||..:Go To Hell, Romeo:..|| Part Four || ..:A Sense Of Melancholy:..||

"What are you doing here, Capulet?" Lucas asked. His tone was unreadable; he didn't seem angry or annoyed, but he wasn't happy either. The other guy, Marc Hill, stood behind Lucas glaring at me.

"Answer him!" Marc snarled, attempting to step forward but was blocked when Lucas put out an arm.

I attempted to speak but all that came out was another seat of choked coughs. Lucas must have realized that I was unable to say anything as he sighed and practically lifted me off the ground.

"What are you doing?" Marc asked when Lucas placed an arm around my waist and one of mine over his shoulders, leading me in the direction of his house.

Lucas chose to ignore Marc's question and continued helping me to his house.

I looked up at him. His face had an expression of confusion and annoyance; as if he were internally arguing with himself. Probably thinking he should have left me in the middle of the road to be choked to death.

I could here Marc walking behind us, mumbling obscenities under his breath, as we walked up the long driveway. Alright, it wasn't long at all, maybe 15 metres or so, but when your having difficulties breathing and your arm is over your enemy's shoulder, things seem to take a lot longer than usual.

After hours of walking, well minutes really, we reached the house but apparently we weren't going in through the front door. I'd probably be shot straight away if anyone saw me.

So after Lucas told Marc to meet us in Lucas's room with some water and after Marc's protests to the whole thing and one of Lucas's attempted murder speeches, Marc grudgingly agrees to the plan and went inside the house, using the front door, whilst Lucas and I climbed up a conveniently placed ladder that led to Lucas's bedroom (gee, I wonder what that's for? He's such a man whore), me with great difficulty.

As Lucas assisted me to get through the window, his bedroom door opened and Marc walked inside, a glass of water held in his hand.

"Here." He said as he violently thrust the glass into my face. The look on his face showed that he would have loved to have thrown that water in my face.

I accepted the glass but eyed it suspiciously. Who knows what he could have done to it.

"Oh just drink the damn thing! It's not poisoned!" he said harshly and I flinched. Marc was scary. I eyed the water once more before I slowly swallowed it, feeling my throat relax.

I coughed some more before choking out a barely audible 'thanks.' Marc raised his giant eyebrows at me and turned to Lucas.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked. Lucas nodded and they stepped outside the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

I leaned back against the wall under the window, ignoring the furious whispers outside the door and the mention of my name every so often, and looked around Lucas's room in curiosity.

Never thought I'd ever be here.

The walls were painted a deep red colour, but were mostly concealed behind posters of various bands and artists, and girls in skimpy bikinis standing next to fast-looking cars. A double bed sat against the right wall in the left corner, with a TV and DVD opposite. Next to the bed was a small set of drawers. In the middle of the room, in between the door and window, was a large rug littered with CD cases, DVD cases and random pieces of clothing. In the corner against the left wall was a desk with a lap top on it. In the middle of the left wall was a door that I guessed led to a bathroom.

The bedroom door suddenly opened and Lucas walked back in, closing the door behind him. I could hear Marc angrily stomping away down a hallway.

Lucas walked over and sat on his bed as I turned to face him, setting the glass down next to me.

"What are you doing around here? Your family knows better than to wonder into this neighbourhood." He said.

"I didn't mean to come here. I was angry and went for a run. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." I replied, my voice raspy and choked. Marc sure had a strong grip.

"You were angry, huh? What's the matter? Trouble in paradise?" he asked, obviously referring to Ryley and I.

"Mind your own business, Montague." I snapped.

"Ah, so it is about DeCameron." Lucas laughed. "Well that's no surprise. Let me guess, he cheated on you again?"

I remained silent. Lucas took it as a 'yes.'

"Figured as much. DeCameron never was the most loyal of people. Believe me, I'd know."

Silence. He was trying to make me angry, but I wasn't going to let him.

"I wonder, did you know that DeCameron wanted to marry you? That he was encouraging your fathers?"

My eyes widened and he continued.

"Oh yes, he's been after you for years. I guess he finally convinced your father he was a good choice." Lucas said.

"I don't believe you." I whispered. That couldn't be right. Ryley had objected to this marriage just as much as I had.

"Well you should. I know Ryley better than you every will, and I know the lengths he goes to to get what he wants."

I stood up and Lucas moved so that he was standing right in front of me, our noses practically touching, our lips centimetres apart.

