Prologue

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"Happy and healthy in Crescent Cove."

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"Stop it." Naia said picking the girls phone of her out stretched hand as she laid across her bed.

"Hey!?" Melody exclaimed sitting up trying to grab her phone back.

"You're staring at your phone again." Naia yelped falling off the bed when Mel almost caught her.

"No! I'm looking at Instagram." She insisted finally cornering the girl and getting her phone back.

"You're stalking." Naia corrected her slumping beside her on the bed.

"I'm not stalking." She argued back.

"He hasn't texted or responded to you all summer Mel. What is it about this boy? You never show any interest past making out here and there." Naia sighed to her best friend not understanding why she was so stuck on the boy.

She left town with him making her feel like a complete freak, but the boy still stuck in her head.

"I don't know, I let him get to me. Ugh- I feel like a stupid teenager." Melody softly groaned annoyed at herself. Despite texting the boy a couple times Melody hadn't heard a thing other than Derek's short replies she got every one in a while. It was annoying.

"Mellie- you are a stupid teenager. I mean that with total love because I am one too. But forget him! We will find you someone tonight okay?" Her best friend smiled at her making her chuckle.

Right, tonight. The last show of the summer and Crescent Coves end of summer party which they were preforming at. Other than her stupid boy problems, Melody had an amazing two months back at home.

She swam- probably too much, but, when her friends were at their summer jobs she was in the water. She missed it, she had finally gotten to see her sea-friends and visit her favourite places again. She saw her favourite caves, ship wreaks and even took a day trip off the coast just making it back in time before Naia and her family did. She hated lying about what she'd been up too during those days but she didn't want them involved in the supernatural.

She'd seen her old house that stood empty, waiting for her or her sister to come of age and take it back. It hurt, a lot more than she expected to see that, to see and visits the spots where she had with her father made so many memories and to see the still not open to visitors sign on the window of the Dolphin rescue and research centre her parents worked out of.

She had kept in touch with the boys and Addie though throughout the summer even inviting them to come to her concerts but they were too busy with family camping trips or work which she understood. Had her life not taken the turn it did she would be too.

"So do you know what you're wearing tonight?" Naia asked from inside her closet breaking her out of her thoughts.

"It's on the beach so its different then our other gigs so maybe we should go beach-y? Thats more your vibe so i'm lost what do you think?" Naia continued walking out of her closet with her arms full of hangers of clothes making Mel giggle as she dropped them on the bed in front of her.

"Why don't we mix our styles?" Mel offered with a shrug. "I got some dresses and skirts that could work. I'll go get them and come back." She got off the bed walking to the door shouting behind her. "But we both know you have a better style Nai!"

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"Holy crap, we look hot." Naia gushed as she looked at us in the mirror. She wasn't wrong, the outfit they picked were amazing and adding the summer glow up Melody was experiencing she'd have to agree with her best friend. Her hair was thriving with all the salt water making her waves turn into curls, her skin was tanned and glowing and even her style had changed a bit courtesy of her best friend. She was wearing a short red dress with a vintage inspired pattern over it and docs showing off her leg muscles that have become more prominent with her daily swims once again.

Naia had something similar on but orange and more of a summery floral print.

Melody's phone dinged lighting up with Rowans contacting signalling that he was there to get them.

"TIME TO SHINE" Naia laughed grabbing Melody rushing down stairs to get there bags and head outside to Ro's truck.

"Whoa Nai, you look like a girl." Rowan gawked at her making melody hit her shoulder.

"She is a girl!" Melody exclaimed looking back to the girl. "He's just saying that cuz you're in a dress and he can pick on you."

"Whatever, we look hot." Nai smiled putting her guitar case in the truck bed.

"She means you to Rowan- I think." Mel laughed getting in the truck.

Melody had to hand it to Rowan he did dress up more than usual, he was wearing a fancy linen button up that Melody was surprised he even owned.

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"I'm gonna puke." Melody fanned her face as they waited to walk out.

"You're not going to puke." Naia retorted

Melody looked over at her best friend with raised brows, her brown eyes wide.

"You have never puked and you're not going to. This isn't the first original of yours we've sung so what's up?" Rowan asked her making her shake her head.

"I wish I could tell you, maybe because I didn't write it with you guys. I mean what if no one likes it? Thats all on me." She exclaimed twisting her mothers ring around her shaking finger.

"Everyone will love it, I swear Millie so calm down 'cause we're on." Rowan hugged her quickly before walking up on to the stage. The end of summer party was always put on by the town so the stage was an actual stage, it was actually really cool they got to open this year. It made leaving again a little harder for her. That and the fact she'd stupidly shared the link with the boys and Addie back in Beacon Hills.

"Please join me in welcoming The Crescents!"

Melody smiled walking up to the microphone at the centre as her friends gave her thumbs up.

"What's up Crescent Cove! Who's ready to celebrate?" Melody cheered in to the mic getting a loud applause from the crowd.

The music started

"I want it to be, like, messy" Naias voice sung through barely covering the start of the song just like Melody wrote.

"I'm so insecure, I think

That I'll die before I drink

And I'm so caught up in the news

Of who likes me, and who hates you

And I'm so tired that I might

Quit my job, start a new life

And they'd all be so disappointed

'Cause who am I, if not exploited?" Melody sung and the bass kicked up for the next part as she took her mic off the stand pushing it to lean on its side.

"And I'm so sick of 17

Where's my fucking teenage dream?!" Melody sung that part louder before crouching.

"If someone tells me one more time

"Enjoy your youth, " I'm gonna cry

And I don't stick up for myself

I'm anxious and nothing can help" Mel slowly got up as things ramped up again.

"And I wish I'd done this before

And I wish people liked me more" She threw the stand down watching out of the corner of her eye as Naia grinned at her backing her vocals. The Crowd was loving it and that made her heart want to burst.

"All I did was try my best

This the kind of thanks I get?

Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah)" She tilted her head back dragging her vocals out.

"They say these are the golden years

But I wish I could disappear

Ego crush is so severe

God, it's brutal out here(Yeah!)"

"I feel like no one wants me

And I hate the way I'm perceived

I only have two real friends

And lately, I'm a nervous wreck

'Cause I love people I don't like

And I hate every song I write

And I'm not cool and I'm not smart

And I can't even parallel park" The band slowed down through the bridge before picking up for the chorus again.

"All I did was try my best

This the kind of thanks I get?

Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah)

They say these are the golden years

But I wish I could disappear!

Ego crush is so severe

God, it's brutal out here!"

(Yeah! Just having a really good time)" Naia sung back ground vocals.

"Got a broken ego, broken heart" Melody sung as they stopped playing.

(it's brutal out here, it's brutal out here)

And God, I don't even know where to start"

Melody finished as she grinned at her friends. Tonight was going to be fun.

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