CHAPTER FIVE
“Some Good News And Some Bad”
The soft melody drifting from Melissa's bedside radio filled the room with a comforting warmth. Downstairs, the house had gone completely quiet. Her mother had left to spend time with Dad at the hospital. For the first time all day... The world finally seemed still. John sat beside
Melissa on the edge of her bed, their shoulders lightly touching. Neither of them felt the need to speak. After everything that had happened... The silence was enough. John smiled to himself. Melissa noticed.
"What?"
He looked over at her.
"...This."
She tilted her head.
"What about it?"
He glanced around the room before looking back at her.
"This has been the best night of my life."
Melissa couldn't help laughing.
"Really?"
He nodded without hesitation.
"Really."
She smiled, feeling warmth spread across her cheeks.
"I don't think anyone's ever said that to me before."
John reached over, gently taking her hand.
"I mean it."
Their fingers intertwined naturally. Melissa looked down at their hands before smiling to herself.
"So..."
She teased softly.
"...Even after getting suspended?"
John laughed.
"I'd get suspended a hundred times if it meant I still got to spend the night with you."
Melissa rolled her eyes playfully.
"That was such a cheesy line."
"It worked though."
She laughed.
"Maybe a little."
John leaned toward her. Melissa met him halfway. Their kiss was gentle. Comforting. When they separated, John smiled.
"I've been wanting to do that all day."
Melissa laughed quietly.
"You've already kissed me like..." She pretended to count.
"...ten times."
"Twelve."
"Twelve?"
"I've been keeping track."
She laughed harder.
"You are unbelievable."
"I've been told."
He reached up, carefully brushing a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. His smile softened.
"You're beautiful."
Melissa looked down shyly.
"You always say that."
"Because it's always true."
She felt herself blush again.
"You make it very hard to argue with you."
"I know."
He leaned in, resting his forehead lightly against hers. For a while... Neither of them moved. Outside, crickets chirped beyond the bedroom window. The soft music continued playing in the background.
It felt safe. Peaceful. John kissed her again. A little longer this time. Melissa smiled against his lips before they slowly pulled apart. She giggled quietly.
"You're getting spoiled."
John grinned.
"Can you blame me?"
She shook her head, smiling.
"I guess not."
He kissed the top of her forehead. Then rested his cheek lightly against hers. Melissa closed her eyes.
For just a second... She wished the world outside her bedroom didn't exist. No Amanda. No Maria. No suspensions. No rumors. Just... This. John quietly took a slow breath.
"I don't ever want to lose you."
Melissa opened her eyes.
"You won't."
"I mean it."
"So do I."
He looked at her with so much sincerity that it almost hurt.
"I love you."
Melissa smiled.
"I know."
The room fell quiet again. John leaned in once more, and Melissa returned the kiss, but after a moment she gently rested a hand against his chest.
"...John."
He stopped immediately.
"Yeah?"
She offered him a small, apologetic smile.
"I'm not ready."
For a second... Neither of them spoke. Then John nodded.
"Okay."
His answer was immediate. There was no frustration in his voice. Only understanding. Melissa smiled with relief.
"Thank you."
He smiled back, hoping to ease the sudden awkwardness.
"I guess I'm just really happy."
"I know."
"And I get carried away sometimes."
Melissa squeezed his hand gently.
"I know."
The conversation drifted for another minute, neither of them quite sure how to move past the awkwardness. John leaned in again to kiss her. Melissa returned it briefly before gently creating a little space between them.
"...John."
He exhaled quietly. "I'm sorry."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I really am." Melissa nodded.
"I know you are."
For a moment... Everything seemed okay again. Then the quiet stretched. John's emotions got the better of him.
He moved closer once more, thinking only about how much he loved her, how scared he'd been of losing everything over the last few days. Melissa stiffened.
"...John."
Her voice was firmer now. He hesitated. Lost in the moment.
"...John."
This time there was no uncertainty in her voice. Melissa gently but firmly caught his wrist.
"Stop."
The single word cut through everything. John froze. Completely. The room fell silent. Melissa slowly stood, putting a little distance between them.
Her breathing had become uneven. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself. John looked at her. Really looked. Only then did he notice the fear in her expression. His heart dropped.
"...Mel."
His own voice barely worked. She couldn't look at him. John felt physically sick. His mind replayed the last several minutes all at once. The excitement. The emotions. The way he'd stopped listening closely enough.
"Oh God..."
