the tides are changing

 Cori went to check on Melvin while the others feasted on fast burgers and fries. Of course, Melvin was a little out of it. He was watching flour churn into pizza crust. At least he was working.

Cori wanted to tell him about Tori who he knew was Tess (the girl, the ex in his nightmares or whatever it was that loved to taunt him). Of course, Tori didn't say a word to him. She was busy setting up and managed to play three songs with them before Caitlin showed up. Tori was quiet and she acted as if he were invisible. 

Of course, Melvin was blubbering how he wasn't up to singing. He was the worst. Evidently, in bed with Caitlin too. "Why does she have to be so mean?" He looked over at Cori as he was biting into the quick on his thumbnail.

"Stop!" Cori scowled and pulled his thumb away. "You..you guys are together, right?"

"I guess, but I can't ever be sure of anything with Caitlin," he sighed.

"Maybe..maybe you two rushed into this before you understood each other," Cori told him.

"Well..you slept with Megan the first night," Melvin looked at him as if he must be a sex god.

Cori shook his head, no. "That..that was different. Totally different. I didn't go there for sex." Cori's eyes lit. "I..I don't see things like you do. And..and maybe I'm weird, but I really feel you need to talk to Caitlin. Just talk. Don't try to fast forward so much. You..you both might be missing something."

As usual, Cori knew it would always be about Melvin. And now Melvin and Caitlin, evidently. He finished up with the pizza dough. 

"You need to get ready for this show. We need you, you know." Cori reminded him this was no time to dwell on his troubles with Caitlin.

"Huh," Melvin bit his thumbnail again as if he needed to be in pain.