The Roots That Tied to My Feet

“It seems to fit, Ms. Hendricks.”

Melanie looked in the body length mirror. The pure white dress looked even better on her thin body with her blonde hair than her brown. She placed the veil over her eyes and smiled softly, getting tears in them—whether they were happy or not she decided not to think about.

“God Melanie, you look so absolutely beautiful,” Charlie smiled.

Melanie turned to face her friend and squealed as she saw her in a pale white mermaid gown. It was a strapless gown with lace material that hugged tight to the thin girl’s perfectly shaped body. Her long red hair was in perfect curls that flowered just past her bust. “Charlie, Kennedy is going to die when he sees you in that,” she giggled.

“You think?” the red head asked nervously, looking at herself in the mirror.

Melanie giggled, “I think it’ll be a miracle if he doesn’t get a boner on the stage.”

Charlie hit her arm, “Don’t even! That would so not be funny.”

“Oh God, can you imagine?” She laughed.

Her friend winked, “I don’t have to.”

“Oh ew!” Melanie giggled.

Barbra, the bridal consultant, came back into the room with a large grey box, “You can take the dress home with you today Ms. Hendricks.”

She smiled softly looking away from her friend, “Yes please. That’d be amazing.”

Barbra grinned, “Well, whenever you’re ready just leave it on the hanger and I’ll box it up for you.”

Melanie said a soft ‘thank you’ before turning to Charlie and asking for help out of the dress. They unlaced the corset and slipped it off of her thin waist and hung it back on its hook. Melanie smiled and looked at the beautiful dress once more before exiting the room and going to sit on a chair outside as Charlie and the consultant took of her own dress.

The red head came out of the dressing room a few moments later and sunk on the cushioned bench next to Melanie as they waited for Barbra.

“So you and Ben are all good again?” Charlie asked, twisting a piece of her red hair around her fingertips.

“I mean, things are different,” Melanie shrugged. “But for now, we’re as good as we’re going to get. I think once the wedding is over and we move to New York we’ll be as good as new.”

“Jesus, I forgot you had to go home,” her friend mumbled sensitively, sadness in her voice. “I’m going to miss you so much, Melanie!”

She chuckled softly, “I’ll come back and visit; no worries there, honey.”

“You better or else I’m going to fly up there with a butcher knife and cut your husband’s balls off,” Charlie grumbled.

Melanie laughed, “Oh how lovely.”

Her friend smiled triumphantly, “Is he back in Seattle?”

“Just for the night. He’s back home with his boys for his bachelor party,” she shrugged.

Charlie grinned, “I am very excited for your bachelorette party tonight! I’m glad you did it the night before the rehearsal dinner versus the wedding too because now we can get you wasted, she sang enthusiastically.

Melanie rolled her eyes laughing, “Just as long as there’s no strippers.”

“I’m not making any promises.”

“Ms. Hendricks?”

Melanie stood at the sound of her name and looked at Barbra who was holding out a large silver grey box. She handed the box to the small blonde who took it in her hands with a nervous grin. “Thank you so much for everything,” Melanie smiled.

“You’ll make a great bride, honey,” the older woman grinned, patting her shoulder softly.

Melanie smiled once more before looking at herself in the mirror, “I hope so.”
_____

“SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT!”

Melanie clenched her eyes shut as she took the small vile between her fingers and threw the burning liquid back into her throat. Cheers from around her erupted and Charlie stood next to her laughing hysterically.

“What is so funny?” Melanie snapped playfully.

Charlie laughed, “You’re going to be gone in no time! Come on let’s dance.”

Haley and Charlie grabbed her hands and led her onto the dance floor. There were shirtless men all around and as one of them placed his hands harmlessly on her hips she mentally praised Charlie Chelsea for picking out a gay bar. The group of girls was just the four, Elaine, June, and to Melanie’s quiet detest Lucy. It was hard seeing Lucy here after what had just happened the other night and it was especially hard pretending that she was okay.

Melanie grinded her hips into the man behind her as he did the same to her and she smiled when she realized he was eyeing up the man next to her. She giggled and switched partners for him letting him strike his eye candy and she started dancing up on her sister.

Haley laughed and wrapped her arms around her sister’s waist, grinding sexually. Melanie pushed her sister off in disgust laughing as she did so. “I see Gary taught you how to work them hips,” Melanie laughed playfully.

Haley raised her arms above her head and moved her hips against anyone who was near her with a smile on her lips, “And he loves it.”

“TMI!” Charlie laughed, dancing against a hot gay man. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before strutting away to the bar.

The girls all made their way to a booth with red leather where Elaine and June were sitting and holding a conversation. Melanie grinned at the two women using her pointer finger to gesture them over. She grabbed their wrists and pulled them onto the dance floor against their hearty protests.

“Melanie Hendricks I will ground you!” Elaine exclaimed, laughing as June tried to sit back down.

