Love is a Game

Love is just a game
Broken all the same
And I will get over you
Love is just a lie
Happens all the time
Swear I know this much is true

- The Magic Numbers

Melody wouldn't even consider this. She wasn't scared, not of commitment. So her parent's marriage sucked, that didn't mean everyone's did or would. And to prove this to Beth, and maybe to herself too, Melody accepted Luke's invitation for an early breakfast the next Wednesday, before she had to go to work.

He picked her up at seven thirty. Instead of idling by her walk and beeping, like most of the guys she had dated, Luke parked the car and actually rang her doorbell. Fortunately her dad had left for work. Her mom, however, didn't leave until eight and she was the one who answered the door. Melody rushed downstairs, "I've got it!" But her mom was already at the door.

"And how do you know Melody?" she was asking.

" Lydia," Melody hissed.

"Hi baby, your friend's here."

For once her mom was cheerful, although at this point Melody wouldn't have minded if she was still holed up in her room -
anywhere but here.

"Yeah, I'll be home after work, probably."

Then she grabbed Luke by the arm and hurried out the door.

"It's okay," she said as they got into the car, "next time just beep and I'll come out."

"Oh, sure. So where do you want to go for breakfast?"

"How about Around the Clock? The diner on Main street. They have good pancakes."

"Okay, Around the Clock it is."

The diner was fairly empty when they got there. A man in a suit and tie sat by the doors reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. The only other customers were a couple, holding hands in a booth off to the side. There was only one waitress around, a short blonde girl on rollerblades and she told them to sit wherever the wanted. Luke guided Melody to a secluded booth in the corner of the restaurant.

"What'll it be?" the waitress asked.

"I'll have coffee and an egg bagel, with cream cheese," Melody ordered.

"And I'll have eggs over easy and coffee as well."

The waitress scribbled on her pad and rolled away.

"So you rave about the pancakes and don't even order them," Luke smiled.

"Oh, I'm not much for pancakes."

They sat there in silence for a while. The waitress delivered their coffee and Melody sat there, idly stirring her spoon in the coffee.

"Melody."

Melody looked up from the cup, "Yeah?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to look at your eyes."

Melody blushed and unconsciously averted her eyes, focusing instead on the waitress skating over to them with their food balanced on her hands. Luke really new how to play the game.

"So," he said after swallowing a bite of his eggs.

Melody propped her elbows on the table, "so."

"This is fun."

"Eating breakfast?"

"No, being with you."

Melody smiled, this boy really knew how to work a girl over. But she knew how to make them work for it.

"Too bad we're both going to separate colleges." If he was really interested this talk of long-term/long distance wouldn't scare him off.

"Well, it's not like New Jersey and New York are far away from each other."

She wasn't expecting him to say that.

"Well, that's…true. But I mean are we really…"

"What?"

"Well, this may sound horrible, but are we really looking to be doing... this until school starts?"

"Melody you're an intelligent, beautiful, funny, and interesting. Any guy would be an idiot to let a girl like that get away."

Game set and match.

"So I'll pick you up after work and we can watch the movie at my place?" Luke asked.

They were parked outside Cordelia's. Melody nodded before glancing up to see Beth waiting for her on the steps.

"See you then," she replied and he gave her a kiss before driving off.

And so it began.

"You're early," Melody yelled to her.

"So did he ask you?!" Beth squealed as Melody walked towards her.

"Yeah, we're getting married this Sunday."

Melody took out her keys and unlocked the door to Cordelia's.

"Oh ha ha ha. You're avoiding the subject which must mean my little Mellie here went and got herself another boyfriend."

"He won't last, believe me."

"How come you start out all your relationships betting when they'll end?"

"Beth, be realistic. We humans are just like any other animal in nature, we're not meant to have a life long mate. It just doesn't work out that way."

"But this one is cute and in a band!"

"Yeah, and the next one will be the son of a record label head."

"Oooh do you think he'll sign our old girl group Sparkle Motion?"

"Probably not for the pure reason that we stole the name, song, and dance moves from Donnie Darko."

"Notorious, notorious! No-no-notorioussss!" Beth sang out.

Melody laughed.

"Aaaaanyway," Beth said sitting behind Cordelia's counter. "So when was the last time you had a boyfriend?"

