Girl I Know

Dante watched as Melody ran into Starbucks to get her Venti Red Eye. He diverted his eyes to his cell phone that was sitting in the compartment between his and the passenger seat.

“Hello?”

The person on the other end seemed to be aggravating him as he gripped the steering wheel with his free hand. “Will you relax? The kid’s father is Synyster Gates. All I gotta do is get her to marry me and then her money is my money too. Now stop calling me!”

He hung up the phone and waited for Melody to come back.

--

Inside Starbucks.

Melody was tapping her foot while she waited for her coffee. She had overslept and was already late for an appointment with her doctor.

When the Barista set the cup down on the counter she grabbed it and turned around real fast to head out the door, but she smacked into someone and her purse fell off her shoulder and the contents spilled out all over the floor.

“Shit” she cursed and bent down to pick up her belongings thankful that she didn’t spill her coffee.

“I’m sorry, let me help you” the man bent down to help her with pick up her stuff.

“It was my fault, I wasn’t watching where I was…Blade?” He looked up at her

“Melody. I didn’t see you I was just getting coffee”

“Yeah me too” she nodded and continued to shove everything back in her purse.

“How’ve you been” he asked noticing her tired appearance.

“Fine, but I’m kinda in a hurry” she was cursing herself for having so much stuff in her purse.

“That’s a nasty bruise on your shoulder. What happened?”

“It’s nothing, I fell down the back stairs of my deck” she wasn’t a very convincing liar.

“Melody…” he started to protest, but she stood up and threw her purse over her shoulder hiding the bruise.

“I’m sorry, I really have to go, I’m late for my doctor’s appointment”

“Ok” he nodded. “You can call me if you need to”

“Mel what’s the damn hold up?” Dante said walking towards her.

Blade turned around to see Dante and looked back at Melody.

“Hey” he said to Blade. “What are you doing here?”

“Just getting coffee”

“Right. I guess that’s what you do at starbucks,” Dante laughed. “We better go before your appointment gets cancelled” he directed his comment at Melody and she nodded.

“Yeah, By Blade” she smiled a weak smile and Blade just stood there watching the two of them walk away.

When they got into the car Dante gripped the steering wheel with both of his hands. “What the hell were you talking to him for?”

“I wasn’t. I was rushing and I bumped into him and my purse fell. He was only helping me pick up my things”

“You better stay the hell away from him Melody” he warned.

She rolled her eyes and he saw her do it and grabbed her arm. “I mean it” he said through gritted teeth.

“Ok. Let go of my arm”

He let her go and turned the key in the ignition. Melody looked out the window as Blade exited Starbucks and he caught sight of her looking at him as her and Dante drove off. When they got to the doctor’s office Dante sat down and waited and for her in the waiting room while she had her blood work done.

The doctor spoke to her after he got her results back. “Melody your sugar is at 150 are you taking your meds?”

“Yes” she nodded.

“Regularly?” he asked raising his eyebrow

“Ok so sometimes I forget”

“Well you need to stop forgetting. If it gets any higher you could be looking at hyperglycemia”

“I’ll be more careful” she nodded.

“Now, about the bruising”

“It’s nothing, I’ve just been a little clumsy lately”

“Ok, but if you are being abused, you need to report it.”

“I’m not being abused, I swear,” she protested

“Ok, fine, get dressed and your prescription renewal will be waiting for you at the front desk”

“Ok thanks” she nodded and when he left the room she got dressed and walked out to the front desk to pick up her prescription.

“Everything ok?” Dante asked.

“Fine” she lied as he led her out the door to the car. He drove her to the drug store so she could drop off her prescription and then drove her back to the house.

“Hungry?”

“No” she nodded and sat down on the couch.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked as he sat down beside her.

“Look what you did” she slid her shirt off her shoulder so he could see the large black and blue bruise. He leaned forward and kissed her shoulder.

“I didn’t do that” he whispered menacingly in her ear.

Her jaw hung open as she heard his words. “Dante, it didn’t just get there by itself”

“No, I’m sure it didn’t. Looks like it hurt too” he kissed her shoulder again and whispered in her ear.

“How did it happen, Melody?” daring her to say he did it.

“I…I..”

“How did it happen?” he asked again.

“I fell” she said fighting back tears.

“That’s right, you fell” he smiled and got up off the couch. “I’m going to order a pizza, you want anything?”

“no” she shook her head and he shrugged before heading into the kitchen to order the pizza.

Melody wanted to cry, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of crying in front of him. She couldn’t help, but think about seeing Blade earlier and about him telling her that she could call him if she needed too. If he only knew how badly she needed him. Only problem was, she was hardly ever alone.