“Stay where?” I whispered.

Akram's words didn't register in my brain completely. There must have been a misunderstanding.

“Stay here.”

“What?” I screeched “No! I can't do that!”

Akram grazed the skin between his brows, glancing at my skeptical stare. “But you're​ still tired and maybe…”

“I'm not tired. I really need to go!” I waved my arms in frustration.

Akram's throat moved.  “Please, don't leave.”

“You're not listening! I have to!”

“And go where?” His face crumpled into a pained expression.

His question hit me like a punch in the guts. The few non-options swirled around in my mind. The only logical option was another homeless shelter, or struggling with the DSS for days, or weeks, or months, to find me a place to live and a job.

“S-Somewhere,” I murmured, throwing my arms up. “But I can't stay.”

“Why? What have I done?” His mouth turned downward.

“You don't understand. This is wrong. I can't just...” I squeezed my eyes and shook my head. A morbidly selfish part of me didn't reject the idea. A part that needed to be strangled and buried deep into oblivion.

“Is it so hard to trust me?” Akram's​ face showed a snippet of hurt. “Have I ever been disrespectful, or…”

“Oh, no! That's not it! It's too easy to trust you,” I interrupted without thinking. “It's not you, it's me.”

He squinted, giving me an incredulous look.

“Akram, you can't​ just keep me here. God, this is so crazy!” I pressed my throbbing head with my hands.

He chuckled lightly. “I've heard that one before.”

“Heard what?”

“That I'm crazy.”

I blinked. My arms dropped to my sides. “People call you crazy?”

“Just my parents.” The side of his mouth curved slightly.

I tilted my head in confusion. I didn't know what to say, or what he was trying to say.

Is he trying ​to distract me again?

Akram held his hands up. “Alright, just hear me out, okay?”

I sighed and folded my arms.

”I know this sounds weird for you… to have a guy ask you this. I know it's​ not…” He sighed, looking at the ceiling and running a hand through his hair.

“It's not normal.” I finished his sentence.

“Not normal for me - a guy living alone - to want… I mean, to ask a girl to stay with him.” Akram seemed to be struggling for the right words.

“Then why?” I asked, shifting my legs impatiently.

“Believe me, it's not what you think… you may, well, um…” Akram paused, looked down, and stroked his forehead. “Wonder about my motives, but I promise I would never…”

“Wait!” My eyes opened wide. “You think I'm worried you'll take advantage of me?”

The idea never crossed my mind. It sounded too ludicrous. Akram was so much more than that. He was my hero. His kindness easily erased any kind of doubt, especially after last night. He just didn't understand he wasn't the problem. I was the bad news.

“I swear, I would never do anything to make you uncomfortable. All I want is you…” He coughed once, holding a loose fist to his lips. “I mean, I just want you to feel at home.”

My eyelids fluttered, gaping at this unusual behavior. There was something awkward, yet adorable about the way he explained himself. But, it was still wrong to humor him. He didn't know what he was getting himself into. I was obligated to protect him somehow.

“This is so generous,” I said, chewing my lip. “But I can't accept it.”

“Please, Mel.” He placed his palms together. “I'll do anything… I'll be invisible... Lock myself up somewhere if that makes​ you more comfortable.”

I shook my head quickly. “No, Akram! No! I'm not going to invade your home… I can't​ use you like that!”

“That's silly.” He smiled, scrunching up his face. “I'll be honored if you live here.”

“Live here?” I staggered a few steps. “No. No. This is not right... You don't even know me.”

“Of course I know you,” he said simply. “It feels like I've known you all my life.”

“Please, stop this! Why don't you understand?!” I exclaimed. He was definitely stalling.

Akram kneaded his forehead. “Melody, I can't,” he choked. “I can't let you be banished to nowhere again! You're not going back to that place.”

That place?!

Staring at his agonized face, I replayed his odd behaviors​ since morning. The anxious looks. The careful reactions. Avoiding the expected questions about last night. And I came to a sudden conclusion. A conclusion I didn't want to believe…

The blood drained from my face and the room began to spin like a merry-go-round. My breath was shallow through my parted lips. I held myself tighter, wrapping my arms like a shield around my hollow chest. My limbs went cold as if I were naked… exposed.

This can't be true! How? After all the lies and the hiding?

