melody maria lopez

closed for @sweetmelodylopez​

         LEANING AGAINST THE TOP OF THE VANITY, Avery balanced as she took off her heels one at a time, dropping a good five inches in the process. Despite being at the club for a while now, there was still no better feeling than taking off her shoes in between sets. They pulled on a pair of sweat pants before walking across the room and falling into the couch around what had been designated as the break area. “Glamazon Mel,” she said, smiling at the newly minted manager. “Can we still call you that? Or would you prefer something a little more professional?”

Melody had been doing a count of the snacks she had in the break area for the good, as well as food wrappings and icy hot. Having been in their position before, she never wanted any of the dancers to feel as though their obvious pain was being ignored. With a light sigh, she looked over to see who it was speaking to her and smiled softly when she saw it was. “Hey Avery..” More tired than usual, she wasn’t as peppy and held a hand over her mouth as she yawned. “For you... anything you’d like.”

 closed for @sweetmelodylopez​

         IT HAD FELT LIKE FOREVER SINCE THEIR LAST CONVERSATION, but when Hazel saw Melody  again for the first time since finding out she was leaving Obsession’s, she couldn’t help but smile widely. The club seemed like a completely different place without her there. “What are you doing here?” she asked cheerfully, leaning in to wrap Mel in a brief hug. When she pulled away, her smile widened - as if that were even possible. “Please tell me you’re back. This place has been utter hell without you!” She might have been a bit over dramatic, but the words felt like the truth.

Ever since departing from the club, Melody had initally decided to take a minor break from Hazel even though she did see her as a friend outside of the club as well. Her plan was never to reutrn so in order to forget, she needed time away. But of course, having been working at the club again, she ran into her friend and immediately smiled at the other woman. “Well..... I am back..” she started with a soft laugh, folding her arms. “I’m the manager here now.”

“That’s the thing, Mel. I don’t need to think about it because it’s all I have been thinking about. There’s a reason we don’t work or that we keep arguing, doing things we shouldn’t. There’s a reason I cheated whether I wanted to believe it at the time or not. She kissed Will and there’s a reason for it. We don’t work.” A deep exhale leaving his body as he listened to Melody speak. He took a moment to think things over in his head, make sure he wasn’t just saying anything in the heat of the moment. She was right he did that, he didn’t give himself a moment to think sometimes and just spoke as it came to him, “Yeah, I did miss you. I don’t think I was mistaking any feelings though. We’ll just leave it here. You haven’t even had your first day as management so we won’t start it off talking about our feelings.” he smiled, “We’ll just have to revise it in a few weeks time when Hazel finds us fuckin’ in my office or something.” he tormented as that’s what he was best at. He was never good at putting his feelings out in the open and always covered it up with a joke or a tease.

Melody was completely prepared to forget that this conversation had ever happened if Franky was. They truly didn’t need to start mixing feelings into their already messy ass situation but of course he went and ruined it. Whether or not she felt he was joking, she felt this wasn’t the time to do that but she wasn’t going to let heightened emotions control her in this very moment. “You can fuck yourself, Franky. Estás pero si bien pendejo.” Not wanting him to see the tears that were fighting to take over the lower half of her face, she quickly turned on her heels to get away from him, tossing her hair behind her in the process and clenching her eyes together tightly for a moment, gripping the bag in her hand roughly.

“That’s sweet, I always liked tattoos with a meaning like that behind them” He nodded with a slight smile. “So something like….this?” He murmured as he quickly scribbled the name onto a piece of paper. “Not too loopy, just smooth and classic” He turned it around to show her. “Oh I can see that you are,  but had to give you fair warning, tons of people come in here expecting one thing and then getting all pissed off at me when it’s actually painful”

Glancing over the script he used for her her pending tattoo, she smiled softly and reached out to touch the paper light. “I love that..” her hair then went up into a high ponytail and she laid herself on the table without a second thought, brown orbs settling on his face as she chewed on her bottom lip gently. “You can see that I am? I’m stronger than I look, papi.” obviously teasing as she directed a playful cut of her eyes at him.

Isabella had finally brought herself to finally hunt down this mysterious system it turned out she had. Of course, Bella was not happy with this discovery. It only meant she now had to split her fathers money even more. She had no idea why her mother had sent her on the task of finding her because she was quite happily living her life as she was without the adding family member. “Melody” she spoke to herself as she was trying to find the correct buzzer to press for the apartment she was supposed to live in “aha, lopez.” She again spoke to herself as she pressed the button and waited. She had no idea what she was going to say but she wasn’t really one for thinking ahead for these things. @sweetmelodylopez​

It was like any other day at Melody’s apartment, resting up from a long night of managing the club and getting herself ready to go to the gym. Just as she was dancing around the apartment, listening to Selena, there was a buzz at her door and she was utterly confused, seeing as how she wasn’t expecting any company. It didn’t help that her grandmother had kept this secret from her all of her life so she wasn’t going to be prepared for the information being delivered in the least. However, she bzzed her ‘guest’ in and looked at the camera, realizing it was a woman. A very prettty one at that. But what the hell was she doing at Melody’s home?

