Daddy Dearest

Melody shoveled the last bite of scrambled eggs into her mouth, chewing quickly as she glanced at the clock. 7:45 AM. She had to hurry if she wanted to make it to school on time for the first day of senior year.

“Slow down, Mel, you’ll choke,” Nancy chided gently, setting a glass of orange juice in front of her.

Melody gulped the juice and grinned. “Thanks Nance. Can’t be late today of all days.”

Nancy smiled, her hazel eyes crinkling at the corners. At twenty-nine, she was young to be the sole guardian of a teenager, but she’d stepped into the role with grace after Melody’s father Harry passed away four years ago.

“I still can’t believe I have Mr. Davenport for AP English this year,” Melody remarked as she gathered her backpack. “It’s going to be so weird. Remember when he helped Dad shave my head in first grade after that lice fiasco?”

Nancy laughed. “How could I forget? You cried for hours.”

Melody felt a flush creep up her neck as an unbidden thought flashed through her mind—Mr. Davenport was rather handsome, wasn’t he? She quickly pushed the notion away, feeling silly. He was Charlie and Lottie’s dad, for goodness’ sake. Not to mention he’d been like a second father to her growing up.

“You’ll do great, Mel. Ben adores you,” Nancy assured her. She hesitated, then added softly, “I can’t believe this is your last first day of high school. This time next year, you’ll be off at college...”

“Oh no you don’t,” Melody warned teasingly. “No getting sappy on me.”

“I know, I know.” Nancy waved a hand. “Go on then, get out of here. And be careful!”

“I will,” Melody promised, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She paused at the door. “Oh, I’m staying over at the Davenports this weekend, remember?”

Nancy nodded. “Of course. Have fun, sweetie.”