My voice came out like a cry of a dying bird. “You knew?!”

Akram's head sagged.

Now it makes sense! That's why he was acting strange! That's why he was treating me like a needy child! Like the imaginary orphans Vivian convinced him they existed before she robbed him.

“Akram, you knew I was homeless?” I shrieked, clutching at my elbows. “You knew where I used to live? Is that why you want to take me in?”

He didn't answer right away. Keeping his head down, he sighed heavily.

“You knew I lied and you didn't say anything?” I asked, my words barely audible.

“I just…” Akram uttered and passed his hand over his face. “I figured it out last night. I wanted you to talk when you're ready.”

“What did you expect me to tell you? Hi. I'm Melody and I have no place to call home, please adopt me?” My voice broke and the faucet of my tears almost followed.

“I would've tried to---”

I cut him off. “There's nothing you can do!”

“Mel, please. Just let me help.” Akram motioned with an open palm.

“I don't want your charity. I can take care of myself,” I spat. “I've been on my own all my life and I can handle it, so please just give me my things and let me go!”

I darted towards the door, bumping into the side of the piano that might've left a bruise on my hip.

“Wait!” Akram sprinted behind me, grabbing my arm as I left the living room. He leapt to stand in front of me in the middle of corridor. “You’re not leaving, Melody.”

“Why? You going to kidnap me?” I pulled my arm from his grasp.

“God! No!” Akram's eyes widened. “I just want you to be safe.”

“Safe?” I scoffed. “I'll never be safe, Akram. That's just how my life is. I have no one but myself. It's my problem, not yours.”

“You don't get it,” Akram said, pressing his temples. “Your problem IS my problem. I can't just ignore this and let you go.”

“So you bring a hobo to stay in your apartment?” I asked bitterly as I remembered the guy who'd thrown change for me last night.

Akram winced. “Melody, please.”

“But that's​ what I am. I’m not normal. I've been a foster kid all my life. I belong to homeless shelters,” I admitted sharply. It didn't matter anymore. “You don't want someone like me in your​ house. I can't even afford it. I have nothing to offer. Nothing…”

“I don't care what you have​,” He exclaimed. “I only care about you.”

“Well, I can't just stay here owing you more than I already do. I owe you a huge debt already.” My legs were shaking and my nails hurt the inside of my palms. I didn't want to cry this time. I didn't want him to pity me, but I was close to bursting into tears of humiliation.

“You owe me nothing.” Akram's​ voice lowered, his brows pulled together. He squeezed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. “Can we just sit down and discuss this?” He looked away and motioned to the living room door.

“There's nothing to discuss.” I swallowed and looked down, trying to resist listening to him. “I need to go to the social services​ before it's too late.”

“You don't need to go, Mel.” Akram countered quietly, shaking his head.

“You don't know what I need.” I strangled my arms with my fingers. “That's how it works for people like me. I'm not like you.”

Akram closed his eyes tightly for a second. He stepped closer, slow and careful steps, holding out his hand. “If I mean anything to you, let us talk.”

Looking​ deeply into my eyes, he stood still for a long moment, relentlessly offering his hand.

I didn't know if it was his cracked voice, his earnest eyes, or his pleading​ words that made me give in, but I eventually agreed to walk back into the living room. We sat down on each side of the sofa, the tense silence shrouding us.

Akram hunched forward, bracing his head between his hands. I pressed my back to the corner of the sofa, arms crossed, as if they were glued together in this position.

I made him unhappy just as I'd feared, but I had to get this over with.

“How did you know?” I asked him, faking composure.

Akram raised his back slowly. He interlocked his fingers on his knees.

“Last night when… You mumbled a few things about​ the shelter and… a cobra?” Akram's forehead creased. “The homeless shelter was a few blocks away.”

“That's​ how you figured it out?” I curled my body forward, willing myself to disappear.

“No.” He wrung his hands, looking down. “Last time we've met, when you refused to let me walk you home, that was exactly where I found you.”

“And how did you find me?” I rasped.

Akram sighed and slid his fingers through his hair. “GPS. I had to track your phone.”

I nodded. I hadn't​ the faintest idea on how this worked, but he seemed to think it was self-explanatory. The whole world might as well know where I'd lived, like a cheap reality show.

