Chp 14
Tonys POV
One year and Six months later

I smiled softly as I opened the door to see Melody. "Hey." I said, and she leaned forward, cupping my cheek and kissing me. She pulled away and rested her forehead against mine. I let her in and we went to the kitchen.

As I rolled out the pizza dough, she studied me. "Is something wrong?" She asked. I stopped kneading the dough and turned to her. "Uh, yeah. I need to tell you something." I said. She looked worried but stayed silent.

"My dad's friend is a chef in France, and he's offered me a job to go work for him, meanwhile doing my masters there." I said. She stayed quiet. "Mel?" I asked, making sure she was still with me.

"Oh, congrats! That's great." She said, giving me a hug. She pulled away and took a seat. "But - France? That's a long way away Tony." She said letting out a deep breath. I nodded. "I know." I said. "But this is what I've always dreamed of - cooking in Paris with a world class chef and being known." I said.

"Tony, you are known." She pointed out but I shook my head. "I'm known by my friends for the person I am, by my dad's colleagues as the rich guys son, but no one even knows that I can cook. And I want to be the world class chef that everyone wants their meal made by." I said.

She nodded. "I'm sorry, I'm being mean about this." She said, then looked me in the eyes. "I'm happy for you, I really am. It's just -" she took a deep breath. "I'm going to miss you so much Tony." She said.

"I thought about you a lot in this and - I want you to come with me." I said. She gaped at me with a raised eyebrow. "Look, I know it sound really crazy, but I really can't imagine not doing with you. I want you to come along." I said, knowing the idea was really crazy and rash. I just didn't want to leave her.

"Tony, I have my studies, and Will is here, my only friends are here, my family is here. This is my home. I can't just leave." She said, and my heart dropped, hoping she would have just agreed and saved me the heart ache.

She sighed and stood up, resting her hands on my face. "I love you so much Tony, but I can't leave the life I've started to sit and wait everyday as you work long hours and enjoy yourself while I have to find something to do on my own." She said. I looked down and she moved my eyes back to hers.

"I'm sorry Tony. We're on different paths, and if you take your path with me, I'll lose my path completely. I can't risk losing this chance." She said. I looked down at the floor and asked, "Did you just break up with me?"

She swallowed and nodded. I shook my head and said, "Mel, don't do this." I couldn't take another heart ache. My heart had already been on lose ends when I was growing up, looking for lost love. I had finally found love I deserved, and it was being taken away.

I kissed her and she hesitated before kissing me back. She pulled away, her hands staying in my face. "Tony." She said, softly. "Melody, I don't want to do this. I can't lose you." I said.

She sniffled and said, "The others will be back soon." She slipped out my arms and went to go pour herself a glass of wine, wiping her eyes. I swallowed hard, my throat aching, and returned back to my dough. The others arrived and they were all in good moods.

"And so we couldn't find cheddar for Will and he went all dramatic and was pouting the whole trip." Kieran said, as the others laughed at what had happened. They emptied out the ingredients and I looked at it.

I took the tomato paste and spread it over the bases. Next the mozzarella was followed and I started putting on the different ingredients. I put it in the oven and got a beer. The others had all been talking, but I was still too dazed by Melody breaking up with me I hadn't bothered listening.

"So Tony, how much longer? I'm starved!" Percy said. The others all agreed and I looked at the time. "Thirty minutes." I said, and they groaned. I sighed and got out mussels and crackers. I out them on the crackers and put them all neatly on the plate.

I set it in front of them all as an appetizer and they started eating away, chatting once again. Melody also looked a little drawn from the atmosphere. I looked at her and she caught my gaze. She swallowed hard and looked away, pulling a fake smile as she turned back to the conversation.

So the pizza was soon done and we were all sitting at the kitchen table, me and Percy standing as there weren't enough seats. "So, I have some news." I said and they all looked to me except Mel.

"I have been asked to go cook with a world class chef in Paris, and I decided to accept the offer. And I'm going to finish my masters there." I said, looking around at them. They all grinned and started congratulating me. "Wow, when are you leaving?" Annabeth asked.

"Two weeks time." I said. They all seemed supportive but I noticed Will frown and look to where Mel was picking her food. He must have known now that we were over. Oh my. They're going to hate me forever now and I'm going to be the worst person ever. Just what I wanted when I had gotten good news.

~ Melody's POV ~

I sat at the kitchen counter in the kitchen, staring down at the hot chocolate in my hands. I stared at my phone and thought for a moment. I clicked the button, and saw it was one in the morning. I took a lucky chance and texted Will

'i need you.'

