The next few weeks of school flew by and I'd dream about that night at Choose Goose's. Every once in a while I'd run into Marshall in the halls, but he was always talking to someone... a pretty girl, an angst ridden boy, a teacher, you name it. He was popular. But why wouldn't he be? He was a senior: the top of the food chain (in high school terms), handsome, fairly smart (I think?), charming, tall, seductive... Oy! What was wrong with me? I needed to stop this.

It's not like I was a virgin or anything. So wasn't it okay for me to be having these thoughts about Marshall constantly? That virgin ship had sailed the summer before I started high school, just a few months ago. It happened. So what. Big whoop. It hurt for a little, but then it felt...good. Really good. Hah! Maybe I was ready to try it again - BAM!

I had turned a corner to walk right into, low and behold, Marshall. Standing with his back against my locker, arms crossed, watching me react to this chance encounter and smirking his stupidly stupid adorable smirk. I brought my hand to my heart and took a few steps away from him.

'Ugh! You scared me you dick! I walked right into you!'

He laughed as he pushed himself off of my locker with his foot and jokingly grasped at his heart as if I had hurt his feelings.

'Ooooh, ouch little girl, don't think you know me enough yet to be calling me names. Anyway,' he purred as I pushed past him and started to open my locker 'I wanted to see you.'

I stopped for a second, holding up a book on the Manson murders I had rented before continuing to place it in my locker. I put away a few more books and shut the locker behind me before I answered. School had ended nearly 10 minutes ago and the halls were almost empty. I turned around and he was inches away from my body.

'Yeah, well, why did you want to see me then?' I asked, trying not to blush. It was uncomfortable having him so close, I was afraid he'd see that I needed to get my eyebrows done soon... or that my make-up was running or... something else embarrassing. A booger? Maybe?

He placed his hand against the locker to the left of my body and leaned in a little. I stepped away, but felt the cold metal of the lockers against my back. I had nowhere to go, he had me pinned. I could smell the gum he was chewing. Cinnamon. I was getting dizzy.

'No reason' he answered, 'well, okay, I lied. There's a reason. You know that kid they call Gumball?'

I nodded. PB had been hanging around Gumball recently and therefore I had been out with them a few times. They seemed to really like each other. He was a senior as well, so it was no surprise Marshall knew him.

'Welllllll, he's having a Halloween party this weekend. Wanted to know if you were going to be there' he asked casually. Pushing off of the lockers and giving me my space again. I could feel my heart slow down.

'Yeah, PB is friends with him, I'm sure I'll be there with her. Are you going?' I responded, trying not to sound excited. I had to remind myself to breath as I itched to get out into the cold air and begin my short walk home. I needed to cool down. He made me so flustered and so easily.

'Yeah I'll probably be there' he said, 'you going home now? Wanna ride?'

'Oh, no, that's okay I don't live very far and I like walking'

'Well, I could walk with you. I like walking too. I like the fall. And I
especially like pretty girls with long dark hair and big brown eyes' he
cooed while eyeing me up and down. I guess I mustn't have looked that horrid from up close. I blushed...he thinks I'm pretty? I tried not to smile with my teeth, embarrassed by my metal braces. They were coming off next week. I couldn't wait.

'Fine, you goof, let's go' I said as I began to walk toward one of the exits, casually slinging my backpack over my shoulder.

'Lemme grab my stuff quick' he shouted toward me as he disappeared into one of the stairwells.

I quickly glanced at my reflection in one of the glass panels on the
school door I stood near. I ran my index finger underneath both eyes,
trying to wipe away any eyeliner that might have smudged throughout the day. I fumbled inside my flannel pocket to find a piece of gum. I could hear him coming back down the stairwell as I popped the gum in my mouth and attempted to stand alluringly against the wall. I failed. I could only imagine what kind of contorted idiot I looked like standing there waiting. He laughed as he approached me. I rolled my eyes.

'You ready your majesty?' I asked, looking up into his sinisterly dark eyes.

'After you, my queen' he replied, bowing deeply while crossing his legs and extending his arms, signaling for me to go first. I looked down as I curtsied and caught him looking up at me under his shaggy dark hair. Smirking, again, how unlike Marshall Lee...

I giggled and looked behind me as I pushed the door open. I caught him straightening up, running his hand through his hair to get the straggly bits off of his face. The days were getting shorter already and it was only the second week of October. I was going to miss longer days and warmer weather, but boy did I love the fall in Ooo. My eyes darted from tree to tree, taking in the beautiful red, yellow and orange foliage.

Marshall caught up to me as I began to walk towards my neighborhood making sure to step on the crunchy brown leaves piled beneath my feet.

'So are you liking high school so far?' he asked as we walked.

'Yeah, it's pretty cool I guess, I like the friends I'm making'

'Oh yeah? What kind of friends are you making?'

Not that that was any of his business. I replied anyway.

'A few juniors and sophomores in the school band. I saw them out at a show not too long ago and we got to talking. I play bass and I like to jam every once in a while...wanted to see if they were interested'

'You play bass? That's pretty cool' he said smiling and looking at me from the corner of his eye.

'I do, not often though. Just a silly hobby really. So tell me about you,
Marshall the mysterious Lee' I smirked and looked at him. We made eye contact and he looked away towards the sky. Was he...pondering
something?

'Sorry, didn't mean to pry' I spat quickly. I was afraid I had already started pushing him away.

He smiled. 'Nah, don't worry about it. It's just... I feel less mysterious
around you. You caught me off guard when you said that'

I didn't say anything. Just kept on walking. He began again.

'I'm from a town over, Aaa. I skate a lot and growing up Ooo had better flat ground spots so I'd skate here a lot. It's where I made all of my friends'

'Eventually I transferred high schools to be closer to
my friends, but I guess that was just a bad idea altogether because I
was slacking off too much and well, you know the rest. But I'm back now' he finished and looked at me.

I nodded in approval of his decision.

'I'm glad you came back' I whispered as he inched himself closer to me, our arms touchingly gently, sending shivers down my spine.

He ran his fingers down my forearm as he slid his hand into mine and we webbed our fingers together.

'Me too' he agreed taking in a breath of crisp fall air, squeezing my hand tightly and closing his eyes. He was smiling, but it wasn't his usual 'I've got you right where I want you smile'. He just looked...happy.

I smiled up at him and shut my eyes too for a second, slowly moving in closer to him and resting my head on his arm, holding the inside of his forearm with my other hand. He smelled so good.

-