knowing where you were! I was tempted to call the police! You have to tell me these things! My God, don't you have common sense?!" He yelled at her. "Don't you remember anything!" Melody shouted at him. "I ask if you could go and you said you could, nothing going on! But no, I got told how good I was by strangers! Fucking stagers, father!" She yelled at him. "Melody-" "Just drive," she grumbled and looked out the window.

"Melody why are you doing this kind of stuff? It isn't safe, don't you know that." Melody didn't reply, she continued to stare out the window. "Is it the kids at school? Are they peer pressuring you? Are they bullying you? Please, Melody, tell me. I can keep a secret." He gently said and rubbed her shoulder and arm, remembering she would open up to him when he did that a long time ago. "Come on, you and I both know that it's bad to bubble things up inside. Tell me." Michael tried to convince her. She didn't even turn her attention to him. "Fine, don't tell me," he brought his hand back on the steering wheel, "all I was doing was carring about your wellbeing. Go ahead and build your walls on me and everyone else." Michael growled.

They didn't talk the rest of the short ride. "I'm going on a ride." Melody said as the car was parked. "Where are you going?" Michael asked in irritation. "Away from you! Who knows maybe I'll make new friends because I'm your fucking daughter or cause I'm fucking stoner in your head!" She yelled as she was half way down the driveway then peddled off out of his sight.

"Shit, Haylie am I that bad of a father? I really need you right now. I can't do it anymore. Fuck, I don't think either Melody or me can even stand to look at each other. I just want her happy and healthy, but I fail to even talk to her." Michael spoke to the empty house air. "I need you, more than any time before this. I can feel myself giving up on our daughter. Just help. I don't want to give up on her, it's just so hard." Michael breathed as he explained and teared-up. "I can't do this by myself anymore."

It took about three hours for Melody to come home, but Michael didn't expect Jaycee to come home with his daughter. "Go on Melody, I'm going to talk to your dad alone." Jaycee said and Melody walked into her room. She slightly groaned before sitting on the couch next to Michael. "Michael, do you remember when we were in high school?" She asked. He shyly nodded, he felt like a little kid getting a lecture on how he was bad from his mum. "Yeah, and do you remember when you were throwing up when you got shit faced hangover? Do you remember I helped you and helped you remember what happened that night?" She asked at him. He nodded again. "That was your first time drinking too, wasn't it?" Jaycee somewhat snapped. Michael nodded. "Okay after reminding you about your first time drinking let's talk about your daughter's." Jaycee told him. "Let's start with that she didn't get shit faced, and only had a headache in the morning without throwing up. She even remembers most of that night." Jaycee lectured him. "Yet, you are being the too much over protective father and yelling at her for something you did much worse a long time ago and repeatedly. That is hypocritical of you with your daughter. I'm not telling your being a bad father, I'm just saying that you shouldn't be so hard on Melody." Jaycee told him. "I know, but I don't want her to end up like me. She deserves a better lifestyle that I have." Michael explained and looked down at his lap. Jaycee cupped his cheeks and looked into his emerald eyes, "I know. Let her have fun and not be so much a dick. You can put limitations, just not ones that make life boring and undesirable." Jaycee let him know, "She does love you. Melody just doesn't show it a lot and doesn't know how." She lightly pressed a kiss to his forehead, "Melody needs you." Jaycee whispered. He nodded, "Will she forgive me?" Michael asked. "I'm sure of it." Jaycee answered.

Jaycee was right. With a bit of warmth and Jaycee watching from the doorway.

"I couldn't do that without you," Michael told Jaycee as she pulled on her coat. "I don't think either of you could." She commented. "Why?" This made Michael curious. "I told her that I wouldn't tell you, but she was very upset about things. They weren't just about you either." Jaycee told him. "Please, Jaycee just tell me," Michael begged. She shook her head, "I'm going to play counselor and only speak with you when she thinks about hurting herself or something else dangerous to her." Jaycee told him, giving Michael some relief. "Thanks for all your help Jaycee." He smiled. "It was no problem, Michael. You and Melody are like family." She hugged him before going home.