Chapter 4:
A few weeks had passed and it was now two days till graduation. Melinda and Matt weren't going to attend, they were just going to get their diplomas from the front office and then finish packing for their trip to Roswell.
The weeks had been filled with repeats of the same dream for both teens. Melinda had found that sleeping longer had meant more of the dream then she wanted. But she couldn't wake through the slicing and sawing scene as she referred to it and she would scream out and her father would have to come in and wake her.
Matt wasn't much better. He didn't scream like Melinda but when he awoke there were nail marks, from even his dull nails from where his fist clenched tight. They hadn't spoken much since the night the dreams had first arrived, which had their parents slightly worried.
But it was now the night before they were to get their diplomas and finish packing. All though it didn't take much to pack. Everyone had two suitcases of clothes and shoes, some sort of backpack or briefcase for laptops and electronic devices, and two large boxes for sheets and bedding. They traveled with two vans. One for passengers and one for luggage. It had been decided that since Matt's car wasn't running at the moment they would just leave it behind or sell it before they left. Melinda's car was always running which she kicked herself for because her father said she could ride with Matt. That idea was less then appealing at the moment.
Matt POV:
Matt groggily went down the darkened steps heading for the kitchen. He had awoken from yet another of the same dream. The only difference was that this time he had managed to wake before the torture scene. Walking in to the kitchen he saw the light was on and their was Melinda pouring what looked like brownie batter into a baking pan. "What are you doing up?" Matt asked sleepily.
Mel looked up at him as she set the bowl down and ran her hand over the cool batter. In that split second their were baked brownies. "Making brownies. Want one?" She offered.
Matt looked at her skeptically. "Are they drugged?"
Mel POV:
Melinda sighed. "No Matt. Do you want one?" She asked again softly not in the mood for arguing. She had awoken about thirty minutes ago and when she walked in the bathroom she could've sworn she had seen her own blood on her hands, but it had been a delusion. A sick delusion.
"Sure." Matt said. Mel dished two brownies onto separate plates and handed one to Matt. She got a glass of milk and then went and sat at the table, which is exactly what Matt did as well.
"So what are you doing awake?" Mel asked casually.
"Couldn't sleep. You?"
"Bad dream." She replied faintly. I really just don't want to go back to sleep. She thought silently to herself.
Matt looked up at her and set the brownie he held down. "Oh yeah what about?" He asked almost kindly.
Mel sighed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She said quietly.
"Try me." Matt replied.
Should I? They're just dreams aren't they? Melinda set her brownie down and picked at it with her fingers. "It um has to do with alien testing and…"
"You're in a white room. And there's this guy, no name just a guy?" Matt asked. What how does he… Melinda looked up at him stunned.
Matt POV:
"How do you know that?" Melinda asked shocked.
Matt shrugged. "I've been having the same dream. I talked to my dad and he said it's probably just stress or something." He said casually.
"Oh." Melinda looked down at her brownie. I wonder why we're having the same dreams. Maybe Iz is trying to get us to be civil to each other and like…no she wouldn't do that. Not ever! "I don't hate you." Melinda said softly.
Matt looked up at her unsure of what she was trying to get at. "What?"
"I don't hate you. I was five when you killed my goldfish, and I told myself you never like Marty and you did it on purpose, so I'd have reason to hate you. But I don't and it's just silly now and I'm sick of arguing." Melinda babbled. We're actually having a normal conversation for once. Matt thought smiling inwardly.
"I only hated you cause you hated me. I was only five and I didn't mean to kill Marty. I didn't hate him." Matt said. "So what's bringing this confession on?"
Mel POV:
Truth is I think maybe it's my stress over pretending to hate you that are causing these dreams. I mean think about it. She thought silently to herself. But instead she shrugged. "I just figured maybe these dreams are being caused by this stupid feud."
"What do you mean?" Matt asked.
"Think about it Matt. In the dreams we're being nice to each other, maybe our subconscious is trying to tell us something, or maybe it's a vision and we're going to be taken and tested. I don't know this all just starting to annoy me."
Awe crap if he's having the same dreams that means he knows I kiss him. Melinda mentally slapped herself. You idiot, why'd you tell him you were having the dream?
Matt POV:
I wonder if she knows I profess my love to her. If she did maybe she'd mention it. But maybe she's right, this could all just be our subconscious' trying to stop this bitter feud. "Well maybe if we try civility they'll go away." Matt suggested.
