Melody Of Ray-Chapter 11: Invitation

A week passed by, and Meloni was curled up in her own space. Her routine had been completely absorbed in making Ray's force breath hers. She had cancelled all her music sessions and only focused on her core. In these seven days, she mastered the movement to the point where she could channel the force even in her sleep.

There were visible changes in her body during this period. Her pupils contracted and dilated faster, adapting to even the slightest or subtle shifts in the light and her emotions. A faint silver-blue ring formed in her irises, which luminated all the time. Making her eyes stand out in the dark.

Her complexion became flawless. Her skin turned cleaner and smoother than before. It felt soft and firm all the time, even to her.

Her hair grew long so that it reached below her waist. Each of the strands turned thick, strong, more defined, and silkier, no matter the weather.

Her senses turned sharp. She could hear the heartbeats of people within a certain radius without even focusing. She could hear a lot of things, from an insect crawling on her lawn to the couple having sex in the distant house.

It wasn't just her hearing, but the sight, that made her notice subtle details. From reading the ingredients on her skincare products while sitting far away, to the way each feather on Ray reacted to the air of the fan.

But something was different today. She woke up before the sun.

Placing her warm palms on her face, even though the room was cold, she sat in a slumped posture on her bed.

Her stomach was twisting, her mood was dipping for no reason. Annoyance was creeping in like a slow leak. It was irrational and completely hers.

"Right, period." Meloni thought. Even force-breath couldn't overwrite being a girl after all.

[Thud'Thud']

A soft knock on the door cut her thoughts. Ray, lying beside her on the soft pink pillow, woke up from his sleep and stared at the door.

"Lemon! There's someone at the door for you!" Her aunt's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Who is it this early in the morning?" She murmured, annoyed.

Meloni slid on her flippers and went downstairs, wearing her casual T-shirt and pajamas.

A man, in a blue suit with black checks on it, stood on a porch, holding a sealed envelope.

"Ms. Meloni Eades?" He asked, but it looked like he already knew it was her.

"Yes?" Meloni asked for the reason of the unknown visitor, but then her eyes drifted towards his heart pocket, which had a badge of ferrum. She slid the strands of hair from her face and stared at the envelope with suspicion.

"You've been invited!" He said, handing the envelope over to her with both of his arms stretched.

Squinting her brows, she accepted the envelope and opened it. Inside it was a letter with the heading, 'Sponsorship Evaluation Session', and the date was...

'Today! Right! I completely forgot about this!' Meloni thought to herself. She remembered Virris Rhane, he contacted her the next day she was discharged, and set up a date for the meeting.

"If you don't wish to attend the meeting, I'll inform my superiors, we can arrange this some other time," The man standing in front of her door said, looking at her current state.

"Uh, no...Just give me a few minutes, I'll get ready!" She replied.

"Of course. We'll be waiting in the car just outside, take all the time you need," He bowed and turned around.

Meloni sighed, looking at the letter, and closed the door. She turned around and was startled for a second.

"Nana!" She shouted. Her Nana was trying to peek at the letter, standing right behind her.

"What's this?" She asked, curious and suspicious.

"This?" Meloni asked, pointing at the letter. She needed some time to think.

"Yes! What is it? Who was that man?" Aggie asked.

"Oh! I applied for a job, this is my letter evaluation meeting..." Meloni replied.

"You applied for a job? Where? What company sends their man on the doorstep to provide a physical offer letter, this early in the morning!" Aggie countered.

"Ferrum?" Meloni replied. She wasn't sure, but she did look up Ferrum online. Ferrum was a multinational corporation that dealt in medical technology and healthcare services. Though this part was just a cover.

"Ferrum? Like that Ferrum? My god! I knew you were brilliant, but this..." Aggie was surprised.

"Ah- hold the compliments for later, I need to leave right now!" Meloni tapped her hands on Aggie's shoulders and ran upstairs.

She opened the door in a hurry, threw the envelope with the letter inside at Ray's side, and ran inside the washroom.

"Hm?" Ray muttered, looking at the envelope.

"Sponsorship evaluation? Right, it was today!" He murmured.

After a few minutes, Meloni got out of the washroom after freshening up. Hurriedly, she opened her wardrobe, took out a black-silk long flowy frock, a glistening black shirt, and threw them on the bed.

She was about to take her T-shirt off, but then she remembered Ray was sitting right in front of her.

"Don't mind me, I'm not looking at you, I'm looking at the wardrobe behind you..." Ray was completely focused.

"Ugh!" Annoyed, she grunted and went back inside her washroom with the clothes, banging the door aloud.

'Why does she look oddly...pissed today?' Ray thought.

----

The ride to the Ferrum was a quiet one. With Ray listening to the music with earphones on, and Meloni staring outside at the passing scenery. While the driver that was escorting them was more worried about the falcon listening to music and moving its head in rhythm.

Within two hours, they arrived at the headquarters of Ferrum. Their black sedan slowed to a halt after passing through the wide slate grey iron gates. An agent, wearing a completely black suit, jogged towards the back door and opened it for Meloni.

Tying her hair in a ponytail with a purple hairband she brought with her, she stepped out of the car as Ray hopped on her shoulders.

A woman stood just at the gate of Ferrum's inner hall. She was slim, wore a formal, pale white coat over a white one-piece dress. Her silver hair was tied in a bun, her silver rimmed specs added a quiet scent of beauty to her face. Holding a clipboard in her hands, she stepped forward,

"Ms. Meloni Eades. You're expected. Please, follow me!" She said without a smile on her face. A still, formal expression.