Three

Melody's POV:

"N-no! Please, don't!"

The screams roamed inside my head, making my head dizzy. Swallowing me inside a big dark hole.

I felt his hand coming towards me. I closed my eyes out of complete horror.

I felt his hand on my arm with a steel grip commanding me to open my eyes. To see what he is about to do.

But I can't.

I can't.

.

.

.

.

I opened my eyes with a jerk only to find warm sunlight welcoming me in a comfortable hug.

I was in a car. Which was moving.

I looked beside me to see a person looking ahead at the road and driving with a grim expression on his face.

I rubbed my palms lightly on my eyes noticing the leather jacket around my shoulders. If somebody else would've been in my place, I'm sure they would've freaked out at the moving car and the isolated road.

But I knew it was just Asher.

I pulled the jacket closer to me as cold morning wind blew on my face.

The jacket smells like mint. Do Asher smells like that too?

I am really creepy. Why in the world am I thinking about that? I should be worried right now.

I looked at him who was still looking ahead with a frown now.

His brown hair almost looked golden under the warm sunlight. From sideways he still looked kind of tensed.

I averted my gaze from him to the road. The road was completely isolated with nothing ahead. Just small trees surrounding it.

I tried to figure out where we were going but got no clue.

How can you even trust him? What if he is a kidnapper? What if he takes you somewhere dangerous? There are many celebrities who turned out major sociopaths.

My brain was continuously nagging at me with that thought.

He could be a psychopath. But he didn't look like one.

"Where are we going?" I asked in an almost whisper as I straightened in my seat.

Whatever he was thinking and frowning about left him as he looked at me in surprise. Registering my woken up state, his body seemed to relax as a smile formed on his face.

"Do you usually ask that when you wake up?" He asked continuing to look ahead with a hint of tease in his voice.

The sudden tense atmosphere seemed to lighten after that. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. I mean, what harm could be done if I finally trust somebody for a while? He wouldn't do that to me, right? He didn't look like such person.

"If I'm alone moving ahead an isolated road, then yes." I muttered which only made him laugh.

I looked at him, so calm and cheery, as a smile formed on my lips too.

"Did you sleep?" I asked.

He glanced at me sideways with a raised brow. I know that was such a wrong question because he can't sleep while he's driving, but he could've stopped the car somewhere.

"What if I did?" He asked.

I looked at him irritatedly.

"Why do you always answer my question with a question?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"Why do you..." He started.

"Oh, come on. Just stop it!" I said putting my hands on my ears.

One more question from his mouth and I'm sure I'm going to hit him with the first thing I find.

Looking at me, he started laughing making me almost hit him if he hadn't been driving. It kind of irritated and nagged me at the same time of how I could just be casual with a person I just met yesterday.

I was officially crazy.

After a while of me keeping my mouth completely shut and looking out from the window, we stopped near a town.

Asher stopped the car and leaned his head on the steering wheel, blowing out a tired sigh.

He didn't sleep.

I almost felt guilty for sleeping myself when he was driving the whole time. He was doing all of this to help me. The least I could've done was accompany him while he was driving, instead of sleeping.

"Why did we stop here?" I asked looking around the small town as people buzzed around from houses to shops. Thankfully, it wasn't the town I lived in. That was a comfort.

He opened the door, glancing at me.

"I don't know about you, but I need breakfast to live." He said with a smirk.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Phoenicia. That's where we were right now. I still can't believe the fact that I was out of that house.

This town was a picture of calmness and beauty. Mountains surrounded the whole place making it more beautiful.

I never pretty much went on trips with my family out of New York. Because mom was mostly out of city and that left me all alone. I could never even call Jordan or Alyssa my own family. Of course, I had a family. But it broke apart.

Including my life.

I took out my phone from my pocket as I waited for Asher to come out of the ice cream shop.

Just as the screen came to life, I saw 26 missed calls.

3 from Jordan, 7 from Alyssa and 15 from Mom.

I looked at the list of calls as fear gripped my heart slowly. They must've told mom. Suddenly, I was questioning myself on this decision on running away.

Should I call her back? Should I tell her why I ran away? Will she listen to me? Will she ask me?

Finally, she was going to listen to me. Maybe she'll know the truth now, if I tell her. And maybe things could go back to normal if I go back.

But could I?

Those were the questions I was used to. These were the questions that came in my head whenever mom came back from her trip. Whenever I had a chance to tell her. Whenever I could've told her about Jordan.

But it always came to one answer.

No.

She never cared what happened to me. Even if she asks me to come back, I won't. I couldn't. She never listened to me before, how would she listen to me now?