Melinda shrugged. "And if they are visions?" She asked dryly as her eyes focused souly on the whole she was picking in her brownie.
"Then we do our best not to let it come true. I mean we know the basics right?" Matt asked.
Melinda nodded. "I think to myself the last thing I remember is being at a party arguing with you. See arguing Matt! We do that all the time, maybe we're just screwed." She said sullenly.
Matt shook his head. "We aren't screwed Mel. We're making something out of nothing." At least I hope. Matt reached over and stopped Melinda's hands from picking at the brownie before her and she was forced to look up at him. "They are just dreams Mel nothing more." He said firmly. Her hand is like ice.
Mel POV:
His hand is so warm. But becoming a little wary Melinda pulled her hand out from beneath Matt's. "So civility?" She asked.
Matt pulled his hand back and nodded. "Yeah, let's be nice to each other. I think you're right we're constantly stressed cause we're at each other's throats. So if we just stop, then the dreams will go away."
Twelve years of feuding and now we're calling a civility truce? It's kind of ironic this all started over a fish. Melinda giggled faintly to herself.
"What? What's so funny?" Matt asked.
Melinda giggled a little louder and looked up at Matt smiling softly. "This all started because of a fish." She remarked.
Matt chuckled. "Yeah, but some feuds start over a lot less. So what do you say, truce?" Melinda watched as he stuck his hand out to her in a silent gesture. Melinda bit her lip and shook his hand.
"Truce. But can I still call you deadbeat?" She asked jokingly.
"Can I call you princess?" Matt quipped. I hate when he calls me princess. I am not a princess. I don't get everything I want. If I did he wouldn't be here. She chuckled inwardly. He only got away with calling me that cause he's cute.
Mel shook her head smirking at him. "No you can't."
Matt POV:
"Then no you may not." He replied chuckling as he took his hand back. I am not a deadbeat and the only reason she ever got away with calling me that was because she's cute. "I think this is the first time we haven't bitten each other's heads off in a long time."
Mel smiled faintly. "Lack of sleep maybe." She suggested sarcastically.
Matt laughed lightly. "Yeah I wondered why you weren't your usual volatile self the last few weeks."
"I was starting to wonder if you had just given up and let me win." Mel replied grinning at him bit her lip.
"Concede to you? Never." Matt sat jokingly.
Mel smiled rolling her eyes. "I guess I should probably head to bed."
Matt nodded. "Yeah me to." Maybe this trip to Roswell wont be so bad. Now that we've decided not to argue, maybe we'll actually be able to talk. "But you have dishes to clean up.
Mel giggled. "Yeah I'll do it the easy way." She said softly as she got up walking over to the sink. She ran her hand over the dirty dishes and the were clean again and she started putting them away.
"I envy you." Matt said walking over putting his dirty plate on the counter.
Mel looked at him in surprise. "Why?"
"Cause you can control your powers and I can't." Matt said a little sad at just the thought.
"Matt you're just stubborn. Here." She lifted his hand over his plate. "You just have to let yourself do it, not thought just empty your mind it's easy." Matt swiped his hand over the plate and it was miraculously spotless.
Matt grinned vigorously. "Thanks."
Melinda shrugged. "No problem. I'm done so goodnight." Melinda gave him one last smile and she headed out of the kitchen. God I love her. I wish I could just tell her.
Mel POV:
Stubborn old goat. But god I love him. I wish I could just tell him. Maybe this car trip to Roswell won't be so bad. Twenty-four hours with two pit stops might not suck. Those were her last thoughts as she drifted off, hoping that maybe the nightmare would leave her alone for the rest of the night.
Matt POV:
He walked upstairs to his room, shut his door and lay down on his bed. His stuff was packed and he was sure Mel had gotten all her stuff packed days ago. She was excited for the trip to Roswell. So was he and they were both so use to this moving around that neither minded nor argued much. Maybe I'll be able to tell her the truth soon, about how I feel, she doesn't hate me and that is a start. With that Matt fell asleep a smile on his face knowing that his awful nightmare wouldn't be waking him again tonight.
Next Morning:
Normal POV:
Matt dragged himself showered, clothed, and ready for the day into the kitchen. "Morning." He mumbled to everyone. Matt looked over and saw that a casually dressed in jeans, tee and tenny's Melinda was mixing some sort of batter again. "Didn't you just make brownies?" He asked.