I was so relieved when I waited a few moments and I got a reply :

'I'm on my way'

I remained seated, not bothering to get up and see if my hair was okay ish. He was my brother after all, and had seen me with no hair before. Time flew by in a wink and I soon heard the door open and close.

Slow steps were taken and a chair was pulled up next to me. I didn't even have to look up, I just knew it was him. He sat there, looking at me for a few moments. I squeezed my eyes closed and felt a single tear go down my cheek.

He stood and pulled me into his chest. He moved me to the couch and we say down me burying my head into his shoulder. "He's leaving, Will." I said softly, feeling the tears seep through his shirt.

He pulled me closer. "Hey, don't cry." He said, softly. I cured though. I cried because I felt like my world had just slipped through my fingers. HE is my world. I wanted more than anything to be able to call him mine forever. I can't see myself without him.

Soon I had no tears left, and I was just leaning against his shoulder, like I had done many times before. But this was different - I just had my heart ripped out by the last person I thought would do it.

"You okay?" He asked. I shook my head. "I feel like my whole life has been sucked out of me." I said, my voice hoarse. He sighed. "First heart breaks are always the worst. But you'll meet someone-" he started, but it sounded exactly the same as the break ups you read about in books and see in movies.

"I don't want to meet someone else. I want to be with Tony." I declared. He was silent for a moment. "Everyone says that after getting their heart broken." He said. "But trust me, it doesn't hurt after a while. You don't feel like all your energy has been taken away."

I swallowed. "But I think I was really in love with Tony." I whispered. He didn't say anything after that. I even looked to see if he had maybe fallen asleep. But he just sat there, his face blank and staring into space. He looked to me. "So you're just going to let the guy you love leave?" He asked.

I nodded. "This is what he wants - what he's always wanted." I told him. He sighed. "But he's still here. You guys still have a couple days together." He said.

I shook my head. "I didn't want him to think he isn't allowed to meet someone else when he goes there. He doesn't need the petty girl back home. He can be fine on his own." I said, sounding bitter as I said it.

We were quiet again. "He asked me to go with him." I blurted out. He looked at me. "And I told him no, because you and the family are here, and because I'm still in my studies and this is home."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Mel, that's a very wise decision. Not good for your heart but very wise." He stated. I soon told him to go home and get rest, and he left me to curl up in a ball in bed.

~ Two Days Later ~

I was home alone, relaxing on my bed. Annabeth was out with Percy and I was wallowing in my loneliness. I heard the front door, and thought it must just be Annabeth back.

I was surprised when Tony came into my room. I quickly stood up. "What are you doing here?" I asked. He looked at me. "What am I doing here?" He asked. "I keep telling myself this is what I want but it hurts so bad. I miss you like hell Melody, and I wish you didn't declare that we are over." He said.

I swallowed. "Melody Cross, I love you. I love you so much." He said, cupping my face. I turned my head away, feeling so many mixed emotions. "Tony." I choked out. He lifted my chin and kissed me.

I couldn't help resisting. I missed his lips, and the feel of his thumb stroking my cheek and his smile against my lips. But my logical side forced me to pull away early.

"I can't keep doing this. It isn't healthy." I said. "We can't just do this anymore, it has been going in the past week and we can't even make up our mind about what we want to do." He sighed.

"Because I don't want to leave you. And I have this pressure pushing down on my chest, that if I leave you someone else is going to find you and you'll be stolen from me." He said.

"You leave in two days and you're saying all of this now." I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "I know, Mel. But I miss you already, and you're still here. And I still have the chance to be with you." He said. I sighed. I couldn't have him messing with my head anymore.

"Maybe I need to say this again, but very bluntly. You are leaving and I am staying here. I have broken up with you, because I thought of you and don't want you tied down to someone thousands of miles away. I have given you freedom to date, and even marry, if you want, some girl in Paris. I thought of you in every word I said, but it's your the to think about the things I want." I said.

I took a deep breath. "Tony, I want to finish my studies, stay close to my family - and I wanted you to be there right beside me. But we can't make this somehow work over phone calls and skypes. I've watched cheating tear apart my family, I'm not going to watch it tear apart my heart."

He was speechless. He looked defeated, and I felt guilty but I needed to say it. He looked down at the floor. "So that's it?" He asked. I nodded, feeling the pain press down on my chest all over again.

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