<h4>Chapter 281: Melody</h4>


    Melody stared at the door, a deep frown on her face. Could it really be true? Could Mnie Collins actually be her sister? And if she was... what was she supposed to do about it?


    The real issue wasn’t even the idea of suddenly gaining an unknown sister. That part, while strange, wasn’t entirely unbearable. She could live with that. What bothered her-what truly threw everything off-was something else entirely.


    Because if Mnie was her sister... that would make Adam her brother-inw.


    And that changed everything.


    She knew and understood that nothing could ever happen between her and Adam. It had just been a distant, hopeless thing- just a passing infatuation she could nurse in silence. She had even told herself that once Adir was no longer in her ss, it would fade away. That with time, she’d move on. Maybe evenugh about itter.


    But if Mnie turned out to be family, if the connection became real and permanent- then the fantasy would have to end for good.


    No morete-night wondering. No more harmless dreams about Adam.


    Added to that, was her jealousy. Ever since she had experienced that moment with Adam’s arms around her, she had been incredibly jealous of Mnie’s existence.


    And now, if she was her sister, it would be over. Completely.


    And somehow, that thought was harder to swallow than anything else. So, all through the weekend, she had been nning something. Two things actually. First, she would reveal everything to Mnie, not giving her a chance to get to know her parents, thereby prompting her to keep distance from her and the others.


    The second n required a little more care. A DNA test. That was the logical next step just like she’d told her mother. Before she went around using people or saying things that made her sound unhinged, she needed proof. Real proof. Not just a feeling or a wild theory. And the easiest way to get it? A hair sample.


    She’d alreadye up with the perfect excuse. She would say it was for a ss project-something about gics, etc. Just one strand would be enough.


    Melody stood up and smoothed out her shirt. Her heart was pounding, but her face stayed calm.


    She was ready for Mnie today.


    Melody stood near the doorway, still running through her n in her head, when she heard footsteps behind her.


    She turned-and froze.


    Adam.


    He hade today. And she hadn’t even known he wasing today.


    "Hey," he said, ncing around. "Where’s Adir?"


    She blinked, momentarily stunned by the sight of him. He looked... better than she remembered. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, hair slightly tousled, a calm look on his face that made her chest tighten without warning.


    She had to force herself to speak.


    "The ss... they’ve gone out for a small field trip," she said, her voiceing out slower than usual. "They should be back any minute."


    Adam nodded, but his eyes didn’t leave her face.


    "You okay?"


    Melody paused, then gave a worried nod, forcing herself to speak some in front of him," Yeah. I’m fine."


    "You sure? You look a little... I don’t know. Off."


    Melody shook her head and then nodded it before shaking her head again and turning around. Her n to take a DNA test would have to be put on hold for now.


    As she turned around, still flustered and not entirely focused, her foot caught the edge of the mat near the doorway. She stumbled and lost her bnce. Before she could catch herself, she fell forward-straight into Adam.


    Her handsnded t against his chest. And her nose was buried into it, making her wince at how hard it hit.


    He steadied her immediately, his hands catching her by the elbows, and quickly stepped back, putting just enough space between them to be respectful, but not so much that she’d fall again.


    "Are you okay?" he asked quickly. "Are you hurt?"


    Melody’s eyes widened. She shook her head, her hands still on his chest before she realised and quickly pulled them away. "I-I’m fine. Sorry."


    "You sure, you did not hurt yourself??" he asked again, scanning her face for any signs of pain.


    "I just tripped. Nothing serious," she said, voice a little too fast, cheeks already turning red at what had just happened and like he was staring at her with worry.


    She moved hurriedly towards the desk so as not to give her thoughts away but


    She moved hurriedly towards the desk so as not to give her thoughts away, but as soon as she put weight on her right foot, a sharp pain shot up her ankle. Her breath caught and she stumbled again, once againunable to stop herself from falling against Adam again. This time, he held her arms and steadied her as he cursed and asked," Are you really okay? What happened?


    Melody looked up and blinked. From this close, she could even see the small move near his jaw. Blinking, she stared at it for a moment as she said through gritted teeth, "I... I think I twisted my ankle. I didn’t notice before."


    He looked down, concerned, then nced back up at her. For a second, she thought he was going to lift her. Her heart jumped to her throat, and she panicked- not because she didn’t want him to, but because she did. She could already imagine him lifting her and she throwing her arms around his neck, even as she protested that she could walk.


    But he didn’t do an of the above.


    Instead, he shifted his hold and quickly pulled a small desk chair towards them with one hand. "Sit. Just for a minute. Don’t push it, okay?"


    She sat down slowly, biting her lip to stop a wince. The pain had started to settle in now and was throbbing. Had she broken a bone?


    She extended her foot to examine it and watched as Adam’s gaze moved to it. She felt goosebumps rise on her leg, wondering if he would touch her there to inspect her wound but instead he stepped back and said," I’ll go and find a school nurse for you, okay? Just wait here."