Chapter 6

After giving the keys back to Bridget, Bridget then drove Melody to Truckers and left back to the bakery. Melody rented a moving truck and went to the tiger boys house to pick up anything she left behind.

"You're fast. What happened to your new friends?" "Ir-" Lauren and Paul interrupted "we packed your things neatly and carefully if anything is broken I'll replace." "No you won't!" "Paul-" "Your brother is right but thanks any way. Thank you guys for packing my stuff." Melody went to and fro packing the truck not letting whom ever ask to help. "Well uh you all have my number if I left something or-" "Leave." Said Gary, in a sad yet somewhat confident voice Melody said "bye."

Once Melody pulled up to her apartment building she saw Jimmy and his friends (Group B), Tucker and his friends (Group C) waiting outside. "What are you guys doing here?" "We talked a bit, all of us figure come over to wait and help you." After the truck was unloaded and returned everyone was in Melody's apartment sitting on the floor chatting. A knock got their attention, it was Lauren who snuck away. "We want apologize to you for what happened." "Guys it's not your fault it was my choice." Nothing else was said, they all decided to leave even Lauren who was sure Melody wanted to be alone.

A few days later Lauren visited Melody for a brief moment then left. Jimmy and his friends went over to the tiger boys house to apologize to them and told them to trust Melody and listen to her explanation. The boys asked them, but they weren't sure if it was their place to say anything so they left.

About two weeks later the tiger boys saw Melody with (Group B and C) Leo and his friends, Roy and his group of friends, and Lauren. Paul walked up and took Lauren away from them; Melody tapped the table... it was a gesture telling them let Paul do it, Lauren would text later. Gary walked up to Melody and her new-found friends and said " leave." "Come on guys we can-" "I mean leave this town, we don't want see you and this town is sort of small." Melody sat back down in shock, Greg was about to say something when Melody said "fine if you want me to. Just give me time to find a new place." "Go live with your sister or one of your relatives." Gary left, but Tony looked a little trouble for some reason like he wanted to say or ask something. The boys and Lauren left.

"We can help you pack and visit you as often as we can." "That sounds nice John." "Teddie, John is somewhat right... I don't have a place to move to though." "But-" "My sister wouldn't mind, but she's close to my family members right now. My family is complicated right now." "Why are you moving anyway, cause that fella told you to?." Asked Cole. "Yes and No. I miss them, seeing and that's why I agreed to move." "I know where you can move." "Where?!" Asked Melody. Cole continued "my cousin has a room, he's thinking about renting it out, I'll give him a call." Tucker couldn't believe what he heard or what was happening and because of that he stayed quiet. Cole finished his phone call and told them his cousin will be happy to help.

Melody decided since it's been settled to go home and pack, everyone with her went along to help. While packing the doorbell chimed, Melody went and opened the door, it was Tony and Lauren. "I asked Lauren if she knew your explanation Lauren only told me it was your business, that I should ask you." "So why not call or text me instead of coming here?" "I want do this face to face. I think seeing one's expression might help me see if you're telling the truth. I asked Lauren to show me where you lived; same place when..." "I'm not going to explain why I did what I did. Even if I tell you would you believe or trust me?" "Well uh, I don't know." "Sorry, but can you leave I'm busy." "Do you really want to move?" "You should know the answer... bye guys." Lauren was quiet to the very end even as Melody ushered them out saying 'bye.'

A few seconds after Lauren and Tony left Tucker told everyone that he was 'going get some more packing supplies and bring some lunch as well.' Everyone agreed and continued working, Tucker caught up with Lauren and Tony thankfully. "Tucker what's up?" Asked Lauren "Getting some supplies and lunch, but I also wanted to ask you guys something. Where does the tiger boys live?" "Why do you want to know?" Lauren then gently elbowed Tony. "If you want say something tell him he is after all part of the tiger boys." "I figure that, but what I need to say needs to be heard from all the tiger boys." "You can follow us, we're heading home." "Thanks uh-" "Tony." "Thanks Tony." "Wait won't they get suspicious." "Nah after all they think I'm getting supplies and lunch."

