Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or situations (but think about the awesome slumber parties I could have if I did). Written for fun, not profit.
The AC in the mall is too cold, it always is. Marissa has goosebumps and she wishes she weren't wearing this skirt and tank top, so when Lilly absent-mindedly hands her a sweater she pulls it over her head without thinking. Lilly arranges the bunched-up material at the shoulders familiarly and smiles deviously. A smile like that can only be smiled by someone like Lilly Kane. Marissa's smile is tentative and almost guilty, always always.
"I'm so glad it's just us. I hate shopping with the moms and the younger siblings," Lilly says.
"Me too," says Marissa, because mothers suck and that's a fact.
Lilly leans back and tilts her head, appraising Marissa's sweater. Fugly is the verdict, and yet she grabs another one from the rack and shoves it in her purse. Marissa laughs, thrilled even though the story seems empty.
Lilly takes her hand and they walk towards the exit, as Marissa tries to remember the name of that book that this reminds her of. Lilly just sighs and says "God Marissa, if I wanted to talk about books I wouldn't have ditched the Donut. Reading is for people who don't know how to live."
Lilly Kane is everything Marissa Cooper hates about Newport except that she's from Neptune. That, and she's totally awesome.
They're hiding in the closet, backs against opposite walls. The sounds of a party are going on outside.
"So, are we going to make out or what?" asks Lilly.
Marissa just stares. "Um, no?" she says, but it comes out as a question.
"Aren't we here to play 7 Minutes in Heaven?" Lilly asks, genuinely perplexed.
Marissa can't remember why they came in here in the first place, but she gets an idea and fishes around in coat pockets until she finds a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She lights one for Lilly and one for herself and Lilly is so pleased with Marissa's cunning that she does kiss her, just for a second on the cheek.
"My mom would freak," says Lilly as she inhales, and she sounds so young Marissa hardly recognizes her voice.
"My mom would probably say it was okay if it helped me keep my weight down," Marissa replies.
Lilly cackles. "Wow, you weren't lying about your mom being a bitch, were you?"
Marissa hadn't been lying exactly, but the words feel heavy on her tongue so she changes the subject. "How come you never talk about your boyfriend, Lilly?"
"Which one, dude?" and a smoke ring are her only answer. After a moment she continues. "I'm not really a great girlfriend. I'm a totally kickass best friend though."
"I know," says Marissa, pretending she does. "I'm not really great at either I guess."
"They love you though, right? I mean, everyone loves you."
Marissa's uncomfortable. "Everyone loves you too, don't they? Unless they hate you."
Lilly stubs out her cigarette on her toenail. "Yeah, fucking weird, innit?"
Marissa couldn't have said it better herself
They lay on the merry-go-around and true to its name, it goes around and around and around. Marissa loses count of the times as her hair fans beneath her and drags in the dirt.
"It's weird how, like, when you're the laying on your back the sky's like down, right? Like you could fall into it. That's weird, right?" she asks as though it's the most urgent question she'll ever ask. She's stoned out of her mind and the merry-go-round seems to be speeding up.
"Hey, Coop, you remember when me met?" asks Lilly, but she already knows the answer.
Marissa tries to swallow, but feels like her throat isn't quite attached to her head in the proper way. "No. I wonder why."
"No you don't," says Lilly and as they spin, the blood from her head flies up and around and it hits Marissa and mixes with her own.
Marissa wants to slap Lilly for ruining her pretty lie, but they're still spinning and she can't move. "It's not fair. I'm not done and I didn't know."
"Yeah well, suck it up," is her response, but Marissa knows she feels the same. That's why they're here together, two spoiled rich girls who wasted their lives and now would never get to see naked Harry Potter or the next DKNY fall collection or the Valley series finale or their bitchy moms (that they totally hate, just for the record). Two girls whose boyfriends are being rescued by someone better while they are still dying, not ready to be dead.
"It's not our fault, you know," says Lilly, and Marissa wishes she was so sure.