Chapter 6

Anne's POV

I waved at Nolan and Zane one last time before their two figures disappeared from my sight. What a night it has been.

Those two are different, they have something inhumanely about them that fueled my curiousity. First of all being how they kept on staring at Mel throughout dinner. Their looks might have been discreet but not enough for me to not spot them. They remind me of someone, I just can't pinpoint who yet.

"Mom, are you coming in?" Mel's voice filtered in through my cloud of thoughts, snapping me out of my mind...for now.

I forced a smile to my lips as I made my way to my awaiting daughter at the door before we both walked inside and closed the door behind us.

"Time for the dishes." Mel whispered as she stared at the empty casserole dish, bowl, plates and utensils.

"Actually, how about we go cuddle in my room, we can do the dishes tomorrow morning." I tiredly smiled at her.

"Really?" She excitedly smiled, receiving a nod from me.

"Yay!" She celebrated before running to my room.

I shook my head and chuckled at her childlike actions even as I made my way throughout the house to turn off the lights before making sure that the doors were locked. Feeling satisfied, I made my way to my room to find a pajama clad Mel excitedly sitting crisscross style on my bedcover. She had on a pair of sky blue pajama shorts, with blue tied strings in front and a matching, sleeveless, sky blue, pajama top with three, white clouds and goodnight written in white below the clouds.

I instantly frowned at her in disapproval, receiving an innocent smile in return as she pulled open the covers and slipped in under the cover and sheet.

I rolled my eyes with a small smile lacing my lips in amusement as I made my way to my wardrobe to pull out a clean set of pajamas. I pulled out my matching pair before stripping out of my jeans and blouse to pull the pajamas on. I made my way to the door and switched off the light, allowing the moon's generous light to freely sip in through my light curtains and light up the room. I walked to my bed and slipped in underneath the cover and sheet alongside Mel, leaving the cool sheet and cover to cover up until our waists, leaving the rest of our upper bodies bare for the warm room.

Two familiar arms wrapped themselves around my torso before Mel's head laid itself comfortably on my arm.

I sighed in contentment as I wrapped my arms around her before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead. I always enjoy these occasions. They are like our mother-daughter bonding times and they never fail to remind me of when Mel was younger. She used to love cuddles, but with growth, she started easing up on her love until it became a rare occasion type of moment. Raising Mel as a single parent was far from easy, but was totally worth it and everyday when my eyes land on her's, I am grateful for her. She is the best daughter any mom could ever wish for. She is obedient, kind and her and I share a relationship I had always dreamed of sharing with my daughter, a not only motherly and daughterly one, but also a friendship one.

"So Mom, what did you want to tell me about?" Mel's asked, failing to hide her curiousity.

I couldn't help the giggle that left my lips before I bit my lip. I set it free before opening my mouth to speak," Well, "I began," I'm seeing someone." I shyly admitted.

"What!" Mel exclaimed in disbelief as she lifted her head from my arm to look up at me," Really?"

I reluctantly nodded my head in confirmation before squeaking out," Yes."

"I can't believe it," She said in that same bewildered tone before her hands squeezed my waist as she excitedly squealed," I am so happy for you, Mom!"

"Really?" I cautiously asked.

"Of course, as long as you're happy, I'm happy." She grinned at me, her teeth seeming even whiter and even more visible than everything else on her face in the moonlight, dimly lit room.

"Thanks Hon." I sighed in relief, hugging her against me.

"I love you, Mom." She softly said, snuggling even closer to me.

"I love you more, Sweetheart, forever and always," I sighed in contentment, placing a lingering kiss on her forehead before I pressed my cheek against it and closed my eyes. Before I knew it, my body felt tired and trying to open my eyes felt like a mission," Goodnight." I tiredly murmured.

"Goodnight Mom." I faintly heard in reply before I was off like a light.

*****

Melissa's POV

I'm so happy for my mom, I just hope that whoever this man is takes care of her because in my eyes, Mom deserves the very best. She has done so much for me that I can't help but to feel overwhelmed with happiness for her. I honestly started thinking that she would never date after my father, I always worried about leaving her alone whenever I leave home, but at least, I might not have to anymore.

Tonight's dinner might have been crazy hectic for me, but seeing my mom so happy and chatting with people made me happy. Even though I have a horrible crush on those said men that will remain unnamed. It's honestly crazy because they are still practically strangers so what else but their beauty could I be attracted to. There have been many other handsome boys, boys that were clearly my age and at my league, but I never had crushes on them and at that time, I knew them better than I did these two unnamed souls. Even those few that I had crushes on never reached to this level of intensity. Whatever this is that I feel for these two, I don't like. I want it gone before it makes me lose my mind.

Before I knew it, my tired mind grew lazier and more tired as the rhythmic heartbeat of my mother lulled me to sleep.