“Not a chance mamas!”

The girls forced the older women onto the dance floor and they took a chance to grind on them, no doubt making them uncomfortable. “I swear,” June began, “The dancing you kids do these days is completely inappropriate!”

Melanie looked to where her mom was being grinded on by a gay gentleman. Elaine laughed, “I kind of like it!”

The girls all giggled as the older women cut loose and began dancing just as raunchy as the girls—just more stiff and uncomfortably. Melanie let another shot slip down her throat before excusing herself to the rest room. Charlie followed her insisting that it wasn’t safe to walk anywhere in a club alone—even a gay one.

Melanie relieved herself and washed her hands, fixing her hair in the mirror. Sweat was at the brim of her hairline and she wiped it away with a towel. She felt a vibration her clutch and she pulled out her cell phone. The smile she had got wiped off her face as she read the black letters of her new text: we need to talk.

Melanie shut her phone and slammed it down on the counter angrily. This was not going to ruin her night—no, she wouldn’t let it. Charlie gave her a questioning look but Melanie just blew it off not wanting to answer the questions. She walked back into the club with her thoughts focused on that text and the sadness that was pulsing through her veins.

Charlie pulled her back onto the dance floor obviously sensing something was wrong with her friend and pulled over two young boys—probably around twenty four—to dance with. Melanie let her body act out the emotions her heart was feeling and she let herself go. She danced like she would never dance again. She moved her hips against the man’s groin and moved her hair around her head.

“Girl you are so gorgeous!” The boy behind her laughed into her ear. “Lucky boy you have waiting for you!”

Melanie smiled at the clean shaven man. He was wearing a deep v-neck with a cardigan and boots, “Thank you.”

“Of course, honey!” He grinned, “Now if you’ll excuse me I see a fine piece of meat over on the other side of the club.”

Melanie giggled as the boy walked away and started grinding on a cute boy across the club. Lucy pulled on her hand softly and pulled her closer to a stage where lights were flashing in a irregular pattern. Strobe lights were surrounding a chair and Lucy pushed her onto the stage with a smile on her lips. Charlie was soon behind her and placing a blind fold over her eyes and Melanie listened as the music stopped and a voice came over the speaker.

She instantly knew what was going to happen once she heard the announcement of a bachelorette party and sensual music start. She couldn’t help to laugh and instantly forget about the text that was in the back of her mind as she felt her hand be placed on a stomach that was ripped with strong abs. Her blindfold was taken off of her eyes and she saw a muscular, tan cowboy standing in front of her—assless chaps and all.

Melanie started laughing as the man grinded all over her body and made her remove the rest of his clothes until he was standing in tighty whities and a cowboy hat dancing up on her body. As the song ended he placed his cowboy hat on her head and gave her a kiss on the cheek making her giggle.

The girls danced for about two more hours until it was nearly three in the morning and Melanie ignored her phone that kept vibrating with pleas. She wasn’t half as drunk as she had convinced Charlie and the girls she was but she pretended as if she was so that they would lie off of her case; she honestly didn’t feel like drinking at the moment. She needed to be sober for tonight.

The group finally made it back to Melanie’s house around three thirty and she wasn’t surprised as she watched them all collapse into beds or onto the couch and pass out from exhaustion. She waited for a few moments to make sure no one would notice her leaving the room before she left the house. She got in her car and started the engine knowing exactly where she was heading.

She made it to his house in record time and her heels clicked against the stair to his apartment loudly. He could probably hear her coming and she hoped if he did that he was scared—because she was pissed.

Melanie pounded loudly on his white door, not caring if she woke him from sleep. She was surprised when he opened the door only a short moment later completely clothed. He was still wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose fitting baseball shirt. His black boots were sitting next to his door and his hair was a disheveled mess.

She pushed past his body and walked into his apartment throwing her keys and phone down on his coffee table angrily, making a loud ‘clank’ as she did so. She turned around and looked into his green eyes furiously, placing her hands on her hips.

“Melanie—

“What the hell do we need to talk about so badly John that it couldn’t wait another day?” She spat heatedly, interrupting him. “What the hell is so important? Do you want to tell me you don’t want me again?—because honestly I got that the other night. So why can’t you just leave me the hell alone?”

John started walking towards her and he had sadness in his eyes, “Melanie, please just listen to me—

“John, shut the hell up! Do you not understand that I’m done with this? Dammit! I’m over this! I’m over all of it! I’m getting married in two days and honestly, I don’t care if I ever see you again at this point,” she said forcefully, grabbing her keys and heading for the door.

John walked over to her quickly, grabbing her by her wrists. She tried to shrug out of him but his grip only tightened—he wasn’t giving up this easily.

“Melanie, I’m in love with you.”

She felt her entire body tighten at his words. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, trying to pretend that the words he spoke meant nothing to her when in reality they meant the world. He was giving her everything she had wanted. He was telling her he loved her and he was fighting for her.

