Lost In Purple
Chapter 22: Dinner At The Everetts
Johnny's POV
Watching Melanie talk to her mother was heartwarming. She tried her hardest to suppress her smiles, and keep her tail from wagging when she joyously listened to her Mom praise her. I honestly wish I had that kind of relationship with my Mom, but she's never really around unless it's related to work.
Melanie takes a few steps over to me near the door of my room and straightens my sweater. She looks nervous. "Are you sure you want to go? It's not going to be fancy or anything," She mumbles.
"Why are you so nervous? It's just dinner," I chuckle.
"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, or that you shouldn't be there…I know the feeling all to well," Melanie replies quietly.
"Well I can't promise you that I won't feel that way, but I'm sure there won't be another opportunity to meet your parents. I'd also like to see where and how you grew up. You know how I did, so now it's my turn to learn about you," I confess.
Melanie's ears lower and her hands move slowly and gently down to my chest. "That's kind of what I'm afraid of…people see me in a different light once they learn about my unfortunate upbringing."
"Do you really think I'm going to love you less because of that?" I ask raising one of my eyebrows.
"I don't know. People in school saw me as 'The Ghetto Kid,' even though they didn't know anything about me," Melanie responds while looking out the window. The clouds are starting to cover the sun and blanket the world in grey.
"Well I promise you that I won't ever think that way about you. Like I said before, you'll never have to be alone again," I say while pulling Melanie towards the door, "Come on, I want to meet your parents."
I let her leave my room first and then gently close the door. "By the way, I wouldn't recommend taking the Clawvette with us because it will most likely get broken into or stolen," says Melanie.
I stop dead in my tracks. "Wait what?"
"Johnny, my parents and I live in the worst part of Monstropolis. The area with the highest crime and murder rates. That's why I said all of that, people assume I'm a drug pedaling murderer who's only there to start trouble. I'm in the same boat as Javier was when he was a kid," Melanie explains.
Oh god.
The streets all look like they haven't been paved for 50 years. They're cracked and bumpy, and make it feel like we're driving on the moon. I'm thankful for Melanie telling me to take the Roar Rover because my Clawvette would've lost both its bumpers and it's suspension. There are no trees or bushes anywhere in the area, and the grasses and weeds that grow in between the cracks in the sidewalks are grotesquely overgrown. Every bit of scenery is clearly not watered and emits a bright pale yellow which serves as a great contrast to the many black power lines that creep along the roads and sides of buildings. All the buildings also look like they were built in the early 20th century, which just looks creepy as hell.
"Hooooly shit Mel, you lived here you're entire life?" I ask in an uncomfortable amazement.
"Pleeeease don't talk like that," Melanie whines.
I sigh and feel a huge amount of guilt rise up within my body. "I-I'm sorry Mel. I just don't understand how someone like you grew up in a place like... this," I say pointing to the rickety old buildings off to the side of the road. There's barbershops, small candy stores that look haunted, and rundown motels that look like their straight out of the Twilight Zone. This is worse than I could have ever imagined.
"I appreciate the concern, but nothings going to change until I get a job at a scare factory…if that ever even happens," Melanie sighs.
"Mel, please stop worrying about that. I know you'll be fine. I'll also be there trying everything I can to get you there," I console.
Melanie looks out the window in despair as I turn down yet another run down road. I didn't want to make her upset, but I really didn't think she was this deep into poverty. I seriously wonder if she has some sort of full-ride scholarship, or relies on a crippling amount of student loans, because I seriously don't know how else she even got accepted into MU and was able to pay tuition.
Melanie guides me further into the Cormeadow area and we arrive into the residential area that doesn't look much better. We turn down onto a long cul-de-sac and pull up to a tiny, two floor house at the very end of the street. I keep myself from talking about how unbearably shoddy the house looks because I don't want to upset Melanie any further. However, I'm seeing why people thought she was criminal. I feel like I have a huge target on my back once I get out of the car and breathe in the polluted air. I make sure the car is locked and walk up to the front door with Melanie. She takes out a key from her pocket and opens the door to reveal a surprisingly cozy little home that looks much better on the inside. The living room and kitchen are the two rooms I see when entering. The living room is to the left and has three brown couches that wrap around a cheap coffee table, as well as a small flat screen TV on a rickety wooden TV stand. The kitchen is to the right and has wooden countertops and cabinets that wrap around the walls. The living room has flat and scratchy carpet and the kitchen has white linoleum flooring. There's also a dining room at the back of the house that's separated by a staircase.
I see a small red dragon run to Melanie with open arms, which I think is her mother considering her scales. She's a tad bit smaller than Melanie and has the same hourglass figure as her. They both have the same horns, which curl up around their head like a crown and she has pink eyes. "Oooooh Mel! My favorite little girl, how are yoooou!" Melanie's mother howls while hugging her tightly and squishing her face into Melanie's.
"Ow! M-mom! I can't breathe!" Melanie says trying to squirm her way out of the embrace.
