Stubborn and in Love (Book One)

Why Don't You Believe Me

Jack's POV

"Do you not like your dinner?" I asked her.

 She glanced up from her plate of food. 

"Oh no it's...lovely. I'm just not very hungry."

 I had taken Melody out to dinner, but it was quiet throughout the meal. 

She seemed far away from me, somewhere I couldn't reach.

 After a few more minutes I paid the bill and we walked out onto the street. I glanced down curiously at Melody. She was silent and had a lost expression on her face.

 "Are you feeling alright?"

 "I am. Sorry Jack, I've been horrible company tonight."

 "It's alright," I answered. 

The truth was she'd been like this for a while now.

I walked Melody back to her apartment, in silence the whole time. We stood awkwardly in the hallway until she looked up at me. 

She suddenly started kissing me feverishly.

 Her back pressed up against the door as we kissed. She ran her hands through my hair and she guided my hands to her waist. We pulled away for a moment to catch our breaths.

 "Do you want to come inside?" She whispered. 

There was a playful expression in her eyes. 

I had missed seeing her like this.

She unlocked the door and let me inside. She turned back to me and smiled seductively.

 "Now where were we?"

 She tugged on my tie and I kissed her again. She leaned against the dinner table and I trailed kisses down her jaw. Her breathing picked up as I reached her collar bone.

 "Let's go to my room," she said breathlessly.

 I picked her up and laid her down on the bed. She began to loosen my tie as I pulled on her hair. She was eager, but I couldn't stop thinking about her at the liquor shop. I tried to push away those thoughts and focus on her. 

I wanted her badly, but something was up and she wasn't telling me. I pulled away and got off the bed. She sat up and stared at me.

"Is something wrong Jack?"

 "What are you not telling me?" I said pointedly. 

Her face looked surprised but it was a different story in her eyes. 

"I'm not hiding anything." 

"Are you sure," I said, "because I saw you at that liquor shop. And I saw how you reacted to the car."

 She stood up abruptly.

 "Wait, you followed me?" 

I could hear the anger rising in her voice.

 "I had to, you were as pale as a ghost when you left! Now I know you're hiding something so just tell me!"

 "I'm not hiding anything!" she snapped.

 "And I do not appreciate being followed. What happened to trusting each other?"

 "I want to trust you Melody, but you aren't giving me a good reason to."

Hurt was written all over her face, but I wasn't going to let this drop.

 "I'm not hiding-"

 "I know you are! Cut the bullshit and just tell me!"

 "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M HIDING, OKAY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON. I DON'T EVEN KNOW MYSELF ANYMORE."

 She sat down on the bed and started sobbing.

 I sat down next to her and tried to put my arm on her shoulder, but she shoved me away.

 "All I ask is that you tell me what you do know," I said quietly.

 "I can't tell you. You'll think something is wrong with me, like I'm crazy or evil or something."

"Melody, I thought the same thing before I told you how I got my Navy Cross. You didn't judge me, so I won't judge you." 

She turned to me with tears in her eyes.

 "I can't say anything until I figure this out...myself. You'll just have to trust me." 

I shook my head and looked down.

 "I'm sorry, that's not going to work for me."

 "Well then maybe this isn't going to work," she whispered, barely audible. 

I held back my tears and left her bedroom quickly. 

Without looking back I closed her door and left.

Melody's POV

When I heard the door shut I began sobbing uncontrollably.

 I'd just lost Jack, all because I'd lost myself.

 I called Peggy but quickly slammed the phone back on the hook. I couldn't talk to her, or anyone else for that matter. 

No one would understand. 

This was a mystery I had to deal with myself.