“Why are you so mad?” He spoke softly, his eyebrows furrowed as he held her arm lightly to stop her from walking away from him. “I don’t want you to be a part of any of my drama, Mel. I don’t want any drama at all. I don’t know what I want anymore and I’m just confused. I don’t want to let Bridge go but I also don’t know if I want a relationship with her anymore.” he admitted. It was something he hadn’t really allowed himself to think or feel but he just didn’t know whether or not they were actually going to work. Yes, he’d forgiven her for kissing Will but there had to be a reason they were both acting out right? Like people say, cheating isn’t an accident. Her kissing Will wasn’t an accident. He was so comfortable with Bridgette that he still didn’t want to lose her or for anybody else to have her either. “I obviously like you too. Yeah, it took you leaving the club for a few days for me to realise I felt something but it’s there. I’m not asking for us to be anything or for you to get mixed up in my mess. I just don’t want you to be angry with me, I just need time to fix my shit. I don’t want you thinking I’m trying to fuck with your feelings or mess you around.”

“I’m not mad, Fanky..” She spoke softly as well, tucking her hair behind her ear as she bit down on her bottom lip and relaxed herself with a mental mantra she’d been practicing the past few weeks. What she knew for a fact that any time of bad blood or heated situations between the two of them would be bad for business and that was the last thing she wanted. “I think you should really sit down with yourself and think about that. You tend to say things before thinking and she’s a really nice girl.” Melody placed a hand on his arm with a warm smile, biting down on her bottom lip as she thought carefully over her next words before saying anything. It took her a moment as this situation in itself was so extremely delicate. “Maybe you just missed me, Franky. It doesn’t mean you have.. feelings. That could... probably just be your ridiculous way of coping. I mean think about it.. you’re used to being frisky with women. Maybe you misplaced the feeling of missing someone with wanting intimacy from them.” She was no shrink, but she just didn’t want to confuse herself, or him, and end up angry at him because of something she’d painted in her own mind.

“Well I’m glad you came in here with a very decided idea” He chuckled as he looked down at the woman with a nod. “That’s easily do able…did you have the script or font you’d like it in?” He raised a brow as he motioned for her to follow him over to his station. Watching as she dropped her jacket he blinked a few time and nodded. “Well….you really did come prepared” He shook his head before laughing. “Doll, it is a tattoo…so it’s not quite going to tickle” 

“Well... I just really wanted to honor grandma, ya know?” She smiled softly, tucking the stray strands of hair behind her ears and away from her face. “I was thinking good ol’ cursive. Can’t go wrong with that, right?” The question followed by a chuckle as she followed him over to the station and lifted her shoulders into a slight shrug. “I mean... a girl has to come prepared, right? Besides... I didn’t say it won’t hurt at all... just go easy, I’m a delicate girl.”

She’d only known Will briefly, the two crossing paths during his time in Oxford, so she couldn’t say too much about him. She shot Melody a smile, nodding her head. “I get it, I’m sure Tudor didn’t exactly want to tell everyone he knew about what happened between us, considering it doesn’t always paint him in the best light. I don’t blame you for wanting to be a good friend to him, he needs people like that in his life, we all do. I’m sure if I was in your shoes, I probably would’ve done the same thing.” She shrugged her shoulders, before shaking Melody’s hand. “And well… considering how many people he happens to know in Manchester, I don’t exactly want to alienate myself from half this town. Dinner sounds great, by the way.”

Hearing that Tudor needed people like Melody in his corner pulled a laughter from her stomach that she didn’t even know was feasible in her thin body. “Oh love... I’m no longer speaking to Tudor after what I’ve been told. I mean.. sure it isn’t my problem. But I’m a woman before anything and..” she bit her bottom lip as she attempted to fathom what it was like to be abandoned, though she didn’t have to try very hard. “My parents left me off with my grandmother when I was a child... and while leaving your child is far worse than leaving your significant other... I know what it feels like to wonder if it was something you did to cause it. Were you... not good enough... you lose sleep, you sometimes wish you were dead... and I can’t stomach knowing that I was friends with someone... who would abandon another human being.”

She could immediately sense that based off the other woman’s body language that their interaction wasn’t going to be like last time. Contrary to popular opinion, Caroline wasn’t a violent person. She didn’t enjoy getting into conflict, as much as it enjoyed coming to her. “I can understand that, as someone who has gotten angry enough at him to lash out in front of dozens of people.” Being around Tudor had always made her more emotional, a slight on her part. She supposed if she were in the same situation, without knowing any context, she’d get just as mad. “It’s… it’s fine. I can tell you feel bad about it, and I don’t need to hold anymore grudges in this lifetime.” Nodding her head in agreeance, Carole got up from her desk again, “I don’t think I ever got your name though?”

“Melody..” she started with a soft tone, smiling lightly as she relaxed her shoulders some, running her fingers through her hair. “Tudor and I have been friends for a long time, but I’m really close to Will... my grandmother works for the Harris family and so I had lunch with him about this whole thing..” the anger becoming apparent in her expression as she pursed her lips and sat down on the desk, completely disappointed in herself for her past actions. “Anyway, Will told me what Tudor did to you and I simply couldn’t... imagine what that felt like. He deserved to be slapped by you... and hell I would tell you to do it again.” she looked over to the woman again, holding her hand out. “Let this be the last time I ever do such a thing... again I’m so sorry.”

