--- PAST
– MELINA'S POV
The door slammed open like a cannon shot through the hall. My attention shifted there from the impending silence in the room.
Wow. Speak of the devil. My heart skipped, my chest tightened.
Theo stepped in first, through the opened door—his presence filling the room before Damon even followed. And just as I thought I could breathe again, Angela glided in behind them, like she belonged there, like she owned this moment.
Is Angela his new… thing? Did he just… ditch Ellie like she was nothing? For the first time in months, I feel bad for Ellie.
What a fucking Theo.
He glanced at me. Just for a second—long enough to ignite a spark of irritation, short enough to make me question myself—and then he marched straight to the kitchen, probably to his mom. Seems like her place in this mansion of a building with a cute name called "house" is in the kitchen. Petty.
Angela followed. Almost like a shadow. Almost like she belonged there too. Close to his mom, close to him. Maybe closer than Ellie ever was. I put an end to the thought even before it began. Closer to Theo means disposable, like a paper bag. Just like Ellie.
The way Angela barged in with Theo and followed him straight to the kitchen after Theo made a flame I didn't want in me… Something burned in my chest. I didn't want to hate Angela, but my traitorous mind refused to cooperate.
"Stop glaring at her. If glares could kill, she'd be six feet under," Damon said, dropping into the chair opposite me instead of going to the kitchen.
I snapped my head toward him. Why didn't he go in? Was he giving them both privacy with Mom? As much as I wanted to scream to myself that "I don't care about Theo and Angela" my every fibre of being knew the truth. I care. I care what Angela is to Theo. More than I like to admit.
I cleared my throat. "I wasn't glaring." I became instantly defensive of myself.
"Then what were you doing, staring at her like that? Do you like Angela? Do you like women?"
Oh, I wish I did, Damon Demon. He is such a nosy ass—that's probably why his nose is busted from Theo.
And then… he did something. Damon gripped both sides of my chair and pulled me effortlessly closer to him.
What the hell is he playing at?
"Do you?" Damon asked, face inches from mine. Smiling, his dimples visible.
Should I spit on him?
Whatever this was, it lacked warmth, lacked life. It screamed mechanical. Like we were acting. But why? It felt as if he is putting on a deliberate show for someone to see, someone to react.
And then someone reacted—suddenly—Damon was ripped away from the seat. Being dragged by the back collar of his checkered shirt.
It was theo, the someone was theo.
THEO'S POV
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Angela, she keeps talking all the way from college to home. She has been a very good friend since we were little. But being around her now is making me want to smack some sense into her.
You want to like a woman as a woman? Go on. But not Melina.
"Bro, why do you look like I ate your favourite candy?" Angela asked.
"Don't talk to him, Angie. He is pissed," Damon said, exaggerating.
"By the way Theo, your sister is Melina's friend right?. Ask Zara if Melina got a partner?" Angela asked as we got closer to the house.
I had to gather all my energy to push the door open, holding myself back from punching her face.
Unlike every day, Father's annoying sister wasn't there. At the dining table, someone sat with her head bowed. Shy? Awkward? Idk. It was Melina.
My traitorous lips forced a smile. I pursed them together, but the sight of her in my house, sitting there, made me grin. Before my face could show the wide smile I tried to hold, I went straight to the kitchen, where Mom usually was.
"Ahem," I cleared my throat, struggling to look Mom in the eyes.
"I like her," Mom said, side-eyeing me with a teasing smile.
"Stop it, Mom." Yeah. Stop it, heart, stop smiling at this.
"Why is she alone? Where are Zara and Dove?"
"Oh oh oh, my son looking out for a lady, huh. Cute," Mom said, stirring drinks.
"I will give it to her, Mom," Angela barged in interjecting, snatching the tray. Of course, she was trying to steal her. I knew.
"Should I tell Melina what you talked with Damon about her?" Mom said, her tone low., pulling me away from Glaring at angela.
"Mom. No." I warned, not seriously.
"You don't know Damon. You don't know the feeling. You don't know when a nobody—well, not technically—when your sister's friend is always on your mind, haunts even the smallest daily routine. She is eating me alive, eating my brain and heart. The strangest thing is, I am not even angry. I am not even complaining at this, right? Hell, even now I wish I could see her face, just hear her voice," Mom said, mimicking my tone perfectly while I tried to cover her voice, but she kept sliding off, finishing whatever I had said to Damon that day.
Hearing it now… gosh. It was cringe.
"Have you both gone mad?" Zara said, panting, trying to catch her breath, followed by Dove.
"Gosh, I will die right now." Dove, panting for breaths completed Zara.
"Mom. Take Melina to the backyard, please. We will rest there," Zara said, dragging herself away from the kitchen with Dove.
What a mannerless act, Zara. You brought your friend here, and she's sitting alone at the dining table while you order others to bring Melina wherever you want.
And no, Melina wouldn't mind. I know it's not deep. But I didn't like it.
I went to the dining hall to call Melina, but as if sensing me, Damon gripped the handles of the chair she is sitting on to face him, pulling her closer.
Her face inches from Damon, lacking warmth. Even though it lacked warmth and It looked like a movie rehearsal,I couldn't imagine her with anyone.
But I wouldn't voice whatever I was feeling, whether it was mere affection or not.
Coward!! The voices inside me screamed at me, and I agreed.
I marched to the dining table, grabbed Damon by the collar, and pulled him away.
"Don't play this dirty little game of yours, Damon," I mumbled through gritted teeth.
"Isn't it Melina's little saviour? Good to see you," Damon mumbled back, mockingly smiling, dimples visible.
Mom emerged from the kitchen, serving snacks to Melina. She said, "Zara and Dove went to the backyard. Told me to tell you. Theo, take her there."
Angela glared at me like a cat whose favorite treat was stolen. Excuse me??
"I'll bring her there," Angela said enthusiastically.
Should I just kill her or something?
Suddenly An old, deep sound of authority killed whatever I was feeling. Mom became quieter, smaller, keeping her head hung low.
That's the cue of Father's arrival. Mom became meek.
"Is this my house or your friends' party venue?"
He looked at Mom, then Melina, then Angela and Damon—people he hates. People he loves included two. Himself and His sister.
He hated everybody else, like everyone else is a peasant under his foot. Especially Damon.
Father eyed Damon. "Why are you here? I know your eyes are on my wife. I doubt her too. Look at you, handsome little bastard."
My teeth clenched, fists tightened just as I was about to step forward. Mom pulled me back, and Damon shook his head: not now.
Father laughed. Is this funny to him?
"I have told others that this little jerk doesn't have entry in this house," he said, pointing at Damon.
He glanced at Mom, standing beside me. Her eyes hung low.
He spat toward Mom in front of her.
"Such a slut," he growled, as Mom kept holding me back, mumbling 'not now, not now,' tears rolling down her cheeks.
I want to destroy him. Destroy.
I kept looking at his figure walking away, teeth gritting. If only Mom allowed me, he would be ashes.
I glanced at Melina, who was staring at me, wide eyed.
Is she... scared of me?
Something broke inside me. I was the player. One who treats humans as toys in her mind. Now I am a person with murderous thoughts and actions toward the man who walked away spitting infront of my mom, while all of these friends of mine, was watching.
I call that person Father.
But the term which suits him more is mistake. Mom's second mistake.
Step father.
Gerome Frost.
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