"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Aj asked when he saw it was Vallery and Suzy.
"Cut the crap Aj, we want to talk to Melody," Vallery demanded.
"Melody isn't here," he lied.
"Now Aj, we aren't playing around! Melody's car is in the driveway. Do we really need more proof than that?" Suzy said, pushing him aside. Aj followed Vallery and Suzy into the living room. Melody looked at them sheepishly from the couch then turned her eyes away from them.
"Are you totally insane? What is wrong with you? I have turned my head and pretended that there isn't something really wrong with you, but I actually believe you have gone crazy!" Suzy yelled at her.
"Sue, it's not what you think," Melody said, throwing her hands up, defending herself.
"Then what is it? You seem to keep saying there is something wrong, but you never seem to want to say what it is. What could you possible have wrong with you that you couldn't tell your best friends? We have always been there for you Mel," she said, her voice growing softer.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"You're parents are worried sick. Why did you take off like that? You're mom called us, she was hysterical, she was crying. Won't you please tell us?" Vallery pleaded.
"Ok guys, I will, but not right now. Tomorrow, noon, at my house. I will tell you two and my parents what has been going on," Melody assured her.
"Pinky swear?" Suzy asked her. Melody became choked up as she held out her hand to Suzy. They had become best friends in 3rd grade on a pinky swear. They had promised to be friends until they died, Melody just never thought it would be so soon. Melody finally let the tears fall from her eyes once they had finished.
"Shhh, it's okay," Aj soothed her, sitting down next to Melody and wrapping his arms around her. She cried onto his chest, in the safeness of his arms. She wished she could stay there forever.
"Melody?" Vallery asked quietly. Melody looked up at her, her eyes still full of tears. "I can't tell her!" Vallery said, turning away.
"Tell her what?" Howie asked, curious. Everyone had almost forgotten he was in the room.
"Come here," Vallery said, motioning him to the kitchen. Melody and Aj watched as Vallery leaned in and whispered something to him. His face dropped as she talked, he glanced sympathetically at Aj and Melody, sitting so innocently on the couch. After exchanging a few words, they returned to the living room.
"What is it?" Melody asked.
"I don't think you really want to know," Howie explained.
"Suzy?" Suzy just looked away. Tears began to pour harder out of her eyes. What could be possibly worse than what was already happening to her?
"Maybe this isn't the best time to tell you," Vallery said, thinking about what Howie had said to her.
"Somebody, just tell me. You can't come in here, freak out on me, then say something is wrong and not tell me," Melody said, tears still filling her eyes. She looked at everyone's blank stares. "Oh, I get it," she whispered, "is this my pay back for not telling you what is wrong with me? You know, because I don't think that is very fair." Still nobody said anything; there was a long awkward silence.
"Someone just freaking tell her, now!" Aj yelled, surprising everyone. He couldn't stand to see Melody in so much pain.
"Aj, don't you dare try to tell us what to do!" Suzy yelled back. "You have no idea what is going on."
"I don't know what's going on? No, you don't know what is going on. You haven't known for a while. Anything you have to say can't even be as close to as bad as what Melody is already dealing with!"
"Okay hot stuff, you really want to know?"
"Yes!!!"
"Melody's parents hate you, they think YOU are causing her problems. She isn't allowed to see you anymore!"
Melody's face grew pale, she couldn't handle the news, she grew limp in Aj's arms.
"Look what you did," Suzy rasped at Aj, "You force me to say what's going on and look at the results. You don't know her, not as well as you think you do. You have only known her a few days; I have known her for MANY years. I am beginning to agree with Melody's parents about you. Ever since the day she met you she has been acting weird. You are annoying, rude, and not good enough for her. You are no good for Melody, you never were and never will be!" She turned in a huff and stormed out of the door.
"I'm sorry, I have to go too, Suzy drove me up here. I'm really sorry, she didn't mean it AJ, she is just upset," Vallery said, slowly backing to the door as well.
"It's okay Vallery, don't worry about it."
"Have Melody call me when she wakes up."
"I'll do that, bye."
Aj sighed and cradled Melody in his arms. Howie shook his head and slipped back into the kitchen. He couldn't stand the site of Aj holding Melody in his arms. Aj really does love that girl, Howie realized. Howie wanted to know what was wrong with Melody almost as much as everyone else did. All the Backstreet Boys were wondering about her.
Melody, the mysterious girl that Aj was so fond about, made them all curious as to what was so special about her. Even more they wanted to know what her problem was, what made her act the way she did. They would all soon find out.
