Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon or the song 'Permanent Marker' by Taylor Swift.
This is a make-up from my last fanfiction one-shot where I made Chase out to be a bad guy. Well, here he is as a good guy. Yay! =3 R&R, please – it only takes a second. n_n
It's kind of weird to write this, I admit. I'm more of a closet fan of Taylor Swift, but I find it interesting and fun to work her lyrics into my writing… This was supposed to be a little more aimed towards romance, but it quickly turned to humor. Knowing me, that happens quite a bit. xD
Permanent Marker
I know he loved you…
SQUEAK – SQUEAK!
A long time ago…
CHIIT!
I ain't jealous of you…
"Pfft! Think you're so cute…"
Just thought you should know…
"Molly? Where are you?" His voice drifted through the house.
"Huh? What? What do you want, hon?" I called back as sweetly as I could as I quickly tore another picture in my hands.
Chase rounded the corner and stared. There was a pile of burnt out matches and a smoking pile of ash in the nearby fire place. I was sitting on the floor with an old cardboard box filled with junk – or what I deemed as junk. There were bits and pieces of photographs all around me and the room smelled like smoke, marker, and revenge. "What are you doing?"
SQUEAK – SQUEAK. The marker made an obnoxious sound as I marked the crossing lines over her face. I threw my finished work behind me over my head. "Drawing."
"Drawing? That's all my old stuff!"
"Yeah, it's old. And useless. And slutty." I grumbled, staring at an over-stuffed pink teddy bear before striking a match and attempting to light its foot on fire.
Chase snatched the bear and glared down at me. "What's the matter with you? Maya's never done anything to you. Sure – she's an old girlfriend, but that doesn't mean anything anymore."
"Uh-huh." I nodded with a raised eyebrow. I put out the match and stood up, brushing off my shorts.
"Don't you trust me?" He asked, looking hurt.
"Aw, 'course I do." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and took the bear, giving it a hug. "But I don't trust that mop top any farther than she can run with a full stomach."
CHIIT.
I stuffed the bear's decapitated head and the body into his arms, giving him a sickeningly sweet grin, and walked from the room.
You were never good enough for him
Or anything like me,
So you might as well sit back
'Cause I'm not trying to show maturity!
Chase and I held hands, walking down the street in Harmonica Town. It was almost time for him to go to work, so I was tagging along with him until he had to start his shift at the bar.
I excitedly tugged on his arm and pointed out over the ocean. "Look! I just saw a dolphin! Well… It was only a fin, so maybe it was a shark…"
"Or a whale?" Chase suggested with a smirk.
I gave him a shove as the familiar click of Mary-Jane shoes skipped down the staircase and up behind us.
"Hey, Chase~! Molly!" Maya grinned and waved to the both of us.
"Speaking of whales…" I muttered before smiling. "Hey, Maya! What are you up to?"
"Just sayin' hello." She shrugged. "So how are you Chase? You look harassed and bored."
I obviously bit my tongue and gave her a withered look. Chase looked at her in confusion and answered: "No, I'm fine… thanks. You?"
"Fine, I guess. Kind of bored myself…" Maya complained. "Been a rough day of work. 'Course Molly can't really relate to us – she doesn't work for a living."
"I do, too!" I objected. "Do more work than you've ever done, you little—"
"Okay! That's enough." Chase interrupted. "Why do you two always fight whenever you see each other? I don't get it. You have so much in common."
"Are you calling me a whale?" I gasped.
"I'm not boring!" Maya retorted at the same time.
We both shared a glare before Chase looked at his watch. "Okay, well, I gotta get to work. Bye, Molly." He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, escaping us for now. "See ya later, Maya." He waved and walked towards the bar.
Once he was out of ear shot, Maya rocked back and forth on her ugly shoes with a satisfied smile. "Hear that? He's going to 'see me later'. Doesn't that bother you?"
I glowered. "That's so stupid. A slip of the tongue. …And I'll show you what real harassment is if you don't buzz off."
"'Kay, 'kay! Whatevs. See you later, Molly – oh, that's right. I'm only seeing Chase later. Ha-ha, bye!"