Mel turned to him and smiled. "I'm making pancakes for breakfast. Want some?" She asked.
Hearing choking Mel and Matt both looked to the table where their parents were sitting staring and Maria was choking on her food. "Mom?" Matt asked.
Maria put her one hand up, as Michael patted her back gently. "I'm fine." She forced out through her clogged through. She grabbed her water and took a drink and coughed a little, but soon the choking was over.
"Do you two want something? And this is like a show?" Isabelle asked.
Matt and Mel shook their heads. "We're sick of arguing." Matt said.
"It all started over Marty." Mel said. "And I just sort of let it get out of hand."
"Marty?" The adults asked.
Melinda frowned at them like they didn't know anything and Matt caught the look. "Marty her goldfish when she was five. The fish tank I accidentally blew up making Marty a casualty." He said kind of jokingly but mostly serious.
"So for twelve years…" Kyle started.
Mel rolled her eyes. "Yes it was over a fish. I'm sorry." She said softly. "But we've called a truce now and we're going to be civil at least, I hope."
"So in short we don't hate each other and we're going to be nice." Matt put in. Melinda nodded and turned to pour some pancake batter on a plate. She ran her hand over it and there a large cooked pancake sat.
"Here." Melinda said handing Matt the plated pancake.
"Tabasco?" Matt asked.
Melinda looked around the kitchen from where she stood and then shrugged. "I didn't have it last."
"Yeah you did." Matt said.
Mel shook her head. "No, but if you'd like I'll right out and pick you up a bottle." She remarked sarcastically.
"That would be great thanks." Mat chuckled.
Melinda rolled her eyes. "Not a chance in hell. Check the fridge." She remarked and grabbed another plate from the cupboard and put pancake batter on it. She made her pancake the same way she had made Matt's and then grabbed syrup to put on it. Matt had found the Tabasco and dumped an abundance of it on his pancake and then cut a chunk off taking a bit.
Mel looked at him and grinned as his face started turning red. The adults watched him run to the trash and spit out his bit of pancake. "Jesus christ Mel!" He exclaimed.
Mel giggled and made a silly face sticking her tongue out at him. "Did I forget to mention I put in some dried green crushed habanero peppers in there?" She asked mockingly. "Damn must've slipped my mind. God and with all that hot sauce it's a wonder your still breathing."
"I am so going to get you back." Matt said hoarsely grabbing a glass and filling it with water to chug.
Melinda shrugged. "You can try." She took her plate left the kitchen for the living room.
"So it's not going to be arguing anymore, but pointless practical jokes?" Max asked.
Matt shrugged. "I dunno but I will get her back. That was freaking hot!" He said.
"Quit being a baby!" They heard Mel yell from the living room where she was just sitting eating her breakfast.
Matt POV:
"I liked it better when she hated me. At least I didn't get habanero in my pancakes." He muttered under his breath but most of the adults heard and laughed lightly. A minute passed and Mel came in to put her plate in the sink.
"Diploma here I come." She said softly. The doorbell rang. "I'll get it."
Matt looked up and remembered a certain something. "No Mel wait!" He called running after her, but it was too late she had answered the door and their stood Eric. "Eric you remember Mel." He said softly.
Eric grinned at her. Dude stop already that grin is even giving me the creeps. "Hey Mel, ready to say yes to that date yet?" Eric asked.
"Ha, ha…" Mel laughed sarcastically. "Not a chance. Besides we're only here till tomorrow night and then we're moving."
Eric looked between the two of them strangely. "You guys sure do move a lot."
Mel smirked. "Well you see me and Matty here are part alien and we have to stay ahead of the FBI, so they don't snatch and dissect us." She said in a joking manor knowing Eric was to stupid to actual believe her.
Matt looked at her and glared and all she did in return was shrug and smirk at him. "Ok…" Eric drawled. "Anyways Matt you ready to go. I thought you needed to get your…"
"Mel will drive me." He said casually.
Mel sighed. "Yeah I'm going to the school anyway so why not." She remarked.
Eric shrugged. "Whatever dude. So I guess this is goodbye. Stay in touch."
"Ha not likely he can't even write a whole page essay, I don't think he'll write a letter." Melinda remarked teasingly looking from Matt back to Eric.
"I wasn't talking about him." Eric said still grinning.
Mel nodded. "Well then don't expect anything cause the only time you'll get a letter from me is if hell freezes over."