With a parting smile, Melody headed out the door, ready to face whatever senior year had in store. Little did she know just how eventful it would be.

~~~

Melody hopped on her bike and pedaled quickly down the tree-lined street, relishing the cool morning breeze on her face. The ride to school was only about ten minutes, but she loved this time to herself, with nothing but the hum of her tires and the chirping of birds to keep her company.

As she neared the sprawling campus of Sacred Heart Academy, Melody felt a flicker of nervousness in her stomach. Senior year. College applications. Prom. It all seemed so momentous, so final. Part of her yearned to turn back time, to stay forever in the carefree days of childhood summers spent running through sprinklers with Lottie and Charlie.

Melody shook her head, banishing the wistful thoughts. She was being silly. This was an exciting time, full of possibility and potential. She just had to embrace it.

She pulled up to the bike rack, locking her bike securely. As she turned to head inside, a familiar voice called out, “Melody! Wait up!”

Alex Chambers jogged over to her, his dimples flashing as he grinned. Melody’s heart did a little flip despite herself. Alex had always been cute, but over the summer he’d grown even more handsome, his strawberry blond hair glinting gold in the sunlight.

“Hey Alex,” she greeted, hoping her voice sounded normal. “Ready for senior year?”

“Born ready,” he quipped, falling into step beside her. “Especially now that a certain someone finally agreed to be my lab partner in physics.”

Melody rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Alex had been persistently asking her out since freshman year, but she’d always gently turned him down, wary of his playboy reputation. Still, she had to admit his charm was hard to resist sometimes.

“I hope you know this means you’ll actually have to do your share of the work,” she teased. “No more sweet-talking me into doing all the calculations.”

“I would never,” Alex said in mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. “Your brilliance is just rubbing off on me, Plum.”

Melody laughed, shaking her head as they entered the bustling hallway. Her gaze was immediately drawn to a tall figure up ahead — Mr. Davenport, looking dashing as always in a crisp button-down and slacks as he chatted with another teacher.

As if sensing her stare, he glanced over, his blue eyes meeting hers. Melody felt a jolt of electricity down her spine, her cheeks warming as he smiled and nodded in greeting. She quickly looked away, her heart racing.

Get a grip, she scolded herself.He’s your teacher, not to mention practically family. This little crush was getting out of hand.

Melody took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus as she and Alex made their way to homeroom. Senior year was off to an interesting start indeed.

She walked down the hallway beside Alex, feeling the eyes of their classmates following their every move. It was like being part of a royal procession, with students calling out greetings and waving excitedly as they passed. Melody knew it had little to do with her—Alex was the undisputed king of Sacred Heart Academy, voted “Most Fuckable” by the female student body. His presence seemed to part the crowds like the Red Sea.

As they rounded the corner, they nearly collided with Lottie, Charlie, and Violet. The pretty redhead immediately dropped her gaze to the floor, her face turning as crimson as her hair as she stuttered out a hello. Melody resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Violet was brilliant, but put her within five feet of a boy, and she turned into a tongue-tied mess.

Lottie, on the other hand, slipped into flirtation mode as easily as breathing. “Well, hello there, Alex,” she purred, batting her lashes. “Don’t you look dashing today.”

Charlie’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but Melody caught the flash of irritation in his green eyes. She knew he had little patience for Alex’s arrogant swagger.

“Lottie,” Alex greeted with a wink. “Charming as always.”

Melody bit back a snort. Lottie and Alex were like two peacocks, always preening and strutting for attention. She caught Charlie’s eye, and they shared a knowing look, their old childhood shorthand for “can you believe these two?”

“We should get to homeroom,” Melody said, glancing at her watch. “Bell’s about to ring.”

“Catch you later, Plum,” Alex said with a grin, giving her arm a playful squeeze before sauntering off.

“God, he’s such a blowhard,” Charlie muttered under his breath, watching Alex’s retreating back.

Melody laughed, looping her arm through his. “Come on, grumpy. Let’s go before we’re late.”

With a final wave to Lottie and Violet, they headed off to their respective classrooms, ready to tackle whatever the first day of senior year had in store.

As Melody walked beside Charlie to their lockers, she couldn’t help but notice he seemed a bit off. They’d been best friends since before they could talk, able to read each other’s thoughts with just a glance, but today his mind was closed to her.

“Alright, spill,” she said, spinning the dial on her locker. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Charlie scratched the back of his neck, a telltale sign he was nervous. “It’s nothing, Mel. Just...you and Alex seem awfully chummy lately.”

Melody gasped, smacking his upper arm. “Charles Davenport! Are you implying what I think you’re implying?”

He chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender. “Hey, can you blame a guy for asking? He’s only been after you since puberty hit.”

Melody rolled her eyes. “Alex is a friend. That’s all.”

“If you say so.” Charlie’s tone was light, but Melody caught a flicker of something in his green eyes. Relief? Jealousy? She couldn’t quite place it.

Before she could press further, the warning bell rang. They hurried to homeroom, slipping into their seats just as the second bell sounded.

“Good morning, class,” Mrs. Callahan greeted. “As is tradition on the first day, you have a choice. Silent reading or morning mass. Those attending mass, please line up at the door.”

Melody rose from her desk, shouldering her bag. She glanced back at Charlie, who already had his nose buried in a book. “See you later,” she whispered.

He looked up, a soft smile playing at his lips. “Say a prayer for me, yeah?”

“Always.” Melody booped his nose, a gesture they’d done since childhood, before joining the line of students heading to the chapel.

As she walked, her mind drifted back to Charlie’s odd behavior. Was he really worried about her and Alex? The thought sent a confusing mix of warmth and irritation through her. Charlie had always been protective, but she was a big girl. She could handle herself.

Still, a small part of her wondered if there was more to his concern than simple friendly worry. Melody shook her head. Now she was the one being ridiculous. Charlie was her best friend, practically a brother. That’s all there was to it.

Right?

Her mind was a whirlwind as she made her way to the chapel, thoughts of Alex, Charlie, and Mr. Davenport swirling through her head. Alex’s flirtatious behavior was nothing new - he’d been laying it on thick since freshman year. But lately, it seemed to have taken on a new intensity, leaving Melody equal parts flattered and unsettled.

And then there was Charlie. Sweet, dependable Charlie, who had been by her side through thick and thin. He’d been acting strange lately, almost... jealous? The thought made Melody’s stomach flip. Surely, she was imagining things. Charlie was like a brother to her. Wasn’t he?

But it was the sudden, visceral attraction to Mr. Davenport that had Melody most rattled. She’d always known objectively that he was a handsome man—with his chiseled jaw, bright blue eyes, and thick mahogany hair, he could have been a movie star in another life. But she’d never looked at him through such an inappropriately intimate lens before.

Even now, the very thought made her shudder, a confusing mix of desire and revulsion coursing through her. It was so wrong, so taboo. He was her teacher, her late father’s best friend, a married man with children her own age. She was going straight to confession this week, no question. When did she become so boy-crazy?

Melody slipped into the chapel, spotting her friends Violet, Lucy, and Grace already seated together in a pew. She made her way over to them, genuflecting before sliding in beside Violet.

At the dais, Father Sidney was preparing to begin the morning mass. Melody bowed her head, trying to quiet her racing thoughts and find some sense of peace in the familiar ritual.

Just as she was beginning to relax, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Melody turned, her eyes widening as she saw who had joined them in the pew.