“I tried to call you after work. Your phone was off,” I told him. I regretted it almost immediately.

“I'm so sorry.” A pained look tainted his face. “Everything was wrong yesterday.”

Akram pinched the bridge of his nose and abruptly got off the sofa, pacing through the room toward his piano. His fingers stroked the top of the piano like a pet. His right hand slid down on the keyboard​ and he started to press what sounded like random notes.  It was like he was seeking comfort from his favorite thing. His baby.

With his back to me, Akram slowly continued to strike single keys like a child learning to play the instrument for the first time.

My feet tapped on the wooden floor, but Akram didn't seem to pay attention to my impatience.

I got up and stopped a few steps behind him. “I'm losing time. I want my bag.”

The lazy music trickled in the background.

“It's already too late,” he murmured and pointed to a clock on the wall above the door. It read 5:10 p.m. The DSS office must be closed by now.

My eyes froze on the clock for a minute.

No, he didn't!!

“You tricked me into staying late?” I gritted my teeth, glaring at his back while he settled on his piano seat.

“No. I was clear I wanted​ you to stay,” Akram replied, his tone was matter-of-fact. His fingers never stopped roaming the keys.

“But… but you hid my things!”

“I didn't.”

“Fine,” I snapped. “I'll go get them myself.”

Weirdly, I couldn't get my feet to move an inch. His musical improvisation began to take a more tangible effect. He was enjoying it. I knew it, because I was enjoying it too, even though it wasn't the right time to admit it.

“Hey, you know how long I've wanted to be a great musician?” Akram asked me, his tone relaxed. Serene.

My brows contracted. “No?”

“I was seven. I wanted to be like Mozart.” Akram inhaled deeply and exhaled. “My father said music was not a real job.”

I bit my lips​. His dad seemed intimidating. Akram only mentioned him once before and it didn't sound pretty. “I bet he wouldn't like it if I stayed here.”

“My father has nothing to do with this,” Akram uttered, deliberately slow.

The music stopped. He got up and turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “I’m an adult, Mel. I can tell right from wrong.”

I tried to restrain the tremor in my voice. “And yet you're so desperate to ruin your perfect life? I could've been a thief or… a serial killer, or...”

“You think my life is perfect?” He chuckled roughly. ”Well, it's not. I make mistakes. I fail people. I even fail at the one thing I love. I defied my father to be in Juilliard, but I don't work hard enough. I write music that I never finish. I want to do the right things, but I can't!” He spun to face the piano, his head hanging low as he slammed his hands on the keys. The howl of the piano echoed through the room.

​My body shuddered at his sudden mood shift.

Words choked in my throat and I froze in my tracks, my heart mimicking the shocking acoustics.

God, I didn't mean to be so harsh! Is he mad at me? Does he hate me now? I knew it, I should've left this morning!

Slowly, Akram pulled his hands away from the keyboard and brought them to his face. He swept them over his hair all the way back to the nape of his neck and rested his palms on top of the piano. He didn't turn around. For an excruciating moment, he just stood there, shoulders slumped. He stared down at his beloved piano... ‘Wolfie’, as if he regretted taking his anger on him.

My eyes dropped to the floor, gnawing my lips and regretting my stupidity.

How stupid am I?! Now he thinks I'm making light of his problems. God, I messed up! But really… Can't he see how different we are? Can't he see we're worlds apart? Doesn't he know that some people have to work harder just to survive? I'm one of them and he doesn't have to suffer with me. He has to know that, hasn't he?

“There are... things that we can't... control, but I...” I stuttered. “We try to---”

“I tried,” he interrupted hoarsely​. “And I failed you.”

Stupefied, I shook my head​.

No, no, no! He shouldn't feel this way! I accidentally guilt-tripped him and now he thinks I'm his problem?! This is wrong! I can't just let him...

“No,” I breathed. “You saved my life,”

“Hardly.” His voice broke. “I thought I was too late.”

“You did everything you could,” I whispered, tears gathering in my eyes. “I shouldn't have dragged you into my life.” I sobbed. “I wasn't fair to you. Y-you shouldn't even want to know me… I'm not worth it.”

“Please stop!”

I couldn't​ stop. He had to understand. “I'm a terrible person... You have no idea what I've…”

“Melody!”

