Melody strode to the door, and when she opened it, she found Maverick standing there, his face expressionless. The emotions that once shone in his eyes had vanished, leaving a cold, empty stare.
She wet her lips. "You were out for quite a while," she stated, stepping aside to let him in.
Maverick merely hummed, noncommittal. "I already had dinner. What are you in the mood for?" she asked, closing the door behind him.
"I already ate," Maverick replied, making his way to the couch and dropping onto it. Melody stood, her gaze piercing as she assessed him, sensing a shift in his energy. It wasn't entirely out of character for him to be reserved, but this felt different—off.
"Look, I owe you an apology for my outburst earlier. I shouldn't have lashed out," she said, determined to engage him.
"It's fine," he responded, his deep voice flat, as if he were exhausted and preferred solitude.
But Melody wasn't ready to let it go. She positioned herself right in front of him and took a seat on the couch. Maverick turned away, a heavy sigh escaping him. "Can we talk, about what happened to you since I left Milltown until now?" she pressed.
"I'm not in the mood," he said curtly.
Melody's lips formed an 'o', and she replied, "Are you sure you're alright? You seem off tonight."
"I'm fine, Melody. We can talk later," he insisted, and she nodded, sensing his reluctance.
After a moment of silence, she broke the quiet. "I'll be leaving for work tomorrow and have a date in the evening, so I'll be home late. I need to know if you'll be here so I can leave you the key."
"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here," Maverick declared.
"From morning until night? You don't have any other work or place to be at?" she questioned, disbelief in her tone.
"I'm here to serve you. I'll take care of the house and have everything ready for you when you return" He explained with certainty lacing his tone.
And then added, "Remember this is temporary until I sort things out," he explained with certainty.
"Alright," Melody replied, their gazes locking. Suddenly, her phone rang from the table, and as she reached for it, Maverick's expression darkened at the sight of the caller ID—it was Ethan.
He clenched his fist, wondering why the bastard was calling as if he hadn't been doing anything wrong.
"Hello, babe," Melody greeted as she answered. "Are you done with work?"
"Yeah, I'm really tired. I want to sleep, but then I remembered I couldn't doze off without hearing my angel's voice," Ethan replied, his voice dripping with charm.
Melody felt a blush creeping up. "Aww. Are we still on for our date tomorrow night?" she asked.
"Absolutely. Dress nicely; I'll send an Uber to pick you up from work," he said decisively.
"Oh, of course," she responded, her gaze shifting across the room until it landed on Maverick's bored expression.
She stood up, waved at him, and received a brief nod in reply before retreating to her room. Silence enveloped the room after her departure, her laughter echoing across the room.
Maverick's heart ached as he absorbed it all, the pain of watching her ignore the truth about Ethan. He knew Ethan was deceitful, a manipulative scoundrel using her for his gain, but Melody would refuse to believe him. She had already dismissed him once for speaking up, so he resolved to let her discover the truth on her own.
His thoughts drifted back to the past.
When he had eagerly head to Melody's house, excitement radiating from his youthful face as he approached their familiar doorstep.
"Good afternoon, ma'am. Is Melody home?" he asked Hannah, her mother, his voice soft.
Hannah shook her head, disappointment etched on her face. Melody had left without a word, and in the rush of departure, Hannah had forgotten to remind Melody to say goodbye. Nina had come with news of the promising future in Cinder City, a place known for its development, low crime rates, and excellent education. With little to lose, Hannah and Gary had agreed to let Melody go, and she departed immediately.
"Melody's gone; she left this morning," Hannah informed the young boy.
Maverick's expression fell as if the ground had been pulled from beneath him. The reality hit hard: he wouldn't see Melody for quite a time, and she hadn't even said goodbye. "She didn't say goodbye," he murmured, glancing down at the board game he had brought, expecting to play with her.
Hannah understood him and made an effort to console him. "I'm sorry about that, Maverick," she said firmly. "But I know you two will meet again. It may take time, but you will find each other." Her words were designed to mend his broken heart.
Maverick managed a soft smile. "That's reassuring," he replied. "Do you need help with anything, Aunt?" he asked.
Hannah shook her head decisively. "No, darling. Thank you for offering," she said, returning his smile.
"I'll be on my way then," Maverick said, determination in his voice. He turned to leave the house, feeling dejected, but Hannah's words resonated within him. He decided right then and there to hold onto the hope that he would see Melody again. He was prepared to wait, no matter how long it took.
Back in the present, Maverick had already drifted off to sleep on the couch, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as his temperature climbed. He scrunched his face in discomfort and furrowed his brows. Eventually, around midnight, he woke with burning eyes and a parched throat, placing a hand on his forehead and hissing in frustration.
He couldn't believe he was falling ill because he was stressing about her.
He was definitely cursed.