There was a playfulness in nature, in the skies, and especially in the high schools as it was the start of spring. The time of bidding farewell to being a high schooler was coming closer, and the abundant joy of the last prom energized the air.
Along with the new warmth in the weather, Zane's heart was starting to warm up as well. However, his mom was always in his mind and his heart.
Juniors were working hard to organize the final prom for the seniors, still, they begged Zane and a few other seniors to help them out, which made Zane late for his date with Winter. Zane was hurrying to get out of the school campus as Winter was waiting for him outside, he bumped into Melody.
Giving her a quick greet, he was about to go on his way when she called him out, "Zane, I want to talk to you for a minute."
"I'm sorry but Winter is waiting for me outside," Zane responded.
"It will just take a minute. Come here." She pulled him to a corner behind the pillar, which he found strange because what must she want to say in a corner like that. "Will you go to the prom with me tomorrow?"
"Uh, I'm sorry. But I have to reject you, Mel." Zane pulled away from his hand from her.
"But Winter can't be your partner. She can't come to our school, neither can you go to hers," Melody reasoned.
"That doesn't mean I will have to take some other girl."
"But I was your partner last year," she said.
"But I have a girlfriend now," he reminded her as she seemed to have forgotten.
Melody gritted her teeth and let out in frustration, "Don't you see how much I love you?"
"Pardon me?" Zane was stunned as he didn't see that coming. He had always been dense at figuring out others' romantic feelings, but he could have never guessed that Melody had feelings for him because she always seemed happy for his happiness.
Melody placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "I have always liked you since the freshmen day. But I never had the courage to tell you because you were so perfect and I was so ordinary."
"I told you countless times you are not ordinary, no one is. You will shine when your time comes," he told her.
"That's why I like you so much. Because you are always so supportive and kind. I was waiting for your confession, but it never came. Despite that, I waited for you to treat me as someone special," she said softly and touched his cheek, making him flinch. "Now you belong to someone else. Please give me this one parting gift."
"Mel, what are—" he cut himself as Melody was about to press her lips on his but a hand came in between.
"What do you think you are doing to my Zane?" spoke a furious voice.
"Winter," Zane breathed out and took a step back from Melody.
"How dare you?" Melody groaned.
Winter stood in between the two of them, hiding Zane behind herself, and crossed her arms, not before rubbing her palm on her jeans where Melody's lips had touched. "And how dare you try to kiss my boyfriend?"
Melody stomped her feet and glared at her friend, Sora, who she had given the task to bring Winter just the moment she would kiss Zane. At any rate, she didn't expect Winter to step in and kiss-block her like this. "Because I like him," she admitted.
"And he likes me," Winter responded proudly. She couldn't say that she likes him back as well because that wouldn't be an ideal way for her to confess her feelings.
Melody let out a humorless laugh. "Do you even like him back or are you just using him?"
"You are in no place to taunt me when he doesn't even like you back," Winter retorted, her hands were itching to slap the girl in front of her. She had no problem with her being Zane's close friend, but she would not allow her to hit on him, let alone try to force a kiss on him. Also, she would deal with him later, not in front of her.
"Well, he is liking the wrong person. You are even an Asian," Melody taunted.
"Even though I respect Asians, in what angle do I look Asian to you? By birth, I'm an American and I'm sure I have a pretty good accent as well."
The two of them kept bickering while Zane just wanted to get out of here. He never fancied two girls fighting over him. He couldn't comprehend why it was even a discussion when he already liked one of them?
He took a hold of Winter's wrist and whispered to her, "Can we please leave?"
Winter shot him a sharp look before sighing and agreeing. Just as they were about to leave, Melody shouted, "I should have stopped Zane from leaving the library that day. I even stole his phone to keep you away from him."
"What?" Zane let out, anger flashing in his eyes. "You were the one who stole my phone? How dare you? I considered you my friend and you backstab me like that. Winter could have died that day." Winter patted his back to calm him. He took a deep breath before speaking further, "Let's never see each other again unless we really need to, Melody." With that, he left the campus with Winter while Melody broke out crying as she had blurted out something she definitely shouldn't have. Now, she even lost her friend. But she got what she deserved.
On the other hand, Zane and Winter were walking on the sidewalk silently while she kept stealing worried glances at him. His grip on her hand was tight, her fingers were almost going numb, yet she let him think. Even though the feeling of betrayal was stinging, he at least got to see Melody's true color.
"Are you thinking I'm an idiot?" he let out.
"No, because I know you are an idiot," she replied, making him chuckle lightly. "Hey, it wasn't your fault that she was such a double-faced lady-dog."
"I know. I should have understood what her intentions were." He stopped walking and murmured, "If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have had to get admitted to a hospital, you wouldn't have had to cut yourself for getting rid of your pain." Guilt was clear in his voice, and it had been residing in his heart for a long as well.
She sighed and placed her hand on his cheek. "Look, that was my mistake for taking such a step. I told you it was in no way your fault, and I promised I would never ever do such a thing again. And whatever happens, it happens for a good reason. It's because of that that I got to know the truth behind my mom's death, and I was able to get over it. Now, I have nothing holding me back. I'm free. That's why you should be free too," she told him, looking into his eyes with deep affection.
Zane nodded his head slowly and said, "Sorry for whatever that happened back there, and thank you for trusting me."
"Ah, about that." Winter fumed and put her hand on her hip. "Why didn't you stop her from trying to kiss you? Are you that dense?"
"I was caught off-guard. I didn't think she was going to go for it," he defended himself.
Winter narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, I know, I know. All men are the same," she accused. "I don't know how I am going to be at peace for the three years that we will be apart because I have such a dense boyfriend. You better stay away from sly girls," she rebuked, and he didn't know why he could see her turning green from anger. 'No, scratch that. Stay away from all the girls."
"You don't have to worry about that. I won't cheat on you," he tried to assure her.
"I know that. I have my faith in you, but those girls are— ugh!" She fumed and started marching ahead.
Zane chuckled and grabbed her arm, starting to walk beside her as she continued fuming. "You really trust me that much?"
"I need to think about my answer. Why do I trust you?" He scowled at her, and she laughed. "I will tell you tomorrow after thinking hard," she replied, a mischievousness visible in her tone.
"Fine." He rolled his eyes.
To divert the conversation, she asked, "Oh, by the way, will you go to the prom with me tomorrow?"
Zane arched an eyebrow. "You do know that everyone but students from my school is allowed in your prom, right?"
"I know, and I have got special permission. I mean, c'mon, you are not an alien. It was easy peasy to get permission from the principal," she bragged. In reality, she had to beg the principal for half an hour for granting special permission. Also, she didn't care what her schoolmates would say. They really needed to end that rivalry between the two schools.
"As long as I get to dance with you, I don't care either." He smiled at her cutely, melting her heart.
"Hey, would you go with me somewhere after-prom tomorrow?" she asked, looking at him hopefully.
"Of course, but where?" he inquired.
She grinned and said, excited for her plans tomorrow, "It's a surprise for you."