I looked back at the missed calls. In a sudden motion my heart skipped a beat as I saw one missed call from...Tyler.

My breath hitched as I looked at it, trying to make out if it was real or not. I couldn't believe it.

Did he really call me? Does he know? Is he worried about me? Does he really care about me? What did he want to tell me? Why did he call? Is this really real?

I took a deep breath as I saw when he had called. Right before I had fallen asleep. If only I hadn't, maybe I could've talked to him. I could've found out what he wanted to tell me.

And no, Tyler wasn't like them. He was never like them. At least that's what I think. He was one of the popular boys of Beacon High, my high school. He wasn't like Sam. He was intelligent, handsome and the only person I liked.

That's it. I was bullied everyday by others. He made it easy. Not by stopping them, but passing me his warm smiles everyday. Giving me hand each day to help me up. I used to get hopes each time I saw that smile. I know it was crazy but it gave me hope.

Everyone used to ignore me or snort in disgust but he was the only person who smiled. I didn't care if it was out of sympathy or not. I just cared that he gave me some importance at least even if he never talked.

Until now. The missed call was the happiest thing I could find right now. I could not even imagine him calling my number.

I looked back at the screen as my fingers itched to call back. I would've pressed the button to call back but I was interrupted.

Not by Asher, who was doing God knows what in the ice cream shop, it was a guy maybe in his twenties staring at me and whistling.

One thing I'm confused about. Why the heck do I gain people's attention when I'm not even pretty? Especially old people like him.

But it wasn't me he was whistling at. It was the car.

Is he a thief? A robber?

I took an encouraging sigh and looked at the ice cream shop which was a bit far away.

I looked back at the man who was motioning somebody to come towards him as he twisted the small pocket knife in his hand. A guy just like him with a smirk came towards him in a leather jacket as he shook the big wine bottle in his hand.

Come on, Asher. Where are you?

It was the fiftieth time I was thinking that I should take self defense classes. Right now I was just relying on Asher.

Did he leave me?

He wouldn't do that. I mean, he should at least care about his car, right? Don't boys like love their cars?

I gripped my phone tightly in my hand as I felt the two of them staring at me.

Don't look at them. Don't look at them. Don't look at them.

I could call 911 but what if it takes time? What if they ask where my home was? How could I even tell them I have ran away?

That's when I felt the stares coming closer. I finally looked behind me to see them both coming forward.

I looked at the ice cream shop deciding to run as fast as possible. But that's when the door opened and Asher came out with his usual smile plastered on his face.

I took a step towards him but somebody grabbed my wrist yanking me back on the nearby tree trunk.

"Ow." I yelped as my head hit the hard trunk.

It would have been less painful if my head hadn't hit on the bruise where Jordan had-

Don't think about it.

I looked at the person who was the one with the pocketknife smirking at me.

I could've kicked the person where the sun doesn't shine but I had experiences that would haunt me for my whole life when I did that to defend myself. It made things more bad.

And secondly I didn't have to.

"Back off from her!" Asher yelled as his fist collided with the person's face.

I couldn't help myself but flinch at that. Firstly, I never liked people getting beaten up and secondly, I never actually thought of Asher as a...violent person.

The person with the pocketknife backed off holding his jaw. He was older than him but Asher looked taller.

I don't think the fight was over but they both backed off as people started crowding and muttering as they eyed each one of us.

Particularly, Asher. I didn't want him to fight for me.

I rubbed the back of my head and winced slightly which made him turn and look at me worriedly.

"Are you fine? I'm sorry I couldn't have come earlier." He said with a frown.

I shook my head plastering a fake smile.

"No, I'm fine. Totally." I muttered.

He stared at me trying to figure out whether I was lying or not.

"What took you so long anyway?" I asked changing the topic from my head.

From the corner of my eye I saw the two men walking away with the people, who were actually snapping pictures.

Asher didn't look like he cared, but I did. One word on the internet and everything blows off.

He looked at me, rubbing his face sheepishly.

"I...uh, got distracted."

Distracted? Does he mean girls?

As if sensing my thoughts, he looked at me.

"I mean, I slept waiting for the ice cream guy." He added.

"Oh." I said trying to stifle the grin but failed. He looked at me as a smile lit his face too.

I winced again as I felt a sharp sting on my head.

"Are you sure about th-" He started but I interrupted him.

"It's fine. We should be going, right?" I asked walking ahead towards his car.

Then I turned and looked at him.

"Unless you've changed your mind about coming along?" I asked nervously.

I still think it would definitely be better if he goes back and leave me alone. I would be fine. Which was the biggest understatement.

His worried expression changed into a playful smirk.

"In your pretty dreams, angel."