I grit my teeth as she giggled all the way back up the staircase.
"X" is the shape I drew through your face
In permanent marker
Just like the mark you knew you were making
Who do you think you are?
To write on his heart
In permanent marker…
"Don't you love the Flower Festival?" Renee sighed, inhaling the fragrance in the air.
"Yeah." I agreed absent-mindedly, eyeing the crowd.
"I'm sure he'll be here, Molly. No need to worry! He said he's coming with Toby, remember?" She chuckled. "We can still enjoy the festival without them though in the meantime. Come on, I want to go see the sunflowers! They look so beautiful!"
"Okay, okay!" I laughed and followed her. Little did she know I wasn't looking for Chase, but for someone very different…
Renee gazed over the little patches of sunflowers that were laid out, and she couldn't resist buying one. She got out her rucksack to purchase her choice flower from Ruth when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"I'd like to buy that flower." He smiled.
"Toby! Hi! Oh, you don't have to do that… I have money." Renee insisted.
Too bad; Ruth sold Toby the flower instead. He admired it for a few seconds before handing it to her.
"That's so sweet of you." She blushed.
"No problem." He rubbed the back of his head.
"Uh… Hey, Toby?" I interfered. "Have you seen Chase? I thought he was coming with you."
"He did. I thought he was right behind me." Toby shrugged, suddenly looking around.
"Oh, there he is!" Renee pointed across the Church Plaza. Chase was standing by a booth holding a few Morning Glories and Maya was standing in front of him, giggling about something.
"Cow…" I grumbled and stomped over. "Hey, Chase! Where've you been?" I asked a little too suspiciously.
Chase jumped when he saw me, but he put on a huge smile. "Hi, Molly. I was just buying these for you – didn't want to find you empty-handed."
He handed me my favorite flowers and I melted. "Aw… Thank you…"
"And I just happened to run into him. You know – Morning Glories are my favorite, too." Maya hinted.
"Oh, I can get one for you, if you want." Chase offered.
"Don't bother." I snapped, taking one from my bouquet. I snapped the head off and handed her the stem. "Here – it's your favorite, right?"
Maya frowned and accepted the stem. Chase sensed the tension and took me by the shoulder. "Let's go find Renee and Toby, huh? Bye, Maya."
"Bye, Chasie~!" Maya waved.
I turned, obeying him and walked away. Just then, a stem smacked me in the back of the head. I whirled around, saw it on the ground, and looked up to see Maya whistling idly by.
I growled and let out a huff, getting the bangs from my face, and made a move to rush her. Chase grabbed me in time and led me as casually away as he could.
"Come on, Molly; let's not make a scene…"
"It wasn't me! Not this time at least…"
I found that picture…
Cautiously opening the front door, I snuck inside the house with a bucket, a mop, and plenty of soap. My hair was pulled back by a bandana and I wore a protective apron. Since I couldn't think of anything to give Chase for his birthday this year except for the same old orange recipe, I decided to surprise him by giving his house a complete, turn-around clean.
I started off by picking up random garbage, and then I beat the rugs outside and hung them on a line to air out a little. I swept the floor with a broom he had and then got to work making the floor sparkle with my bucket and mop.
About halfway through my cleaning, I decided to start dusting. I had the paper towels out and a bottle of Pledge and was going around to all of the knick knacks. I entered his bedroom and dusted the things off on his desk, now noticing a picture in a frame.
Of you in that green dress…
It was a picture of Maya and Chase a few years ago at New Year's. She was all gussied up and she was hanging on his arm. He was smiling like he usually does, but I told myself that he smiled wider when I was hanging on his arm. She was staring at the camera with a detestable, sugary laugh and a gleam in her eye.
Sure had a good time…
I clenched my fist around the picture, glaring down at it. Her smile was mocking me. Well, this is spring cleaning, after all.
"See you later, Molly – oh, that's right. I'm only seeing Chase later."
"You know – Morning Glories are my favorite, too."
Cleaning up that mess.
With my nose in the air, I dropped the entire frame in the garbage can. Hard.
He found thirty of the pieces,
"Hey, Molly?" Chase asked frantically, rummaging through drawers like crazy.
