I frowned at the strange comment. “Why wouldn't I?”
Mel's shaky laugh faded, leaving him bewildered. My question had stunned him into silence. When he remembered how to talk, he said, “I mean... I dunno. We just met, and I'm just a normal omega. Actually, I'm probablylessthan average considering how my parents feel about me…”
Indignation welled up within me like a volcano about to erupt. I flew towards him, stopping abruptly when we were face-to-face. Even with my feet on the ground, I was taller than him. The rueful way Mel gazed up at me made my heart melt.
“Whatever are you talking about?” I asked.
Mel grimaced and turned his head, as if regretting the fact that he brought it up. “It's nothing.” He suddenly grinned, but he didn't look happy. It made me think he wanted to change the subject. “Hey, if I get my camera, I can teach you all about filming. Come on!”
Without waiting for me, Mel dashed down the hall towards the living room. I huffed and followed him. Why was he hiding his feelings from me? Had I said something wrong?
When I reached the living room, Mel was already playing with the phone-camera-thing. The pain on his expression was not quite gone, but smothered. As much as I wanted to help him soothe his emotions, I didn't want to push him either.
“Look, Edgar,” Mel said, showing me the flat screen. “So this is the camera function. And if you hit this red dot, it starts filming.”
“I see,” I mumbled. “And this has something to do with those invisible friends of yours?”
Mel tilted his head. “What invisible friends?”
“You kept referring toguysearlier. When I was…” I paused, not sure of the right word. Bert would've called itstalking,but he had no sense of humor. “Watching you earlier.”
Mel blinked slowly, parsing the information. “Oh, you mean when I was talking to my subscribers—but wait, you were watching me?” he said, his voice rising into an adorable squeak. “When?”
I ignored the comment about subscribers, whatever those were. “Yes, indeed!” I replied, puffing out my chest. “I saw you approach my house and couldn't waste the opportunity to observe you.”
As Mel mentally connected the dots, his blue eyes widened. “Edgar, didyoumove that brick?”
“Yes, of course. Who else?”
For a terrifying second, I was afraid Mel would be upset, but he just laughed out loud in relief. “Oh my god, that was you! You have no idea how bad that spooked me,” he said with an easygoing grin.
“I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention,” I said. “But I'd be lying if I said I had no ulterior motive.”
“You wanted to... trap me here?” Mel guessed. To my surprise, he didn't sound very concerned. What an odd, adorable human.
“Not forever,” I said, though an argumentative voice in the back of my mind whispered that wouldn't be so bad. “Long enough to talk. It gets lonely here.”
Mel's face softened. His round cheeks and lips looked so plush. If only I could touch them...
“You live here all alone? All the time?” he murmured. “What about your friend, Bert?”
I smiled sadly. “I love Bert, but he's not here all day, every day.”
Something flickered across Mel's face when I said I loved my friend. Surely he knew I meant it platonically?
But that alighted a flame in my chest. Was Mel jealous? Did he want me to lovehim?
No, that couldn't possibly be it. I must've misread his reaction.
“Nobody else visits you, Edgar?” Mel asked.
I shook my head. “Besides you and my friend, nobody knows I exist.”
Mel looked heartbroken. I wanted to hug him, to tell him his sympathy was deeply appreciated—curse this phantasm body!
Pausing, Mel glanced down at his phone.
“Maybe we can change that,” he suggested.
