"Melissa what's wrong?" Jenny asked when Melissa threw open the door that evening.
"Don't talk to me" Melissa snapped stomping past Jenny.
"Melissa please-"
"DON'T TALK TO ME" Melissa yelled again.
Melissa slammed her door shut behind her before driving her fist into the wall. Hot tears poured down her face as she sunk to the floor. They had no idea what she had seen. The bruises, the broken bones, the tears and confusion. She'd seen all of it. Melissa laid on the floor in thought. She could hear the sounds of the cars as they drove by the house. She missed the sounds of the police cars and the smell of her home in Gotham.
"Melissa come out here"
"No"
"Melissa come out here"
"I don't want to "
"We need to talk"
"No we don't "
"Melissa please "
"No"
"I'm coming in" Jenny announced before opening the door.
"Go away" Melissa ordered red in the face from crying.
"Melissa we need to talk" Jenny replied sitting on the edge of Melissa's bed .
"I don't want to talk with you" Melissa said turning away.
"What happened today?"
"Nothing"
"Melissa I want to help you"
"Liar"
"I'm not lying"
"Yes you are"
"Look at me Melissa "
"No go away "
"I'm not leaving "
"I DON'T want to talk"
"Well I want to"
"I don't like you "
"Melissa I know you've been hurt but I'm here to help you"
"You wanna help me then leave"
"But-"
"LEAVE ME ALONE " Melissa snapped in a violent rage.
"Okay I'm leaving " Jenny said leaving quickly.
"I HATE IT HERE" Melissa screamed kicking the wall.
Meanwhile just outside the house Shaggy pulled up in the driveway. Even from out here he could hear her screams. He walked up the driveway and knocked on the door. Jenny opened the door with a tired look on her face.
"Yes?" She asked with a sigh.
"Can I talk to Melissa?" Shaggy asked.
"Well if you dare" she sighed opening the door.
Shaggy followed Jenny towards the sound of Melissa's tantrum. Jenny opened the door. Melissa was beating the wall in frustration with hot tears pouring down her face. She stopped and looked at them.
"I thought I told you to get lost"
"Melissa please-"
"SHUT UP JENNY" Melissa yelled.
"Melissa don't talk to me like that" Jenny replied.
"Or what?"
"Or you can kiss you're concert tickets goodbye " Shaggy replied.
"You wouldn't"
"Oh yes, yes I would. Now do you want to come with me?" Shaggy replied stepping past Jenny.
"Why?"
"So we can talk"
"Fine" Melissa shrugged walking past Jenny
"Come on" Shaggy said.
"Where are we going?" Melissa asked Shaggy as they began their walk.
"Somewhere I think you might like " Shaggy replied as they entered the park.
"Why are we here?" Melissa asked.
"I thought you might like it" Shaggy said.
"So what now?" Melissa asked as they sat down on a near by bench.
"Now we talk"
"About what?"
"You tell me Melissa. What do you want to talk about?"
"Home"
"Okay what's home like?"
"Dark. There's always fog and the smell of smoke in the air. I slept on a bed in the loft of the house. It was more of a mattress on the floor. I used to care for the plants while Ivy and Harley were away"
"What else?"
"I took care of Harley when she got hurt. She always came back with bruises and broken bones "
"All the time?"
"Yes"
"I'm sorry that must've been hard to see"
"It was. It made me angry"
"I'd imagine " Shaggy agreed.
"Daphne thinks she knows how to deal with me but I meant it when I said she didn't understand " Melissa continued.
"Daphne likes to speak her mind without thinking it through"
"Believe me I noticed"
"But Melissa you need to find an alternative way to deal with your emotions"
"I don't know how else to deal with it" Melissa admitted.
"I'll help you you've just got to promise to try"
"Fine"
"Good"