While Tucker followed Tony and Lauren Officer Brown heard what Melody was doing and called some movers to help her. Officer Brown and the movers arrived at Melody's the same time Tucker arrived at the tiger boys' house. Most of Melody's apartment was packed and loaded onto the truck while Tucker tried his best thinking on how to tell them why Melody did what she did. Gary spoke up before anyone "why are you here?" "He wants to tell us something, he wouldn't tell me without you guys being present." "Is that so?" Lauren nodded her head, left to get some drinks while Gary conversed with Tony a little bit. Tony then said 'sit' gesturing to a chair. Tucker tried his best to explain what happened when the house phone rung, no one picked it up, the answering machine got it, and it was Melody telling them that she packed the apartment that she'll be leaving today. "You need to stop her from moving or you might never see her again!" Eric then asked "why didn't she tell us all this?" Gary answered saying "she probably sent this guy to-" "Tucker." "Fine, Tucker to say that-" "Actually she and the others don't know I'm here. I know I or any of my friends could have said something before, but I was hoping you would come to your senses and listen to her explanation like Tony." "Like Tony?" Gary looked at Tony, "I asked Lauren to take me to her apartment or where ever she lived so I could ask her for the explanation. Melody asked me if I would believe or trust her if she did... She didn't tell me, but I can believe she feels bad about what happened. Why else would she gather us with everyone and agree to move?" "Tony is right about that, but she also misses you guys, she hoped that once it was over she would move back with you all." "Sis how do you know this? And how did you know where she lived, did you help her?" "I didn't help her in the beginning I found out a day so before you guys; we chatted at her apartment. Melody did tell me why, but I promised I wouldn't get involved since it's between you guys; trust her." "I came here to say what I had to, I'll be going now." Tucker's cell rang, it was Melody "Hello... No not yet had to do something at home. I see I'll meet you all at the Wendy's on Pikeson road, be there in about ten fifteen minutes." "What's going on?" Asked Tony. "They finished packing and loading everything even at the storage bin. I'm meeting them at Wendy's for lunch then we'll be on our way to Cole's cousin's house." Paul said "Cole, who's that?" "A friend of mine who also was pretending, you guys met him at the bakery." "Why would she stay at someone else's cousin's house? I told her to go stay with her sister or a family member." "She was your friend yet you don't know much about her do you? I think she doesn't get along with her family accept her sister. Melody said her sister is living near a bunch of family members and that her family is complicated. Someone who cares a lot a lot friends is willing to live at a strangers house even if it meant she'll be uncomfortable. Bye all, thanks for your time."

Tucker left and met everyone at Wendy's, the tiger boys and Paul thought what Tucker and Lauren said. Tony and Lauren got up "where-" "Lauren and I are going to help her. I would rather have her living in this town, but I know you guys are a bit stubborn especially you Gary." "Bye brother, everyone. Let's go Tony before they get to far." By the time they caught up with Melody and the others the tiger boys were driving to Wendy's looking for Melody. Ricky then thought of an idea, they all went to the police station looking for Officer Brown. "Boys is something wrong?" "Yes. We made a mistake, fought, and hurt Melody's feelings, she left. Can you do a cell phone trace for us?" "I know where she's going. I had some movers help pack and load the truck. I helped her few times." "You knew didn't you?" "Ricky she came to tell me what she was doing. All I did was help get her old apartment, have my friend let you have the bakery for a bit, and the movers." "Sounds like you helped a lot. So are you going to help us?" Said Eric. "Come lets stop a moving truck and a few cars."

As fast as possible they raced like the wind, catching up to everyone, it took a moment for Melody to realize she had to pull over. Three cars and a moving truck was on the side of the road waiting for the Officer. "Officer Brown?" "Can you get out of the truck there's some people who wants to talk to you." Melody looked at the side mirror and saw the rest of the tiger boys walking up. Melody had a few questions but got out of the truck like Officer Brown asked. Tony followed and also got out as well, by now everyone was out of the vehicles. "I'm leaving like you wanted, yet you want talk. Did I leave something at the house?" Ricky only got a word 'well' out when Gary threw a punch at Melody which missed her for she dodged it. "What are you doing Gary!" Surprised Tony asked. "We're having a fair match between us, last time you had a bat and these guys. It'll just be me and you fighting... If you lose you have to return back to town, our home. If you win then you can leave." Melody and everyone was a bit taken of this, but Melody agreed. Melody tried to think or sort through her emotions before the fight began, Tony went over to his friends and asked what really was going on. They told him, sadly he didn't know how to tell Melody this information.

Sadly Melody couldn't sort through her feelings or thoughts that fast. Indeed Melody wanted to return, but at the same time she thought how could she especially after hurting them. So Melody tried her best to dodge, yet at the same time punching once or twice, the other times missing him. "Fight like you normally do!" Roy then said "what does he mean by that?" Which was answered by Tony "Gary is telling her to fight and not just joke around." "She is fighting though." Said John. "No she's holding back, throwing useless punches and kicks." Before anyone could ask another question. Melody backed away from Gary so either one could say something, anything. "Until when do you call it?" Gary answered Melody's question "when either of us can't stand anymore." "You mean faint?!" "No. Until one of us is so hurt and in pain that one can't stand." "We can continue this tomorrow, I'll come home. The reason I'm saying this is that we have to unpack that truck. Do we have a deal?" For a whole minute everyone was silent, looking at Gary, waiting as if he had a winning lottery ticket. At last Gary said "deal."

Instead of Melody driving the truck back to town Irwin drove, little words was said even after unpacking some amount of the truck back into a storage bin. It was when they arrived back at the house where Melody used to live with the tiger boys Melody and the others was talking some. Gary interrupted saying 'lets unpack first then we can talk.' Melody wanted to talk first but knew it wouldn't go anywhere since everyone was so determined about unpacking and returning the truck.