“You should get rid of me right now.” I wrapped my arms tightly around my waist to ease the ache in my belly.

Akram groaned. He brought his hands up, wiped his face, and turned around. He raised teary eyes to me and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

“Don't do this to me,” he panted.

I stared at his flushed face in horror, my hand sailed to cover my mouth.

I did this to him?!!

A devastated look creased his features as he inched closer. He stopped in front of me and stroked the narrow lines on his forehead.

“When I saw you on that sidewalk…” his voice was low and ragged. “I thought you were…” His hand hovered over his eyes, as if he wanted to erase the memory. “If anything happened to you…”

He tipped his head back, took in a sharp breath, and looked away.

Tears dropped from my eyes watching the anguish on his face.

I choked, “Akram…”

“Please.” His Adam's apple quivered. “Don't let me have this nightmare again.”

My hands flew to hide my face from him, smothering my tears. I didn't want to see the hurt I'd caused him.

I heard Akram's footsteps plodding away and my hands fell down.

Seconds later, he came back into the living room, clutching my old duffle in both of his hands. He walked over to where I'd been rooted like a statue and handed it to me, his face serious, but more collected.

“If you leave, I'm not going to stop you,but I'm not coming back home,” he spoke steadily, looking into my eyes. “Because I'll be wandering the streets to watch over you.”

My shaky legs faltered. I stumbled backwards until I plopped on the sofa, dropping the bag on the floor. I kept my head in my hands for a moment, taking deep, slow breaths to overcome​ the giddiness.

Did he really mean it??

“Why?” I asked when I'd finally inhaled enough oxygen.

Akram kneeled down before me, his intense cinnamon eyes searching my face. “You really don't get it, do you?” He asked.

I shook my head. “Nobody cares so much.”

“I do.”

I swallowed. I couldn't take my eyes off of his hypnotic look.

“If I stay…” I sniffed and wiped my damp face. “Will you do something for me?”

“Anything!” A smile played on the corners of his mouth and I could hear the joy dancing in his voice.

Bending forward, I fiddled with the duffel until I reached the contents of a little secret pocket. I pulled them out and showed them to Akram. “This is all I have.”

His eyes narrowed for a second of confusion, then they widened all the way. “You want me to take your money?”

I nodded firmly. “I'll do the cleaning too.”

“But you…”

“That’s my only condition.”

His lips trembled slightly, wide eyes gleaming. “Will that… make you happy?”

I half-smiled. “It'll make me less embarrassed of myself.”

He looked down and sighed.

“And I still want to do the dishes,” I added.

Akram laughed brightly, shaking his head.

I could feel my half-smile growing to be a full one just for hearing the rumble of his laugh. It was like everything suddenly fell into place.

Sweet potatoes! I think I'm now officially his roommate!

KNOCK, KNOCK , KNOCK!

Akram's head snapped up at the rapping sound. He got up to his feet, a small frown appeared on his face. “Just a minute.” He pointed to the exit and walked out of the room.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

Whoever it was, this visitor was really impatient. Something about the persistent knocking made my pulse accelerate. I snuggled into the corner of the sofa, biting the tip of my thumb.

A jingle of metal reached my ears,followed by a faint ‘click’. I wondered if it's​ rude to overhear who it was at the door.

“Yes? May I help you?” Akram's​ voice wasn't too far to recognize.

A few seconds passed until I heard the answer that knocked the breath out of me.

“Detective Sam Hyder... NYPD.”

****

Helloooo dear ones!

Soooooo how was it?
I guess... Well, I hope it didn't take long this time, and I truly hope you enjoyed reading.

*Was this intense or what? This chapter was really emotional to write. I hope you feel the same way to read it.

** Any thoughts on the ending? Why do you think the police is here for??

**This song in the media was suggested to me by YouTube!! Seriously! YouTube, you're awesome!!! XD

I need to apologize that I might not be able to write much this summer. I'm experiencing a major change in my life and I'll probably be too busy to keep up. I promise I'll try my best though whenever ​I have the chance. Please forgive me if I'm not very active on Wattpad. 

I'll always be grateful for your love and support for my work, especially for Melody... I only hope you don't give up on the story because I certainly won't...

Much love and appreciation

Most_Bay