Chapter 17
“Hey guys,” Bryan said cheerfully, putting his arm around his girlfriend, “just in
time for introductions!” Mel forced a smile, but Shane didn’t even bother.
“Okay,” Mark said, not noticing his friends’ expressions, “over there is Bryan’s
girlfriend, Toni, and this is Kian’s girlfriend Lin. This beauty beside me is Candy,
and the one next to Nicky is the beautiful Gillian!
“We know each other,” Gillian said, smiling fondly over at Shane and Mel.
“Right, well it’s nice to meet you all,” Melanee said, smiling falsely again, “I'm
sure we’ll all be great friends.”
“So, how long have you two been going out?” Candy asked Melanee.
“Oh, we’re not…” Melanee started.
“We aren’t together, alright!” Shane yelled, “never have we been, never will we be,
for god’s sake.”
“Oh bite me, Shane,” Candy said, walking swiftly off in the direction of the ladies
toilets.
“What did you have to yell at her like that for?” Mark asked, frowning at Shane,
“how was she supposed to know, you guys are always all over each other!”
“No we’re not,” Shane yelled again, exasperated, “you guys just don’t get it!”
Everyone watched Shane walk off in the direction of the bar, then turned back to
Melanee, all their faces looking for answers.
“What’s gotten into him?” Nicky asked, “he was fine 10 minutes ago?”
“Look,” Melanee said, running her hands through her hair, “I'll go talk to him okay,
I'm sure it’s… nothing.”
She knew she was lying, but she had to do something or they would all get suspicious.
Melanee gave them one last smile, then went over to find Shane.
It didn’t take her long to find him.
“Hey,” she said, as she approached Shane. She sat beside him, on a bar stool, and
took his drink off him, “we don’t want you drowning your sorrows, now do we?”
Shane looked up at Melanee, “how can you be so calm?” he asked, “something major
happened outside, and you’re acting like nothing has happened?”
“You’re right,” Melanee said, “something major did happen out there. Something I
wish hadn’t happened, but just because it did, it doesn’t mean you have to take it
out on all of your friends.”
“I need to take it out on someone,” Shane said, quietly, “and since you won’t let
me take it out on my own body, I'll have to use theirs.”
“Take it out on me,” Melanee said, seriously, “it’s not their fault, but it is mine.”
“No it’s not,” Shane sighed, rubbing his head, “it’s my fault, I don’t know what
came over me out there. I just saw you there, and Nicky had been saying how we were
soul mates, and I looked at you…” Shane trailed off, and looked down at his feet,
“I just saw something in you, and I realised that Nicky was right. You are perfect,
we are perfect…”
“Nicky was right,” Melanee said, placing her hand over Shane’s, “we are soul mates,
but not as lovers, Shane.” “Why not?” Shane asked, softly.
“Because,” Melanee said, with a little smile, “we are the best of friends. We know
everything about each other and can read each other like a book. In love you need
mystery, you need lust… that’s why opposites attract, because it’s something new,
something different. How bad would it be being married to yourself, always knowing
what was going to happen next, nothing ever a surprise. That’s what it would be like
for us, Shane, we are the best of friends, and we can never be anything more, for
it would be like marrying your brother or sister.”
Shane looked up at Melanee, and saw in her eyes what he saw before. A friend.
“How can you do that?” Shane asked, smiling, “how can you just put everything I feel
into words, and make it all understandable… you’re amazing.”
“Yeah, well…” Mel said, ruffling Shane’s hair, “you’re not so bad, yourself, Filan.”
“Does this mean we’re cool?” Shane asked.
“Yeah,” Melanee said, smiling, “as long as you don’t pull anymore stunts like that,
again.”
“I think that was a one off,” Shane said, shaking his head, “I just saw you for that
moment, and saw complete happiness in your eyes… I just wanted that happiness, you
know.”
“Who are you?” Melanee said, mockingly, “where’d this deep, sensitive Shane come
from. What have you done with my best friend?”
“Mel!” Shane said, pushing her arm lightly, “I'm a S.N.A.G, you know!”
Melanee let out a long laugh, “you are not!” she said, inbetween fits of laughter,
“now come on, let’s get back to those friends of yours before they wonder where we’ve
got to.”
“How am I gonna explain my shitty mood?” Shane asked, as they made their way over,
“I can’t blame it on P.M.S, like you can!”
“Yeah you can,” Mel said, smiling over at him, “Permanent Mental Strain.”
They both laughed, and Shane put his hand around Mel’s shoulder, “I can’t believe
how cool, you are,” he said, “I really thought that little thing I did, may have
ruined our friendship or something…”
Melanee kissed his cheek, “so did I,” she said, “but it looks like it hasn’t, thank
god, so let’s just enjoy it.”
Shane nodded in agreement and smiled whole-heartedly, thinking he was the luckiest
guy in the world.