A/N: A long time waiting and now here it is: the 11th chapter of my glorious fic. I apologize for my lack of updating, for those who are on edge, waiting for the next part. Also, I hope you enjoy this terribly short chapter, full of wonderfulness. Hopefully I will be updating more often. I don't mind begging, pleading or groveling if you want more. So… without much more ado…
Characters in this part in BOLD
Ethan "Spot" Conlon, Melody "Bittersweet" Conlon
Charity "Criss-Cross" Conlon, Josephine "Gip" Miller
Matthew "Specs" Gordon, Travis "Skittery" O'Connell
Evelyn "Hades" Swanson, Vinny "Ghost" Soprano
Crystal "Books" Sawyer – Tal, Amanda "Whisper" Conners
David "Davie" Jacobs, Anthony "Racetrack" Higgins
Michael "Sage" Dolson, Christina "Gin" Dolson
Jonathan "Gloves" Lawson, Mitchell "Kid Blink" Houge
Robin "Aisling" O'Conor, Tobi "Shady" Jones
Connor "Mush" Meyers, Tiffany "Tiff" Phillips
Brach "Bumlets" Williams, Marty "Crutchy" Gibson
Vincenza "Half-Pint" Bellachi, Liz "Maverick" Connors
Anne "Eire" Foley, Kyle "Ice" Romana
Belle "Stagey" Malone, Jack "Cowboy" Kelly
Oscar Delancey, Peter "Dutchy" Nelson
Catherine "Marsh" Romana, Bailey "Irish-Flare" Cadler
Kristen "Brownie", Nicole "Jittery" Rullier
Taylor "Pie-Eater" McManus, Christopher "Vice" Miller
The word 'audition' seemed to be upon everyone's lips. The drama kids flittered to and fro, confirming who was and who was not trying out. "Is Melody?" Tiff was asking Anne, who was silently staring off into space.
Tiff snapped her fingers and then was suddenly distracted by a cute boy waving to her. Of course it was that opportune time that Anne spoke beneath her breathe.
"What did you say?" Tiff asked, turning her attention back to Anne.
"No…" the word was just a smidge louder, making it barely audible over the noise of the hallway in which they stood.
"Where has that girl been anyways?" Tiff wondered aloud.
Melody was in the bathroom currently, kicking the hell out of the door to the stall. Thankfully, there was no one else in the vicinity. Well, except the one determined looking girl headed for it, but not one who was easily frightened.
"Mellie?" Evelyn's voice carried, echoing through the suddenly silent bathroom. Her head popped through the slightly propped open door and then the rest of her entered as she caught sight of her furious looking friend.
Melody's cheeks held a hint of red to them, her breath ragged and her eyes were dark green now, lined with angry tears. "That fucking asshole brother of mine…" she managed to speak, shaking her head as she rested her palms against the door she had been beating on just moments earlier.
"Are you alright?" her friend tried, stepping closer and outstretching her arm in comfort.
Melody shifted, facing her fully and leaning against the cold brick of the bathroom wall. "Yeah, I'm fucking fine…" she muttered, closing her eyes and shaking her head. She couldn't seem to shake the anger from her, nor the utter revulsion she felt towards the whole idiotic situation.
"You don't have to go y'know…" Evelyn tried, but she knew it wasn't quite true.
Melody simply scoffed at the remark and narrowed her eyes, forcing her friend's arm to finally drop to her side.
"Yeah I know…" Evelyn breathed out as she herself leaned against the wall, her shoulder flat against it and her body perpendicular to Melody's. "I don't know what to tell you though…"
Melody just shook her head again, letting it hit against the wall in defeat. "Goddamnit." Her friend nodded in agreement.
"Well, I can always stab him if he gets frisky right?" she joked to Evelyn who laughed half-heartedly.
"Don't worry girl, we'll all be there, all of us girls. We'll make sure to never leave you alone with him…" It was a comforting thought, making Melody nod a little and then sigh softly.
"I still think I want to deck my brother," she admitted, which elicited a real laugh from Evelyn.
"C'mon… you only have ten minutes before hellish Calculus," her friend chided, pushing off of the wall and dragging her from the bathroom. "Best to make the most of it huh?" Melody laughed and let her friend guide her back to the noisy lunchroom.
Although Ethan was the last person she wanted to see at the end of the day, he was the person moving towards her, pushing impatiently through the crowd. She hadn't noticed until, from the corner of her eye, she noticed Jo's eyes narrowing. "Guess who…" she muttered, nodding towards the serious looking boy bounded towards them.
Melody busied herself at her locker; shuffling books around and doing anything she could to ignore him. She was going to be calm about this, she wasn't angry anymore and she wasn't going to make a scene.
"Mel we need to talk…" his voice was husky and exasperated. From the corner of her eye, she could see a deep look of concern wrought upon his features, but she ignored it, as she was ignoring him.
Of course she couldn't ignore it when he grabbed her arm roughly and tugged her to face him. "Melody…" Piercing blue eyes forced her eyes sharply upward and she scowled.
"Leave me bloody well alone…" she whispered curtly, pulling her arm from his hold.
"We need to talk. Now." She hated when he spoke in that commanding, father-like voice.
"Fuck you Ethan. Go to bloody hell…" the words came out bolder and louder than she had wanted and found the attention of many lingering students turned upon them. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes narrowed at her brother.
The last bell rang, saving her from the embarrassment of too many eyes interested in their argument, and the redness in her cheeks slowly evaporated. Ethan took her suddenly by the arm again and pulled her down the hallway. Jo had taken too many seconds to realize what was happening, and the pair had disappeared into the crowd of students before she even attempt to help her friend.
Jo sighed to herself, gathering her friend's bag around her shoulder and shutting her locker. "Meet you in the locker room," she muttered to herself as if her friend could somehow hear her. "Fucking brothers…" she turned as she said that statement and headed towards the gym.
"What the hell is this about Ethan?" Melody sputtered, dragging her feet even though it did not slow him any. He didn't answer, but she knew from the sudden deepening of his scowl that he had heard her.
Ethan neither answered any of her prodding questions, her angry statements proclaiming what an asshole he was, nor her insistent remarks to go fuck himself and leave her the hell alone. In fact, he didn't stop dragging her down the winding hallways and corridors until he had found an empty classroom. He pushed her a bit roughly inside and shut the door behind him.
He hadn't quite expected the flailing fists that met him when he turned around and barely caught her wrists in time. "You fucking bastard, why the fuck would you tell Brach I'd go anywhere with him!"
Ethan scowled, trying hard to resist the urge to slap her across the face. Instead, he shook her arms roughly without letting them go. "Calm the hell down Mel," he spoke in a harsh undertone and his eyes were serious as she was forced to look at him.
His grip loosened and a sudden, unexpected sigh escaped his lips. "Our dad…" when he spoke these words, his voice trembled and Melody's eyes widened as he had caught her full attention.
"The jail… he's escaped…" She gaped at him, unable to speak for a long stretch of seconds, her jaw shifting as if trying to form exactly the right words. But in the end, her mouth shut again and she looked away, her body now trembling.
Instead of releasing her, he pulled his sister to him, wrapping her body in his arms and letting her bury her head in his chest. It was a protective, loving gesture and one that had not occurred for some years now. So it was not surprising when he felt his shirt begin to dampen. He stroked her hair and said nothing, knowing she was just as scared as he was.