Melaine

Chapter 29

"I think you're paranoid." Sam told Annie stuffing his cell phone in his pocket as they both entered inside a café stopping on their way back from Rohan's house to grab something for drinking.

"I can bet there's something odd about Melaine." Annie brushed past his shoulder and made long strides straight towards counter to order a hot coffee and relieve her bones from the cold. The sweet aroma of hot cocoa welcomed her nose and she inhaled a good deal of it remembering the old saying from her memory that 'tea is Lord of wine' and she herself, being addicted to caffeine, could hardly survive an hour or two without it.

"It's a nice adjective for you too, don't you think?" Sam crossed his arms laughing at Annie who turned to face him agitated and arched her brow at him in skeptical manner not getting his humour.

"I'm just worried about Rohan." She clarified herself grimacing and leaned over the counter ordering her cappuccino. It had been three days since Rohan's discharge from hospital and he asked Melaine to stay in his house with him. Since it's considered easier for her to take care of him in the same house than to be called from next one and the adjustment seemed to be appreciated by both Sam and Annie, though reluctantly on her part. But there's shift and change in Melaine's demeanour which Annie noticed during her visits since the hospital's accident concerning Rohan. Melaine's attitude grew cold and harsh towards her as if Annie had offended her through her action, unknown to her, and reserved behaviour around her presence put her at unease and doubts regarding the girl.

"Are your jealous?" Annie scoffed at Sam's accusation and cast a sideway glance at him that caused him to flinch under her threatening glare. She hadn't expected of Sam to consider her that immature to be jealous of her best friend's happiness.
" I thought you'd say that 'You are jealous'." She retorted back sarcastically tapping her fingers on the cold shelf of the counter and bit her tongue. Sam felt rather amused noticing her contorted face in anger and smirked in pushing beyond her limits of temperament.

"So you're jealous?" Sam corrected his question to imply sardonic ridicule of Annie's statement.
"Why would I be jealous?" Annie finally snapped at him taking her steamy coffee from barista and blew on the surface.
"About Melaine and Rohan relationship." Sam cleared out his implication and fell in steps behind tensed Annie who turned to face him.
"And you're jealous because you think I'm jealous of Melaine?" Sam stopped to look Annie straight in her eye. The nature of Sam's feelings weren't foreign to the girl that both refused to recognize for good of their friendship but the remark was blow right below the belt to put him at silence.

"Am I jealous of Rohan?" Sam's tone deepened that sent a inexplicable shiver in her body. They both held each other's gaze for a minute boring each other's eyes to search the meaning of their questions before it no longer remained comfortable for Annie and she tore her eyes away from him.
"Sam, look I..." Annie yelped as a she bumped into a person spilling hot liquid on her blouse and her right hand.
"Annie!" Sam hurried to her side taking her hand in his.
"I'm sorry." The person replied rushing to get the tissue from the nearest table.
"Annie, you're alright?" Sam questioned holding her burnt hand till that person returned and handed her tissues to clean herself.
"I'm terribly sorry..." He formed an apology on his perfect shape mouth.
"It's fine. I didn't see where I was going either." Annie looked up and her smile vanquished at the sight of stranger suited in black leather jacket.
"Do I know you?" She asked wiping her hand with tissue and creased her brows at him.
"I don't think we have met before." The person replied moistening his lips. He had jet black hair, fair countenance, man of lithe build; good stature and features, owner of intense blue orbs behind glasses that seemed to pierce into Annie's eyes. But the shape of his mouth and face cut immediately looked strangely similar to Annie and it stirred neurons of her brain with doubt of having seen him before.