"Back to black"

                                    

                                          
After seeing Melina kiss Simon on the lips, I left the meeting with my teammates. I kept quiet as we all waited in the hallway.
I feel like garbage right now. 
The superiors came in and Merrick told us to go in as well. As we walked in I saw that the task force were all looking annoyed etc. looks like they had fought...i mean, from the hallway you could hear everyone fighting.
We all sat down in our chairs...I turned to look at Simon, as Melina was sitting next to him.
"Back to the mission. Tomorrow we have a mission, we need it to be quiet. In and out . Capture or kill." Laswell began to speak.
"Who should we capture?" Soap asked.
"Vladir Federov. One of the number one politicians and businessmen on Shepherd and Makarov's list of allies." Laswell showed Vladir's picture on the big screen.
That bastard. 
"But-we still don't know if the mission will be given to you Task Force or Ghosts Unit. Although the two of you will be working together only one of you will be giving you heavy duty." Laswell said.
"What do you think?" Keegan asked us.
Tomorrow was supposed to be our day off...I had planned to spend the day with Simon etc...but I guess that plan was behind us now.
I nodded in agreement as did the others- "we are ready to take orders." Keegan answered for everyone.
"With much respect, I think that you should give the mission to us. We can be just like the Ghosts." Melina spoke up.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise..she didn't just say that...
"With much respect, Gates...but just because you've done one mission being a "ghost" doesn't mean you have the talent or just the training to do a perfectly complete job like we do." I replied, turning to face her.
I could see she was upset just by looking at me. Don't worry dear I dislike you too.
"Maely Shepherd, right? How's your dad?" Melina said sarcastically as she gave me a smile.
Simon looked at her and everyone looked at her.
"Girls-let's give each other more respect-" Laswell tried to stop us.
"How's yours?" I asked her too.
I noticed that in her face she was very offended and the guys in my unit started laughing at her.
Let's see how far you bite, Melina.
"More respect! The capture or kill mission will be for the Ghosts, task force will only be support team. We're done with the meeting." Laswell said annoyed.
We all stood up and started to leave.
"Watch how you talk to me, Maely." Melina grabbed me by one arm and stopped me.
I moved my arm from her grip- "then start with changing your shitty attitude towards me. Oh- and to you I'm Callahan or Ghost Callahan or professionally First Sergeant Callahan, Got it?" I said approaching her.
I'm a hell of a lot taller than Melina and I have a hell of a lot more body than her, i mean in a battle between me and her, she doesn't even have a 30% chance of beating me. I'm a freaking Ghost. 
"First Sergeant?" she asked sarcastically.
Then I turned around and behind me on my vest is my very huge rank, since the front one I don't put it on when I'm on base. 
As she saw my rank she was stunned and went blank- "Did you or did you not understand, Sergeant Gates?" 
"Understood, First Sergeant Callahan." Melina made her official salute to me but reluctantly.
"Thank you, I don't want to hear your damn voice disrespecting me again." I gave her my last look and walked away from everyone.
I kept walking until I stopped walking....
Then I heard someone standing behind me.
I turned around and it was Simon.
"Yes?" I asked him.
"Please excuse Melina...she always tends to be a little spoiled at first. She didn't mean to offend you or disrespect you." Simon said.
"Is that why you followed me here?" I asked.
"No- the kiss Melina gave me- I didn't mean for you to see it." 
Wasn't his intention?
"Did it mean anything to you?" I asked.
I feel like a meteor is falling on me.
"I-I don't know-" Simon started to say.
"You don't know?! So you're not sure?" I asked.
"Maely- no- it's not what you think" Simon moved closer to me.
But I took three steps back- "Then what is it? Explain!" 
"I just- I'm confused. I thought she was dead- and I kept going forward." Simon said.
"And now what does that change? Do you want to go back to her? Go back to the past that you've moved on from? And what about me? What will happen to us?!" I yelled at Simon.
"I just- I just need some time! To think!" Simon yelled back.
"WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US?!" I asked him again.
"Us? Which us? We are not even a couple yet-" Simon said.
"Wow....wow. Okay. You know what? Stay with her, I'll never be nor am I second choice." I said.
"You are not second choice, Maely. NEVER." 
"Well it seems that way, because if you wanted me, you wouldn't need time or be making so many excuses. You want her, so Perfect. Stay with her, I hope you know and understand that she basically broke your heart by making you think she was dead...while all I've been doing is fixing that pain she caused. Thank you so much for everything..." i turned around and kept walking.
"STOP- Maely! STOP-" 
 / /
Where I live aka PUERTO RICO, it's 11:34pm...so when it strikes 12am I want to dedicate a big  HAPPY NEW YEAR! TO ALL OF YOU🎉🫶
I hope this 2023 will be a year filled with lots of joy, love, laughter, good vibes, opportunities and good changes for all of you!
Thank you for being part of me and for the immense support you have given me since day one! 
You made 2022 a great year for me! 
❤️THANK YOU!❤️