Lightning Streaks the Sky

“Help me!”, Alison yells, hiding behind me. “Martin just tried to kiss me!”

“Oh, jeez, Alison. You weren’t lying when you said you’re scared of relationships.”, I say, laughing slightly.

“Help me!”, Alison squeaks, as Martin comes running through the crowd. She was gone in the blink of an eye, and I just shrug, continuing to dance with Josh as the song changes.

“Melody, have you seen Alison?”, Martin asks over the music.

“Umm, no,” I lie, shrugging.

“She went that way, Martin.”, Josh says, rolling his eyes. Alison tackles him angrily, looking up and running.

“Help me!!!”, Alison yells, as she runs away.

“I hope you learned your lesson, Josh.”, I say, holding my hand out to help him up. He grabs my hand, pulling so that I fell on top of him. His lips fell on mine, and I quickly pull away, jerking away from him, my eyes wide with shock. “I-I better go see if Alison needs help …”, I say quickly, standing up and running away from him, bumping into Alison.

“Martin kissed me!!!”, Alison yells at the exact same time I yelled, “Josh kissed me!!!”

We look at each other, shocked. “Looks like Thunder is planning on getting what they want tonight.”, Alison grumbles, jumping up, pulling me up and running with me right behind her. “Go find Kevin.”

And she was gone, blending into the crowd of people. I go running, searching for Kevin, only to bump into him. “Kevin!”

“Oh, hey, Melody! Alison said you needed me?”, Kevin asks, shrugging as the song changes. “I think she’s just being over-paranoid. Wanna dance?”

“Umm, yeah, sure,” I say, looking around before I start dancing. Max and Alison soon join us, and soon Alison’s running with Max, glancing at me with a ‘They’re coming’ look.

“Mind if I steal her for a moment?”, Alison asks, grabbing me and pulling us behind Max, as we all go running.

“Wow, Alison, slow down!”, I say, trying to keep up.

“Sorry, can’t!”, Alison says sheepishly. “You go on ahead Max, we’ll be right there.”

“Alright, see yah,” Max says, continuing to run through the crowd.

“Look, when Martin kissed me he learned my every move. Now he’s seen all the visions I’ve seen. Which means he knows where I’m going —,” and Martin shows up.

“Hey, Alison!”

“Bye, Martin!”, and she was off after Max.

“Happy birthday, Melody! See yah!”

I’m spending my birthday running, I think, running as I hear Josh’s footsteps get closer. I bump into Kevin again, and as I try sprinting away, he grabs my arm.

“Hey, what’s going on? I just saw Martin chasing Alison and Max!”

“Martin kissed Alison, and now he knows everything about her — including all of her psychic visions! — and she’s freaking out!”, I say in a rush, trying to break free.

“Martin did what?!!!”, Kevin growls. “Wait, why are you running?”

“Josh got tackled by Alison, and as I was helping him up, he pulled me down!! Andjoshkissedme!”, I say in a rush, trying to pull away.

“Josh did what?!!! Martin and Josh! Ohmyfinggod!! C’mon!! I’m gonna kill Martin!”, Kevin growls, pulling me behind him, as we bump into Alison.

“Anybody seen Max? I think he’s gonna murder Martin!”, Alison says in a rush, already beginning to run.

“Oh, I’ll help him!”, Kevin growls. “That little no good sneak!!!”

“Gosh, Kevin! Talk about twenty-four-seven psycho!”, Alison says sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she ran away quickly, reappearing with Max and Martin.

“Martin, do you know who she is?”, Kevin asks, and I could tell what he’s planning.

“Umm, Alison.”

“Yes. And my neice.”

And Martin’s eyes went wide as he goes running. Alison trips Kevin as he goes running after him, skipping merrily away as Kevin chases after her, with Max right on his tail. My birthday’s turned into a fun game of chase, I think sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I just start dancing to this really good song, soon joined by Josh.

♠ ♣ ♠

Well, Martin is scared into hiding somewhere, and Alison is under Max and Kevin’s super vision for the rest of the night. And right this moment, no one’s. I lied to Kevin saying I’d watch her, letting her roam free. Gosh, it’s like she’s turned into a dog.

“Thank you so much, Mel!”, Alison says, hugging me.

“Anytime. You wore death for me. Sure, it didn’t last long, but still.”, I say, shrugging.

“I feel bad for Martin, though …”

“Alison. Even I disapprove of that.”

“I know, but …”, Alison says, looking around as she dances with me. “Kevin really scared him and stuff. And it’s really just ’cause he’s on Thunder …”

“Says the girl using Max as protection, running from him.”

“You know what I mean! If it had been Max then Kevin wouldn’t have been so harsh!”, Alison says, rolling her eyes. “It just wasn’t fair. And if it had been a Rebel Demon then Kevin would’ve said ‘At least it isn’t Thunder.’”

“Yeah, but you know about him and Josh. He just wants to make sure that you’re not riding the death train. Sort of like you are with Sophie. Except more than five-hundred times scarier.”, I say, shrugging.

“Think about if I were dating Martin. Oh, gosh, would Kevin freak out or what?!!”, Alison laughs.

“Oh, please! He’s die again, rise, and then kill Martin.”, I say, laughing. “Then he’d lock you up for all of eternity.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Alison says, laughing. “Lets not forget the part about Max’s hand in the murder.”

“Of course.”