"Believe me, he's not a good guy." Lucas said softly.

"And you are?" I asked.

"Not by a long shot, but I'd never do what he's done." Lucas practically whispered.

"And what's that?"

"All in good time, Capulet. I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later." Lucas whispered before moving away, his face turned away from me. "Now get out, and don't tell a single soul you were here."

"Like I'd want anyone to know I'd been in your bedroom." I snapped. Lucas laughed.

"Well that's a change. Most girls who've been here love to brag about it." He said.

"That's because most girls you have here are dumb sluts." I said as I climbed out the window and began down the ladder.

"You know you want me, Capulet!" Lucas called, sticking his head out the window and looking down at me.

I flipped him off and jumped from the ladder before running down the driveway and starting off home, my mind set on what Lucas had told me.

"DeCameron wantedto marry you. He was encouraging your fathers."

It couldn't be true, could it?

____________________________________________

"Mel? Mel are you up here?" I heard Hannah call from the stairs to my attic room. I sighed and put down the book I was reading.

"Yeah, I'm here!" I called back. Hannah finished walking up my stairs and walked to the side of my bed, laughing slightly at the Elmo pyjamas I was wearing.

"So I heard about what Ryley did." She said, sitting down on the other side of my bed. No doubt Chris told her. She probably came over to Hanp him cool off after his little psycho at Ryley. They are so screwing around.

"News sure travels fast around here." I said. Hannah nodded.

"Are you going to tell your parents?"

I shook my head 'no.'

"I can't. My father will just tell me it's my own fault for 'not giving Ryley what he needs.' No, I've decided I'm going to get back at him.

"Really? How?"

"By doing to him what he did to me." I said.

"You're going to fuck someone in his bed?!" Hannah practically shouted, jumping off the bed and giving me a look of disgust.

"No you fool. Well, not straight away. Maybe eventually..." I said and Hannah shook her head at me.

"If you do it, you'll regret it." She told me.

"Perhaps, but it'll be fun to piss of Ryley. It's all his fault we're supposed to be getting married." I said.

"How so?"

"Well from what I've been told, Ryley wanted to marry me, and actually gave the idea to our fathers in the first place! And then that bastard goes and screws somebody on my bed? Not cool. Not cool at all." I said.
Hannah gaped at me.

"He arranged all this?! That little fuc--

"Yeah, I know. Those were my thoughts exactly." I said, cutting her off.

"Wait, how did you find that out? Surely Ryley didn't tell you?" Hannah asked and I kind of avoided eye contact. "Mel?"

"Uh...well...does it really matter who told me?" I said, focusing on a small fibre coming out of my baggy pants.

Must avoid eye contact with Hannah.

Eye contact is bad.

"Mel, who told you?" she asked slowly.

No! Don't do it! Do not look up!

"Mel!"

No! I won't do i--oh fuck, I looked up. You idiot!

"Well, don't get mad, Han." I said.

"I won't, promise." She said. I bet she'll be breaking that promise soon.

"It was uh...itwasLucasMontaguepleasedonthurtmeyouloveme!" I closed my eyes, afraid to look at her. Hannah really wasn't too keen on Lucas, even if she does think he's hot. He was always mean to her when we were little and Hannah tends to keep grudges.

After a few moments of silence, I slowly opened one eye, only to see Hannah's once olive skin slowly turning a dark shade of red.

Oh boy was she angry.

I quickly jumped off the bed and grabbed a pillow as my defence mechanism.

"Hannah, just let me explain." I said as she turned to me and glared.

"What. Were. You. Doing. With. That. Asshole?" she said slowly, through clenched teeth.

"Actually, he saved me." I said quietly.

"He what?"

"He saved me." I said again, lowering my pillow very slowly.

"How? From what? What the hell are you talking about, Mel?!" Hannah said. She was still angry, but at least her face was slowly returning to its normal colour.

"Umm, after I found Ryley and Mina, I went for a run but I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and I sort of ended up in Baudelaire Avenue, where I was attacked by Marc Hill. He grabbed my throat and I couldn't breathe. Look." I lifted my head up and showed her the slowly forming bruise on my neck. It was a dark pink colour at the moment, but I was sure that by tomorrow it would be a lot darker.

