"Hi Melanie. Are you heading home. Come in" Tom invited her with his usual creepy smile.
"No thanks. It's not so far" Melanie declined without stopping her walking. She even speeded up. He continued to followed her with his car.
"Come on, don't be like this"
Melanie continued to ignore him, even though she was starting to get scared. The street was 1totally empty since it was late, so she couldn't get any help if Tom tried to force her into the car. She then heard another car honking behind her. It was Ben's car. Melanie had never been so happy to see him.
Ben got off his car and frowned while looking at the car in front of him.
"Melanie, can you come please" He asked, acting like everything is normal. Melanie walked hurriedly towards him while he entered his car again. She did the same and soon they were driving far away from Tom.
"I'm glad you forgot your phone. Did he tried anything?" Ben asked, while giving back her phone.
"No thank you."
"I won't stop in front of your house. I'll make a tour in the neighborhood before so he won't know where you live"
"... Okay"
She was glad that he thought that it was just a random man who was trying to hit on her. She let him drive around and when they approached her house again, Tom's car was nowhere to see.
"Tell me your shift days, I'll take you from now on"
"No need, Ben. I'm fine"
"Today, we were lucky I came back but what about the next days?"
"I wasn't far from my home, I would have run"
"Sure. Okay I'll ask Gayle then"
"No! Don't tell him!... Fine. I work on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the weekend"
"Cool. See you at school" Ben greeted her as she got off his car. She entered her house, hoping that Tom wasn't there. Luckily the house was totally empty, her mother was missing too. She wouldn't be back until tomorrow after noon.
"Is the house all mine? Cool! My body is killing me. I need a long bath" Sei said smiling. Dotti appeared, floating next to her.
"Hey Dotti, do you want to take a bath too? As an axo... a sea lizard, you might like to swim right. I'll fill a large bucket for you"
"I'm not a sea lizard, I'm an axolotl but yes, I want a bath" Dotti said after whipping Sei's for head.
"Ouch... Well that's a way to thank someone for her kindness"
She filled the bathtub with hot water for her and a large bucket with lukewarm water for Dotti. She then enjoyed her bath while Dotti was swimming happily. She then took a little snack in the kitchen before studying and going to bed, while hugging Dotti. The later was reluctant but since Sei wouldn't leave her, Dotti gave up.
Meanwhile Gayle was waiting for Melanie's text but it never came. The next day, Gayle was obviously in a bad mood.
"Gayle, are you okay?" One of his friends asked. They were sitting as their usual spot on the stairs and unlikely of him, Gayle didn't jump on the conversation nor laugh at the jokes. He had a frown on his face since he arrived.
"Yes" He answered dryly while looking at the window that showed Melanie's desk. She had not arrived yet but Gayle would confront her as soon she arrived. He knew he should make a scene over the fact that she forgot to text him but since she left with Ben, he wasn't in a good mood. Adding the last fact, he somehow lost his rationality.
In reality, Melanie arrived earlier and stayed in the library.
"Why did she wake up so early to come to school when it's not need? I want to sleep more" Sei complained as she layed her head on her open notebook.
"You know that it's for the contest so stop complaining, lazy ass" said Dotti, who was visible since the library was totally empty.
"Evil lizard, don't you know how to encourage someone?". Sei got far from Dotti before saying this, so she would not get hit. Dotti shook her tail in the air, showing that she would have indeed do it.
After working enough, Melanie went back to her class and she met Ben in font of it.
"Hi Melanie"
"What do you want?"
"Haha at least greet me back. Anyway did you see that car again yesterday?"
Ben had asked her yesterday to often check through the house windows if she saw Tom's car again.
"No" She said as she entered the class which had few students in, lefting Ben behind.
"No, you didn't see it or no, you didn't check at all? " He asked while following her.
"No"
"The conversation are always so fun with you, Melanie."
He put his elbow on the table and supported his head with his hand, while smiling mischievously. Melanie then pushed his elbow and he lost his balance. He would have hit the table if he didn't put his other hand quickly on the table. Melanie was the one who put on a mischievous smile.
"You almost killed me!"
"Don't be so dramatic. The worst which could have happened was a broken nose."
"Still! You own me a treat, right? I'll make you pay. I'll choose the fanciest restaurant"
"As you wish. I won't be able to afford any food there so we'll both be in trouble"
"Fine, it's your luck that you're broke. I have to go" Ben said before leaving. And not long after Gayle barged in the classroom, startling everyone in the class. He went straight to Melanie.
"Hi, Gay—"
"Can we talk?" He cut her straight and Melanie noticed the frown that was on his face since the morning.
—Oh crap Dotti, I forgot to text Gayle after this whole Tom thing. Why didn't you remind me? —
—I'm not your personal reminder and I forgot too—
—You're a robot, how can you forget?—
—Exactly, I'm a robot I don't store useless things in my memory—
Melanie immediately thought that Ben had something about what happened yesterday, that was why Gayle didn't look happy that she hadn't text him.
"Did Ben tell you about yesterday?" She asked bluntly.
"Yesterday? What happened yesterday?"
"...Nothing"
"Do you like Ben, Melanie ?"