Melody's P.O.V.

"Melody, I think you should stay here for a few days" Hunter said.

"WHAT?!" I nearly screamed in shock.

"Maybe it's best for you to move in right now. I'll escort you with one of my men or you can take Daisy too. Make sure to pack sufficient amount of your things. Even I don't know how long you will be staying here" he continued to say without giving me a chance to voice my opinion.

Who does he think he is?!

"Excuse me?" I said confused.

"Daisy too stays here. So you won't be feel lonely. And you have to take one of my men whenever you go out. Personally, I'd prefer you close the library for sometime and not going anywhere. You can tell my men if you want something. They'll bring it. But if you want to open the library, you can. Then you will have a bodygaurd with you all time. He makes sure you don't get into any kind of trouble. If there's a trouble he can't deal with which is impossible, he'll call me and I'll come" when he did not stop I asked again.

"Excuse me?"

Then I got his attention, "What?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked clueless about what he's talking.

"You're staying here for few days" he repeated again.

Argh......

" I heard what you say. But don't I have a say in this" by now I'm irritated and slightly scared too.

"No" he declared monotonously.

I'm shocked would be an understatement.

"What" I screamed, "What do you mean 'No', ha? You can't rule my life. Who the hell do you think I am? That I'd be jumping around for living with you. I have my own life. And if some shit comes to me, then I am the one who deals with it. Not you."

"Oh yeah! I just saw how you fairly deal with the earlier incident" he mocked.

"HUNTER" Daisy hissed at him fuming with anger.

I took a step backward at his mocking.

Did he really make fun of me?! 

Something in me just snapped. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because of firing, my dream or maybe it's because I'm exhausted with all the bizarre in my life, all things happened to me. My patience breaks all of sudden.

Normally, if someone ordering me or screaming at me, my first instinct was to cover away. Then I'd be doing what they say. Living almost all my life with him did that to me.

But now, when Hunter said I have to live with them, I feel like all that pain, all that memories coming back. All that deeds are occuring again and my main fear is if I was to live with them, then they got to know about my dreams. I can't risk it. Almost all my dreams are ended with my screams. I'm so scared they might find it.

The extreme fear in me gives a stubborn courage. That courage is the sole reason of my backtalk to Hunter. Now the damage was done, I'm not retreating.

"Who are you to mock me, ha? If you want to do some 'protection' to prove that you're a 'hero', do it for Daisy or to yourself or to some others I don't care. But you are not ordering me around like I'm some kind if puppy" I seethed with anger.

Hunter's eyes widened at my voice. Even I was surprised at the intensity of my words.

He stepped towards me and in a reflex action I took a step backward. He smirked evilly seeing this.

"If you are not Daisy's friend, then I'd have showed you the consequences for disrespecting me" he said.

"If you are not Daisy's brother, then I'd have kicked you in the shin for ordering me" I retorted.

By now we're standing face to face, glaring at each other. Both of us not ready to back down.

Honestly, I don't know I had sass in me. But Hunter did a great job bringing it out in me.

"Guys?" Someone called us.

But we're busy in sending glares so, we don't bother to answer.

First, Hunter opened his mouth to speak.

"You will do as I say and that's final" he commanded.

My rage reaches to its peaks at his words.

"The hell I will" I screamed in his face.

He didn't even flinched at my noice.

"We'll see" he gritted stepping back, dashed out of the room banging the door.

I winced at the force and looked at Daisy.

"I just made your brother my enemy" I said collapsing on the couch, holding my head in both of my hands.

"No Mel, you did right. He needs to ask rather than commanding" she said softly "But I think it's for us here. You should stay, Mel. I don't think it's safe for you all alone when they saw us clearly. Now they will think you're one of us and will try to get you"

She can't understand my trouble. Nightmares are getting really worse and worse and I can't let them know it. It'll only make them pity me. It'll only make them think of me as a weak. I know I'm weak. Not only that, I'm dirty, tainted. I can't let it touch them. I can't let the dark in me touch their colorful life. Not in my existence. I'd do anything for that. Even if I had to make enemies in that process.

"No Daisy. I can't. I have a home, a library to look after. Even if you live with me, I won't feel comfortable. You know how I am in new places. So, please don't press me" I requested her.

"But it's your life. You can't imagine what they'd do if they caught you" Daisy tried to convince me.

I understand what she's saying. But I'm not in the place where I can go live freely anywhere. I can't explain it to her. To explain I have to tell my dark secrets to her.

"Please Daisy" I begged.

She nodded at me mutely seemed to know she can't make me agree on this matter.

I know I'm hurting her. But it's for the best. This hurt is smaller than the pain she'd feel after knowing my truth.

"Atleast stay for today. Your health is not good" she said.

"Can't Daisy. I have to home. I need to be alone after this havoc. I can't handle it here. I need a familiar place. But for your satisfaction, I won't go to the work tomorrow, okay. You can come if you want" I said softly hoping she'd agree with me.

I need to get out of here before Hunter comes.

Daisy looked so dejected "Okay. But atleast let someone drop you at home. For me" she said brokenly that my heart sank.

"Alright." Daisy sighed and called Gabriel. 

"Drop her at home Gabriel" she ordered him "safely." 

If it's not this situation, I'd have laughed at how this scenario looked like. A woman commanding a fully grown man about a feet taller and half feet wider than her.

Gabriel nodded quietly.

