Dating
Melina was not particularly diverse in flirting or grasping attention. People especially boys just flocked to her. Michael did call her and they began speaking to one another often . In between the many games he umpired she showed up and he showed up early to spend some time together not in the sense of a couple but he would catch for her as she warmed up her pitching arm. They looked like nothing really in particular. The relationship grew more as every two weeks he managed to come down to take her on dates. When Micheal asked where she wanted to go Melina soon realized how sheltered she was compared to other sixteen year olds. Her life after the system consisted of her going to work and school and on occasions the skating rink but that was pretty much it. She had never went to a store alone. Or to anywhere really alone . So she didn't know her way around the city where she lived. Her mother never let her go anywhere alone unless it was work and school. Micheal was told to meet at the local McDonald's where her mother played the dutiful mother as she proceeded to ask for his license . Instead of writing down his information seeing he was from ragland a small town two hours away she proceeded to confiscate his driver's license as she said if he broke no laws he wouldn't need it. That he would get it when Melina was returned at eleven o'clock. This was extremely embarrassing to have a guy on their first date no be able to pick her up at her house but at a McDonald's. When they got in the car he said what do you want to do. Also another thing Melina didn't know anything about. She felt naive and childish as in this type navigation wasn't on cell phones unless you had the newer models. Micheal didn't have a phone and Melina had a phone that had no caller ID little less a navigation system. They both finally settled on red lobster and then mini golf . Melina realized he liked sports dates as he was a high school senior at ragland and star football quarterback. She felt inadequate since she was really not in his league . All she played was softball. He was handsome and popular small town guy and she was well sheltered and feeling pathetic. Here was this guy who traveled two hours out his way to see her and she couldn't tell him where anything was in the city she lived in. He took her naive nature well as that night they got to know each other as her mother allowed her to go off with him alone. Knowing she had his license and would call his parents if Melina was one minute late. The psychological warfare of Lara Mcnally was astounding. Not only was Melina forced into pageants,softball, and family bowling nights. She couldn't drive her own car and she didn't know anything about her outside world beyond her neighborhood. Melina was t familiar how dating worked as she decided by the end of date one she was going to secretly invite Michael to her home without her mother knowing. Like a surprise date situation. Melina clearly underestimated her mother's depts to embarrass her until the day he showed up and knocked on her house door. Melina opened the door as her mother took her in the kitchen to fuss at her about not giving her a heads up. She was tired of the guy never being able to see where she lived. She was tired of playing by her mother's follow around rule. Micheal sat down as David began to sharpen his knife that looked like a generic version of a crocodile Dundee blade the big one he had as Melina returned to sit by Micheal as they discussed their plans for the date. Lara pulled out her gun and began to clean it a clear warning Micheal's disposition. She loaded the chamber and spun it and asked if he liked guns. Melina embarrassed from her mom and step Dad acting barbaric told Micheal she needed to use the bathroom and then they could leave. Her mother had a wall of all her forced pictures of prior pageants as she always for white or pale colored dresses . When Melina came back she had the past pageant dress her in a poofy white dress telling him. " You see that. This is exactly how I expecther back. If she comes back any other way you better have a ring. " Melina was so embarrassed at her mother's audacity to implicate Micheal in defiling her virginal daughter. She was basically announcing Melina's lack of experience with boys. Melina grabbed Micheal's hand as her mother restricted him to ten o clock curfew . Melina apologized for her mother and step dad as Michael just laughed as they sat in sonic to talk before going bowling. Melina felt so suppressed by her mother's strange rules for her. She found out Micheal had a sister who he was close with and a brother who sang in the shower and his mom and dad was seperated and he was a junior. The drank cherry lime aids and spoke about their family. Then he offered her to go to church with him. Melina felt honored he thought he wanted to go to church together. They went bowling and he brought her back home around nine thirty not to get her in trouble as he leaned in and kissed her. Melina felt her heart raced . It was the first time she felt anything with a boy as kissing didn't really give her much satisfaction as this wasn't her first kiss but last time she felt like this was the boy who gave her her first real kiss by the pool years ago. Melina got out of the car grinning as she ran right into a bush as she was so embarrassed she ran into a bush in front of Micheal . He was a really nice guy .
Melina knew her mother was not pleased with her slip of Micheal coming to the house unannounced as he didn't scare off when the threatening gesture was made. Dana had wrecked her car being Dana . She was driving too fast as usual. Her dad paid for repairs as Dana caught wind Melina was dating the hot umpire from their games. Dana was supposed to go to school shopping as she was now homeschooling since she had made a few enemies with his big ass mouth and not being able to actually fight. She was going to a private school in leeds as she was by definition a total brat.
Private school interfered with her social life so she decided to go to home school so she could do what she wanted. Dana came by to pick up Melina to go school shopping as she didn't tell her that her memaw gave her a budget of twenty dollars as Dana didn't need school clothes to go to school since she was home schooling. Melina went to the mall and got her a few jeans the ones that tied up in the front from the body shop and some shirts.
