Roommates: Part 2
"Keep up, girl!"
While Rosalie did not enjoy being spoken to like a child, she retained her warm smile as she followed Marlena down the long, elegant, stone sidewalk. The path that the two half-sisters were on led to the main entrance of Eastern Heights and students from various wealthy families were making their way inside. Rosalie was awed by the individual statues of different Pokémon placed alongside the walkway and stopped when she noticed the Cinccino one.
"All of the great families have statues placed on the sides of this walkway," Marlena explained. She pushed her curly, blonde hair out of her beautiful face and glared at her younger sister. "My family's place is right here. Unlike you, the blood of Dean Ralston actually runs through my veins. I belong here."
The fact that Marlena was correct was what stung the most. Cinccino was the Pokémon symbol of the Ralstons, Marlena's mother's family. The two of them had only recently met after the younger girl had arrived at the Sachman estate claiming to be the daughter of Marlena's father, the famous coordinator and male model Anthony Sachman. Marlena and her mother had brushed it off at first and believed it was some type of hoax. However, once the blood test had confirmed Rosalie's paternity, all hell had broken loose. Marlena's parents were currently in the midst of a multi-billion dollar divorce that had almost become as talked about among the community as the marriage between Charles McNamara and Wilona Tremaine. Rosalie had only been taken in by Marlena's mother as a public relations maneuver since her mother had passed away and now she was in an unfamiliar environment with a beautiful sister who hated her.
"Which family uses Sharpedo as their symbol?" Rosalie asked, hoping to redirect the conversation a bit.
"The Tremaines," Marlena answered offhandedly. "They're one of the several psychotic families running around and they've become even more powerful since they've gotten they've wormed their way inside McNamara Corporation. And believe me you'll hear a lot about their rivalry with the Shaylers."
"The Shaylers?" Rosalie questioned.
"The family that uses Arcanine as its Pokémon symbol," Marlena continued. "They've been in a big rivalry with the Tremaines for the past seventy-five years. The three of them that are at this school consists of a stupid jock with a bastard daughter, a pothead with the deepest voice you'll ever hear from a female, and a skinny little nerd. Marc Shayler is the heir, so I have to interact with him on principle, but I don't really care about the other two. Oh and there's also the Aderyn boy, but he's not a real Shayler. "
Marlena's comments about the family were rude, but nothing out of the ordinary for her. Rosalie was surprised that her sister continued telling her information about the various families despite the fact that she found a reason to insult them every time. She learned about the Aderyns, Navarros, Motoshimas, Fanshers, Strykers, Wangs, Hymans, Flynns, and several other important families and their Pokémon symbols.
"I know about the McNamaras," Rosalie told Marlena as they made their way towards the large doors of the main entrance. "They're currently the most powerful family and they use Froslass as their symbol."
"Too bad they're cursed," Marlena remarked. "They certainly know how to die better than anyone else. That's what they're really famous for. The only one left is Charles McNamara. Rodrick was murdered last year, his aunt Celia was found dead around fourteen years ago, and his parents were killed a couple of years before that. Even their Pokémon tend to get killed along with them."
"That's really sad…" Rosalie stated.
"Whatever…" Marlena replied. "We're finally here, so I'm done being your tour guide. Go to the registration desk and get your schedule and whatever else you need. If you can excuse me, I have a very important phone call to make."
Marlena disappeared behind the large doors and Rosalie let out a sigh as she adjusted her glasses. Despite her sister's attitude towards her, she was actually excited to be at Eastern Heights and was definitely interested in learning more about the history of the school and the families that attended it. Rosalie walked through the double doors and was amazed by what she saw. The stone walls were decorated with portraits of Pokémon symbols that represented the famed families and the marble floor was absolutely spotless despite the number of people and Pokémon that walked on it. Above her head was a circular skylight that displayed the stars outside beautifully. Rosalie made her way through the crowd and to the registration desk where she noticed a tiny old woman sitting. The desk had a poster of a Swellow on it and the young girl assumed that it was the woman's family's symbol.
"Hi," Rosalie greeted. "My name is-"
"No need," the woman interrupted politely. "I know exactly who you are. Rosalie Sachman, you've been in the news for a while. There's no mistaking it, you have the same hair and eye color as your sister. My name is Mrs. Polk."
