Paper Thin

• 83: Decisions, Decisions •

Melody

Emma! Alani!

What do you get a guy for his birthday?

I'm FREAKING out!

Melody Reese; 9:04pm

One word.

Mall.

Emma Murphy; 9:05pm

Tomorrow?

Melody Reese; 9:06pm

I'm there.

Alani Reynolds; 9:07pm

Me too!

Emma Murphy; 9:08pm

Thank you!

Melody Reese; 9:09pm

Pick you up at 11am?

Alani Reynolds; 9:10pm

Sounds good!

Melody Reese; 9:11pm

When eleven o'clock on Sunday morning rolled around, I was already dressed in light blue jeans that were ripped in both knees and an oversized blue knitted sweater. I threw on a pair of boots and a jacket and was outside waiting when Alani pulled up.

I ran quickly to the car, trying to avoid the cold. When I reached for the door, I could feel my heart pounding as I looked at the snowy ground around me.

***

"Melody, please get into the car!" Leslie begged. She was sitting the front seat of the car my father bought for her to drive me around in. It was a nice, black SUV; one a well-off soccer mom would probably drive. She had managed to get me outside, but I was not getting into that, no matter how many good safety reviews it had.

"No!" I yelled.

"You're going to be late for school, darling," she said. Leslie was only here once a week before... but now she was here almost every day.

"I don't care!" I whined. The icy February air stung my nose, but anything was better than going into the car. "I'll walk."

"Honey, it's too cold to do that," Leslie said. Her face softened as tears welled up in my ten-year-old eyes. She got out of the car and walked over to me. I tensed, thinking she was going to pick me up, and throw me into the car like my dad did for the funeral. Instead, she bent down and wiped a tear off my cheek. "I know, it's only been three weeks, but your dad wants you back at school."

"I can't do it," I said.

"You can. It will be okay," she said hugging me. "We'll take it slowly."

***

"Melody, are you getting in?" Alani asked, after winding down Emma's window.

"Oh, sorry," I mumbled, opening the car door. I pushed past my hammering heart and sat in the back seat. I closed the door and stared out the window watching the snow-white streets. Alani's music filled the quiet, and I played with my hands, trying to alleviate the anxiety I felt. After a little while into the drive, Emma spoke.