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Melody didn't even look around as she snapped back, "Go away!"
Jake cringed. Taking a gentler approach, he called, "Please, get in the car. It's going to hammer down."
One glance at the sky told him he was right. There were no moon or stars out. All was covered by thick, gray-black cloud.
"Please, Melody, we don't even have to talk," he told her gently, "Just let me give you a lift home."
Melody paused, and Jake slammed on his brakes, hopeful. She turned and looked into the truck. Indecision darkened her gaze. Lit from above by the streetlamp she stood under, her brown hair turned fiery with hues of amber and gold. And her brown eyes blazed amber as she hissed, "Make sure it is silent."
It was clear that her half-walk home had done nothing to quell her temper. She scowled, and the bruises on her face seemed to darken even though they weren't nearly as bad as they had been before.
Jake thought it best not to say a word, and so he simply lifted a hand to his lips, pretended to lock them and threw away the key before he leaned over and shoved open the door.
With a huff, Melody threw herself into the passenger seat and shoved her plastic bag down between her feet.
Though he noticed how she didn't yank on her seatbelt, he thought it best not to mention it or risk her getting back out before he could even put his foot on the gas.
Sticking to his promise to be silent, he gestured to the radio volume knob and looked at her questioningly. When she gave an equally silent nod, he turned it up, allowing music to blast in an attempt to ease the awkwardness.
For a short while they ambled on in silence, and as the rain grew heavy, Jake slowed the truck, pleased that the weather conditions allowed him a good excuse for extra time.
Just when his insides were beginning to feel as though they were all twisted in knots and he thought he couldn't hold his tongue any longer, Melody leaned over and turned the volume down.
"Is Sally really okay?" she asked, as if it were the only thing she could think to use to break the silence. She stared out of the windshield, though even Jake could barely see the road past the rain.
"She is," Jake assured her, his hands tightening on the wheel. "I left her tucked up in bed with her Uncle Lewis."
"Uncle Lewis," Melody scoffed, and it was clear what she thought of his friend.
"He's not so bad when you get to know him," Jake defended.
"He's an ass," Melody countered, snarling a little. Jake shrugged. She wasn't wrong. But though Lewis could be an ass, he was a loyal ass, and he was the best friend Jake had ever had.
"He's been there for me through thick and thin," he said, "and Sally loves him to bits."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her gaze soften. "I guess he can't be all bad, then."
Jake saw his opening and decided to take it. "Maybe I'm not either?"
Melody looked over at him, clearly surprised. "What does that mean?"
"Look, I know you're angry about what I said in the infirmary, but I wasn't thinking," Jake said, beginning to babble a little. "Dash just really rubs me the wrong way."
"You can't blame everybody else for your mistakes!" Melody protested, forcing herself back in her seat as if she wanted to get as far from him as possible. "It wasn't just down to me, what happened with Miranda—"
"I never said that it was!" Jake said, growling with frustration.
"Stop the truck!" Melody snarled so loud and fast that Jake almost slammed his foot on the brake.
"What? Why?" he asked instead.
"I said, stop the truck," Melody insisted, grabbing her plastic bag from her feet. "I think I'd prefer to walk."
"It's torrential rain out there!" Jake protested, keeping the truck idling along. The rain was causing larger and larger puddles to form in the road, making it difficult to control the vehicle at any great speed.
"A little water never hurt anyone," Melody said. She looked at him, eyes ablaze. "Stop the truck."
"We're almost home," Jake said, refusing to budge.