"Ouch. That stung." Eric feigned pain in his heart and then turned and headed off with a lam waves over his shoulder.
Mel rolled her eyes and shut the door turning to Matt. "So we headed out?" She asked looking directly at him.
Matt smiled and nodded. "Yeah." That was all it took and they headed off to her car to the school to receive their high school diplomas. After that was finished they went back home and finished packing while the adults took car of the furniture they had alienized.
Mel POV:
So here we sit in my car following behind the two vans again. "So um…" Mel said lamely.
"What?" Matt asked. Shit, think of something. "The silence is getting to you isn't it?"
Mel sighed almost in relief that he had said that. "Uh yeah. We've been on the road for two hours and nothing."
"I wasn't sure if you wanted to talk so I just kept quiet."
"Why weren't you sure if I wanted to talk? I mean we're trying to be nice to each other. Conversation is nice, right?" Mel asked. God you sound desperate to talk to him, knock it off or he'll figure it out.
Matt chuckled. "Guess you're right. So you excited, to meet your grandparents I mean?"
Mel thought about this for a moment. Honestly I don't know Matty. She thought silently to herself. "I really haven't decided. I mean on one hand yes, and on the other what if they don't like me?"
"How could they not? I mean everyone lo…likes you." Matt said. Mel caught the paused when he was going to say love and intervened with like. She didn't know why he didn't like saying the word love, but he just really never had. The only time he did was when he said it to his parents.
Mel cleared her throat. "So um what about you? Excited to meet Amy?"
Matt shrugged. "I dunno. Yes sir I guess, but according to my mom and yours she didn't really like my dad all that much and I am just like him."
"Matt you aren't just like him, sure you look alike but, you are different." Mel said watching the road carefully. They traveled mostly by night and stopped during the day for breaks.
Matt ducked his head and if Mel was certain he was hiding a blush. "Anyways so you mad that we have to tweak our appearances?"
Mel shrugged and sighed. "I don't like doing it, but I guess since it's for our safety. It's just I am who I am and I don't want to be blonde and blue eyed. I want to be me."
"Well at least we wont be in disguise the whole time." Matt said logistically.
Mel nodded absently. "I have a…have you been having the dreams still?"
Matt shook his head. "No back to normal. I really think it was just stress from us hating each other so intensely."
"Yeah. The only thing I don't get is why we were having the same exact dreams. I mean I know aunt Iz would never, and…"
"I dunno and I don't care really. I'm just glade the dreams have stopped." He probably thought me kissing him in the dreams was insane.
Matt POV:
Well at least she hasn't mentioned my profession of love from the dreams. I'm going to assume only I dreamt that. "Yeah." Mel said softly.
Matt reached over and turned her stereo up just a hair. "I like this song." He said softly.
"Secondhand Serenade – Broken." Mel said.
Matt nodded. "Do you know ever song you've ever listened to?"
Mel sighed. "Whether I like it or not I can categorize ever band I've ever listened to and my favorite songs in my head and recite them alphabetically and by genre." She said.
Wow and I never knew that about her. "How?"
Mel shrugged. She knows she just doesn't want to say. Matt thought silently to himself as he watched her carefully while still listening to the introduction of the song.
In the moonlight
Your face it glows
Like a thousand diamonds
I suppose
And your hair flows like the ocean breeze
Not a million fights
Could make me hate you
You're invincible
Ya it's true It's in your eyesWhere I find peace
Is it broken?
Can we work it out?
Let's light up the town
Scream out loud
Is it broken?
Can we work it out?
I can see in your eyes
Your ready to break
Don't walk awaySitting there in thought as he listened to the song Matt looked over and it was like Mel described the first chorus without even trying. Her hair was blowing in the breeze from the small opening of her window and the moon was shining so brightly into the front seat of the car her face was glowing flawlessly. God she really is beautiful. He thought silently.
Mel looked over and caught him staring so Matt quickly looked away. "What were you staring at?" Mel asked. You.
Matt shook his head. "Nothing I was just looking out your window to see that sign that we passed." He lied through his teeth.
Mel giggled softly. "That interesting? I can go back and we can snap a picture." She joked.
Matt shook his head again. "No it's cool it was just bright and caught my attention."
"Oh. Ok."
Mel POV:
It's weird enough sitting here with him, being nice as it is, but now he's acting strange. So Melinda turned her music up loader and the chatter died down. Matt eventually fell asleep which was ok with Mel since she would occasionally get this vibe he was staring at her.