He took a hesitant half-step toward her. Melissa instinctively flinched. John stopped immediately. The movement shattered him. He stared at her, horror spreading across his face.
"I'm..."
He swallowed hard.
"I'm so sorry."
Tears filled Melissa's eyes. She hugged herself tighter. John shook his head desperately.
"I swear..."
His voice cracked.
"I never wanted to make you feel unsafe."
Melissa remained silent.
"I wasn't thinking."
He wiped at his own eyes.
"I should've listened the first time."
The room was painfully quiet. Finally... Melissa pointed toward the bedroom door. Still unable to look at him.
"...Please."
Her voice trembled.
"...Go." John nodded immediately. There was nothing else he could say. No explanation would undo what had happened. No apology felt big enough.
"I'm sorry."
His voice broke.
"I'm so... so sorry."
He slowly backed toward the bedroom door. His hand rested on the doorknob.
"I love you."
The words barely rose above a whisper. Melissa closed her eyes. She couldn't answer. John quietly opened the door.
A few seconds later...
The front door downstairs closed. The house became silent once more.
Melissa remained standing in the middle of her bedroom.
She stared at the closed door for what felt like forever.
Only when she was certain he was gone...
Did the strength leave her legs. She collapsed onto the edge of her bed. Then buried her face into her pillow.
The sobs came all at once. Not because she hated John. She didn't. That was what hurt the most. She still loved him. And somewhere, she knew he loved her too.
But tonight... Something between them had broken. Something neither of them knew how to fix. Outside, the wind rustled the trees beneath the moonlit sky. Inside Melissa's bedroom... Only the quiet sound of her crying remained. Time seemed to lose all meaning after John left. Melissa never moved.
She remained curled beneath her blankets exactly where she'd collapsed, her face buried against her pillow as tears continued soaking into the fabric.
The soft music still played from the radio across the room.
She hadn't bothered turning it off. The familiar melody only made the silence feel heavier.
Every time she closed her eyes... She saw John's face. His apology. The guilt in his voice. The look on his face when she'd flinched away from him. Melissa squeezed her eyes shut.
"I don't know what to do..."
Her voice was barely more than a whisper. She rolled onto her back and stared blankly at the ceiling. Her phone rested beside her on the bed. Without thinking... She picked it up. Her thumb unlocked the screen. Her contacts appeared. She stared at one name.
Amanda.
A photograph from happier days smiled back at her. The county fair. Matching ice cream cones. Matching smiles. Melissa felt another wave of tears sting her eyes.
"...You'd know what to say."
She laughed weakly through a sob.
"You always did.
Her thumb drifted toward the call button. Just one tap. One phone call. Amanda would answer. She knew she would. Amanda had always answered. Melissa closed her eyes. She imagined hearing Amanda's voice.
"Mel?”
Everything inside her wanted to press the button. Instead... She slowly locked her phone. The screen faded to black.
"...No."
Her voice cracked.
"...She doesn't need me anymore." The words hurt more than she expected. She gently placed the phone beside her. Almost immediately... It began to ring. Melissa frowned. The screen lit up.
Mom
Melissa answered before the second ring.
"...Mom?"
She waited. Nothing. Only quiet sobbing. Melissa slowly sat upright. Her heart began to race.
"...Mom?"
The crying continued.
"...What's wrong?"
For several seconds... There was only silence. Finally... Her mother's voice broke through the phone.
"...Melissa..."
It was barely recognizable. Small. Broken.
"...Honey..."
Melissa stood so quickly the blankets slipped to the floor.
"What happened?"
Another sob.
"I..."
Her mother struggled to breathe.
"...I need you to come to the hospital."
Melissa's stomach twisted. "...Why?"
Silence. Long. Terrible. Silence. Then... Her mother whispered the words Melissa would remember for the rest of her life.
"...Your dad..."
Melissa stopped breathing.
"No..."
Her mother's crying grew louder.
"...He didn't make it."
The world stopped. Melissa stared straight ahead. Unable to blink. Unable to think. Unable to understand.
"...No."
The phone slipped from her trembling fingers.
It struck the hardwood floor with a sharp crack.
The voice on the other end continued calling her name.
She couldn't hear it anymore. Everything became muffled.
As though she'd been dropped beneath water.
The room spun. The walls blurred. A deafening ringing filled her ears. She tried to breathe.
Nothing happened. Then... A scream tore through the house. Raw. Broken. The kind of sound that only escaped when someone's heart shattered beyond repair.