Opened Hearts 2: Levody

Chapter 4: Memories of the Dead

September 15, 2016, 1:30 pm.

"Alright class, settle down." Mr. Keller called the class to attention. "I have finished grading your Spanish Exams and am glad to announce that 97% of the class passed. Melody, can you help pass them out please?"

"Sure can!" Melody said cheerfully.

Melody stood up from her desk and walked happily to the front. She grabbed half of the stack, which was all she could carry, and started handing out the upside-down test sheets, placing her own on her desk to look at once she was done. She handed each one to each student with a smile. Stay positive! She thought to herself. Today was a day she had to try her hardest to be happy for.

It was Jason's 7th birthday.

Jason, her brother, had been murdered by their father, Jackson, dying only minutes before Zane had found Melody in the snow being beaten in a similar manner. Whenever she could, Melody gave Jason her food rations and hid him in her room. When she last saw him before she sneaked downstairs to get him some bread, he was curled up on her mattress, shivering under the thread-bare blanket. He looked like their mother: pale skin, black, choppy hair, and green eyes. He even had her smile, when he was able to smile. Melody tried to keep him happy.

Melody quickly shook the sad memory from her head and kept smiling, handing out the rest of the papers. When she finished with that stack, she handed out the rest and sat down. With a deep breath, she turned the paper around. She smiled. 100%. She looked over at Levin. He was smiling too. He turned and showed her his paper. 100% too. She smiled at him and mouthed a, 'Good job!'. He smiled back at her. Then they turned their attention to Mr. Keller, who started teaching.

When the final bell rang, everyone hurried out the door, except Melody. She had to move slowly, as her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. When she got home, she would change into her black, frilly dress with 3/4 sleeves and head out to Jason's grave with Zane, Aphmau, Garroth, and Vlad. She tried to push Jason to the back of her mind so she wouldn't cry, but it was nearly impossible.

As she was packing her bag, Levin, Kyle and Alexis came over to her. She had been silent the last hour of class and seemed to be pale. She looked up from her bag and forced a weak smile, her friends looked with concern from one to another.

"Melody, what's wrong? You've been really quiet." Alexis asked softly.

"You can tell us, promise!" Kyle added.

"If it's those bullies again-" Levin started.

"N-no, i-it, it's not, them." Melody inhaled to keep tears from sprawling out her eyes. "It, it's my, l-little, brother's, b-birthday, today..."

"I didn't know you had a brother! What's his name? Does he go here?" Alexis asked.

"J-Jason, h-his name is, Jason," Her last word cracked a bit and she gulped, taking several breaths before continuing. "N-no, he, he doesn't, go here...he, he's," She lowers her head to hide her tears that she cannot keep away any longer. "D-dead..."

Her friends looked shocked at her. Alexis let out a gasp. All three hugged her.

"Melody I'm so sorry I shouldn't have asked, please forgive me!" Alexis begged.

"Don't feel s-sorry," She mumbled. "It wasn't, y-your fault..."

"I'm sorry you lost your brother, I don't know what it feels like, but I know it must really hurt." Kyle said to try and comfort her.

"M-more than you would think...c-can we just, st-top t-talking about him, please?" She pleaded.

"Okay, we don't have to." Levin confirmed. The friends pulled away and Melody quickly finished packing.