Page 160 of On The Edge
My entire body floods so strongly with a rage. I’m so full of anger that my hands start shaking. I want to kill him. I know I’vethought it before, said it, threatened it, but this time? If he was right here in front of me? I truly think I’d kill him.
She looked like she was dead.
She looks like she hasn’t eaten or had water in days. Like she was one more day away from wasting away.
She looks like she’s numb, and if it wasn’t for her verbal lashings, I’d be so fucking scared that the light in her – the light and fire I love so fucking much – was at risk of being snuffed out.
We were lucky this time, and I know I won’t let there be another chance.
All five of us have taken responsibility for different things; Reis and Adam have been getting the apartment set up for a month with water, gas, Internet, all that stuff. I was in charge of getting stuff for us to stay here: air mattresses, sheets, pillows, cutlery, etc. All the boring stuff that we need to live in an empty apartment somewhat comfortably but not make it so comfortable that Mel wants to stay. And Markus, he was in charge of feeding us all. The idiot seems to have decided to go day-to-day with grocery orders.
I can’t be too mad, he got me caffeine and after that international trip, my internal clock is still out of whack. With all the emotions we’ve stormed through… I need every ounce of caffeine I can get.
Markus hands Mel a plate with the biggest sandwich, smiles softly, and the rest of us grab a plate before heading to the couch. It’s small, old, and barely fits Melody, let alone the five of us, so we all scatter around the couch on the floor, at her feet, at her sides. All of us are somehow touching her, my thigh is pressed up against hers as is Markus' on the other side of her and Adam sits in between her knees, while Reis nonchalantly sits in front of me and wraps his free hand around her ankle.
Adam grabs the remote and sets it on a Captain America movie, one all of us has seen too many times, and we all eat.
Well, all of us, except Melody.
I keep my eye on her while devouring my own sandwich. But shedoesn’t bring the food to her mouth.She holds it in her hands and waits.
“Eat, Sync,” I say softly, urging her gently.
“I’m just… not hungry.”
“But you still need to eat. When was the last time you did?” My voice is soft, low enough that it feels as if we’re whispering, but really the guys can all hear us too. She needs softness. Trust. I see that now.
“The last thing I remember was the catering lunch, I think. Maybe something on the airplane?” She phrases it like a question, but I know better.
She hasn’t eaten anything substantial in days, and now her body is in hardcore survival mode.
“Just a few bites, okay? Just something, maybe you’ll get more hungry as you eat.” I nudge her shoulder gently and flash her that smirking smile I know she likes.
But she doesn’t really react. Just takes a deep breath and lifts the sandwich to her lips, taking the smallest bite I’ve ever seen in my life, but I’ll take it as a win. Markus visibly relaxes on the other side of her. She nibbles for a few minutes, before setting the sandwich down and resting her head back on the couch.
We all watch the movie in comfortable silence, a moment of time where we just get to be with her, no pressure, no demands. I know it won’t last, Paul’s been messaging us all in the group chat hinting at needing to set up a meeting for what’s to come. The UK tour was very successful and management wants to keep the ball rolling for the next album.
I couldn’t give less of a fuck
All that matters is that Melody trusts us again.
I get lost in my thoughts as Captain America kicks Red Skull’s ass, and I hear soft snores. Now, I would understand anyof us falling asleep. It’s comfortable, we’re together, the guilt and agony is muted right now because we’re with her, we’re jet-lagged as fuck and coming off a whole freaking tour, but the soft sounds of sleep are coming from the girl in the middle of us.
And my heart lightens.
She says she doesn’t trust us anymore, that she doesn’t want us, but she fell asleep—reallyfell asleep—with us surrounding her. Her body gave out like it knew we’d keep her safe.
“She didn’t see the concert coverage,” Reis whispers after a few moments.
“She didn’t have anything set up here. I don’t know how she’s been living for the last few days.” Markus puts his arm on the back of the couch, tipping her head so it lays on his chest slightly before I even thought to do it. Smart bastard.
“She wasn’t.” I drag a finger along the long line of her thigh.
“What do we do now? She doesn’t want us here.” Adam sets his plate on the side and lays down flat on the floor, whispering in frustration. “Not that I’m letting that deter me from winning her back.”
“We have to show her that we want her. That we want herforever,hypothetical consequences be damned,” Reis sighs, pulling his phone out as my phone starts vibrating. “Paul’s going to call tomorrow for a group meeting.”
We all mutter in understanding, but that doesn’t help us get closer to our goal of showing and proving to Melody that we’re here. We’re hers.