“Mel?” he questioned as she got up. “You’re not leaving without explaining this shit to me.  I hate weird ass poems or whatever the fuck this is, quiz show type shit. Will you just explain what you’re talking about?” He stood up to follow her out the office. “No, your office is in the toilets unless you tell me what you’re talking about. Like, you can’t just say some riddle type shit and then get up and leave that’s not fair.” The frustration in his voice becoming more evident as she didn’t explain herself. He wasn’t used to being the one in the unknown and quite frankly he wasn’t enjoying it. “First of all, we both don’t I have no idea what the fuck you just said. Drinking water? What?” Franky followed her out the room waving his hands around as he spoke. “I’m not thirsty if that’s what you’re asking? But then again why would you be asking that?”

“Congratuations, you’re one step closer to becoming fluent in Spanish.” she sassed before raising both of her eyebrows, taking her phone and poking his chest with it. “You’re not going to wrap me up in your mess, Franky..” starting off with a stern tone was her best bet, she wanted her point to be made. There had been little whispers she’d heard, people being onto her feelings for Frankie but she wasn’t acting on them for a number of reasons. Her own mother was a well-known home-wrecker and she didn’t want people running around claiming she was just like her. However, that didn’t mean she didn’t want him to at least be aware.“And you aren’t going to let feelings get in the way of our work. Look, I guess I like you or whatever but I have the sense enough to know we wouldn’t work. I just wanted to put it out there.” With that, she used her free hand to pat his cheek gently so she could get back to making home in a new office. 

Will had always known that he had it easier than most people. His future was set in stone from the day he was born, all he had to do was go along with it. He was fortunate enough to love what he did, but he knew how many people out there didn’t exactly love their job. “I can’t see why he wouldn’t give you the promotion, Mel. I may not be a regular at the club or anything, but I’ve seen how hard you work. You deserve it, it’d be his loss, especially from a business perspective.” At first, he didn’t want to be the one to say anything, but Melody had already gotten involved. “It’s not really my place to tell you the story, but… they were dating for a while back in college and he kind of… left her for Manchester without saying anything. But you shouldn’t end your friendship with him over that kind of thing, Mel. Just give it a little time, and then talk to him. ” 

As if Melody didn’t feel bad already, there was was being faced with the sob story of one miss Caroline Mckay. Tudor had up and left the woman without telling her and now she could see why the anger drove her to acting out in the way that she had. “Had he told me that, I would’ve slapped him too.” nostrils flared, she angrily dug her fork into the steak she was eating, “How could anyone do that to someone? At least I told Gus I was unhappy before releasing him to the homeless shelter.” It wasn’t that she was necessarily completely upset with Tudor either, but now she felt like a complete ass for causing the scene she did in Caroline’s office and knew she had to make it up to her. “I’m going to give her another visit... but like this time with an apology gift and maybe treat her to dinner or something..”

Franky’s eyebrow raised in confusion, his face dropping from a smile as uncertainty plagued his face all of a sudden. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was hearing or what she was wanting to get across to him. An awkward laugh leaving his mouth “What?” he shook his head as he leaned on his desk close to her again. “What does that even mean, Mel?” he questioned, biting his lower lip once again as her words ran over and over in his mind like a broken record. “Am I missing something here?”

Franky wasn’t sure what she was getting at. He had an idea but he didn’t want to assume something and be wrong, that would be embarrassing. “Uh, I just wanna say if I think i know what you’re saying then.. well.. I’m a mess, Mel.” he admitted. “Obviously I’m attracted to you there’s no doubt in that and I think you know that as well. I’m just a mess. You’ve seen it all, you know all the shit that’s happened to me, what I’ve done, what I’m doing and what I’m trying to do. Would you even want to get dragged into all this? If i was you I wouldn’t want it.” He let out a sigh as he allowed himself time to think about what he was trying to do. After all, he could have taken this the complete wrong way and made this awkward between the two. Especially since he was allowing her a management position within his business. “I don’t know what i’m trying to say here.”

Melody was an intelligent woman. When asked where she saw her life going, she could’ve given three different avenues that lead to main streets of opportunity. Whenever she wanted to put something out into the air, she knew that the droplets would make their way into the cranium somehow. A sly grin spread across her features as she checked her manicure as he rambled on about his feelings. God feelings. Melody had wasted them on the last man she was intimate with and she wasn’t about to start being idiotic now. “Well..” she started with a light-hearted chuckle placed over heart as she stood to her feet, grabbing the iPad and slipping it back into her bag. “While you... figure that out. I will be making sure that your club runs smoothly. I’ll be expecting that one of the empty rooms will be turned into an office for me?” The question flowing from her perfectly pigmented lips as she fixed her hair and placed her hand onto the door. “As my grandmother would say.. Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr.” Clearing her throat, she finally opened the door and exited the office, giving him time to think about it, even though she was pretty sure he would have no idea what she just said.