"Huh?" I called from the stove.
"Have you seen my photo album?" He called back.
"Which one?"
"The one with… You know which one."
But he'll never find them all.
I rolled my eyes and didn't answer. In a few seconds, Chase was in the kitchen with his arms crossed. "What did you do with it?"
"I don't understand why you would need that old thing anyway…" I shrugged innocently without looking at him. I poured out the boiled water into the sink, puffing up clouds of steam in my face. I put the noodles in a bowl and tossed them a little so they wouldn't stick.
Tried to tape it back together—
"Molly…" Chase said. He was threateningly close to me, right behind my shoulder. I couldn't help but smirk.
Now he knows to keep it off the wall!
Ring~! Ring~!
I set down my book and reached for the phone.
"I'll get it!" Chase volunteered. The ringing stopped, and I didn't bother with it.
Picking up my book, I had a sudden suspicion, and it wasn't just because I was reading Nancy Drew. I set down the book quietly and looked at the kitchen door where Chase was cooking dinner to make sure it was safe. Then, as quietly as I could, I picked up the receiver to listen in.
"—but that's not what I said at all." Chase mumbled.
"Maybe it's just me, but I miss you…" Maya's voice sighed.
And I don't appreciate you calling him to reminisce,
My eyes bulged and I gripped the telephone cord with anxiety. What's this?
"Well… I admit, I miss you as a friend, but you need to get over it, Maya. I'm sorry, but I have a girlfriend. And I don't plan on leaving her."
I screamed silently in triumph. What a great guy!
"…You know, you don't exactly have to leave her, per say…" Her voice whispered.
"And that's out of the question. Friends?"
"I don't think I can do that."
"Then…" Chase mulled it over in his head.
After a few more seconds, I determined that I had heard enough, he had defended enough, and she had tried enough. I stood up from the plushy, lounge chair and picked up the phone, dragging it along with me.
"Look, Maya… I don't want to make things all dramatic, okay? What's wrong with being friends?"
I crept up to the kitchen door and poked my head in. Chase wasn't facing me, but he was standing with his back to me and the wall phone.
"She doesn't deserve you! Molly's terribly mean to everyone – she doesn't care. I do, Chase. I really—"
Chase looked up suddenly, turning to face me. I twirled the phone jack cord in my free hand with the other phone tucked under my arm and the receiver stuck between my neck and my shoulder.
"Weird thing with these corded phones – so much static!"
The only reason is you're seeing how much better off he is!
"Oh my goodness – yes!" I screamed, bouncing up and down. I tackled him when he was on only one knee, and he tumbled.
Chase laughed and took the ring from the box. My hands were trembling with excitement as he slipped the band on my finger.
"Wow…" I stared at it. "I can't believe I'm engaged!"
He laughed again and helped me to my feet. I gave him a long kiss as we stood on the beach just outside of town. And today I just expected to walk him to work…!
"Okay, there's just one thing I want to put to you. Promise not to get mad?" He asked a little warily, pulling away from me.
I looked at him suspiciously. "What is it?"
"I want to invite Maya. Now, don't freak out! I just want to make things right. Please just give me the chance to invite her? That's all I want."
It didn't take me long to make up my mind. "Sure, whatever. I'm getting married!"
He chuckled and gave me a hug.
I flipped the page of the scrap book and smiled. Chase and I were standing in front of the church, nearly thirty years younger, and I was wearing a wedding dress and he in a tux. Well, it was the closest he was going to get to wearing a tux. He didn't like them very much as I recall.
"Hey, Molly? Where are you?" Chase called through the house.
"In here! What?" I asked, looking up from the lounge chair next to the phone.
"Can you come here a minute?"
"Sure, hold on! Be right there!" I yelled and looked down at the picture one more time. Hamilton was near his son Gill in the far right corner followed by Ruth and Craig and Renee and Toby next to them. I followed the people in the background of the shot until my eyes locked on a certain girl on the far left. She was pulling a very sassy grimace.
Feeling sneaky, I pulled out the drawer underneath the phone.
SQUEAK – SQUEAK!
I giggled at the new little 'X' over Maya's face.
In permanent marker…!