I turned to Daisy and hugged her tightly, "I'm sorry."

Knowing she was hurt because of me is the feeling I've ever feel. Look what I've done, Daisy always wish for my happiness and here I'm hurting her. I'm the worst friend ever. That thought clouded my eyes with tears. I can be never good to anyone. Everyone will feel pain and hurt because of me. Even now, Daisy is afraid for my safety.

What did I ever do to get a friend like her? 

I'm so lucky to have her.

I shut my eyes tightly to stop my tears from falling.

"Be safe. I'll come tomorrow" Daisy said in a small voice.

I nodded my head and walked to the door.

Gabriel is walking infront of me to the car. The ride was so silent and I think he's angry with me from earlier.

When we stopped at my house, I got out and turned to thank him. But he beats me.

"You should listen to Hunter. From what I've heard and see, you're scared of something and you don't need to. The gang will protect you and Daisy with all they have."

"I know" I replied to him embarrassed that he thinks like that "That's not what I have in my mind" I tried to tell him that I would never think low of them.

"Then?" he questioned.

"I'm protecting you all" I thought.

"What?" he asked confused.

"N-Nothing. You can go now. I don't want to waste your time" I said but he didn't hear me as he was going towards my door.

"Let me check inside first" he mumbled.

"No need to. I loc-" my steps halted at the scene . My lock was broken and door was opened slightly. Gabriel immediately pushed me behind him and took out a gun. My eyes bugged at that.

Why is he carrying a gun?! 

Slowly we stepped into the house and the view ahead of me brought the tears in my eyes. All my things are shattered on the floor. My books are teared and the couch and the pillows are torned badly. I went to kitchen to see the damage. Bowls, plates, glasses are broken on the floor. Also the food kept in the fridge was all over the kitchen. 

Then I remembered something and ran to upstairs to my bedroom. My room looks even worse. I directly went to my wardrobe and opened the locker. There it is. I sighed happily looking at it. Memory of my parents. Their wedding rings. 

I used to wear them in a chain around my neck. But everyone keep asking me what it is. So, unable to answer their questions, I take if off and hide securely.

Thank God they didn't see this. Otherwise they would've destroyed these too. I looked around my room. All my stuff was either broken or torned. Not able to stop the tears from falling, crying out loudly at my mishap, I knelt down my knees as my legs gave out. I can't put up with this.

Why me?!

What did I ever do to anyone?

All the property I have, all the stuff I own, I worked so hard to earn this. Now, there's nothing I have. In just a few hours, my belongings turned to something junk. My lifetime hardship becomes trash.

Sensing that, my cries grow hysterical. My body is shaking wildly and bend down. I can't bear with this.

Suddenly a body hugged me tightly and I knew that it was Daisy.

Maybe Gabriel called her.

I quickly wrapped my arms around her, sobbing loudly not able to stop my cries.

"Shh.....Mel" Daisy said in a quivered voice. Her tears are falling on my shoulder.

Getting comfort from her only makes my pain exceed.

"Do you see this, Daisy?" I asked her.

She nodded her head as her hands tightened slightly.

"All this, is my hard work Daisy. I worked day and night to get this. And now see the outcome of it" I said to her in between my cries.

"What did I ever do to anyone, Daisy? Why is God punishing me like this? Why my life is miserable always? I have nothing now. What can I do?" I hiccuped as my sobbing grew heavier.

"No Mel. Don't think like that. You have me, Hunter, Tyson all of us. We'll help you get through this. You're not alone in this" Daisy comforted rubbing my back smoothly trying to pacify me.

But no matter what she said, I know I can't get my previous life back. My secure life. Cause now, I had other people looking out for me. Maybe not for me especially, but sure I'm on their list.

I don't know how much time had passed crying my hearts out in her arms.

By the time I feel dizzy, Daisy stands with me. My tears are dried by then, but looking at my room one more time, they started to fall once again.

"You are coming with me" Daisy stated.

"But I have to clean all this. I can't leave it like this" I tried yo explain her.

"The gang will deal with this. You don't need to worry" she said.

I opened my mouth to protest her. She didn't give me a chance.

"Please don't argue with me on this, Mel. Just stay with me till this drama is over. I need to know you're safe all the time" Daisy said more like implored me.

I sighed nodding my head not wanting to worry her more about me.

She hugged me, "Thank you."

"Let's go. It's not safe here to be here long time" she said directing me towards the door.

I remembered that I need to take some luggage. 

"Wait a minute. I'll bring some clothes" I said to her running to my closet taking out my bag.

I put the rings in a safe pocket and some of my clothes which are luckily not torned. Only few are good enough to wear. I went to bathroom and get my toiletries and medicines, put them in the bag closing it. Even with all these, the bag was not full. Then you can guess how many things I have left with.

"Ready" I said to Daisy who is waiting for me at the door.

She nodded taking my bag in her hands.

'I can carry it" I object her but closed my mouth when she gave the look.

When we go to downstairs Hunter and Gabriel were in between a deep conversation.

Seeing me, they stopped talking and Gabriel took my bag from Daisy's hands and went outside. Hunter was looking at me keenly.

"Are you okay?" he asked emotionlessly.

But I can sense the concern in them.

I nodded my head quietly looking down.

We sat in the car and there's something tension in the atmosphere.

I shook my head staring outside from the windows to get rid of these thoughts.

In the whole ride, only one thought is running in my mind continuously

My life is freaking miserable.....