#melanie fields

Abbi and Chanté beautifully highlighted the importance and impact of well done representation and how much it still matters. They talked so perfectly about the experience of community and fandoms and seeing your own experience and feelings mirrored. It is one of the best speeches I have ever seen (and it might make you cry).

On lonely nights I start to fade...It's 4am and I can't sleep

Relax

I'm better alone than lonely here with you So lonely here I'm better alone than lonely

DeAndre grumbled as the waitress left their table. Melanie sighed and tugged gently on a curl. 

“What’s the problem this time,” he asked her. She looked at him and managed a tired smile.

“Nothing love, just tired.”

He nodded and picked lent off of his lap. He twiddled his thumbs and started humming gently to himself. Melanie snapped back to reality and glared at him. 

“Can you not darling,” she said and reached across the table to grab his hands. He furrowed his brow and placed his hands in his lap. “Fine.”

They ate their food in strained silence. When the waitress came back with dessert menus he laid his down on the table. “Why can’t we get back in our groove Melanie?” He sounded scared, and sad. She lowered her shoulders and hung her head. “I don’t know babe, I just...” she trailed off as tears filled her eyes. 

“Oh don’t cry Mel, don’t...don’t cry.” He raised his voice and started pointing.  “That’s just not fair-”

“Fair?” she said, her voice surprisingly loud. “You want to talk about fair?! What isn’t fair is how often we fight about bullshit. I just want to be myself again and it feels like all you want is this picture perfect Melanie. Smiley Mel, poised Mel, ready to go the newest and suavest event at any given moment, makeup always done Mel. That isn’t me. That was never me, and I just wanted you to like me but that was never me...” her voice was shaking and her hands were franticly grabbing at her thighs. 

Melanie stood at one of the paintings pondering it. Mike noticed her from across the room. Rachel had gone to get them more champagne and he thought now might be the time to speak to her. But what would he say? “Hey, I’ve really been thinking about you lately why did you never call?” No, that didn’t seem quite right. “Hey I’ve missed you.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t appropriate. Not here. It had been only a month or two, but he was growing impatient. Finding useless women to fill the void. While he stared at the curve of her back, fuck she looked so sexy, he saw a tall man slowly creep behind her. Silently he moved, poised like he was going to attack. Mike shot up from his comfortable lean against the wall as soon as he wrapped her into a bear hug.

“DeAndre stop!” She laughed. “You nearly made fall into this painting! And who would’ve paid for it?”

“I would buy a hundred paintings to see that look on your face again,” he said smiling at her and cupping her chin. “In fact, I just finished purchasing that one,” he said and pointed to a nearby wall. “I’ll have to come back and pick it up of course but I hope you love it.” 

Melanie let out a laugh so warm and from the gut it felt like Mike had been punched in his. Damn he missed her. Damn. The crowd started to get closer, the noises and laughs filling up the space. Yet Melanie, Melanie’s voice was so distinct such a taunt and a prayer to his ears it was all could he hear. 

Melanie said something to him and wrapped DeAndre in a big hug. DeAndre kissed the top of her head and then tilted her chin up...