Melody

"... to make... better, but... like it's my fault."

I heard it so softly amongst the darkness. Like a flicker of light or a faint echo in thick fog, it beckoned me.

"I should have done more. I'm so sorry Mellie."

It was louder this time, registering Carson's voice in my brain.

Slowly, my eyes opened, revealing bright, cold white lights above me. I squinted and glanced around in confusion, remembering last being in the hallway outside of the art room. I heard beeping and chatter around me that felt extremely foreign. My head still felt foggy, and I felt both heavy and like I wasn't here at the same time.

"Oh Mellie! You're awake!" Carson's face was suddenly leaning over mine. The ghost of a smile was on his lips, but a few tears had betrayed him, falling onto his cheeks. I reached up and placed my hand softly against his cheek. A few more tears came spilling out, making my eyes burn with tears of my own. "I was so worried."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, though my throat was so dry it barely came out. It felt like I was fighting a fog as I spoke. My eyelids didn't want to stay apart.

"Don't be," Carson said, softly brushing some hair out of my face. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," I murmured.

"Then sleep; it's okay," he replied.

"Will... will you still... be..."

"I'll be here," he smiled softly.

"Okayyy..."

***

"...severely anaemic and extremely low electrolytes and blood sugar. Which is most likely why she fainted. We'll have to run some more tests and talk to her more once – oh hello there," the doctor said noticing I woke up as he spoke.

I looked around and noticed my dad, Margot and Mia standing up and talking to him. I quickly glanced to my side and relaxed once I saw Carson still sitting there. My dad looked uncomfortable and terrified, while Margot looked bored and unbothered. Mia however, appeared worried.

"Melody, I'm Doctor Benson. How do you feel?" the doctor asked as he came to stand by me.

"Tired..." I whispered.

"Hmm. I'm just going to do a little test here, is that okay?" Dr. Benson asked. I nodded slightly, which made me feel a little woozy, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little light. "Just follow my finger."

I stared at the finger he held up and he shined his light in my eyes, making me flinch. I squinted a little, feeling a throbbing in my head as the bright light shone on my face.

"Everything looks alright, but does the light hurt your head?" Dr. Benson asked.

"Yes," I said quietly.

"Did you hit your head when you fainted?" he asked, and I shrugged. He turned to my father and began speaking. "It appears she might have a concussion... It would likely..."

My eyelids began fighting to meet once again. So, I decided to let them. Everything was dark once again, and it felt peaceful.

***

When I woke up this time, the room was empty, except for Carson who was sitting next to me on his cellphone.

"Hi," I said quietly. Carson looked up from his phone and gave me a small smile.

"Your family just went for a coffee," Carson told me.

"How long was I sleeping for?" I asked. Carson glanced down at his phone.

"About six hours off and on," Carson said.

"Oh," I mumbled, reaching for his hand but flinched, feeling the tug on my arm.

"Careful, you have an IV in," Carson said softly.

"An IV?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm guessing you're dehydrated, or they are giving you nutrients," he said. The machine next to me began beeping faster as the word nutrients registered in my mind.

"I-I don't need that," I said reaching for it. Carson quickly took my hands in his before I could inflict any damage.

"You do," he said softly. "You fainted at school."

"Please don't remind me. That's so embarrassing," I sighed.

"It's not embarrassing at all. In fact, Emma, Alani, Noah, Harvey and Ms. Foster are all waiting to see you, if you're feeling up for it."

"Oh my God! Even Ms. Foster?" I felt the blood draining from my face as mortification filled its place.

"Yes, they really care about you," Carson insisted. I shook my head and regretted it immediately, feeling another wave of wooziness wash over me. "They do."

"I don't want to see them," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded despite the headache I had.

"Knock, knock," Dr. Benson said walking in. "I was wondering if we could chat."

"I'll just go let everyone know they can head home," Carson said.

I watched the two of them trade places in silence.

"So, I just had a couple questions to ask you... when was the last time you ate? Or how much would you say you eat on a daily basis?" Dr. Benson asked. I shrugged in response. "Okay, does your weight affect how you feel about yourself?" I stared right through him at that. "Alright... do you ever exercise or use pills to lose weight?"

"Why are you asking me these questions?" I asked stiffly.

"We really need to talk about what's been going on with you," Dr. Benson said.

"Well, I don't want to talk about it," I snapped.

"Melody, you don't understand how lucky you are that you got here now. You are severely anaemic, and your electrolytes and blood sugar were dangerously low."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means your organs would have started shutting down had you not gotten here when you did," Dr. Benson replied.

"I'm sure you fixed it all with this stupid IV. I want it out of me by the way."

"Melody, if your organs began to shut down, you would have died," he replied, sternly. I looked into his dark brown eyes, crinkled with crow's feet as I spoke.

"What a shame I didn't," I spat, turning my back to the doctor and closing my eyes.

***

The next time I opened my eyes Margot was the only one in the room. I glanced around for Carson, not wanting to be alone with her.

"Ugh, relax. Your little boyfriend and your father will be back soon," she sighed, leaning against a wall. She sighed and rolled her eyes again. "This is such an inconvenience you know."

"An inconvenience?" I whispered, shrinking into my bed.

"Yes. This is such a big deal all for nothing," Margot snapped.

"Nothing," I repeated.