She extended her hand and Rosalie shook it.
"I guess I'm already infamous around here, huh?" Rosalie asked.
Mrs. Polk let out a laugh. "Don't worry, dear. You're certainly not the only subject of gossip around these parts. Now, it's getting late and I'm sure you're ready to get some rest. Give me a moment and I'll give you your house assignment and class schedule."
"Thank you," Rosalie told her.
Mrs. Polk seemed a bit surprised by her politeness, but nevertheless continued smiling as she looked through the papers on her desk. After a few moments of skimming through the small stack, she found Rosalie's information and handed her the two sheets of paper.
"Sophomores are situated in the southern houses," the old woman explained. "If you get lost, ask anyone for help."
"Thank you again."
Rosalie walked back through the crowd and headed towards the far left of the building. She had noticed another door there and guessed that it was the one that led to the houses. Exiting through the door, Rosalie noticed four separate brick paths and people walking along them. In the center of the paths was a large water fountain with an Empoleon statue in the middle of it.
"Hey!"
Rosalie looked around to see that all the students in the vicinity were hurrying down the paths and it was obvious that they were frightened by something. She turned in the direction of the voice she had heard and saw two boys approaching her. The first one was tall and thin with gelled brown hair, light gray eyes, and a dark grin on his face. The second one was a heavyset young man with beady eyes and pinkish skin.
"Um, hello," Rosalie greeted in confusion.
"Check it, Brodus," the first boy said. "This one didn't run like the others. She must be new. It's totally obvious."
"You know something, Dean," the second boy started. "She looks kind of familiar."
Dean studied her for a moment and arched an eyebrow. "Do you have a brother or a sister?"
"My name is Rosalie…Sachman…" she answered.
The two boys looked at one another before breaking out in laughter. Rosalie was confused more than ever and wondered why the other students had fled. The two boys in front of her didn't seem too threatening. In fact, they seemed more foolish than anything.
"I remember it now," Brodus said. "My parents were talking about Anthony Sachman having a bastard kid. She does kind of look like Model Marlena. Definitely not as hot as she is though."
"Of course not," Dean replied. He looked into Rosalie's blue eyes and grinned. "Rosalie…was it? Can I ask you something?" She nodded her head reluctantly and Dean continued. "Do you think your bitch sister will go on a date with me if I cut off your lips and send them to her?"
Rosalie's eyes widened and she heard a quick swishing noise before coming face to face with a six-inch blade. Before she could make a move, Dean grabbed her shoulder with his free hand and held the knife to her throat. The look on Brodus' fat face suggested that he might have been somewhat disturbed by his friend's behavior, but he did not voice his opinion if he even had one. Dean moved the knife up over the blonde girl's lips and across her nose before suddenly releasing her and lightly shoving her forward.
"Knew you wouldn't do anything," Brodus remarked as Dean put away the knife.
"Did you actually think I was going to cut her?" Dean replied. "I'm not an idiot like Dixon Neron. I don't kill people out in the open. Besides, we have company…"
"Aaaarrrrrrr!"
Rosalie heard the growl and shifted her gaze in the direction of the noise. She saw a young man approaching with what was perhaps the biggest Arcanine she had ever seen. The older boy was tall and muscular with jet black hair, tanned skin, and dark gray eyes. He had a fierce look on his face and he approached the scene without fear or hesitation. The two thugs grinned at the older boy and waited for him to make a move.
"Marc Shayler," Dean said. "Long time no see. How does it feel to be a second year senior? We ran into Oz a bit earlier at Black Heights. I bet he will be thrilled to see you again."
Rosalie's eyes widened once more as she stared at the older boy up and down. Marc Shayler had been the heir of the Shayler family that Marlena had told her about. The Arcanine at his side definitely confirmed that he was part of them and between the trainer and his Pokémon, she could not tell who radiated more intensity.
"Come on, kid," Marc suddenly said to Rosalie, completely ignoring Dean's comment. "I'll show you how to get to your house."
"Okay…" Rosalie replied. "I'm a sophomore, so I know I'm supposed to take the southern path."
Marc nodded and the two of them started walking along with Arcanine. The two thugs in the background continued their rude and vulgar comments, but Marc ignored everything they had to say.