"What do you mean? Jeff Burke and I were dating in May.

"Mel, a boy doesn't count as a boyfriend if he tries to get into your pants on the third date and gets dumped on the fourth."

"Well…okay. But how about Michael?"

"Three weeks."

"Bevan."

"Two weeks."

"Tim"

"That was a new record for you – twelve hours before you got sick of him."

"He was boring and a sloppy kisser. Okay, Charlie then."

"Charlie? You made out with him on New Years Eve after drinking tequila. Then you never spoke to him again. And we're only re-hashing the second semester of junior year."

"I'm not a slut," Melody said sullenly.

Beth wrapped her arms around Melody's waist and put a chin on her shoulder, "I know you aren't baby, I know."

"It's just that…the challenge of getting a guy to be interested is more interesting than he is once I've got him."

"Just out curiosity, what's the longest relationship you've ever had?"

"Two months?"

"No, I think there's one that's been longer."

"Since I've known you I don't think I've ever dated a boy longer than two months. That's usually when the giddy lovey period ends."

"Right, not since you've known me."

Melody chose to ignore that comment.

"So how long will this one last?" Beth asked.

"Maybe I'll try something different."

"Mellie don't sleep with him. That what sets you apart from the skanks in our school."

"God Beth, I wasn't talking about sleeping with him. I meant I'm not going to predict when this one will end."

"Wow, I'm proud of you. So, how do you feel?"

Melody shrugged. She felt weird, different. "Like sitting on the bench outside, listening to music and reading books we don't own."

"Okay, but this time if a customer walks into the store we should probably follow them in. I hear stores lose less money when employees work."

The subject of Luke was dropped. Beth grabbed the books from Books Galore and Melody grabbed three CDs and the boom box from Cordelia's. They congregated on the bench outside the store, enjoying the balmy day, good music, and crime novels. No customers came during the whole first CD and Beth offered to go get ice cream. When she returned, with a carton of Cherry Garcia and two spoons, Melody had changed the CD to Fall Out Boy, one of their guilty pleasures.

Beth grinned, "He says she's no good," she sang.

"With words, but I'm worse," Melody sang in reply.

"Barely stuttered out a joke of a romantic or stuck to my tongue," they sang in unison.

People passing by regarded them with perplexed stares. When the song ended the two burst out laughing. Beth took a big scoop of ice cream and stuck it in her mouth. She started jumping up and down.

"Brain freeze! Ahh!"

Melody cracked up. They finally settled down and sighed.

"You think we're scaring all the customers away?" Melody asked.

"Absolutely."

"Okay then."

Nine hours later the two were closing up shop. They had retreated to the store around one, but they still hadn't gotten many customers.

"So you're hanging out at his place tonight?" Beth leaned against the counter.

"Yeah." Melody straightened the records and wiped the counter. "He should be here any minute, I better lock up."

Soon they were sitting on the bench, waiting.

"Speaking of relationships how are you and Bryan getting along?"

"Well he called and we've been out once so far. We might go out again tonight though."

"Looks like we've both got boys this summer, huh?"

"Yeah."

They sighed just as Luke pulled up.

"Okay then," Melody stood up, "See you."

And it felt so…final.

Hi! Sorry sorry SORRY it's been a few weeks since an update. But I was having writer's block and then it took even longer because I couldn't think of good lyrics. SO I was thinking you people (the readers of Melody) might haven lyrics perfect to some situations I'm about to start cooking up. So please private message me (or stick them in a review) lyrics that you think could work for what you think might happen or want to happen in the story. If I use them I'll be sure to credit you. ALSO maybe I'll like the lyrics so much that it'll influence me to change where the story's headed, who knows?

I do want to assure you that during the in-between time, although I wasn't writing this chapter (block) I WAS writing some awesome stuff for times to come - you know future 'Melody' situations and they're awesome if I do say so myself. Kissing, crying, a boy's bedroom and a bass - I mean I'm just so excited to get to all these parts. I even know how I'm going to end it and what lyrics I'm going to use (a whole song I think!) So there you go!!!

Thanks to my previous reviewers I totally appreciate everything - special thanks to Tomiko90 for reviewing EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER written, that makes me sooo happy .

Aaaanywho, hoped you guys liked the chapter and more on the way!