Some hours passed and the two vans pulled off at some Motel in the city. "So how many rooms?" Michael asked as he got out with all the others huddled around the car. "Matt?" He asked Mel.
She gestured to her car over her shoulder with her thumb. "Sleeping."
"Well four I guess. Matt and Kyle can bunk and Izzy and Mel can share a room." Max suggested.
Mel nodded and gave her father 'dad' look. "Um is it cool if I bunk with Matt? Two beds of course." All the adults turned to Mel crossing their arms over their chests. "It's just with the wacky dreams I'd feel better knowing where we both are." She said. Oh dear god what am I doing? Mel chastised herself causing her skin to turn a light pink.
Michael just went off to get the rooms while the guys went to grab bags from the other van. "Care to explain more?" Maria asked smirking at Mel.
Mel started to feel slightly uncomfortable but put up a good show. "Look it's just I really would feel better knowing where we both are. Those dreams have really been doing a number on me."
Liz nudged Maria as a signal to drop it. "Ok." She said kissing her daughters forehead. "Why don't you go wake him so you guys can get some rest?"
Mel nodded. "K." She said softly. "Mom are we gonna wait till we get to dessert to change…" She looked are and then pointed to herself and then her car.
Liz nodded. "I know you don't want to change…" Liz pointed to Mel. "But it's for safety and out in the desert we can change the color of the vehicles." She whispered.
Mel nodded and then walked over to her car. She used the keyfab to unlock it and then open Matt's door. He looked so peaceful. "Matt? Wake up?" He didn't bug. "Matt wake up. We're at the hotel."
Matt groaned. "Lindy bug go back to bed." He mumbled.
Lindy bug? He use to call me that when we were four, shortly after he dropped the bug part. I had a fascination with ladybugs. "Matty wake up." She tapped his cheek a few times and his eyes fluttered heavily open.
"Let me guess, check point one?" He asked groggily.
Mel giggled. "Yeah you could say that. Come on." Matt unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out. "You and I are bunking together." Please don't freak.
Matt POV:
Oh no, man it's hard enough not dreaming about her, but us in the same room. All though it does have its advantages, we could talk some more. "That's cool."
"Good." Mel said in what Matt only considered relief.
They grabbed their duffels from the pile by the back of the van and waited. When Michael returned he handed the room key to Matt. "I shouldn't have to lay down any rules." Michael said to his son and Mel.
Matt looked over and saw Mel's cheeks blush a deep shade of red and looked at his father and rolled his eyes. "No dad I think we can handle being in the same room."
Matt and Mel quickly walked off to their room together.
Adults:
"Think they can handle it?" Maria asked her husband, Max and Liz watching them scurry off.
Max chuckled. "Well if they don't start fighting again and kill each other I think probably yeah."
"Well we'll know in the morning." Michael said.
"Anyone else feel strange about our teens sharing a room together on the opposite side of the hotel?" Liz asked.
"Yeah." They all answered.
Liz sighed. "Good, glade I'm not the only one."
Mel POV:
"So is it cool if I shower first?" Mel asked walking in and dropping her duffel on the second bed.
Matt looked over at her as she wandered around the room. "Yeah that's cool. I probably wont need one till just before we leave."
"Have you ever wondered why we crash from six am to seven pm and then get back on the road?" Melinda asked lost in her own train of thought.
Matt shook his head and Mel looked over her shoulder at him for a response. "Not really. Probably just cause traveling at night it's dark and we can just drive and disappear."
We think alike Matty. Very alike. "Yeah that's what I was thinking to. So um I guess I'm gonna go shower now." She grabbed some stuff from her duffel and then headed into the bathroom shutting and locking the door.
Matt POV:
"Mel I'm gonna go out and see if they have vending machines. I'll be right back!" He called into the bathroom.
"K!" He heard Mel call back as the shower came on. Gotta get out of here. Matt left the hotel room and went in search of vending machines. Instead he found his father.
"So how goes it with the old ball and chain?" Michael asked jokingly.
Matt looked at his father shaking his head. "Whatever you think you know dad, trust me your all backwards."
"I know you like her. I use to get that look when I fell for your mom." Michael told him.
Look there's a look. Does she know I like her from a look? Crap! "Haven't got a clue what you're talking about dad."
"Whatever just keep it pg I'd hate for anything to get out of hand."
"Whatever bye."