The Touch

This serenity was even scarier than trouble. Perhaps Maddie had to call it terrifying. It felt very unpleasant, like a big lump in the heart. Maddie stared at Castelia, her serious gaze indicating she had something on her mind.

Castelia had a hunch but said nothing and patiently waited for Maddie to speak. "Let's go see her," Maddie said seriously.

It's not like Maddie wants to die young, she just can't help but be curious. At least Maddie needs a reason to explain Melody's attitude. "No, Madd," Castelia refused. "Wouldn't it be better if Melody forgot about us? We have no reason to show up and make her mad."

Castelia had her reasons but Maddie would die if her questions weren't answered. "We'll just get through her, that's all," he insisted. "I wonder what her reaction would be if she saw us."

"Mad-"

"Please, Cas!" Maddie looked like a starving puppy, pleading, "I haven't been able to sleep peacefully this week because I'm worried. I need to know why she forgot us so quickly." Maddie was just convinced that something had gone wrong, that she needed to know why in order to return to live in peace.

Castelia sighed, frustrated. To be honest, Castelia also felt weird and wanted to know the reason, but not getting into trouble was a good life. However, how to hold Maddie who is already curious?

"We don't know how to find her," said Castelia. "We can't just call her and ask her to meet us."

Maddie knew but there was no reason to stop her. "I'll find out!" she said and walked away with her leg which had just healed. Maddie made Castelia sigh but when she disappeared behind the door, everything inside Castelia's head changed drastically.

It wasn't Maddie or Melody anymore but Joshua who she hadn't seen for a week. Castelia took out her phone, opening the only message she had from Joshua. Only one and never again.

Just because of one short message, Joshua became a kind and caring man in Castelia's heart but all of that vanished quickly as if it was nothing. "He's playing with me..." Castelia muttered under her breath. "He's playing me again."

Pay attention to Castelia, smiling at her and making her happy; once again, he just disappeared with only wounds.

Castelia took a deep breath, tapping her forehead with her phone as she closed her eyes. "I must be crazy for not being able to stop thinking about him," she muttered. Castelia smiled sadly, saying, "When did I not go crazy? I loved Joshua for a long time and put us at risk just for him."

Crazy? No, perhaps Castelia should call it stupid. Very stupid, stupidest woman ever born in this world. They may have been lucky to be fine until this moment but misfortune didn't reek. Castelia should have been more careful and not turned into a fool just because of a man who had hurt her.

****

Two days passed and tonight, Maddie received news of Melody's whereabouts. Castelia didn't know how she got that info, Castelia didn't even want to know but of course she would be there with the curious Maddie.

At a Chinese restaurant located downtown, Maddie said Melody would be there to meet her friends and this was where Maddie and Castelia waited. They were not far from the front door, purposely walking closer after Melody got out of the car.

The first thing Melody saw upon turning her head were the faces of the two bastards she desperately wanted to torture to death, sadly that wouldn't happen. Satisfied with glaring at Maddie and Castelia, Melody stepped into the restaurant.

"She didn't even say anything," Maddie muttered strangely. Melody's hateful gaze clearly said she had a lot of anger in her but she just walked away like she had no other choice. Strange? But what is the reason?

"We'd better go," suggested Castelia who didn't want to be a hindrance at the entrance. They were too focused on themselves, not realizing that Melody didn't come alone.

When Melody's black car was driven away by a worker, Joshua appeared behind it. Castelia's position on the edge of the mat allowed her to get a good look at Joshua. But the man didn't even look at her as if he didn't notice her existence.

Maddie said nothing, silently looking at Castelia and Joshua in turn. Maddie swears Melody should meet her friends, but it doesn't say Joshua will come. There seems to be misinformation and unfortunately why should Joshua? Why does it always have to be that guy? He made Castelia freeze like a statuette to the point of forgetting to blink and breathe.

Joshua put his hands in his trouser pockets, calmly walked into the restaurant and passed Castelia who couldn't stop staring at him.

"That bastard." Maddie gritted her teeth, irritated at how arrogant Joshua was that he didn't even glance at Castelia for a moment. After what happened between them, he just passed by as if Castelia were a wall. No, as if she was something invisible.

However, Maddie was wrong. Maddie was so focused on Joshua's face that she didn't notice that Joshua took his hand out of his pants pocket to touch Castelia's finger as he almost passed her.

The touch was brief but so gentle and real. Just one small touch that lasted no more than two seconds had managed to make Castelia's heart beat so fast it felt like it was going to explode.

Castelia slowly turned to look in the direction Joshua had left, and the man had disappeared somewhere. 'What's that touch for?' Castelia's mind asked. 'Why is his touch so calming? Why is it so comfortable and makes my heart tremble?'

Castelia wanted to smile but the courage wasn't there, even Castelia thought it was crazy to smile. "Let's go, Cas!" asked Maddie who was impatient but Castelia seemed to have changed her mind.

Instead of letting Maddie drag her away, Castelia restrained Maddie's movement and said, "Come on in, I want to know what they're doing here."

Maddie neither objected nor agreed; the rich man wouldn't be sitting with people in the restaurant, AKA ordering a VIP table in the room. If so, what's the point of sitting and waiting?

"Come on, Madd." Castelia was impatient, she entered the restaurant first and Maddie followed.

"What coincidence is this?" Maddie let out a small chuckle, not expecting the person they wanted to spy on didn't choose a closed VIP table. They sat at a large round table in the centre of the restaurant, surrounded by several tables that were already filled with customers.

It turns out that the information Maddie got was not only incorrect but was quite wrong. Melody didn't come to eat with her friends but with her family. "Looks like Joshua's parents aren't here yet," Maddie said.

"They won't come," Castelia retorted, successfully grabbing Maddie's attention and making her stare.

"Why do you say that?" Maddie asked curiously because Castelia looked quite serious for some reason.

Castelia said, "Joshua's father died while his mother, I never saw her and Joshua never even mentioned her."