The night of the alcohol, drug-free party had arrived and Alex had taken what she considered a ridiculous amount of time getting ready. She looked at herself in the mirror. The idea of a themed party seemed lame when she first, but the theme could have been a lot worse. James Bond wasn't as bad of a theme as Hawaiian night or something like that. Going as her favorite villainess seemed like a good idea, but she was wondering if her one shouldered, pale blue dress was too much. She wasn't entirely clear on the dress code, but her dress was a little tighter than the one Miranda Frost wore in Die Another Day and complimented Alex's toned surfer body perfectly.
Marissa looked at herself in the small mirror in her bathroom. Her purple backless dress was definitely reminiscent of Vesper Lynd, but she wasn't sure anyone would get the costume. Alex was really the only person she was worried about impressing.
A knock on the door tore Marissa away from the mirror. She walked to it and opened it. She stopped cold when she saw Alex standing there with a dress that matched her eyes. Her hair was down, straightened, and perfect.
"You looked great," Alex smiled, "Casino Royale?"
"I didn't think anyone would know," Marissa grinned.
"Well I take my Bond Girls very seriously," Alex stepped in.
Marissa looked her over again, "You look amazing."
The blonde looked down and hid slightly behind her hair, "Thanks." Alex brushed the hair out of her face, "Um, David told me that we should get out there before all the food is gone."
"I'm sure it will be. It's catered," Marissa pulled on her shoes and followed Alex out the door, "The food in the cafeteria gets old fast."
They mingled around for a few minutes, before walking to the other side of the courtyard where the bench they usually sat on was. The staff had hung Christmas light in all of the trees and it lit up the courtyard with a soft light. There were long tables at one end of the courtyard and as promised most of the food that was put on them was gone.
As they sat, soft music played around them. Somehow the air around them got awkward. Both girls coming to a realization at the same time caused the silence around them.
Alex looked at Marissa in the twinkle of the Christmas lights and knew she had fallen for her all over again. She thought that Marissa had too, but she wasn't going to ask or make a move. She did all of that last time. Besides, this time she had Parker to think about.
Marissa looked at Alex and wondered what she was thinking. She had been quiet for a really long time. She looked at the couples dancing around in the courtyard and then back at Alex. "Do you want to dance?"
"Huh?" Alex asked, snapping out of her thoughts. She was sure she knew what Marissa said, but wanted confirmation.
"Dance with me," Marissa offered her hand to Alex.
Alex looked around them and saw that for the most part they were isolated, under a drooping tree. She was trying to decide how to handle the situation. She knew dancing with Marissa to this awfully slow song was going to end horribly and fantastically all at the same time. In the end, she looked up and saw a gentle smile on Marissa's face then put her hand in Marissa's.
Alex slid her hands onto Marissa's hips on instinct and the younger girl smiled before moving them to her shoulders. Marissa placed her hands on Alex's waist and looked into the icy blue eyes, probing them for exactly what Alex was thinking. She didn't know when it happened, but at some point she had fallen for Alex. This time she fell farther and harder than last time, wholly and completely. And she'd spent restless nights in her bed, trying to find a way to let go of all this emotion. She would tell herself Alex had a girlfriend. A nice, smart, beautiful girlfriend. And she'd tell herself that she hurt Alex before and she didn't deserve a second chance. But part of her hoped for something more than a three hour visit everyday. More than sitting under a tree and having polite, shallow conversations.
Alex's eyes seemed to be able to open a floodgate of emotions in Marissa's body so she closed her eyes and leaned forward slightly until their foreheads were touching.
The blonde closed her eyes for a completely different reason. She was trying to control her heart's rapid beating and her quick shallow breaths that had erupted when Marissa touched her.
I know that song makes you think of him.
And it tears me to know that you still might go back again.
Please hear me calling you.
I want you to know that it's true,
I can't live without you.
Neither one of them heard it because they were in their own world, but a crash a thunder sent all of the other people inside. They were alone, swaying to an internal soundtrack in the courtyard. Another distant rumble of thunder sent a small trickle of rain over the courtyard.
They stood in the middle of the courtyard with rain pouring down on them just swaying with their eyes closed. Both wondering what was going to happen next.
So take my hand, may I have this last dance.
'Cause it's raining outside and we don't live forever,
So take my hand.
Marissa had decided what to do and she knew that part of her way planning to do this for a long time. She opened her eyes and saw Alex's face, slightly tilted down and her eyes were still closed. After looking over the flawless face, Marissa closed the gap between their lips.
Give me your heart girl I will keep it safe and sound.
I promise I will never let it hit the ground.
I'll keep it all patched up so you will finally see.
That me and you girl we were always meant to be.
Alex knew what was coming before she felt Marissa's lips on her own. Something in the back of her mind was screaming at her to stop. To walk away and not look back. But every other part of her body was telling her to stay. The majority won out and Alex sank into the kiss, remembering how Marissa's kisses could stop the world. How the kisses could break her heart and mend it again in a matter of seconds.
So take my hand, may I have this last dance. And I know it may be hard to get through,
'Cause it's raining outside and we don't live forever,
So take my hand.
But baby go where your heart tells you to.
And now there's only one thing left to say,
Is that you truly make my day.
So give yourself a smile,
For doing what you've done.
I know he tore your heart into pieces.
But girl I'll fix it up if you want.
Marissa was scared to pull away. She felt Alex reciprocate her kiss, but that didn't mean that just kissing her out of now where was okay.
She wanted desperately for Alex to feel the same way. The stunt she just pulled was a sink or swim kind of thing. There was no in between. So all she could do was breathlessly wait for Alex's reaction.
So take my hand, may I have this last dance.
'Cause it's raining outside and we don't live forever,
So take my hand.