She starts kissing Melanie's head a couple hundred times audibly which is beyond adorable. "But I haven't seen you in months! I've been so lonely without you!" she pouts.
"Ugh, has dad been working overtime again?" Melanie asks.
"You know they rely on him too much and refuse to hire another door technician," Melanie's mother responds.
She turns her attention towards me which kind of scares me. She grabs my hands and starts looking me over with her cotton candy pink eyes. "Let's see here... strong and gentle." She then warps her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. "And fluffy too!" I feel her squeeze me firmly which causes me to feel warm and bubbly on the inside, but I keep myself from showing it. I love her so much already. I never got this much attention from my parents before.
Melanie's mom reaches up to my face and pulls me down to her level. I kneel down and stare into her eyes. While they are beautiful, nothing beats Melanie's celestial irises. "Oh and he's so handsome!" She squeals while lightly scratching my jaw down to my chin.
"Mom… stop embarrassing him," Melanie interrupts while grabbing her mothers arm.
"Oh don't tell me you don't just want to squish and squeeze him all day! He's so gorgeous!" Her mom says while hugging me once again.
Melanie noticed my smile and throws her arms around my head. I impulsively grab Melanie and her Mom, and carry them up into a big group hug. Melanie laughs while scratching the bases of my horns, which feels so damn good. I lean into her scratches and try to guide her hand through my fur with head movements.
"Oooooh and he purrs! He's so adorable Melanie!" Her mother laughs.
"I know," Melanie replies, "But aside from that, do you want to introduce yourselves?"
I instantly come to my senses and set both of them back down quickly. "Uh… my apologies ma'am. I'm Jonathan Worthington The Third, but my friends call me Johnny if you'd prefer that."
"Evelyn. It's a pleasure to meet you," Melanie's mother says with a large smile. Wow. She's so formal too. If I didn't now her, I would have guessed she grew up just like me.
"Come, sit down Jonathon, I'm almost done with dinner," Evelyn says while pulling me into the dining room.
Melanie happily follows which makes me feel a little bit better since I'm in a place that's strange to me. I mean... it's so small! I don't know how a family like this can live comfortably here. When we enter the dining room, I notice how bland the room looks. It's just a large wooden table with 6 chairs around it, and there's no decorations or anything, it's just depressingly empty.
"Relax for now you two," Evelyn beams. She waddles back to the kitchen and continues cooking, further adding to the delicious smell that fills the air.
Melanie and I take the two side seats that face the kitchen the living room. She leans onto my shoulder and holds my hand. "She didn't overwhelm you or anything right?" Melanie whispers.
I shake my head, heavily disagreeing with that question. "I love her. Now I know where my favorite freshman got all her kicks from," I reply with a cocky smile.
Melanie laughs and rests her head atop my shoulder. We talk about her mother for a few minutes, and I can't help but keep a smile across my face for the whole conversation. I really haven't admired a women like this in my life and it feels good to feel that way. Compared to my mom, she's a literal angel who deserves everything she's ever wanted and more. All my mom did was work and teach me housekeeping skills while going away for days at a time.
We hear the front door open and shut, and then hear a gruff voice in the kitchen. Melanie whispers to me, "Stay here, I'll be right back."
She stands up and walks back to the front of the house, which shows me her wagging tail. She peeks into the kitchen and seems to catch the attention of the one making the gruff voice.
"Moondrop! It's so good to see you!"
Melanie is embraced by a blue furred wolven monster with two straight horns that lay on top of his head. His eye sockets are both pitch black and he has a blue spiky mane that runs all the way down from the top of his head to the base of his tail. His hands and feet look like they're withered and house claws that can be extended or retracted. I'm guessing this is Melanie's father. While he looks absolutely terrifying, he softly speaks to Melanie like he's the most amazing father in the world, and wears coveralls along with a mechanics belt. He looks like a stereotypical lower class father in terms of how he's dressed, but acts like a literal king.
"And I assume that this is your new boyfriend Mel? I... can't believe I just said that," Her father says raising his voice and letting out a chuckle.
I stand up and walk over next to Melanie. I reach my hand out for a firm handshake and say exactly what I said to Melanie's mother.
"Well then Melanie, you caught the attention of a Worthington? How'd you manage that?" Melanie's father asks.
"Sheer luck mixed with clumsiness," Melanie responds while blushing.
Her father gives Melanie another hug and speaks into her ear. "Aww, don't be embarrassed moondrop, that clumsiness is what led to this isn't it?"
Melanie agrees and then her father gives me his attention once again. "I'm Ronan. It's an honor to meet you Jonathan."
"Oh, no, it's an honor to meet you Mr. Everett. Melanie's told me a lot about your impressive scaring background," I remark.
Ronan chuckles and puts his hands on his hips. "Yeah, unfortunately you're the only person aside from Melanie and my wife who thinks so. But, I don't need to talk about my misfortunes, I want to know about you Mr. Worthington. What's it like being the best Scarer on campus?"