"Don't turn your back on anyone, Shayler!" Dean taunted. "Your boyfriend Rodrick learned the hard way."
"How good was Natalia Woods under the sheets?!" Brodus added. "Rumor has it that she sounds like a dying Mankey during it."
The two of them began making obnoxious 'Mankey' cries and Rosalie could not believe how lewd they were acting in their efforts to provoke the older boy. Still, Marc continued to ignore their comments as they walked along the path and she wondered how long he could hold out. She was almost ready to attack Dean herself when he insulted Marlena despite the fact that she knew that her sister would not do the same for her.
"I've seen a picture of the bastard baby…" Dean suddenly said in a chilling tone. He smirked as Marc stopped dead in his tracks. "Marcella is her name, correct? So, she's half-Shayler and half-Woods. Is she a tree-hugger like her mommy or stupid like her daddy? Arceus, imagine if she ended up with the same man-voice as dear Aunty Anya."
Marc bolted at Dean and grabbed the collar of his leather jacket before pinning him against the wall. Arcanine growled at Brodus, keeping the larger boy at bay while Rosalie simply watched the scene unfold in front of her. Marc took a deep breath before releasing Dean and shoving the smaller boy forward in the same way that he had done Rosalie.
"I'd leave right now if I were you," Marc warned him.
"I guess we should be going then," Dean replied with a smirk. "Come on, Brodus. We'll live to fight another day. Too bad I can't say the same thing for Rodrick."
The two thugs grinned at Marc before disappearing inside of the main building. Rosalie was relieved that they were gone and had already begun questioning if she made the right decision about seeking out her father. Marc approached her once more and extended his hand.
"Marcus Shayler," he stated with a warm smile. "My friends and family call me Marc. You got a name, kid?"
"Rosalie Sachman," Rosalie answered as she shook Marc's hand. "I've heard about you."
"Hopefully some good things," Marc replied. "But…judging by your last name, you probably heard the bad from a not-so-credible source."
"Well," Rosalie began as they headed down the brick trail. "Marlena's got her issues, but I don't think she's rotten at her core. I do know that you have a sister, brother, and uncle at this school. Your family's had a rivalry with the Tremaines for the past seventy-five years and you apparently have a daughter with a girl from the Woods family."
"You sound like you're reading my biography," Marc told her. "You'd definitely get along with my brother." He let out a chuckle before a serious expression formed on his face. "Listen, I want you to know something since you're new. Not everyone at this school is like those two guys you met back there. I'm not going to sugarcoat it though. There are some evil families that get away with horrible crimes due to their wealth and influence. Hell, a lot of these families are fighting amongst themselves at this moment, but not all families are like that."
Rosalie nodded her head. Marlena said that Marc was stupid, but he seemed insightful to her. "Your family…" she said. "Every single member actually loves one another?"
"That's probably the one and only advantage we have over a lot of families here," Marc said. "We haven't been known to be the most intelligent of the bunch that's for sure. Anyway, I know you probably don't have it perfect right now especially with everything that's going on with your dad. Are you still happy that you found him?"
"I don't know…" Rosalie answered honestly. "I wasn't trying to ruin his life or his marriage. I wasn't trying to ruin Marlena's life either. I just wanted to know who I really was."
"I can't even pretend like I know what you're going through," Marc replied. "But I know someone who can relate. My uncle, Jay Aderyn, has spent his entire life without knowing who his mother is. My grandfather never told my parents, so they don't even know who she could be. He might act like it doesn't bother him anymore, but I think it still does. That's the reason I didn't want Marcella to grow up without knowing who I was."
"Your daughter's lucky to have someone like you in her life," Rosalie said with a smile.
They spent the rest of the way in silence until Rosalie noticed the large brick houses and their lush gardens at the end of the trail. She checked the papers that she had folded into her pockets and looked for the house that she was going to be living in.
"I guess you got it from here, kid," Marc said. "Nice meeting you. Oh and definitely make a lot of friends. You'll need them."
"Can I say that I already have one?" Rosalie asked curiously.
Marc grinned and shook hands with her before turning around and heading down the trail with Arcanine. Rosalie watched him disappear from sight before turning her attention to the house. She knew that her Breloom would enjoy the garden that surrounded it and despite the upscale nature of the home, it had a very tranquil feel to it. Rosalie walked inside and looked around the bottom floor. It was split between a living room area and a kitchen with spiral steps that led to the second floor. The furniture looked luxurious and even the floor looked good enough to eat off of.
"Hello!" Rosalie called out. "Is anyone here?"
"Cooooooming!"
The voice had come from upstairs and Rosalie watched as two girls hurried down. The first one had long, strawberry blond hair with big green eyes and freckles all across her cheery face. She was dressed in light blue and pink and the Weavile sticker on her shirt was definitely a contrast to her bright clothing.
The second girl had short black hair with purple streaks dyed in. She had cold dark eyes and slightly pale skin. She had a nose piercing as well as an eyebrow piercing and several ear piercings as well. Her clothes were also dark, but the Clefable sticker on her shirt almost made Rosalie giggle.
"Hi," Rosalie greeted. "I'm Rosalie Sachman. I'm your new housemate."
"Nice to meet you, Rosalie!" the blond girl said excitedly as she wrapped an arm around the second girl's neck. "My name is Tawny Kelso and this is my best friend Maya Horton!"
"Hey…" Maya greeted somberly.
"This is our second year here!" Tawny explained. "We're both from two of the newer Eastern Heights families, so we really haven't had a chance to meet a lot of people."
Rosalie recalled hearing how the older Eastern Heights families tended to dislike the newer ones, but Tawny seemed to be a nice girl. She explained to her that she and Maya had taken the upstairs bedroom and that Rosalie would have to share the bottom room with Altair Faust. She hadn't arrived yet and Rosalie was somewhat relieved that she wasn't the last person to show up.
"Sachman…" Maya stated. "I think the family symbol for them is Cinccino. That will tell you which bed is yours. All the beds here have the Pokémon family symbols on them."
Rosalie thanked the girls and made her way into the room. She wanted to take in her surroundings, but she was completely exhausted from her day. Taking a seat on the bed near the window, Rosalie looked at the Cinccino engraved in her headboard and remembered Marlena's words from earlier. They still hurt, but she would not let that bother her. She turned her gaze to the ceiling and wondered what her roommate would be like and what tomorrow would bring.
Edwin sighed as he looked around at his house and his housemates. As they were freshmen, they had to live in the western houses which were the least luxurious at Eastern Heights. There was only one floor with a smaller living room and kitchen area. They even had one bathroom while the sophomores had two and the juniors and seniors had three. Still, he had to admit that it was an improvement over the conditions that he was forced to endure at the Beginner's School.
His housemates were similar to him in that none were firstborn children. They would not inherit much and whatever skills they had did not matter. They were all afterthoughts like him. Jahmil was a Navarro and Setsuna was a Yodobashi, but they were unlike their older siblings and cousins. Edwin did not know much about Chris Hyman's family, but the boy's cheery nature suggested that he was not bothered by his position in life.
"Jahmil," Edwin said as Noctowl stopped flying around and perched himself on the window. "I assume that we are sharing a room again?"
"Sure thing!" Jahmil replied as he adjusted his crooked glasses. He was short and skinny for a Navarro, but had the same dark skin and large brown eyes as the rest of his family.
"That means I'm with you, Yodobashi!" Chris stated cheerfully.
Setsuna did not answer. The dark-haired boy simply looked at Chris, his eyes a sedated brown color, and nodded. He only spoke when absolutely necessary and while they did not agree on everything, Edwin had to admit to himself that he enjoyed Setsuna's company.
"Noctowl!" Edwin called out as he grabbed a book from the nearby shelf. "Let's go to the room."
Noctowl hooted and flapped his wings as Edwin and Jahmil entered their room. It was a small space with the bare essentials; two beds, two dressers, a computer desk, a window and a closet.
"What a joke…" Edwin muttered as he glanced at the Arcanine symbol on his bed and the Tauros one on Jahmil's.
"What?" Jahmil asked curiously.
Edwin shook his head. "Arcanine and Tauros. When someone thinks of a person representing those Pokémon they think of people like Marc and Anya and people like J.D., Lizette, and Kevin. They don't think of two skinny nerds like us. Setsuna's family uses Ampharos as its Pokémon symbol, but is there anything electrifying about him?"
"I don't get what you're saying…" Jahmil replied.
"Never mind…" Edwin mumbled. "It's getting late anyway…"
He took a seat at the computer desk and opened the book. The Hitmon Brothers was a popular series of books about the adventures of four brothers; a Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, and Tyrogue. Edwin had a low opinion of the book series until he had read the first two books and discovered how relatable the characters were and how much they reminded him of himself and his siblings. Hitmonchan was Marc; the charismatic and brave leader who drove the others into adventure and protected the group. Hitmontop was Anya; the goofy and light-hearted member of the team who could always ease the tension in a tough situation. Edwin himself was Tyrogue; the youngest and smartest of the group who lived in the shadows of his older siblings. Even Hitmonlee reminded him of Jay with his calm, relaxed, and level-headed nature. Despite the fact that Jay was only Edwin's uncle, he had basically been brought up as a brother making it easier to draw similarities between him and Hitmonlee.
"Edwin!" Jahmil suddenly called out from his bed.
Edwin closed the book and turned around. "What is it?"
"Lizette just sent me a text," he replied. "She said that Lake Heights is open to everyone this year. Think about it for a moment; you, me, Setsuna, and Chris battling at the coolest place with all the upperclassmen. And Lizette said that a lot of girls will be there."
"If we go to Lake Heights…" Edwin started. "Not only will the upperclassmen wipe the floor with us in Pokémon battles, they'll probably kick our faces in especially if those thugs show up. They don't always stay at Black Heights, you know. It's no wonder that Lizette likes the place either. She's a decent battler and she can get more girls in a day than we can get in a year. Even if those girls were attracted to guys, they'd choose her before they choose us."
"You know, I really missed your self-deprecation over the summer," Jahmil replied sarcastically.
Edwin shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, I call it like I see it. I don't have a problem with us going, but I'm just letting you know what's likely to happen. Besides, we might be able to get Chris to tagalong with us, but there's no way Setsuna is going to want to go."
"You just don't know how to talk to people," Jahmil told him. "I'll see if I can convince Setsuna to go to Lake Heights with us. As far as getting our faces kicked in, both of my cousins are going to be there and your brother, sister, and uncle will probably be there. If we go when they go, they'll watch our backs."
"Fine…" Edwin sighed. "I'll go, but don't say I didn't warn you…"
Marc and Arcanine approached the fountain that was in the center of the four pathways. As he stared at the Empoleon statue in the middle of it, memories of brighter times filled his thoughts. The A-Listers, they had been called by the students of Eastern Heights. The group consisted of himself, Rodrick McNamara, Natalia Woods, Rita Aldaine, and J.D. Navarro and they were always seen together at the Empoleon Fountain. Marc would be sending flirtatious gazes at the girls that walked by while Natalia would roll her eyes in annoyance. J.D. would be making cheesy jokes and Rita would be singing loudly. Rodrick would be at the center of attention either giving advice to younger students, whispering in a giggling Rita's ear, or arguing with Marc. They would constantly argue be it over something as complex as battle strategies or as simple as what they were eating later on. Their rivalry was just as strong as their friendship had been.
"Aaaaaaaar!"
Arcanine began barking and Marc knew that he wasn't alone. Dean Cardennis and Brodus Gellner approached him, but Marc's focus was on the third boy in between them. He had the long dark brown hair and piercing green eyes of the Tremaine family as well as their insufferable smirk. The boy's Crawdaunt glared at Arcanine and clamped his pincers. He growled in response clearly unafraid of the water Pokémon.
"It's been a while…" Oz Tremaine remarked.
"I ran into your boys earlier," Marc replied as he shifted his eyes to Dean and Brodus. "I guess pulling a knife on a fifteen-year old girl is their definition of badass."
"How about I shove it through your eye?" Dean interjected with a sinister smile. "Would that be badass enough for you, Shayler?"
"You're welcomed to try, Cardennis," Marc told him. "Just know that if you ever come at me with a knife, I will break every bone in your body and shove my foot so far up your ass, you'll be able to taste my shoe."
