019

Where am I?

Melody was looking around and realized that she was in the same place she put Jack and Elisabeth before, the sofa next to the fireplace.

Oh yeah. I am in Elisabeth's house. Together with Jack and then Jack passed out because of some strange perfume. Elisabeth also passed out, after she drank something strange. Then I looked around in the house and afterwards... What happened afterwards? I don't remember... How did I get here?

She stood up, rubbing her eyes. Even though she just slept, she still felt really tired. She put away the blanked that was laid over her, keeping her warm while she slept and realized she was in pink pyjamas with a rose motive.

She began to blush. She didn't remember putting that on, so did that mean that Jack was? No, there was also the possibility of Elisabeth having done it. She needed to focus and hit her cheeks, to get herself awake.

Melody opened the door to the hallway and immediately panicked again. She could hear the voices of Jack and Elisabeth loudly arguing about something. She didn't remember everything, but there was a faint memory of a gunshot lingering in her head. What if they were fighting? Could it be that they were wounded, or worse?

Melody didn't know, but she feared that if she didn't intervene soon, one of her friends would end up dead. She ran down the hallway, following the voices that got louder and louder. She arrived at the kitchen door, where she got the first aid kit to patch up Elisabeth. The voices were directly behind that big wooden door. Although still muffled, Melody was able to pick up a few words.

- ...suicide...

- ...kill you...

After hearing that, she collected all her courage and burst into the room.

- STOOOOOP!!!!! It's a misunderstanding! Don't kill each othe-

She stopped mid-sentence. Jack and Elisabeth were cooking. Jack was wearing an apron, with the imprint: 'I love hot!', while Elisabeth wore a red apron. They both were looking at Melody, Elisabeth with a glitter in her eyes, while Jack's was as emotionless as always.

- I think you misunderstood. We aren't killing each other. I am just stopping her from killing us all.

- What do you mean! If you use that chili the right way, it won't be that hot, however it would improve the overall taste experience! So don't be a dick and give me the goddamn pepper!

From the way she was talking, it seemed as if they had been going at it for a while, Melody had never heard Elisabeth insulting other people. She did curse, but it was never directed at someone.

- But... I heard you... You were talking about suicide and killing each other.

- Oh honey, you must be really confused... No wonder you had to be with such a disgrace of a human the whole time... But don't worry Mel, now I am here for you.

She walked over to melody and hugged her like a mother would, angrily glaring at jack, who just rolled his eyes.

- Could you at least think before you talk? Just look at her, she's still wearing her pink pyjamas, so obviously she just woke up.

Melody, who just realized that she really was just in her pyjamas, blushed and tried to hide against Elisabeth, who stopped hugging her and was now looking at Jack, who continued his explanation.

- From that I conclude she heard us arguing and ran over to see what was going on. However the doors are thick and she probably only heard a few words: 'suicide' and 'kill'.

Elisabeth looked at Melody who was still hiding behind her back, embarrassed about her appearance. Melody slowly nodded and thus confirmed Jack's suspicion. He continued his little speech.

- You should know where she got these words from. Or do you really not remember our conversation from a few minutes back? If so you really should be worried.

Elisabeth mumbled something about Jack being a smart ass but then gave in.

- You said: 'If you really were to use it, we could commit suicide right away and save us a lot of work.' and I answered with: 'If I really wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need to use such pitiful methods.'

- There you have it. So stop thinking that I am doing anything bad to 'your' Melody, I already told you three times that I didn't do anything to your precious student.

- Okay okay... But that still leaves the question what we do about the pepper... I know what we can do, why don't we let Melody decide!

Elisabeth was grinning at Jack, it seemed like Elisabeth was playing a false game. But even so, jack nodded in agreement. They both looked at Melody, who was a bit overwhelmed by the situation.

- Just say what you like more, we are cooking chili con carne and I would like to add a bit more hotness than usual. The decision is all yours.

- Well, if I really can decide... I would like it hot please...

Elisabeth let out a cry of joy, but Melody bashfully looked at Jack, to see his reaction. However he didn't seem to care, even though he just fought with Elisabeth over that topic.

I wonder what that could mean... Why did he agree to me deciding in the first place? Elisabeth knew that I like it bit on the hotter side and it was really obvious that she had planned it. So why did he still agree to me deciding?

- Mel, you want to help us? There still is an apron in the closet over there.

Elisabeth showed her the direction, it was on the other side of the room. Melody opened the closet and really did find another apron in there.

- Oh... Eli, are you sure there is just this one apron left? You don't have any other ones, do you?

- Nope, that's the only one left sweetie!

- Well, okay then...

Melody came back, red as a rose, wearing an apron with the imprint: 'I am hot!'. Jack's and her apron were couple aprons. Jack had only once seen her this embarrassed and that was when he undressed in front of her. Apparently it was a big deal for melody, so he decided to help her feel at ease by complimenting her.

- This looks really good on you, especially with your pink pyjama underneath.

Melody had completely forgotten about it, but now it was too late. She was so red, you could practically see the steam coming out of her head. Elisabeth, or Eli how Melody called her, didn't let her escape though and so all of them worked in the kitchen on their meal.

It was as if they were a happy family or a group of friends and for a moment Melody felt as happy as never before. She had a boyfriend and a mother by her side, supporting her and to Melody that was the best feeling in the world. But that was a lie. Her Mother was a scientist, probably doing drugs, her boyfriend a serial killer, showing no emotions and she herself... Well she was the daughter of Harm, one of the most powerful humans alive, but what she really was, was a liar. She lied, but not in the traditional sense. No she lied to herself. She told herself that once this was over, she and Jack could become a couple for real, she told herself that they would do it and that she could live a happy life, leaving her past behind, but deep down she knew that wouldn't come true. She just oppressed her past and what she had been through...

But for now, for these few moments, I truly am grateful to have been born. Spending time with my friends, I am the happiest I have ever been...

- Bon appetite!

They were all sitting at the table in the living room with the huge window, eating the dish they made themselves.

- Oh! It's surprisingly good!

Melody smiled. Even Jack was praising the food they made together. It felt like a magical moment, Elisabeth was crying tears of joy, which Melody found a bit melodramatic, but it was fitting to Elisabeth. Jack had no real expression as always, but it was fitting for him and Melody had a smile on her face. She did not know if that smile was befitting of her true self, she didn't know anything about her true self at all.

But for this moment, where they were sitting together enjoying a homemade meal, she wanted to believe that said smile fit her.

No, she knew it was a smile by her true self. It just had to be.

With that, the first day at Elisabeth's mansion came to a close. Melody and Jack really did sleep in the same room, but Melody was actually quite happy about that. Jack and Elisabeth explained the plan and her part in it after the dinner.

She was happy, that they had a plan, that could actually work, but there was one thing she was even happier about. Between jack and her, everything seemed fine again. At the dinner, they had a normal conversation. Maybe it was because Elisabeth was here as a third person or time healed whatever stood between them. But whatever it was, Melody was grateful.

Things were finally going their way. With these thoughts, Melody fell asleep next to Jack, in a big canopy bed, inside the mansion of her best friend Melody.

With that the happiest day in Melody's life thus far came to a close.