Can I please not dream of anything tonight? Please? No more false hope to my poor heart, please?

With those last thoughts, I succumbed to the warm embrace of sleep, but did my mind respect my wishes? No.

~~~~~

Bright light slipped passed my closed, sleepy eyelids, making a groan of frustration automatically leave my lips. My arms automatically stretched down to the cover and sheet that had pooled at my waist during the night and pulled the light fabrics over my head in an attempt to save the remaining sleep in my poor eyes.

"No you don't!" Came the chirpy voice of my mom as her footsteps neared the bed.

No, she is not taking this great opportunity away from me!

With great determination, I tightly clutched the sheet and cover over my head in silent protest. I stubbornly forced my eyes to remain close as I fought to gain hold of the remaining ounce of sleep I had left, which didn't feel like much at all.

"Melissa! Get up!" Mom called out, before her hands fought to pry mine away from the cover and sheet that were stubbornly clutched in fists in my hands.

"No!" I protested, shutting my eyes even more.

"Melissa." She warningly said, making a shiver run down my spine at her very foreign tone. She is rarely ever stern with me so when she uses such stern tones with me, I listen without even a second that.

"But Mom!" I whined feigning cries as I let go of the cover and sheet, allowing her to completely pry it away from my eyes. My eyes instantly snapped open and locked with her identical ones that shone with silent, barely contained excitement.

"Get up and freshen up, we have been invited over for breakfast." She grinned at me with a wink before she hummed her way to the door.

"By who?" I raised my eyebrow questioningly.

"Wouldn't you like to find out?" She winked before disappearing out of the room, closing the door behind her," Up up!" She instructed from the hallway as her footsteps faded into who knows where.

"Why me?" I faked a sob as I pushed the thin fabrics away and slid off the bed and onto my feet. Coolness instantly slid up my body from the contact of the tiled floors, making a shiver crawl up and down my spine at the uncomfortable feeling.

I slipped on my morning shoes before I started fixing the bed, a good habit on my side. Once the bed was presentable, I pulled open the curtains to allow more beams of sunlight to freely flow into the room from the gracious, generous sunlight before opening the windows a bit to fill the room with clean, fresh air before grabbing my phone and admiring the room.

Feeling pleased, I made my way to the door and left the room, heading to my own. The moment I walked into my room, I was greeted by the the sunlight that managed to slip in through the thin curtains, announcing the start of a new day. I made my way to my curtain covered windows and pulled open the curtains before opening my windows a bit to allow some fresh air in the stuffy room.

With a sigh in satisfaction, I made my way to my closet and pulled out a new set of underwear that consisted of a pair of white panties and their matching white bra. I pulled out my mid-thigh length, frilly dress to match and my everyday brown pair of pumps. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail before marching towards the bathroom in the hall.

First things first, my teeth. I started with my morning ritual before stripping out of my comfy pajamas and jumping into the shower for a short 15 minutes long shower. The hot water hitting my skin was bliss regardless of the scorching summer heat that would greet me later and even now. I would have stayed for longer if it wasn't for the breakfast I had to attend.

I shut the water and dried myself with my facial towels before exiting the warm shower just to be greeted by the brutally steamy, hot room that made me feel suffocated as a thin layer of sweat laced my forehead. I quickly applied my moisturiser onto my very damp, almost wet skin before I pulled on my underwear and dress and so I could escape the warm grip of the bathroom.

The moment I walked into the hallway, I was hit by a cool breeze that made a sigh of relief and pleasure leave my lips. It was very appreciated after my very hot bathroom experience.

"There you are!" My mom chirped as her hands went to her hips with a smile of amusement lacing her lips," You look more like someone who had been drenched in sweat after a workout than someone who just came out of the shower." She mused with a chuckle.

"It was brutal in there," I pouted," So where are we going because last I knew, we were very new into the neighbourhood to have made any friends yet." I raised my eyebrow.

"Isn't it obvious!" She smirked at me amusedly," We're going to have breakfast with Nolan, Zane and Grace."

"Of course," I forced myself to plainly say even as I felt a smile threaten to break onto my lips as butterflies attacked my stomach at the thought of seeing those two again. This is really torture, I'm starting to dislike crushes with a great passion," Mom, why are you always so excited."

"Why not be? You know how extroverted I am so I really enjoy the company of people," She shrugged," Don't worry, unlike you, I am not 'smitten' by them." She suggestively smirked, emphasising the word 'smitten'.

My face felt like it was on fire with embarrassment at her words that I couldn't stifle the groan that left my lips," Mom!" I whined in embarrassment.

"Shall we go, Sweetheart?" She acted oblivious as she marched to the door.

I groaned as I went to my mom's room and retrieved my phone before running to the main door where she waited patiently for me with a teasing smile on her face as she suggestively moved her eyebrows at me.