“John,” she whispered softly, “Why didn’t you show up the other night? Why weren’t you there when I needed you to be?”

She felt his hands cup her cheeks and start rubbing away her tears, “Ben is better for you…that’s why.”

Melanie became angry at his words again, he couldn’t keep doing this to her, “Then why—

“Let me finish,” John spoke softly. “Ben may be better for you…but he doesn’t love you like I do. He doesn’t know every single thing about you. He doesn’t know your body better than you. He just—he doesn’t know everything, every little thing that I do. No one will—and I don’t want anyone else to, Melanie. Baby, you’re mine. You have always been mine.”

Melanie felt her heart fluttering inside her chest. She didn’t want to look into John’s eyes because she was afraid of what would happen if she did—and he knew this. He began walking her backwards towards his bedroom and she didn’t protest. They walked into his room and he shut the door behind her pushing her thin body against it.

“Look at me, Melly,” he whispered gently.

She shook her head ‘no’ slowly, and she could hear him chuckle as he moved his lips to her ear, “Tell me that you love me and it’ll be alright. Are you thinking of me?—just come with me tonight. You know I need you just like you need me. Can’t stop, won’t stop; I must be dreaming.”

Melanie shut her eyes as her mouth parted slowly, releasing a deep breath of air. She flashed back to the night she ever heard that song: it was her senior year, the night John found out they were leaving for tour. He held her as she tried not to cry and sang her to sleep like he had many times before.

She felt John’s breath fall against her lips as his forehead placed itself against her own. She smiled softly, “Don’t you use that voice on me, O’Callaghan.”

Melanie opened her eyes bravely looking into his beautiful green eyes that were staring farther into than just her pupils—he was reading her every emotion. He grinned softly, his breath against her own roughly, “Why? Because it’s working?”

Melanie bit her lip gently, before moving her neck slightly to where their lips were grazing tenderly, “It always works, John,” she breathed.

John licked his lip slightly before leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers fiercely. Their bodies pushed against each other’s roughly but John’s superior frame pushed her flat against his white bedroom door. She moaned slightly as his teeth grazed her bottom lip. She raised her legs up, the pressure of his body pinning her to the door. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her fingers tangled in his hair as his hands made their way to her butt, holding her firmly in place.

He groaned as Melanie tugged on the ends of his hair gently while simultaneously rolling her hips into his. He pulled away, and both of them were gasping for air. Melanie placed her feet back onto the floor but John’s hands remained on her waist and her fingers were in his hair.

He stared into her blue eyes, “Tell me that you love me, Melanie.”

Melanie shook her head playfully, biting her lip and narrowing her eyes at him. He smiled at her challenge and grabbed her hand leading her to the edge of his bed. He placed his forehead against hers once again staring into her eyes. His hands made their way to her wrists and held them together and raised them above her head. He trailed his fingertips down her sides slowly, staring at her intently as he did so. She became aware of goose bumps on her skin and butterflies in her stomach.

His hands found the hemline of her dress and began slowly lifting the material over her head. She watched as his eyes looked at her body that was now only clad in a black lace bra and panties set and her heels. John pressed his lips against hers fervently, his hips rolling into her causing a moan from her lips.

Melanie let her hands find the bottom of John’s shirt and she discarded it to the floor quickly, her lips attaching to his exposed chest—kissing, nibbling, sucking—no doubt leaving her mark on him. John groaned as she found a sensitive spot on his collar bone as he grabbed her hips in his hands tightly and collapsed on top of her body as they fell onto the bed.

Their breathing became rough and their chests were rising against one another’s but they didn’t care; they didn’t need air—they needed each other.

John lips trailed their way down Melanie’s chest and down her stomach, over her hip bones and down her thighs until he was in a position to where he could reach her navy blue pumps. He made his way back up once again to her mouth. Their tongues found each other’s instantly, enjoying and savoring the taste they had missed for so long now.

“Melanie, tell me that you love me,” John whispered as his hands made their way to her toned back and unhooked the latch to her bra. She moaned softly as his lips made their way to her exposed skin, and she bit her lip softly. She couldn’t give in just yet; she wanted to make him wait like she had to the other night.

“No way, Johnny,” Melanie whispered softly, biting her lip as his hands covered her chest. She ran her hand down his stomach and to the top of his jeans where she unbuckled his belt. She slid his jeans down his legs as his hands made their way to the top of her lacy underwear.

“Tell me,” he grinned, kissing her lips forcefully and sucking gently.

“Mmm-mm,” she protested against him, smiling as he slid her underwear down her thighs. She soon had done the same to his boxers.

John looked into her eyes once more before taking away all the distance between them. Melanie bit her lip and moaned gently, a small smile making its way onto her lips as John kissed her passionately.

“I love you, Melanie.”

“I love you more.”