Chp 7
Tony's POV

I grinned as Melody opened the door. She smiled as I gave her a hug. I went in and she showed me to her room. She had her fairy lights twinkling where they were strung on her window and cushions and stuff on the floor next to her bed where we were due to have our picnic.

I sat down and she handed me a beer. We clinked glasses after sitting down on the cushions and leaning against the side of the bed. "So what have you got for dinner?" I asked. She smiled as got up and went to the kitchen.

She came back with sandwiches and I laughed, her grinning widely. "It's the best I can do, sorry." She said, sitting down with the sandwiches. "I mean, I didn't make you an a grade chicken roast with special French sauce and roasted sweet potato as you did for me, but it's something." She said.

I smiled and took a sandwich, taking a bite into it. I nodded. "This is really good." I said, taking another bite. She laughed and we carried on eating. When we finished eating I wiped my mouth with a serviette and lay on my side, looking at her.

"So, do you mind me asking about what you meant the other day when we were baking?" She asked. I shrugged. "My dad's a big business man, so he's always traveling for work. I guess he's never really around much so I've never had the best Christmases." I said.

She nodded. "I understand now." She said. "And school?" She asked. "I think I went to about nine different schools. Always crappy private schools." He said. "You didn't enjoy school?" She asked.

"No. Always the stuck up rich kids. They're so annoying, and you have to always be wearing the correct branded clothing." I said, sighing as I remembered some of the worst school years I had had.

"Wait, so you got to go to private schools all over and you never liked them?" She asked.

"Well the one in Italy was okay. But still, I hate that my dad is wealthy." I said.

She nodded. "You know, I never ever would have pictured you as a rich guy, living in a big house and flying around everywhere." She mused, looking at me. I chuckled. "Neither can I." I admitted. "I guess this means I have to tell you my life story now." She said, chuckling. I grinned and waited for her to start.

"Well when I was five I got cancer." She said, simply smiling. I furrowed my eyebrows in concern. "And then it went away shortly after Will and my birthday." She brushed a crumb of bread off a cushion. "And then I woke up on my eighth birthday with what felt like blood in my lungs." She said.

She looked at me. "I thought I was going to die. My mom was crying, Will was unsure of what was actually happening, the doctor was talking and using big words I didn't understand." I didn't know how she could say that and then smile.

"So I've spent the past eleven years with leukemia." She said. "The joys of losing your hair for a little while very now and then, getting used to the walls of hospitals, learning to tolerate hospital food."

I didn't know what to say, because it was very overwhelming. "And then two months ago I went to watch Wills concert, and I kind of remember actually seeing you there. I told him after that that I was done trying to get rid of it as it wasn't going anywhere and I was completely prepared to give up and pass on." I felt my throat ache as I remembered Will going to talk to a girl afterwards.

"And he took me all the way back to Boston that night. And he shouted our dad, and demanded that they should have gone with me as he couldn't bear anything happening to me and him not knowing." She said.

She smiled softly and fiddled with the frill on the blanket. "I went to bed thinking about it. And it made me realize how much he's given up for me. And here I was being selfish and only thinking about how much pain I can spare myself by giving up, and not thinking how my own brother, family, would feel if I actually died."

By now I felt so guilty for thinking I had a bad childhood. "So I started chemo, hoping maybe this time it would go away completely. I did it for him. No one else, not even myself." She said. "And when the doctor said it was completely gone, I wanted to have Will there so I could just be with him."

"So I know he can seem like an ass some times, but if you knew half the things he's given up for me you would see how amazing he really is, and I promise you would just respect him so much and you'd want to give him all the things he deserves." She said.

She looked into my eyes. I felt a tear slip out my eyes and she smiled. She leaned forward and wiped it away. "Don't cry for me." She said smiling. "You'll waste your tears." I shook my head. "I waste nothing if it is for you." I said.

She smiled and blushed. "Please don't pity me." She said softly. I shook my head. "I won't." She smiled and handed me another beer. "So, there's my story. Now I want to hear about your travels. Any romances on the way?" She asked, acting as if she hadn't just told me about her life where she's been at a low.

"Well I've dated a couple girls." I said, chuckling as I thought of it. "Oh? Did you have a French romance?" She asked, grinning. I chuckled. "Yes, her name was Amelia. She only spoke French, I only spoke English - it was the perfect relationship." She laughed at that.

"And you? How many lucky guys have had the pleasure of having you as theirs?" I asked, smiling at her. She chuckled, covering her face with a pillow. "I have never dated anyone - never even had a first kiss." She said and I gaped. "Are you serious?" I asked.

She nodded. "No one wants to date the sick girl." She said, chuckling. I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Is it just me or is your butt getting sore?" She asked, chuckling as shoe rubbed her side.

I nodded and she pulled me up and into her bed, us sitting with our backs against the headboard of the bed. I looked at her for a moment. "Like, not even a small kiss?" I asked, still shocked she was nineteen and had never kissed anyone.

"Nope, my lips are virgins." She joked, smirking. I laughed and looked at her for a second. "Can I change that?" I asked, half jokingly. We looked at each other for a moment. I cupped her cheek with my hand and moved forward. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to hers.

She, being a first timer, wasn't sure what to do for a second. I was surprised when she parted her lips and kissed me back. We pulled away for air and she looked at me. She slowly grinned and I pulled her onto my lap. I kissed her again and she knew exactly how to respond, the movement quickened.

We pulled away for air and I smiled at her. "You sure you're a first timer?" I asked, amazed how she quickly got into the rhythm. She chuckled and I said, "So, Melody Cross, will you be my girlfriend?" She grinned and nodded. I laughed and kissed her again. I liked kissing her, a lot.

We started to talk and just started talking a lot. When she yawned from where she was tucked under my arm I said, "Shame, you're tired. I'll leave you to sleep." She protested, holding my arm. "No, don't leave." She said, smiling.

I chuckled and pulled her up with me. I helped her carry the dishes and bottles to the kitchen. I got my jacket and phone and stood in the open doorway. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked.

She nodded with a smile. I pressed my lips to hers softly and then rested my forehead against hers. "Mistletoe." I said, before pulling away, giving her my signature grin and turned and walked down the corridor to the elevator.

I thought of her the whole drive back to my and the guys' place. When I got to the apartment I unlocked the door. The lights were still on, and Will was in the kitchen, his laptop and headphones on the kitchen table.

He was just putting milk in a cup of coffee. He gave a smile. "Sup." He said. He put the milk away and I said, "Will, you are an amazing brother, you know that right?" He looked at me. "Thanks." He said, softly.

"Mel told me about her having had cancer, and she told me that she had her last chemo for you, not even for herself. And that you gave up stuff for her and all these things, and I'm so proud to call you my friend." I said.

He smiled. "Thanks Tony." I hung up my jacket and said, "By the way, I'm dating your sister." I chuckled at his reaction. "Oh, okay! Cool." He said once he recovered from the shock, still a little surprised though. I grinned and went off to bed.