The Perfect Storm

“Melody, wake up,” Kevin says, shaking me gently.

“No, five more minutes,” I say, snuggling closer to him.

“Wake up.”

“No!”

“I’ll kiss you if you wake up.”

“Mmm … I’ll live.”

“GET YOUR ASSES OUT OF BED!!!” Josh yells in my ear. I slap him, still not getting up. Kevin laughs, making me smile in my sleep. “WHAT THE HELL, MELODY?!!!”

“That was for punching me, you bastard.”

“Get over it! AND GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED!!!” I slap him again. “What was that for?!”

“’Cause I felt like it.”

“How about one for good luck, Mel?” Kevin asks, a smile evident. I slap Josh again, snuggling closer to Kevin.

“WOULD YOU QUIT?!!!”

“Will you stop being a dick?”

“Fine.”

“Alright.”

“Would you get up?”

“Would you go away?”

“No.”

“Then no.”

“Come on, Melody, if you don’t get up then I’ll have Dylan wake you up,” Kevin says, shaking me.

I shoot awake, jumping out of bed as I yelled, “I’M UP!!!”

“AND I’M DEAF!!!” Josh yells angrily.

“YOU’RE ALRIGHT!!!” I yell in his ear.

“I’M NOT SIXTEEN ANYMORE!!!”

“Nooo, you’re … Kevin!”

“Five hundred and thirty six,” Kevin says, rolling his eyes.

“Thank you!”

“I’ll go tell the Witch you’re up,” Josh grumbles, “Last time I ever do a favor for that Devil.”

“She’s related to you!” Kevin yells after him.

“AND MAYBE THAT’S WHY SHE’S A PAIN IN MY ASS!!!”

“Oh, you’ll get used to it!” I yell, smirking.

“You’re up!!” Alison yells in my ear, grinning.

“Yes, I am,” I say, rolling my eyes at her.

“Great! Now go take a shower, put on some clothes, curl your hair, don’t put on any makeup, and make yourself all pretty and all that other crap!” Alison says in a rush, pushing me into the bathroom. “HAVE FUN!!!” I roll my eyes.

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“What are you doing?” I ask, staring at everyone oddly.

“Uh, I believe it’s called dancing,” Alison says sarcastically.

“Shut up with the sarcasm, Al,” I grumble.

“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you!”

“Alison.”

“You rang?” Alison says with a horrible British accent that more resembled a pirate.

“The English don’t sound like pirates, Alison!” Kevin says, joining the rest of them.

“Oh, whatever!” Alison crosses her arms over her chest stubbornly. “So, whatcha need?” She asks happily. I swear she’s bipolar. Or, PMSing.

“How are you all able to just …” I make wild hand gestures toward the party-like group.

“Easy-peasy,” Alison says with her odd southern accent, “We just forget! It’s really that simple. You can’t let fear control your life, little miss Carry-A-Pocket-Knife-And-Gun.”

“Shut up!” I grumble.

“I’m just statin’ facts.”

“Yeah, but you haven’t had them corner you in an alley, ready to rip out my — I mean, your throat!”

“Yeah, I did,” Alison grumbles. I raise an eyebrow, making her roll her eyes at me. “Remember when I lost my memory? Well, right before I got it back, I had a vision. I was watching through your freaked-out point of view as the Demolf cornered you back in Philadelphia.”

“You saw that?!”

“How do you think Donovan knew you were in trouble? That he had become the first Vampire to have a psychic ability? Nah-uh. I called him.”

“Stupid Twilight,” I grumble, crossing my arms over my chest, “Unrealistic facts.”

“Eh, I dunno. I think it’d be kind of cool if Donovan glittered. Then we could hang him like a disco ball,” Alison says while in her own little world.

“You-who! Alison! Over here!” I say, clapping a hand in front of her face.

“Yes?”

“Donovan is not a disco ball.”

“But what if —”

“No. We are not going to aggravate him.”

“Really, Melody? You just sucked the fun right out of this whole big thing! Now what am I supposed to do for fun?”

“Not irritate him.”

“But, come on, it’s possible! If I could just —”

“No.”

“Aw, but —”

“No.”

“REALLY?!”

“Yes.” I roll my eyes at her.

“Fun sucker.”

“Aw, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I say, smirking at her, “You’ll get over it.”

“Fine. But you are dancing! No matter what, Missy!”

I roll my eyes as Alison drags me to everyone, forcing me to dance. Ah, I remember the days when I did this to her.

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“Hey, Melody,” Kevin says, pecking my lips. I grab his shirt, pulling him back down. Of course he complied. “People are watching,” he murmurs quietly.

“Let ’em,” I say, kissing him again.