"Nothing? Nothing?" Margot mimicked in a high-pitched voice. "Yes. You're being so dramatic. I'm missing my book club, and this is bringing up bad memories for your father."

"Bad memories?"

"Don't be dense," she said, frowning at me. I glared at her when realization clicked in my head.

"You don't get to bring her up," I started, sitting up. My voice was shaking with nerves but something inside of me kept speaking. I guessed it was because she couldn't slap me in a hospital. "You don't get to bring her up when everything is your fault."

"My fault?" Margot hissed, taking a step towards me.

"Everything is your fault," I repeated, dryly. "You're the reason I feel like something is always missing. Someone is always missing. You ripped her out of my life and placed yourself in the jagged hole not caring who got hurt along the way." I watched as Margot's eyes widened but I kept speaking. "And I tried not to hate you. I thought you were just mean, or showing your love in another way, so I tried. I thought it was wrong to hate your stepmother. But I do." Tears spilled over and began rolling down my cheeks, but I was now shouting and couldn't stop. "I hate that you are the one still standing here, still breathing, while my mother is dead. I hate that it is all your fault."

"You don't know what you're saying—"

"I hate that you are the one that killed her! And you still had the audacity to worm your way into our lives. I hate that. You killed my mother and I hate you. I hate you with everything I have left in me!"

"Melody?" It was Carson who spoke, but my dad and Mia were also standing at the door. Margot's face was crimson red, and her eyes were wide.

"She hit her head. She doesn't know what she's saying," Margot stammered.

"I know exactly what I'm saying!" I yelled, wiping away some tears. Carson rushed over to my side, while my dad and Mia remained frozen at the door. "Margot killed my mother. She was the other driver in the hit and run."

"Melody, that can't be... there's no way that's true," my dad breathed.

"She admitted it herself in her sleep!" I insisted.

"She's lying, Robert! She's been out to get me for the last couple weeks," Margot pouted. I glared at her.

"We all know that's not true!" Carson said, loudly. "Don't think I didn't see the bruise on Melody's face from when you slapped her." He wrapped his hand around mine.

"You hit Melody?" My dad asked.

"Robert," Margot interjected. "She was being extremely disrespectful a–"

"Because you killed my mother!" I shrieked.

"Stop saying that," Margot snapped, taking a step towards me and making me flinch. Mia stepped into the room quickly.

"Mom, stop!" Mia yelled suddenly. "Just stop."

"Mia," Margot started, the warning evident in her voice.

"No. You don't see what you're doing to her, what you're doing to me. I can't be a part of this anymore," Mia said, tearing up.

"Mia. Shut. Up," Margot hissed.

"She killed Harmony. It was an accident, but she killed her," Mia sobbed. "I'm sorry. I should have told you." She looked at me and finally at my dad, who was frozen in place.

"Robert," Margot stepped towards him.

"Stop," my father said, holding up a hand. He took a deep breath and shook his head. "You were at her funeral. You came to me. All these years. So many lies. Is Mia even mine?"

"Of course!" Margot insisted, while Carson and I were wide-eyed.

"What?" Mia whispered.

"I didn't even want to tell you," Margot continued, ignoring her daughter. "You broke up with me for her before I found out I was pregnant. I was so jealous when I found out Harmony was pregnant, and I was just getting by with Mia. But I didn't want to lose custody of her. Things got hard and I just wanted to see what she was like. See what she could offer you that I didn't. I lost control of my car, it swiped hers and she hit some ice." I heard a sob leave my mouth and Carson wrapped his arm around my shoulders in response. It felt so much worse to hear it from her mouth when she was awake and sober. "I didn't mean to hit he–"

"You left her there!" my dad yelled. His eyes were rimmed red, but he didn't cry. "And you showed up at the funeral and crept back into our lives after you destroyed it."

"Is everything alright in here?" A nurse asked suddenly.

"No," my dad said.

"Robert," Margot begged.

"Call the police," my father said, ignoring her. "Tell them Harmony Winters' murderer is in the hospital." The nurse, looked frightened, but nodded and disappeared down the hallway.

"Please! I called an ambulance. I thought Harmony would b–"

"Don't you dare say her name," my father yelled. I jumped slightly at the sound. I hadn't seen him show this much emotion since the funeral. "Years... years of lies and deceit. Of you living in my home. Sleeping in my bed... You're evil!"

"Sir, what's the problem?" An officer was suddenly at the door.

"She killed my mother," I said quickly. Margot sighed and walked towards the officer.

"Take her away. I can't even stand to look at her right now," my father added.

___________________

Author's Note: OKAY 1 MILLION READS!!! I AM STUNNED?!?!! HOW IS THIS A THING?!! Thank you all soooo much!!  It really means SO SO much to me that a million people have seen a book that I created. These characters are so near and dear to my heart, and it makes me so happy to be able to share their world with you. Considering the fact that this story deals with such an important topic, and can be so difficult to talk about, I am grateful that you are all here with me doing it! 

So again, thank you all so much for reading and commenting, it brings me so much joy to know that this story has reached so many people and has hopefully touched some of your lives!

Should I do a Q & A video to celebrate? Idk if any of you would be into that but  if you are, let me know and maybe post some questions here?

Back to the story....THE TRUTH IS OUT!!! And it's a bigger plot twist than expected?! Let me know what you think about it! I hope that you're as shook as I was when it popped into my head HAHA