Melina had brought her entire paycheck as she got her items that was sixty dollars. Dana looked at melina's cash and said she didn't have enough money to get some jeans for herself and it was riders fee for her taking Melina to the mall. Melina didn't feel like walking home so she bought Dana her clothes. Dana came home as her memaw asked for the receipt to see how much Dana spent. Melina handed over the receipt confused as Dana started screaming her memaw was embarrassing her and she needed new jeans. Her memaw fussed she just bought her clothes and gave Melina the seventy dollars Melina used and told Melina never ever buy Dana clothes again as she had twenty dollars and needed to learn how to budget money.
Micheal came down every two weeks as Melina showed up to his house one Sunday super early as she rang the door bell . She mentioned to her mom he invited her to church . He was going to go swimming afterwards as he took her to his small church and his mom allowed them to stay in the room with the door open. After church he went to his grandma's house for Sunday lunch as Melina felt like Micheal was a bit off. He kept introducing her as his friend.
Melina was so nervous around him as she barely ate and he was laying on her stomach as she realized he was trying to be intimate with her as she was self conscious of him touching her stomach. He had even gotten a cell phone to contact Melina . His mom was a local artist as she let Melina watch her paint. Melina always felt weird around normal family members . They went to his friend's house the other umpire that was at the games. They hung out for a while until it was almost time to go . Lara and David were fishing down the street. Micheal opened an old photo album and gave Melina some photos of him . She thought it was sweet as she brought photos from her modeling shoots and school parents for him as she felt like it was a promise he really liked her.
Melina's parents showed up and he hugged and kissed her goodbye as Melina felt the uncertainty in his last kiss she had. After that day he stopped answering his phone as when she called his friends phone he made excuses they were working a lot. But melina knew he was ghosting her as the summer was rapping up . She remembered the song drops of Jupiter by train as he sang it to her. Micheal stopped returning her calls and his friend asked her to stop calling him as his wife was getting suspicious he was having an affair.
Melina took all his pictures down from her room as she just knew to leave it alone and he would call when he called. To Melina softball wasn't the same for her. Melina had to start back tenth grade year soon as she came home from work in a trance just going through the motions. She had really liked Michael and he ghosted her without a word and a forgotten promise to call.
It was late one evening as she looked at her home phone caller ID and saw Cooper on the name tag . She picked up the phone as she heard a familiar voice on the other end.
" Hey Melina ." The voice said as she recognized the voice.
" How did you get my number, Jason." Melina said with a sigh.
" Phone book. How many Mcnally's are there." He said as Melina wasn't in the mood for some drama. Because her and Jason didn't see eye to eye and he wasn't her biggest fan either.
" Oh ok. What do you want?" Said Melina as she wished he would get to the point.
" Hey so you want to come over my house. You know to do stuff?" He said as Melina didn't understand what the question was.
" What stuff?" She asked trying to gain some clarification.
" You want to come over and have some sex or something." He asked as she rolled her eyes. Of course he heard the rumors and now unwanted solicitation was now part of her life.
" Wait a second. Aren't you and Ashley together." Melina asked knowing him and Ashley were together and actively hooking up as she would tell Melina many stories about how he was really good at going down on her and other stuff.
" Naw. We broke up. She had stuff to do ." He said as his words sounded a little rehearsed. Melina knew if they broke up Ashley would have told her.
" No luck . I'm on my monthly and I can't put two things in one hole." Melina lied making an excuse to turn him down without having to explain how unsettling it was he just called her for a booty call .
" We can take it out." He persisted as Melina made a face behind the phone at the nastiness of his suggestion.
" Nope. Beside I just came in from work and I'm super tired. Maybe next time."Melina said as she hung up the phone.
What the hell was that about ? Melina thought. The next week Melina saw Ashley at registration for sophomore year . Melina hugged her friend as to tell her she was sorry about her and Jason breaking up.
" I'm so sorry Ashley. How are you taking the break up you should have told me. I feel like a terrible friend not keeping in touch this summer." Melina said as Ashley pulled back.
" Break up? What break up?" Ashley replied looking confused.
" Jason called me last weekend and said you and him broke up and he wanted to hook up. I told him I was on my cycle and couldn't. " Melina said as she watched Ashley's face grow red .
" We didn't break up and how does he have your number all of a sudden." She questioned as Melina saw the trap and knew her next few words had to be careful.
" He said he looked it up in the phone book. Called under a cooper on the caller ID." Melina explained.
" That son of a bitch. I'm going to kick his ass." Said Ashley as she looked pissed.
" Where is he? Have you seen him here?" She asked looking around the hallway.
" He was passing me leaving on my way in." Melina explained.
" Let me borrow your phone . I'm going to call him." Asked Ashley as Melina felt so bad for her all she could do is witness her friend falling apart as his phone went to voicemail.
" Look I have to go." She said with tears in her eyes ." Thank you for letting me know what happened,but I have to go
" She said as her voice hitched then she shoved my phone back in Melina's hands and left .elima felt bad this was how her friend found out her man was cheating on her.