“Notice how the female dominates the weaker male, kids,” Raine says, making us pull apart to shoot her a glare.

“What are you screwing up in those poor kids’ heads?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Eh, they’re fine,” Alison says, rolling her eyes as she plays with a slinky, “I love this thing!”

“And you’re a responsible parent how?”

“What? Oh, yeah. Kids.” They shoot her a glare. “Hey! Don’t give me that look! I feed you, don’t I?”

“Throwing bread at our faces to get us to shut up does not count as feeding,” Alec says, rolling her eyes.

“Watch your sassy little mouth, Alexandria!” Alison says, going back to her slinky.

“Martin, why are —”

Martin interrupts my almost-question, saying, “I couldn’t explain it if I tried.”

“Glad I didn’t marry her.” Jake got a slinky to the face with that little comment. “Hey!”

“Would you rather have Kevin punch your face in?” I ask sweetly.

“I’m good!” Jake says quickly, obviously scared.

“Damn! Why isn’t there any damn alcohol?!” Charlie asks with irritation.

“Because you’re just bound to get someone pregnant with alcohol,” I say, rolling my eyes, “And ’cause we care about your health.”

“Bullshit.”

“Watch your tongue!” Alison snaps fiercely, “I have a slinky! And I’m not afraid to use it!”

“Death still hasn’t changed you, has it?” Charlie says sarcastically, flicking Alison’s nose. She glares at him.

“You shouldn’t’ve done that.”

Charlie goes running with Alison and her slinky chasing after him. “HELP!!! CRAZY TINY PSYCHO CHASING AFTER ME!!!”

“I’M NOT TINY!!!” Alison yells stubbornly, “I’M JUST SHORT!!!”

“No, I’m pretty sure you’re tiny!”

Charlie gets a slinky to the face. “TAKE THAT BACK!!!”

“NO!”

I just sit along with everyone else, watching with amusement as Alison and Charlie run around the table over and over again.

“GIVE ME BACK MY SLINKY!”

“NO! You threw it at my head!”

“So? YOU WERE ANNOYING ME!”

“Does this happen a lot?” I ask, looking at Jake.

“Yeah. Though, usually Alison throws food at him. Then we’re all in a food fight,” Jake says, shrugging.

“Sounds like fun,” I say, rolling my eyes, “ALRIGHT! BREAK IT UP!”

They stop running, and look at me like I was insane. “Charlie, give Alison back her slinky. Alison, quit throwing your slinky at people.”

Charlie grumbles, handing Alison back her slinky. She grins, sitting back down beside Martin. She throws it at Charlie, who shoots her a glare. I give her ‘the look.’ “Hey! I tossed it at Charlie! And, his face just decided to catch it.”

“Quit being a smart-ass, Al, or I’ll take your slinky.”

“NOT MY SLINKY!” Alison yells dramatically, snatching it away from Charlie, and running away. She pops up suddenly, grinning like an idiot. “JAKE! I want a bunny!”

“Not after the last time I gave you a bunny,” Jake says, rolling his eyes.

“How was I supposed to know that cats eat bunnies?”

“Everyone knows that!”

“And I’m scarred for life! Now get me a bunny!”

“NO!”

“YES!”

“NO!”

“YES!”

“NO!”

“YES!”

“NO!”

“YES!”

“NO!”

“YES!”

“I’LL GET THE DAMN BUNNY!” Josh yells, annoyed obviously. “There’s a hot babe at the animal shelter, anyway.” Josh walks away quickly before Alison does something else to piss off her family.

“Melody?”

“Oh, crap,” I say, glancing at her. She rolls her eyes.

“I’m not gonna annoy you. I have to show you something.”

“You know, at this very moment, I don’t trust you.”

She rolls her eyes, grabbing my hands. I gasp, taking into a completely different time.

“Come on, Hecate, keep running!” I yell, grabbing hold of her hands to help her up. “We can make it.”

“Do you trust me?” She asks suddenly, turning her dark eyes on mine.

“Of course,” I say automatically.

“Good.” She grabs both my hands, and we’re suddenly transported to Mount Olympus.

“When did you learn to do that?”

“Recently.”

I nod in understanding. My little sister’s powers were becoming more profound every day.

“HOLY MOTHER LOAD OF CRAP!!!” I yell as I come back to the present day.

“I told you that you could trust me,” Alison says, rolling her eyes, “We’re soul-sisters.”

“Does this happen often?”

“Nope. And, don’t ask me to do that all the time. Some times they start to control you, Melody. Visions are dangerous.”

“But that was … awesome!”

“Don’t go crazy. With power comes danger.”

“English?”

“You’ll know soon enough.”

With that said, Alison spun around, and walked away.

