Chapter three Melody
Chapter three
Melody
Mom and I spent the majority of the afternoon unpacking. She tried to pry room designs out of me, but the thought of changing this place so quickly felt wrong. Like I was intruding.
I stayed quiet as she rambled about painting the walls pink or tying my ribbons around the posters of the bed. Even when she joyously mentioned changing the blue curtain to a sheer pink one, I only nodded along with her.
While I’m stuck trying to get used to my surroundings, she’s sweeping into this new life like a breath of fresh air. It’s amazing to see her so giddy over the finer things. She deserves more than our trailer and long nights spent behind a bar. Watching her glow is all I care about right now.
“Pizza is almost here,” Mr. Wilder says as I step down the stairs.
He and Mom are seated together on one of the sofas, glasses of something deep red in their hands, as a show plays on the flat screen.
It’s more background noise, but seeing the way my mother is relaxed and comfortable with Mr. Wilder’s arm around her shoulders makes a smile grace my face.
“I’m starving,” I say as I pad closer to them.
“All of that unpacking was a good workout,” Mom tips her glass in my direction before taking a sip. “Where’s Kaden?”
I blink. “Umm, isn’t he at the creek?”
The doorbell rings, and Mr. Wilder stands. “That’s the delivery boy. Kaden went upstairs not long ago. Can you get him, Melody?”
“Sure…” I retrace my steps, walking back up to the third floor.
I never heard his door close…
My fist hovers over the caution tape, and I take a deep breath before lightly rapping on the wood. “Kaden—”
It opens a crack, the boy staring down at me with a scowl. “What?”
My hand falls before I pick at the hem of my dress. “Dinner is ready…”
“You sound scared of me.”
My head whips up, my words stumbling. “Uh, I-I’m not…scared.”
His chin tilts, the gears of his mind moving. “You should be.”
I swallow back my apprehension, stepping closer to him before I hesitantly take his hand in mine. He doesn’t pull away like I expect him to. Instead, he watches me with a sharp eye, observing our interaction as if it were an experiment.
“I’m not scared,” I say with a cool tone. “Come on.”
He doesn’t respond as I drag him down the stairs.
The fear of Kaden not liking me melts away as I smile coyly with his hand wrapped in mine.
He’s not as scary as I thought he would be, and it makes me want to get closer to him.
He’s not going to make this easy, but I want to have a connection with him.
If he’s going to be my brother, then I have to try.