"Anyway, Lucas came along just before I was about to pass out and stopped Marc, then I sort of went to his house and he gave me some water so I could breathe better. He had an argument with Marc about letting me into the house, and then Lucas and I talked - well argued really - about some stuff, which then led us to the topic of Ryley. He told me that this was all Ryley's idea and that Ryley really wanted me."

Hannah just sat there, a confused look on her face. I don't blame her. How are you supposed to react when your best friend's enemy saves their life? And on top of that, your best friend's fiance is an evil, cheating, scheming little cockroach. It's a lot to take in.

After a few moments of her sitting there with that ridiculously funny look on her face, I was becoming a little antsy.

What if she hates me for talking to Lucas?

What if she never wants to speak to me ever again?

WHAT IF SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE MY FRIEND ANYMORE?!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH, PANIC ATTACK!!

SOMEONE GET ME MY INHALER!!

My breathing had quickened and must have snapped Hannah out of her little trance as she quickly went through my bedside table, eventually finding my little blue inhaler.

She grabbed my head and forced my mouth open with great difficulty as I was sort of thrashing about, but finally she managed and sprayed it twice.

As I breathed in the fowl tasting mist, choking slightly causing me to wince from the pain in my neck, my breathing returned to normal and eventually I calmed down, gasping slightly.

"God Mel, calm down woman!" Hannah said as she rubbed my back and I took in great gasps of air in an attempt to steady my breathing.

All of a sudden I felt so incredibly helpless.

Catching Hannah off guard, I threw my arms around my best friend, practically smothering her. Tears had begun to spill as I replayed everything that had happened this afternoon in my mind.

1.I caught my fiance having sex with another woman in my bed, making it a million times worse.

2.I went for a run and ended up in an unsafe neighbourhood where I was attacked by a school mate.

3.My enemy saved me and took me back to his house.

4.My enemy than told me that it was my fiance's fault that we're getting married.

5.My best friend had a psycho at me.

6.Panic attack.

7.Hysterical sobbing caused by all of the above.

Could today get any worse?

You bet your ass it could.

____________________________________________

I sat huddled in a corner of my bathroom, tears pouring from my eyes, my knees pulled up to my face rocking back in forth. I made no noise, other than the occasional sob or sniffle, afraid to let them here me, afraid that either one of them would come back.

Please don't let them come back.

I silently stood up and moved in front of the mirror, the moonlight reflecting off the mirror and illuminating my now beaten and bruised face.

I gripped the counter and stared at my reflection.

How could they do this to me?

"Melissa Corrine Capulet! GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" My father had screamed when he arrived home.

Oh no, please tell me he hasn't spoken to Ryley.

"MELISSA! YOU HAVE 5 SECONDS TO GET DOWN HERE BEFORE I COME AND FIND YOU MYSELF!"

I scrambled from my bed where I had been reading ever since Hannah had left, running as fast as I could down my stairs and through the hall, down some more stairs and into my father's office. I hated going in there.

When I entered, I kept my head down; afraid of what I would see when I looked up. I walked over and stood in front of my father's desk, still keeping my eyes glued to the floor.

"You wanted to see me father?" I asked timidly, trying not to do anything to make him angrier.

"Look at me." he stated. I kept my gaze on my shoes. "LOOK AT ME!"

Immediately my head snapped up and I saw that not only was my father in the room, but Ryley also, standing next to my father's chair with a scowl plastered onto his face.

I didn't want to look at him; I kept seeing the scene from this afternoon in my mind.

I looked to my father. His face was red, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. He was angry.

"Ryley told me about what happened this afternoon." He said. I took a quick glance at Ryley, seeing the smirk playing on his lips, before I focused back on my father.

"Father I-"

"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!" I involuntarily flinched at his loud voice. His tone softened. "You had no right to react the way you did, Melissa. If you can't provide Ryley with what he needs, he will have to find it elsewhere. You cannot throw a tantrum because of something you caused."

You cannot be serious? No! That is completely unfair!

How can you say that to me?! I'm your daughter! You're supposed to be on my side, not that scumbags!" I blurted, pointing to Ryley.

"DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME, MELISSA!" my father shouted, rising from his chair. He walked around to the front of his desk and I took a step back. My father was an intimidating man.

"Melissa, Ryley is your fiance. You are going to marry him, meaning you will do all he asks of you. He is a man, you are a woman. He holds the power in your relationship, not you. You will do as he says. Understood?" he said.