Melody

I was thankful that today was Saturday. It was a horrible week topped off with fainting yesterday. While it was a horrible experience, it ended up bringing Carson and I closer together. Despite my protests, he carried me into my house and all the way to my couch. I was lucky that no one was home to question it.

After giving me water and a bunch of snacks, he turned up the air conditioning in the house to keep me cool before leaving. He sent me text messages every hour to see if I was okay. He was so sweet, and I hoped he wasn't just being nice because he pitied me.

Considering that my dad and Margot went away for the weekend, there was no one to question why I spent Friday night in my room. Mia didn't care, and Leslie cooked enough meals for us on Friday morning, and then was off for the weekend.

All evening, I looked at pictures of my mom after spending a few hours watching television. I missed her immensely. She was whom I looked up to, my best friend, and the one person who ever loved everything about me. My dad might have, but he was always focused on himself, his business, and now Margot.

It hurt that no one ever spared me a second glance unless it had something to do with them, but I didn't try to do anything about it. I was used to it. It had been that way since after my mother died. No one noticed me.

Until Carson.

Mia was oddly quiet, and I had a feeling she was up to something, but I didn't care enough to find out. When I ventured downstairs around noon on Saturday, I was met with a whirlwind of decorations. There were streamers and balloons in a kaleidoscope of colours, furniture pulled off to the side, a table set up with speakers on it and another table for food. I groaned as Mia rounded the corner.

"You really didn't think I was going to let the opportunity pass me by, did you?" Mia snickered. I sighed.

"I didn't think you would, but a girl can dream," I muttered, heading towards the kitchen.

"I'm inviting seniors from my old school –"

"WHAT?" I cut her off, halting where I was. Her old school meant my current school and I already knew which seniors she was 'friends' with. I turned around and folded my arms across my chest. "I don't want those people in my house."

"It's not just your house you know. I was going to be nice and tell you to come – maybe make you a bit more popular, but we both know you'll end up embarrassing yourself... and me. So, do both of us a favour, and stay in your room. I can't have them knowing we actually live together."

How rude...

***

I sat in my room, in a black, strappy camisole with checker beach shorts. It was a cute enough outfit that I could get away with leaving my room, but it was on the comfy side. I had a black hat waiting on my desk for me as a disguise, in case the need arose. But it wouldn't. I had water and a few snacks. I didn't need to leave my room unless one of the drunken idiots downstairs set my house on fire.

There was loud house music downstairs, blaring through multiple speakers, with the occasional cheers from what I assumed was a very stirring game of beer pong. I could just imagine the smelly liquid splashing all over the floor, while people dropped food as their cravings for chips and pizza took over. Mia better find a way to clean the place up, because she'd be in a whole lot of trouble when my dad and Margot found out.

I was at my desk, drawing a couple outfit designs in my sketchbook when there was a knock on my door. I sighed and ignored it. Mia made me clean the entire upstairs, in case a couple thought it was actually appropriate to go up there, but it didn't mean that my room was available.

The person who knocked, however, didn't go away. Instead they knocked again.

"This room isn't a makeshift hotel – go away!" I yelled in frustration. This is why I didn't want Mia throwing a stupid party!

I heard a chuckle from outside my door, and I stood up immediately to open it.

"Hiya Mellie," Carson smirked. "Mighty rude of you to throw a party and not tell me."

My jaw fell open at this. "No, I didn't – it was – a"

"Mia Allen. She went graduated from our school and invited my friends. They dragged me here... but what I didn't expect was to find out I was coming to your house," Carson said. I bit my lip before deciding on something brave.

"Get in here," I muttered, pulling his arm towards me. Once Carson was in my room, I closed the door and locked in. I then took a brief second to ask myself where that came from and what I was doing, before turning around to face Carson. "So... Mia's my stepsister."

"That explains it!" Carson grinned, sitting down on my bed. It was amusing to see how easily he made himself at home.

"But, please don't tell anyone," I asked, hovering by the door.

"Why not?" It wasn't a challenge. He genuinely wanted to know, and it surprised me.

"She's..." I hated the sound of it, so I took a deep breath and let it out as quickly as possible. "She's embarrassed by me and doesn't really like me, so she doesn't want people to know we live in the same house."

Carson wore an unreadable expression on his face, but in his eyes, I saw... anger? ... sadness? ... pity? I hoped it wasn't the latter, but I couldn't tell.

"You don't have to stay around though. Like, you can go back to the party if you'd like," I heard myself say. I was surprised, and the expression on Carson's face now told me he was too.

"I don't want to go to the party... I only came because I had to, but I'm staying because I want to," Carson said. I smiled and looked down at the ground. "So, what were you doing before I disturbed you?" Carson asked. I frowned at him.

"You didn't disturb me!" I protested lightly. Carson chuckled. "I – I was just drawing anyways." I could feel my cheeks heat and I hoped they weren't too red.

"Can I see?" I nodded and motioned to my desk. Carson gave me a curious look and got off my bed to look at my sketchbook. I watched as he leaned over the pages tracing the drawings slightly with his fingertips. His dark eyebrows furrowed slightly in concentration, and his lips were curved into a half smile. "Are you planning to move from beside the door anytime soon?" The smile was now a smirk.

"I, um – I've – I haven't had – I've never had a boy in my room before," I admitted after a bout of fumbling over my words. I didn't know what to do with myself, but I was sure Carson could tell.

Carson laughed, and it made my face redder than it probably was before. I pouted slightly at him. I haven't had friends over since I was ten, let alone a boy or a boyfriend in my room.

I guess Carson saw my face fall because he stopped laughing and walked over to me. "Hey, don't be embarrassed Mellie," he began. "I t–"

"It's hard not to when you're laughing at me," I responded, folding my arms across my chest.

"I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing because you're adorable," he explained. I nodded without meeting his eyes. Carson pulled one of my arms away from my body and tugged me away from the door. "Don't worry, I won't steal your virtue," Carson teased. I wrinkled my nose.

"Are we in the fifties now?" I deadpanned, making Carson chuckle as he sat down on my bed.

"No, because they didn't have laptops back then," he began picking mine up. "Now, open up yours and show me that Runway Project Fashion show you like," Carson said. He handed me the laptop.

"You want watch Project Runway with me?" I questioned in shock.

"Oh, that's what it's called!" Carson nodded. "And yeah, I want to see how you sit down for a day and watch it!" He patted next to him on the bed.

"O-oh – okay."

I was seriously about to be on a bed with Carson White.

What an unexpected turn of events...

__________

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long! But I hope you like where this is headed! ;) I know I do! 

Melody's party outfit:

What do you think about Mia throwing this party? How do you feel about Carson popping into Melody's room? Do you think anyone will find out? Comment what you think and vote if you liked it! Thank you!! <3