“I’ve got to learn how she does that!” I say excitedly, “BRB!”

“English, Melody, English!” Kevin yells after me.

“BE RIGHT BACK!” I yell, chasing after Alison.

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“Come on, Al, you’ve got to have known how you did that!” I say as we go through my closet for clothes. We were going to this awesome club tonight with everyone.

“I honestly don’t. I can send images to someone, but I’ve given up witchcraft.”

“What? Why?”

“Remember when I lost my memory? That was a vision gone out-of-control, not a trance. I don’t want that to happen again.” She frowns sadly, shaking her head. “Jesse, Scarlett, Marilynn, Alexandria, and Andrew need me. I can’t believe I had forgotten them. Especially Martin.”

“Martin still stuck by you, Al, even after you punched him for hugging you.”

Alison grimaces, nodding her head. “I’m lucky I found him.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“Hey, you’re lucky you found Kevin. Where would you be without him?”

“Marrying the bastard named Josh,” I say almost automatically, “Miserable, in other words.”

“Duh. Without Martin I’d probably be with Max.”

“Max isn’t that bad.”

“No, he isn’t. But, it wouldn’t be the same as it is with Martin.”

“True.” I stare at my reflection in the mirror. “What about this one?”

“Melody, you could walk out in the ugliest dress possible and Kevin still wouldn’t care.”

“Hey! You’ve gone through most of my closet trying to find a dress that’ll impress Martin while still being ‘mother appropriate.’”

“Which is really hard!”

“How do you think I feel? Kevin’s over five hundred years old. I need to find a dress that makes me look sophisticated, while still looking hot.”

Alison rolls her eyes, nodding in understanding. “Alright, so we’re both stressed.” Alison thinks for a moment before grinning hugely. “How about, instead of us going to the dresses, the dresses come to us!”

“I’m up for anything at this point,” I say, agreeing despite that little voice in the back of my head that said this was a bad idea.

“Alright, give me a minute.” Alison closed her eyes, seeming like she was concentrating on something. Suddenly, a dress flew into my hands. It was absolutely perfect! It make me look like I should be dating Kevin, while still looking hot! Alison held a dress, too, which is just what she was looking for.

This is going to be awesome!

We quickly changed, finding shoes to go with our dresses. When I asked Alison accessories, she said, and I quote: “Screw accessories! That’s just more stuff to carry!” Ah, how I love my sister.

“Well, how are my two favorite girls?” Kevin asks, grinning as he throws his arms over our shoulders.

Alison rolls her eyes, shrugging out of his grip. I raise an eyebrow at his still-grinning-self. “Kevin, I’m gonna ask this once, how many have you had?”

“Why must you criticize me every time I smile?”

“Because I’ve only seen you grin like that when you drink.”

Kevin rolls his eyes at me. He looks up to the sky, saying, “Why can’t she just accept the fact that sometimes I’m in a good mood?”

It was my turn to roll my eyes at him. “You’re such a Drama Queen, Kevin.”

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Have I ever told you that Kevin looks hot in a tux? Well, he does. I honestly love him in a tux. Scratch that: I love him!

“I love you,” I say, smiling as he kisses me.

“I love you, too.”

ღ ♠ ♣ ♠ ღ

“I’VE GOT IT!!!” Alison yells suddenly, grinning.

“Got what?” I ask, half-asleep as Alison called this ‘emergency Riddles meeting’ at five o’clock in the damn morning. The only bright side was that Kevin carried me here ’cause I was too lazy to walk, and that I get to sit on his lap. Which I have now claimed! It’s my lap now!

I really need some more sleep …

“I figured out every symbolic thing in the Demolf Royal Crest, and why they sent it!”

We all groan.

“Can’t this wait till later?” Raine whines, sitting on Tristan’s lap. Yes, all of us girlfriends have claimed our boyfriends’ laps. We’re awesome!

“For once, I agree with Raine,” I say, lying my head on Kevin’s shoulder tiredly.

“Nah-uh! Not after I carried you here, Melody!” Kevin says, rolling his eyes, “You’re heavier than you look.”

I slap his shoulder, pouting. My boyfriend just called me fat. “Then why’d you carry me?”

“Because you wouldn’t have gotten here otherwise.”

“Anyway!” Alison says before we go at each other, “The bottom line was a threat. Which basically said in big bold letter: They want Melody’s head on a stake.”

I snapped wide awake, jumping to my feet. “Please tell me you’re joking!”

“Wish I was.”

“They want … my head on a stake,” I say dazedly.

“Yep,” Alison says, nodding her head.

“I’ll be right back.”

I go darting away before anyone could argue. I hop into my Ferrari, speeding away quickly.

I. Hate. My. Life.