Anthony's Forbidden Melody

Chapter VII

"Did I hear it right?" His wide eyes stared at her in disbelief.

Rosette nodded. Her lips curver sweetly. "I thought you'll never ask again." She laughed shyly at the thought of it.

"I have been scared of rejection... Especially from you." He held her hand without breaking their eye contact and muffled it on his cheek. "I don't want to lose our connection, Rozi babe. I'm afraid to trade it without any assurance that I'll get your heart in return." His sincerity was written on his face. And it touched her heart.

"Alright. You can stop fearing it now, babe. I'm yours." She gently moved her thumb to caress his face.

They finished their foods stealing glances at each other and sharing warm smiles whenever their eyes met.

"Can I sleep here, my lady?" He hugged her from the back when she was busy cleaning the table. A warm breath fanned her right cheek.

"Nah, we should know our limits." She escaped from his arms and faced him. "Especially now that we've emptied the wine," she said as she pointed the bottle.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything." He captured her face with his hands. "I just want to see your lovely face when I wake up in the morning, babe. I'm afraid that it was all just a dream—my dream," he explained, emphasizing the last two words.

Rosette took a deep breath and released it quickly. It was hard for her to resist his charm. "Fine. But I'm warning you..."

"I promise, babe." Without a word, he pressed his lips to her.

Rosette closed her eyes and responded to him. She tasted the red wine from his mouth and she was instantly intoxicated by it. She snaked her arms around his neck and drew him even closer.

"Wait, did you hear it?" She withdrew from the kiss when she heard a thud coming from the ceiling.

"Hear what?" Collin's eyebrows formed a line.

She shook her head and pulled him to the bed. He snuggled her from the back until they both fell asleep.

Collin won't release her hand while walking down to the dining. No matter how much force she put in it, he will just tighten his grip.

"Morning, lovebirds!" Clarisse joked with a grin pasted on her face.

Her cheeks heated up but she hid it with a smile. "Good morning."

She introduced her boyfriend to the couple and chose the table closest to them. She sat in an opposite chair so she could look at Clarisse without twisting her body.

"Oh, by the way, they already burned Anie's body and scattered her ashes into the sea," she informed her.

Rosette froze. "They did not bury her?" she asked after recovering from the shocking news.

"They said it's their tradition." Clarisse shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, that is too sad." She pouted her lips and pinched the bridge of her nose that's in the middle of her eyes to control her tear.

"Let's just be happy for her. Always look into the good side." Clarisse smiled with sympathy.

Rosette nooded and returned her smile, but her heart was still grieving.

They stopped talking when the foods were ready on the table. They ate in silence, while her mind was busy wandering in her own world.

"I haven't seen Melvin." Joven broke the silence when he emptied his plate.

"So?" Clarisse raised her brows.

"It's unusual, isn't it? He doesn't skip his breakfast," he commented.

Rosette was hooked by it. She unconsciously loosened her grip and dropped her spoon and fork onto the plate as worry consumed her.

No! It can't be!

She stood up and left the dining without saying a word. She was deafened by the loud banging in her chest that she could not hear Collin and Clarisse calling her name.

She ran towards the room of Melvin and knocked on his door.

"Melvin?" She called his name countless times but no one answered.

"What's wrong?" Clarisse asked her while panting.

"Who's Melvin?" Collin pointed his dark eyes to her, asking for an answer.

"There's no time for it." She ran towards her room and looked for the two pins that she used on unlocking Anthony's door.

"He didn't do anything to himself, right?" Joven embraced her wife to lessen her worry.

"I hope so," was all she could say.

When the door was opened, she found Melvin's body on the floor. His left wrist was covered with blood.

"No!!!" she screamed. Teardrops were falling like rain. She was trembling when Collin pulled her and pressed her face on his chest.

Joven ran down to ask for some help.

Clarisse remained. "How did you know about this?" she asked while wiping her tears.

Rosette lifted her head. She pulled out from Collin's arms and turned to Clarisse. "What? Are you accusing me?"

"Then how are you going to explain this?" Clarisse pointed her finger to the cold body of Melvin. "And the pins? Did you...?" She cut her sentence midway but it was still clear to Rosette.

She opened her mouth to defend herself, but not a word came out. Her thought was telling her that partly, Clarisse was right.

"Hey, hey, watch your words! We're together the whole night, okay?" Collin fought her side.

Clarisse came to her senses and felt sorry. She apologized to them, then she left.

"I didn't do it. I didn't kill him. How can I?" She grasped a handful of her hair and repeatedly shook her head.

He gave her a warm hug and gently patted her back. "Shhh... I knoow, babe. I know." He kept on kissing the top of her head to assure her.

Joven arrived together with the three islanders. Mang Rolly came in lastly. They checked the body and Mang Rolly said that Melvin ended his life like what Anie did.

But for Rosette, it was not just another suicide incident. She was sure now that Anthony's Forbidden Melody had something to do with it. His warning reverberated in her ears once again.

"Did you hear the bell ring last night?" she asked Collin in a whisper. She wanted to confirm her theory.

"You mean, the six o'clock bell?" Collin ra

his brows in response.

Rosette shook her head. "It never rung at six since I came here. It rung because it's the Death Teller's sign," she explained.

Collin's eyes widened, lips parted, and laughed when her words sunk in. "Is that some kind of a joke?"

She dragged him into her room and told him about Anthony and what the islanders said to her.