DEAD INSIDE

(6)

Marvin had surprisingly been the perfect gentleman, much to Marla's dismay. She'd been observing him from afar for such a long time that she was about ready to combust if he didn't take care of her soon.

Her words, not mine.

We'd spent the morning together. Mel and Deedee had brought lunch and we'd spent the afternoon talking about Marvin, Niall and Alex.

Milo had been mentioned once only.

By Deedee, who had wanted to know if I had finally found somebody to nurse my broken heart. When I'd told her I didn't know what she meant, she'd said, "Well, do you like him?!".

I'd simply rolled my eyes and argued that Milo was definitely not boyfriend material so that she should be making sure I didn't start liking the conceited jerk instead, which had been enough for her to drop the topic.

If only they knew...

After watching both Pitch Perfect films, we all went to Marla's to help her get ready for her date with Marvin who'd told her he'd pick her up at five.

When he rang her bell right on time, Deedee, Mel and I hid behind the coat hunger the Johnsons had in their front hall to see the two of them together but Mel started giggling, giving our presence away.

"Hi girls..." He said with his smooth voice, his eyes burning holes in my forehead as he probably assessed how I was holding up.

That's how I took it anyway, and he seemed satisfied with my half shrug.

After that, Mel drove me back home. She was uncharacteristically quiet since Deedee had left us for her traditional family night.

Mel was our ray of sunshine. When one of us was feeling down, she always knew what to say to make us feel better.

People loved her bubbly and outgoing, verging on eccentric personality and she always got invited to parties - plus three, of course - because everybody knew that as soon as she'd turn up things would liven up.

However, I'd always suspected that she wished people, and more particularly boys, saw past this festive side of hers and took notice of the clever, caring and pretty girl that was right in front of them.

"Hey, what's up?" I muttered when she let out a defeated sigh.

"It's nothing..."

"You're a very bad liar, you know that, right?"

"You should have seen the girls he picked..." She murmured, her caramel eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Alex?" He was the boys' soccer captain and her best friend since kindergarten.

She nodded sadly.

"Did you talk to him?" I didn't know what to tell her. The two of them were inseparable but he'd always acted more like a big brother than a secret lover. Over the years, the four of us had spent hours analyzing his behavior but every time he did something remotely romantic, he killed any sparks of hopes hours later.

She huffed.

"He's pissed off I took part in the Harvest."

"Why?" My first thought was that he might have been jealous but her demeanor told me that it wasn't the case.

"He basically accused me of trying to ruin his chances at getting picked!"

Ouch, not good.

But that was the thing with them. Their friendship was so strong that there was no filter and I sometimes wondered how Mel handled it.

"How so?" I questioned.