My Secret Santa Fic Exchange story for Darling (dearXdarling)! Enjoy! :)
Prompts: tapping on windows late in the night, photographs, memories, stars, the sky, the color emerald green, kisses under the moonlight, and the Arctic Monkeys.
Note: kind of long- please excuse my word vomit that I call a story. :X
Title: "When the Sun Goes Down"- Arctic Monkeys
Lyrics: "Just a Dream"- Nelly
When the Sun Goes Down
"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up/ And now they're gone and you wish you could give them everything"
Cameron Fisher was spotted walking through the empty halls of White Plains High School. Dylan Marvil stood crouched in a runner's position, deliberating when to attack. She counted to three and ran.
She jumped in front of his face, looked him in his weird eyes, and smacked him across the face, leaving a bright red mark. "That was for Massie," Dylan spat in his face. As she ran off, Cam stood still, watching her runaway as his cheek burned.
Dylan fled to the girls' bathroom on the second floor, where Massie Block was currently hiding out. "Massie? You still here?" Dylan asked as she began kicking the bathroom stall doors.
"Yeah, I'm here, Dyl," Massie cried in a weak voice. She unlocked the stall door and ran into Dylan's waiting arms. After the embrace, Massie walked to the mirror and examined her mascara-stained cheeks. She washed the tears and make-up from her face and blew her nose into a rough paper towel.
"Can you tell me the whole story now?" Dylan asked once they reached a lunch bench, making sure they were out of earshot.
"I told you. I broke up with him," Massie replied flatly, looking far too interested in her calculus homework.
"I know there is more to the story. Tell me what he did," Dylan asserted, closing Massie's textbook. "I didn't slap that loser for nothing."
Massie assented to Dylan's pleads. "So I was going over to his house the day before his birthday to surprise him. I went down to his basement and there they were, listening to the Arctic Monkeys on the Fishers' suede couch, snogging the shit out of each other. Yeah, happy birthday, mother fu-"
"Whoa, Arctic Monkeys? What the hell is wrong with him? That's your band! You totally introduced them to him!"
"I know! But that is beside the point, Dyl. Look at the big picture!" Massie slammed her pencil on the table.
"Oh, right. This is where I start interrogating you about who that moron was with…" Dylan paused and looked at Massie for approval. Massie nodded, and she continued. "Who was he with?"
"Claire 'Imma Hoe and Proud' Lyons."
Dylan shook her head in disapproval. "I've always hated that slut. She dresses like a total prostitute."
Massie rolled her eyes and shrugged dismally. "Whatever, I'm done with him," Massie said to Dylan, trying to convince herself as well.
-;-
"It's almost Christmas, Bean. What are you asking Santa for?" Massie asked her pug gloomily. Bean barked in reply. "Me? What do I want? I want to start fresh. I want a good boyfriend. That's all I want this year. Oh, and tickets to Spring Awakening on Broadway. It's always sold out…"
Ho, ho, freakin' ho.
-;-
"Hey, Massie. Look at me for a second."
"Yes, Cameron," Massie said as she turned around to face her boyfriend. Cameron took a picture of a surprised Massie on his Nikon. "Ah! Stop taking pictures of me! I'm not ready!" Cam continued to take pictures as Massie covered her face with her hands. "Stop!" Massie shrieked as Cam began to tickle her.
"Never!" Cam laughed as Massie squirmed. Finally, he got off of Massie and allowed her to breath. Massie, panting, rose from her position on the blanket and looked up at the setting sun. It was almost twilight- her favorite time of day. It wasn't day nor was it night. Twilight is the perfect balance between the two.
"See that purple right there?" Massie pointed to the colorful sky.
Cam followed Massie's finger and nodded. "Yeah, it's beautiful."
Massie smiled as she admired the incredulous New York sunset. She turned to Cam, who was also staring dreamingly at the sky. He noticed Massie's staring and turned to face his girlfriend.
He leaned in-
Massie was awaken from her reverie when someone bumped into her in the busy halls of WPHS. She looked back and saw a shaggy blonde haired boy staring back at her.
"Hey, watch where you're going," she said to his retreating figure and stalked off, confused. Why did she not recognize him?
Massie continued walking to her locker. She unlocked it and grabbed her sketchbook in a hurry. She glanced at her watch. She was already late to Painting, why rush? She trod to class as she hummed the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song while occasionally doing a Will Smith-esque skip. She got to class three minutes late, but Massie was indifferent.
"Nice to see you have arrived, Ms. Block," Mrs. Rednick sarcastically greeted her. Massie smiled in reply and sat down in her usual seat in the middle row. As Mrs. Rednick explained the assignment, Massie's stomach growled loudly. A few people surrounding Massie turned and looked at her. Massie smiled in embarrassment, and sneakily pulled out a Nutz Over Chocolate Luna Bar. When Mrs. Rednick turned her back to the class, Massie took bites until the bar was finished.
Mrs. Rednick explained how today, they would be drawing their own interpretation of a photograph. For the class of 20 students, she only brought about 16 photos. She said that a few people would have to share the photos with another student. She carefully spread the photographs, which ranged from black and white to brightly colored, onto the tables. Everyone got up and carefully examined the pictures until they found "the one."
Massie saw it from afar. It was a picture of a sunset over a wild, stormy ocean. Clouds mainly covered the sky, but an occasional blue peeked from beneath the darkness. The sky was illuminated with a bright orange color that the sun emitted as it slowly set.
