Melanie squinted as the bright morning sun shone on her face, she forgot to draw the curtains the night before now she's facing the consequence by having her sleep disturbed by the too bright California's sun. She grunted and lazily stood, grumbling about the unfair weather of the place and way her room happened to face it directly.

With too much strength, she pulled the curtains close almost removing it from it hinges and feeling a little satisfied when it made a squeak sound. She tried going back to sleep but soon gave up after rolling around.

She wasn't in the habit of taking coffee in the morning but figured she needed a little bit of it. Trudging to the kitchen and opening the drawers, she took out Katrina's bag of coffee and also took out her favorite mug.

Oh fuck shit!

She thought as she drank the coffee, she thought she had tasted bitter stuffs all her life but nothing was as bitter as that. Wondering how Katrina drinks it she rushed to the sink and threw everything up.

Feeling miserable, she went to the living room, glad she left a blanket on the couch she curled on it and covered herself from the neck and he thought back to the day before....

Melanie watched even after Toby's car disappeared down the lane and went back into the club. She met with Kat and told her she wasn't feeling too well and would like to go home. Of course, kat offered to follow her but Melanie insisted she spend more time with Asher who wanted Kat to go to his house.

After lots of arguments kat finally agreed to go home with Asher and made Melanie promise to call her before she slept.

Shit.

She forgot to call Kat before she slept as she had a lot on her mind. She ran back into her room and pounced on her phone.

26 missed calls from kat the cat🐱

4 unread messages from kat the cat🐱

She tapped on the message box opening the messages first.

23:25pm
Kat the cat🐱: bitch! Aren't you home yet???

1:05am
Kat the cat🐱: hey!! Don't tell me you've slept without calling me you bitch?!

1:15am
Kat the cat🐱: Melanieee!!!

2:35am
Kat the cat🐱: okay you're probably asleep but I swear I'm killing you when I get back. But not before you tell me everything that happened between you and Toby last night ;-)

Melanie groaned.

Of course, Kat would ask for the details.

As if on cue, the door bell rang followed by an impatient knock. Katrina was definitely back.

Melanie walked slowly towards the front door, dreading the questions that'd be thrown at her and at the same time looking for excuses not give not to say anything about what happened the day before.

The knock came again, very impatient.

"Coming." She croaked out.

Praying that whoever was there wasn't a particular girl with brown hair and brown eyes and quick mouth, she opened the door slowly.

Her prayers were answered, it wasn't Kat but instead a particular ocean eyed man who had taken a place in her heart.

"Toby?" She croaked. What was more surprising was the fact that he was in formal attire as if visiting a friend.

He smiled at her. He fucking smiled at her.

"Uhm, hi?" He said unsure, he was definitely nervous with the way he stood awkwardly and kept shifting on his feet.

Melanie was astounded, she never thought she'd see the day Toby would get nervous and in front of her still.

"I-uh- can I come in?" He asked her, pulling her from her deep thoughts.

"Sure, come in." She permitted.

"Thanks." He stepped in and it felt like the whole air was sucked from the room at his presence. The house which she always felt was big enough now felt small.

"Why don't you live with your parents?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow at her. She looked away not able to meet his scrutinizing eyes.

Melanie shrugged. "If you mean my sperm donor and his wife then no thanks... I'd rather be homeless." She answered.

He saw pain flash through her eyes but decided not to question it, after all he hasn't told her anything about him. It was only fair if she wouldn't do the same.

"So......" She began but was cut off by Toby.

"I came here to apologize." She looked taken aback.

"For what, pray?"

"For my rude behavior, for dumping you after...after what we did and letting you get kidnapped, for acting rash and walking out on you yesterday night and acting confusing, for that I'm sorry." She could meet his eyes after that. She looked deep into his eyes and found out that she was unsatisfied, not knowing why but knowing she doesn't want to accept the apology. Not like that.

She nodded. "Okay."

Then stood up. "Is that all?" She asked.

"Yeah..." He nodded unsure then cocked his head. "Am I forgiven?." She nodded.

"Just like that?"

"What else do you want? A hug? A kiss? Me crying over you like you're prodigal son who has returned? Tell me what the hell you want!!" Melanie snapped.

"You're not making sense,Mel. What the hell are you saying?" Toby asked, a cute frown appearing on his face. He stood too and tried to approach her but she put her hands between the both of them.

"Okay....its fine. You're here to apologize and I've accepted it so you can leave." She pointed to the front door and looked away.

"What's wrong? Are you still angry at me? What the fuck do you want eh? I've just apologized I don't even understand you anymore."

"Just go!"

Toby hissed and grabbed her, pulling her to himself. He whispered into her ear. "Look, I am a busy man with a busy schedule and I took my time to come apologize to you, so look in my eyes and tell me you'll not accept it."

She met his eyes and he could see her resolve in her eyes. She shook her head then shrugging his hands off, she walked to the front door herself and opened it.

"I don't want an apology you don't mean, an apology you were forced to tell so get the hell out of my house." She said calmly not giving an hint to the Strom brewing inside of her.

He stared at her, she could feel his rage building, suffocating her and the promise in his eyes, to get back at her for her defiance.

"So this is what I get trying to apologize even though you were the one fraternizing with my enemy just because I refused you? So that's what you do huh? Open your laps for any guy that's the enemy of someone who offended you?" His words hurt her more than anything but she refused to cry in front of him. To show him his words affected her.

"Get out." She repeated, this time giving him a deadly glare.

He nodded.

"Gladly." He said before walking past her.

She closed the door behind him and fell to her knees, not crying but it felt like her heart was being ripped into two again.

Why does everyone try to hurt her?

Why can't she be loved back?

Why must there always be complications in her shitty life?

Why??

©

✴✴✴