“But what are the odds of that ever happening?”

“The day you die. Think about it a moment, Al.”

“What? Are you saying I’ll become a Riddle?”

“And hopefully not on Thunder. Kevin would flop over dead.”

“Or on —,” Alison stops suddenly, giving me a sheepish smile before disappearing. I mentally cursed myself for giving her that freedom.

♠ ♣ ♠

I sing along to the song, dancing all by myself. It was close to midnight, but I could tell that nobody wanted to go home. I keep on getting “Happy Birthday!” and it’s debatable whether they say Kendall or Melody. Not that I minded. I was just having an awesome time dancing.

“Alright, it’s almost midnight! So lets wish our birthday girl a happy birthday!!! Kendall, c’mon up!!!”, the DJ says into the microphone. I smile, hopping up on stage. “Hey, Kendall, can you sing?”

“Umm, not really …”

“Close enough, any song you want.”, he hands me a microphone, and I think a moment before deciding.

“There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

“When the dark
Of the night comes around.
That's the time,
That the animal comes alive.
Looking for
Something wild.

“And now we lookin' like pimps
In my gold Trans-Am.
Got a water bottle full of whiskey
In my handbag.
Got my drunk text on
I'll regret it in the mornin'
But tonight
I don't give a
I don't give a
I don't give a

“There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

“And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

“There's a place I know
If you're looking for a show.
Where they go hardcore
And there's glitter on the floor.

“And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

“Lose your mind.
Lose it now.
Lose your clothes
In the crowd.
We're delirious.
Tear it down
'Til the sun comes back around.

“N-now we're getting so smashed.
Knocking over trash cans.
Eurbody breakin' bottles
It's a filthy hot mess.
Gonna get faded
I'm not the designated
Driver so
I don't give a
I don't give a
I don't give a

“There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

“And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

“There's a place I know
If you're looking for a show.
Where they go hardcore
And there's glitter on the floor.

“And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

“Oh, oh, oh!

“EVERYBODY TAKE IT OFF!

“Oh, Oh, Oh!

“EVERYBODY TAKE IT OFF!

“Right now! TAKE IT OFF!
Right now! TAKE IT OFF!
Right now! TAKE IT OFF!

“Oooh.

“Right now! TAKE IT OFF!
Right now! TAKE IT OFF!

“EVERYBODY TAKE IT OFF!

“There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

“And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

“There's a place I know
If you're looking for a show.
Where they go hardcore
And there's glitter on the floor.

“And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.”, I sing, smiling, dancing around on stage.

“Wow, lets hear it for Kendall!”, the DJ says, clapping with the rest of everyone else. “How about singing us another song?”, I smirk at that, nodding. The song was familiar, and I was soon singing along to it …

“Can't even hang out with friends
Wit out ya blowin up my phone
Why you all in my ear
Like where am I and when am I coming home
Why you listening to your friends? They dont wanna see us be.

“Boy You better take it slow
Or i'll be history
You've got to give me my space
So quick to calling my name
Boy you better recognize
My love is one of a kind
You drive me up to the ceiling
Boy there's no need for the screaming you know that you are my world
But im sick and tired of the

“La La La La La La La La
That's all I hear you saying
La La La La La La La La Tired of the Complaining
La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La

“So why you up in my ear?
So I went out to club
I just wanna have some fun
I guess someone told you
I was with some other boy
Cause when I got back home
Put my foot through the door
All the lights came on
Then came the LA La La La
You've got to give me my space
So quick to calling my name
Boy you better recognize
My love is one of a kind
You drive me up to the ceiling

“Boy there's no need for the screaming
You know that you are my world
But im sick and tired of the
La La La La La La La La
That's all I hear you saying
La La La La La La La La
Tired of the Complaining
La La La La La La La La La La La La
La La La La La La La

“So why you up in my ear?
Why you up in my ear?
Why you up in my ear?
Why you up in my ear? oooh.
Why you up in my ear?
Why you up in my ear?
Why you up in my ear ohh

“La La La La La La La La
That's all I hear you saying
La La La La La La La La
Tired of the Complaining
La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La la la

“So why you up in my ear?
La La La La La La La La LA La la La La La La. La La lA lA lA LA LA LA LA la la la So why you up in my ear??”, I sing, smirking as I continue dancing up on stage. I didn’t have stage fright. I was used to people watching me. I played so many sports that as long as my body’s moving I’ll feel completely comfortable with everyone staring at me. “That’s all for today. Sorry everybody,” and I hopped off stage, smiling hugely. Alison hugged me immediately, telling me how she had no idea I could sing.

“Oh my gosh, Melody! You were amazing! I mean, I never knew you could sing! You don’t know how lucky you are, though! I can’t sing, and I wish I was at least a quarter as good as you!”, Alison says in a rush. I — surprisingly — caught every word of what she said, though.

“Really? I bet you don’t sing that bad, Al!”, I say, scrunching up my nose.

“Oh, I do.”

“Sing a little,” I say, raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, no.”

“Not even as a birthday present?”

“Please! It’s like a death-wish, Mel.”

“C’mon! Plleeeaaaassssseeeeee?”

“Alright, fine!”, Alison grumbles. “La la la, da da da.”

She wasn’t that bad. I roll my eyes, patting her shoulder before she’s twirled away by Max. The music starts up again, and I begin dancing along with everybody else.