As Massie extended her arm to pick it up, another pair of hands grabbed the picture before she could. She looked up and saw a familiar foreign head of blonde hair.
"Hey! That was mine!" Massie complained.
"I got it first," the mysterious boy countered.
"But you obviously saw me reaching for it! You knew I was trying to get it!" Massie gesticulated. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Derrick. Derrick Harrington. I'm new," he answered. That's why Massie did not recognize him the first time. "And you are?"
"Massie," she stated confidently. "Do you want to just share it?" Massie purposed.
"Yeah, fine," he acquiesced. They sat down at a table together, and separately they began to draw their own sunset. Both were immersed in the drawing that neither realized the end of the period. Massie examined her drawing and admired her attempt to capture to beauty of the photograph. She then looked at Derrick's and gasped. Somehow, he managed to make the drawing even more exquisite than the original photograph. Massie looked from the picture to Derrick and back again. Derrick smirked as Massie stood their, her mouth hanging in astonishment.
"Dude, this is breathtaking. You are so talented," Massie sincerely admitted.
"Thanks," Derrick shrugged. "It's nothing, really."
Massie rolled her eyes and walked off. She turned back and looked at Derrick examining his piece. "Well, it sure is something."
-;-
When Massie arrived at her house, she saw a flurry of people, each carrying-out a different task. Of course, every year Kendra Block plans an extravagant holiday party on Christmas Eve. Kendra, being the socialite she is, invites everyone in Westchester. And as usual, everyone was bound to stop by the coveted Block Estate. Like every year, Massie would get to see her dad get drunk and start singing Christmas songs while her mom flaunted her new Tiffany & Co. diamonds, courtesy of William Block.
Christmas Eve arrived, and soon, the entire estate was filled with the socialites of Westchester and their families.
Massie spent the beginning socializing with her friends and family. She was clad in a silky emerald green one-shouldered dress and black Louboutin pumps. Sure, she looked glamorous, but she didn't feel it. Her smile and words were empty whenever someone complimented her expertly styled hair or professionally done make-up. It has only been a week since the "Cam Incident." Nothing seemed to lighten her mood, not even the peppermint hot chocolate.
She retired to the upstairs study. After igniting the fireplace, she crawled onto the window seat. She tapped on the icy window, staring at the twinkling stars high up in the midnight sky. The moonlight submerged Massie, and she was lost in the serenity that it brought.
She didn't hear the footsteps that soon came. "Oh, uh, sorry," a voice said. Massie awoke from her peace in the moonlight. She turned and faced the owner of the voice.
"What are you doing here?" Massie asked Derrick Harrington.
"Uh, I think our moms met in Pilates or something, and she invited us-"
"No, I mean in this room," Massie rolled her eyes.
"Oh," he blushed. "I don't know. I got kind of bored downstairs, so I decided to walk around." He strode to the desk by the fireplace and sat down in the leather chair. He picked up the pad of plain white paper and a pencil lying on the wooden desk. He looked at Massie and back at the paper.
Massie noticed his actions. "What are you doing?"
"Just sit still," he replied as he stared intently at Massie.
And they sat there for a while, neither of them keeping track of the time. Derrick drew as Massie talked.
"Done," he said definitely. He got up from his chair and walked to where Massie was sitting on the window seat. He sat down opposite her, handed her the pad of paper, and waited for her reaction.
Massie gazed at the sketch. Derrick surprised her yet again; somehow, he managed to convey this explicit emotion into his drawings and make them almost life-like. She ran her finger over the paper and felt the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
She looked back at Derrick, who was staring at her. "Thank you," she said as she reached over to give him a hug. As they pulled apart from the hug, Massie met his gaze, and leaned in again. Their lips met, and memories of her and Cam hit her like a full-speed train. She quickly pulled away and ran out the door. Derrick sat there, bewildered, wondering what he did. He quickly followed her, down the stairs and out the back door.
Derrick saw her sitting on an old swing set, bathing in the glowing moonlight. He sat in the empty swing next to her. He looked at her, waiting for her to explain. Massie looked down guiltily.
"Sorry about that," Massie started.
"What happened? Was it something I did?"
"No, no, it was all me." Massie hesitated. "I, uh, recently broke up with my boyfriend… who cheated on me."
"What idiot would cheat on you?" Derrick said to himself. Massie turned and smiled at him. She gently grabbed his face and brought herself to him. This time, when their lips met, Massie did not pull away. They kissed gently under the bright glow of the moon.
"What the hell?" Massie pulled away from the kiss and turned to face Cam Fisher, who was running towards them. "Massie, what fuck do you think you're doing?"
"We're not together anymore, remember?" Massie exclaimed, grabbing Derrick's hand for support.
"So? That doesn't mean you could go around kissing every guy you see! Stop acting like a slut!"
"Hey! Watch what you say!" Derrick stood up defensively. Massie smiled at Derrick. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered into Derrick's ear. He nodded. The two ran off together, hand-in-hand, into the house.
Internally, Massie thanked Santa. Finally, she got what she wanted for Christmas: a new, good boyfriend.
And Massie could've sworn she saw an envelope on her father's desk with the words "Spring Awakening tickets" penned on it.
Santa told me if you don't review, you will be on the "Naughty List"...and um, you don't wanna be on that, kay?
Happy Holidays!
p.s.- thunder&lightening in the middle of the day... Is that normal? Curse you, California Weather Fairies.
-Donna (: