Buzzy Bee's

Chapter 5

 Mel was sleeping in. That was unusual. Mel had a morning routine. Wake up, journal, exercise, and shower. Kassie checked the time again. 3:30 am. They had 15 minutes to get up and go.

"Mel?" She said softly.

Mel didn't move from her blanket sanctuary.

"Mel!" She shouted this time.

Nothing.

Kassie put her coffee on her bedside table, planted her feet, and pulled on the blanket Mel was wrapped in, "Time to wake up, hoe!"

She hit the ground. " I fucking hate you."

When it was time to go, Mel bypassed her car parked on the street to follow Kassie to her car and got in the passenger seat.

Kassie sang along softly to the music, mentally creating a to-do list for the day.

1) Text Aaron.

2) While Mel is baking, check the schedule and give Derek more hours.

3) Isn't there soap that cleans oil? Buy it

4) Figure out what was going on with Mel and fix it.

She looked over at Mel. She was braiding her long, blonde hair in an intricate French braid. The car ride seemed to take much longer when they rode in silence. It made Kassie a little twitchy. She shifted a little in her seat, trying to come up with a delicate path of inquiry.

" What's wrong with you?" She asked, completely indelicately. Nailed it.

Mel looked unimpressed with one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised.

" You've been kind of a dick. More than usual. You're not on your period because I would be too so just tell me what's up."

Mel rearranged herself on the passenger seat. She crossed her long legs and turned towards Kassie. She looked effortlessly beautiful sitting in her passenger seat, the streetlight casting a glow over her cheekbones. Completely unfair.

"Look. I did something completely stupid a few nights ago. You won't understand and the whole thing is frustrating."

" If I don't understand then I can at least be there for you."

Mel sighed and fiddled with her braid. " My dad called me. And that always gets me in a bad mood. He's dating this chick and I guess it's serious. He wants me to meet her and her daughters. The whole thing is fucked up. So, I went out and tried to find someone to go home with. I didn't want to be home and see how sad my mom was."

Kassie didn't see the problem yet. Mel is always having problems with her dad and isn't shy about finding someone to spend the night with. She had numbers saved in her phone just for this reason. She nodded her head along.

"The problem was that I drank more than I thought and I went home with someone but I don't remember anything." The silence that followed was stifling.

Well, that was new. Mel was always careful. She knew her limits and drank just enough to keep her wits. The fact that she left with someone and doesn't remember what happened was worrying. It was scary and dangerous. Horrible situations flashed through Kassie's mind. Her best friend completely plastered, being half dragged by a stranger to a car, unable to consent, unaware of what was happening to her. She could have left with a stranger and never came back. Her picture printed on a missing person poster.

"You don't remember anything?" She tried to keep the panic out of her voice. Mel didn't need her judgment or her terror. She needed her support.

They had a few more minutes until they reached B's. Where Mel would leave the car and bury whatever she was feeling. She side-eyed Mel. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her head was against the window. Her eyes were tracking something unseen out the window.