The three boys smirked at one another and Marc just scoffed at them. Oz Tremaine, Dean Cardennis, and Brodus Gellner were probably the most dangerous trio at the school, but they were not threatening to Marc at all. In fact, Oz was the least threatening member of his family. His father was cold and ruthless and his brother and aunt were completely psychotic, but Oz was no one important. During the previous year when he was running around with Dixon Neron, Marc had just written the pair off as wannabe tough guys. Oz would spend most of his time harassing the younger Stryker sister and making inappropriate gestures at her while Dixon would be trying to pick a fight with anyone in the general vicinity. It wasn't until Dixon killed Rodrick that Marc had acknowledged them as anything other than a nuisance. As far as Dean and Brodus went, Desmond Tremaine could and would eat Dean alive and Brodus just seemed to be more stupid than malicious, so Marc didn't really have much of an issue with him.
"You and I have problems with each other," Oz stated. "So, how about we settle it right now?"
"You want a battle with me?" Marc asked.
"I wasn't talking about a battle…" Oz replied.
Marc arched an eyebrow and rubbed his chin until he figured out was Oz was talking about. "You want to fight me? First, I would beat you into a pulp and second, I have better things to do."
"Too bad," Oz said as he and his cronies circled Marc. "I promised my buddies a show and I can't break a promise."
Marc was ready to take on all three of them and Arcanine seemed to agree. Still, they were at a disadvantage with Crawdaunt's water type moves and Dean's knife. However, if he could reach his belt quickly enough and unleash Machamp and Cloyster, they might be able to gain an edge on the three thugs.
"Hmm…three-on-one…or four-on-two if you count the Pokémon, water type against fire type, and one person has a knife. Hardly fair. If someone is not willing to fight alone, they obviously lack the self-confidence to do so…"
Strolling down the north path was a young man with a Gallade. He was tall, long-limbed, and slim, with black hair pulled into a short, neat pony tail at the nape of his neck. He had high cheek bones, a strong jaw line, dark eyes that almost seem black, and slightly pale skin. The young man was very regal looking and from the way he walked, Marc would actually believe he was a prince of some sort if he didn't already know who he was.
"Come on," Oz told Dean and Brodus. "Let's get out of here…"
"Next time, Shayler…" Dean added with a smirk.
Oz recalled Crawdaunt to his poké ball and the three boys disappeared down the eastern path. The young man with the Gallade approached Marc and gave a curt nod. Marc extended his hand.
"Thanks for the help, Motoshima," he said.
The other boy shook Marc's hand. "Takuya," he told him politely. "If we are in the same house this year, we should be on a first name basis."
"Sounds like a plan," Marc replied.
Marc and Takuya had been acquaintances in the past due to the Shaylers and the Motoshimas being on good terms and the fact that their younger sisters were close friends. They had only had a handful of conversations, but they had enjoyed each other's company nonetheless. When Marc had started changing his reckless and immature ways after Rodrick's death, Takuya had noticed. Their last conversation had been at the start of the summer and for the first time, they had acknowledged the respect between each other.
"Our housemates are Sebastian Leclerc and Carlos Holloway," Takuya explained as they walked down the northern path. "I assume you're familiar with their families if you don't already know who they are. Sebastian is a kind and charitable person as long as you stay on his good side. Carlos is a bit of a clown, but he is a very friendly person and a great battler. They're rooming together, so you and I have the top room."
"Wait," Marc said. "If you've already been by the house, why were you coming down the trail?"
"It's embarrassing to say…" Takuya started. "But I'm afraid that I dropped my phone earlier and Gallade and I were searching for it when we overheard those imbeciles. I saw you deal with them earlier when they were harassing the Sachman girl and I was impressed by your actions, so I decided to help you. I'm ashamed that I didn't do so earlier. As for my phone, I suppose I can just buy a new one, but it would be a hassle at this point in time."
After a few more moments of conversation, the two arrived at the brick house and recalled Arcanine and Gallade to their poké balls before walking in. Marc had noticed the four Pokémon symbols engraved on the front door; Milotic for Motoshima, Garchomp for Holloway, Meganium for Leclerc, and Arcanine for Shayler. The house was a standard senior house with a large living room and kitchen area, spiral steps, and expensive furniture. There were a few extra closets in the senior homes as well as a good sized yard for the Pokémon.
