If Tomorrow Never Comes
Chapter 9
Melanee looked over at Shane.
He was staring out the passenger-side window, deep in thought.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Melanee said, placing her hand on Shane’s knee.
“I’m just thinking about things…” Shane trailed off and continued to stare out the
window.
Melanee took this as a hint that he didn’t want to talk about it, and let it go.
After a couple more minutes silence, Melanee spoke up again.
“Do you wanna go back home, or do you wanna crash at my place?” she asked, tapping
Shane on the shoulder, “Shane?”
“What?” Shane said, spinning around, “oh, Erm…I might as well just stay at your’s
tonight, if that’s okay.”
“Yeah, ofcourse it is,” Melanee said, smiling as she turned off the major road, “it’s
a lot closer anyway.”
There seemed to be an awkward silence between the two, but neither of them knew why.
“Melanee,” Shane said, after some time, “is it right to like someone, straight after
breaking up with someone else?”
“It depends,” Melanee said, glad that the silence was over, “on whether you actually
like this new person, or if you are just using them because you are on the rebound.”
Shane nodded his head and thought about this for a moment, “Mel?” he asked again.
“Yes, Shane,” Melanee said, patiently.
“Do you believe…” Shane started, “oh, don’t worry, forget it.”
“Shane,” Melanee said, smiling, “tell me.”
“Nah,” Shane said, shrugging it off, “you’ll just think it’s stupid!”
“Just tell me,” Melanee said, “then I'll tell you whether I think it’s stupid or
not.”
Shane smiled, “nah, it’s just stupid,” he said, stretching out his arms and yawning,
“forget I said it.”
Melanee looked at Shane, “Shane,” she said, “how long have you known me?”
“Too long!” Shane said, with a laugh, “no, Erm…I dunno, 18 years…why?”
“Now, in that 18 years,” Mel said, “when have you ever known me just to ‘forget it’?”
“Never,” Shane said, smiling over at his friend.
“Right, now spill,” Melanee said, turning her car into their street.
“Alright,” Shane said, giving in, “I was just gonna ask you if you believed in love
at first sight, that’s all.” Mel bit her lip, but couldn’t help to laugh.
“See,” Shane said, throwing his arms up in the air, “I knew if I told you, you’d
just laugh at me…thanks!”
Melanee raised her hand to her mouth and stopped herself from laughing, “I’m sorry,
Shane,” she said, “and answering your question, no, I don’t believe in love at first
sight.”
“Really?” Shane said, a little shocked, “but you’re like this helpless romantic,
who cries at chick flicks and listens to soppy, love music.”
“Hey,” Melanee said, pulling into the driveway, “you’ll probably be making that soppy,
love music soon!”
They both hopped out of the car and headed back into the house.
“So why don’t you believe in love at first sight?” Shane asked, as Melanee let him
into the house and shut the door behind them.
“Because,” Melanee said, walking into the kitchen and putting on the kettle, “I don’t
think that a person can fall in love with a person, purely on the way people look.
I mean, what about all the ugly people?”
“How sweet of you to think of the ugly people,” Shane said, sarcastically.
“Well, you know,” Melanee said, grabbing 2 cups from the cupboard, “someone has to
stick up for you.”
“Oh, thanks,” Shane said, sitting down on the couch and turning on the telly, “it’s
not my fault, I can’t be as gorgeous as you.”
“Oh, Shane, honey,” Melanee said, bringing over 2 glasses of steaming tea, “you know
I was only joking, I think you the sexiest ma alive.”
“Awww,” Shane said, putting his arms around Melanee, “you’re so cute.”
“I know,” Melanee said, looking up at Shane and pinching his cheek, “but you are
just as cute!”
Shane laughed, then looked down at Melanee seriously, “so, you’re saying that there’s
no chance you would ever just fall in love with a stranger?”
Melanee thought about this for a second, “no,” she said, after a little while, “it
just hasn’t happened to me, yet, so I can’t believe it till it does.”
“Fair enough,” Shane said, “I’d probably feel the same way…”
Mel smiled up at Shane, “you mean if you hadn’t seen, Gill, just now.”
“You know me too well,” Shane said, ruffling Melanee’s hair, “stop reading me like
a well known, classic book!”
“Oh, so you’re a classic, are you?” Melanee said, rolling over on top of Shane, “I’d
say more of a trashy romance novel.”
“Oh, now you’ve started something,” Shane said, grabbing Mel around the waist and
lifting her up in the air, “you’re gonna regret that.”
“Ahhh” Melanee screamed, thumping Shane, “let me go, where are you taking me?”
Shane pulled Melanee up on top of his back, and took her up the stairs; “I’m putting
you to bed, young Miss,” he said, “before you say anything else, silly.”
“Oh, kinky,” Melanee said, through her laughter.
“Yeah, you wish,” Shane said, taking Mel into her room and dropping her onto the
bed.
“Night, Mel,” he said, covering her in a warm duvet, “I'll be on the couch.”
“Night, Shane,” Melanee said, snuggling up into bed, “see you in the morning.”
“Yep,” Shane said, closing the door, “sweet dreams.”