The Rise and Falls of Melody Wilson

Part 25

Storming out of your own home planning to go somewhere isn't exactly the best thing to do if you don't have a get away car ready for you, I thought later as I walked along the road near my neighborhood. I really hadn't realized I was that angry with what had just happened between me and Riley, but the sound of the door slamming behind me as I stalked off said differently. Getting mad at Riley wasn't something I wanted, even if he had done all those things I told him he had. My sudden burst of energy had finally started dwindling as I reached the park that was almost two miles from my house. My body's adrenaline had gone and the length of my travel had finally caught up with me. My feet ached as I sagged onto a nearby bench and let out a deep breath I had been unintentionally holding. I sagged against the back of the seat and reached into my pocket for my phone to check the time. It was only six and I'd already managed to somehow have my best friend avoid me and get mad/have a small fight with my brother.

Suddenly the screen on my small phone changed from displaying the large clock on it's main screen, to announcing an incoming call with a shrill ring. I didn't recognize the number, but I secretly hoped it was someone calling to offer me a ride home. Even if it was Josh, I really needed a ride, walking the few miles back to my house wasn't really an option according to my throbbing ankle. I picked up after a couple loud rings and answered tentatively.

"Hey, is this Melody?" a deep man's voice came across the line and I immediately tensed. It didn't sound anything like Josh's loud joking voice.

I pulled the phone away from ear, glancing at the number before putting it back. "Uh, yeah. Who is this?"

"Hey. It's Andrew."

I don't quite know why I gasped, but I did. And he heard.

"Are you okay over there?"he asked.

I nodded my head. "Yeah. I just saw the sasquatch step on a squirrel."

"What?"

"Nothing." I sighed.

"A sasquatch stepped on a squirrel?" he laughed.

I saw a small fluffy squirrel run across the playground's chipped wood and silently cringed as I imaged a large hairy foot coming down on top of it. "Nothing." I told him shaking the image from my mind. "How did you get my number? I don't remember giving it to you."

"I have my connections." he chuckled. "I got it from Jack." he added after a moment of silence from my end. "He somehow had Mariah's number and got yours from her. Why does he have her number?" he asked a beat later.

I laughed at the answer to that, "Jack has a thing for Mariah and keeps her number on had all the time."

"Really? I never would have guessed." he said.

"It's a secret to everyone but Mariah and him. She knows." I told him. "Anyways... You called me for something?" I asked when the silence on the line went on for a while.

"Oh, right." his voice came across the line again. "I just wanted to talk to you. I feel kind of bad with what happened last night."

The images from the previous night flashed across my mind and I felt small part of me shudder at the events. "Oh."

"Yeah." I heard him clear his throat over the sound of something dropping to the ground. "What are you doing tonight? Or right now?"

I glanced around the empty park, trying to form an answer in my head that didn't overstep my sharing boundaries. "Nothing. I'm just sitting here. Why?" I drummed the bench seat with my fingers.

"Well, maybe you want to come over, or we could hang out somewhere together?" he offered.

My mouth dropped open a little and again I glanced around me. A small shiver of excitement raced through me. "Uh, yeah. That sounds like fun."