"The legendary Marc Shayler has arrived! Time to party!"
Carlos Holloway rushed in from the downstairs bedroom and slammed the door behind him, his messy black hair all over his tanned face and his dark eyes dancing with life. The tall boy balled his hand and held his fist out.
"Thanks for the warm welcome," Marc joked as he fist bumped Carlos. "But I'm not really into partying to the break of dawn all that much anymore."
"Yeah, I heard about what happened last year…" Carlos replied. "But listen, I got your back man! You need something, let me know!" He walked back over to the downstairs bedroom and started beating on the door. "Sebastian, show some manners and come speak to our new roommate!"
The young man slowly opened the door and Marc did his best to put on a friendly smile. Like Carlos, Sebastian Leclerc had messy black hair and tan skin. His eyes were a goldenrod color and he had a slight muscular build. While Marc and Sebastian were not enemies, Sebastian had little respect for Marc's past antics and Marc knew that it would be a while before they were even considered acquaintances. Still, Sebastian shook hands with Marc before taking a seat on the couch.
"Everything is already set up upstairs," Takuya explained. "Now-"
He was interrupted by the sound of knocking on the front door. He let out a sigh and Marc could tell that he probably did not like being interrupted while he was speaking. Marc went to answer the door and was nearly floored by the sight. The girl at the door was slender and long-limbed with pale skin, red lips, and long, dark hair pulled half up and held in place by a flowered hair clip leaving the rest of it falling down her shoulder blades. She had the same dark eyes as Takuya and had more of a striking beauty about her than the classic beauty of Marlena Sachman or the genial beauty of Natalia Woods.
"I know you're a Motoshima," Marc told her with a grin. He could feel himself slipping back into his old habits, but he was not concerned about that at the moment. "Just give me one minute to see if I know your first name."
"You have one second," the girl shot back with a smirk.
"Misaki?" Takuya said as he made his way over to the door. "What are you doing here at this time of night?"
"Nice to see you too, cousin," Misaki said. "I have something for you. The Monet twins found it and brought it to me."
She handed Takuya a white phone and he looked at it for a moment before placing it inside of his slim jacket.
"So…" Marc continued in hopes of starting a conversation. "You're friends with the Monet Twins? Ask them if they know me. I'm the heir to Shayler estate."
"No you're not…" Misaki replied as she cocked her head a bit. "Marc Shayler is."
Marc looked at her in confusion. "Um…I'm Marc Shayler."
"She knows who you are," Takuya stated. "Misaki likes to play games."
Misaki grinned as she poked her head inside of the house. She gave a wave to Carlos and Sebastian before turning her attention back to the two boys who were at the door.
"I believe a thank you is in order, Takuya," she stated. "I didn't come all the way here just to see your dazzling smile."
"Thank you, cousin," he told her in his usual cordial tone. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye…" she replied.
Misaki glanced at Marc once more and he expected her to say something, but the girl simply grinned slyly before walking off. Oddly enough, her silence was even more alluring to him. Takuya shut the door and Marc was quickly snapped out of his lust daze.
"Sorry about that…" Marc told him earnestly. "I don't mean any disrespect."
"I understand," Takuya said as he headed for the spiral steps. "To be honest, I should be protecting you from her. There are not too many people who can handle Misaki."
Luckily for Marc, he was not most people. However, thoughts of Misaki were second to his need for sleep. It had been a long day and as he finally stretched out on his bed, he thought of everything that had taken place. It had felt good battling with Edwin, helping Rosalie out, and meeting his roommates. Oz Tremaine would probably be a nuisance and there was the troubling thought of the Tremaines taking over McNamara Corporation, but those were problems to be dealt with on another day.
A/N: Apologies for the long wait everyone. I've been extremely busy these last couple of months, but I think I have control over everything now. I'm still wondering if there are too many characters to memorize. Hopefully I can introduce them all without everyone getting confused. I'll likely have an index on my forum for all the families for you guys to check out if you get confused.
I do have a couple new fics coming in the future if you want to submit OCs for them. One of them is already up on my profile and on my forum.
Speaking of the forum, as always feel free to come by and chat.
Until next time!