"Hold on there boys, dinners ready!" Evelyn interrupts while excitedly running into the dining room with two large plates. She waddles up to the dining room table and sets down what looks like Country Fried Steak, and a large plate of fruits. "I know it's not much Jonathan, but I hope you like it regardless," Evelyn proclaims.
Even though it isn't what I'm used to, I know that it will be better than anything I've ever eaten before. "It's perfect Ms. Everett. I know you're a world class chef because of Melanie, so I couldn't ask for anything more," I reply with excitement. I'm not lying either, this might be where I ascend into food heaven.
We all inhale the food within minutes. Melanie was right when she said that her mom was the 'Gourmet Goddess,' because that was one of the most flavorful dinners I've ever had. Even though it wasn't a five course meal that's served by the culinary world's best, it was filling and left me wanting more at the same time.
Evelyn snags Melanie away from me and takes her upstairs to what I'm assuming is their bedrooms, and leaves me with Ronan who shockingly intimidates me because of how intelligent and scary he supposedly is. Things eventually feel better once he brings up scaring, and the curriculum at Monsters University. He tells me about all of the things he learned at Fear Tech about two decades ago, and how much things seemed to have changed in such a short period of time. He even tells me that he probably wouldn't be able to cut it as a Scarer anymore which saddens me a little. I would have loved to see him scare. He soon changes the topic, probably because he didn't want to dwell on such depressing thoughts.
"So, my wife told me you took Melanie to the Fall dance at school?" Ronan ponders.
"Yes sir," I respond.
Ronan keeps his head down and narrows his eyes slightly. His voice grew deeper and a little more intense. "You didn't embarrass her or lie to her about your relationship or anything did you?"
"N-no sir," I reply fearfully with suspicion.
Ronan exhales. "My apologies Jonathan, she's just gone through some pretty traumatizing things as a kid, and I don't ever want her to go through them again for as long as she lives."
Traumatizing? Is this why she was so antisocial and seems like she has no self confidence?
"A boy from her high school started dating her out of the blue one day. Melanie was obsessed with him since we had to teach her to be overly wary in this neighborhood, and was ecstatic to have someone interested in her. It wasn't until the school dance came around. She was supposed to get picked up by him but he never came that night. Melanie came home the next day crying because he started dating another girl and he acted like he never met her," Ronan explains.
I can't believe what I'm hearing. If I knew who this guy was, I would have killed him for treating Melanie this way. Why did she deserve any of that and why was she forced to endure that kind of pain?
"I'm also sure I don't have to mention that people have labeled her as a criminal because of our financial status and made the decisions to outcast her throughout her entire life," Ronan continues.
"No sir, she's told me about that," I respond.
He places his elbows on the table and puts his fist in front of his mouth. "Alright. I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but I do need you to know that she's an incredibly broken girl who never did anything to deserve the life she's lived. Subsequently, she becomes clingy and overcritical of those around her since she expertly knows how to be a good person. She'll also put everyone's needs above hers and hurt herself in order for them to succeed. People might think that it's an admirable trait, but I think it's fatal in her situation…or I guess, our situation."
My heart sinks when I hear the name 'Melanie' and the word 'fatal' be used in the same sentence. I don't think I could live in a world where I knew that Melanie failed to survive and I could have stopped it.
"If you truly love her, for all that she is and ever will be… promise me that you'll save her from personal salvation and teach her that she's worthy of being a Scarer," Ronan pleads.
I noticed all the same things and wish Melanie would believe that she's enough. "I promise, sir," I respond.
"Good… now I apologize Jonathan, but I have to leave you here. Working nearly 14 hours a day, everyday, takes its toll on me so I'm pretty exhausted. I hope to see you again someday," Ronan utters.
"Don't worry sir, I get it. Have a good night," I say nodding to him.
Ronan raises his hand and slightly waves goodbye as he climbs the stairs. I'm left alone down in the dining room and wait patiently for Melanie to return. I think back to earlier today when Melanie said she wasn't confident that she would pass the final exam anymore. I hope she's not putting my success on a pedestal while she neglects her own, because her father and I believe that she's capable of becoming an amazing Scarer one day. I guess she's at the point where she's beginning to give up. It's not that different from her days in high school where she didn't think she was worthy of friendships, so this gives me another reason to push her to become legendary Scarer like all of us in ROR.
I hear a couple thumps come down from the stairs and am greeted with contagious smiles once more.
"Goodbye Mel, stay safe," Evelyn wails while watching us walk out the door.
"I will Mom, please make sure Dad doesn't overwork himself," Melanie hollers back.
I open the passenger door to the Roar Rover and help Melanie take her seat. I close the door and wave back to Evelyn who returns my wave by blowing me a motherly kiss. I hop into the car and take off with Melanie back onto the unsettling roads of the Cormeadow area.
"Now how about we go back to the house and sleep with no more interruptions," I offer.
Melanie looks over to me with an exhausted looking smile and laughs. "Sounds good."
Thank god. All I really wanted today was to spend time with her. I technically still did, but I guess I was really looking for alone time with her. For now we rest, and for later this week, we study and help Melanie become the monster she wants to be.