When Marissa got home, there was a note from her dad for her to call her mother. What in the hell could she want now? Marissa sighed, picked up the phone, and dialed her mom.
"Marissa honey, I wanted you to come over for dinner this evening, I really miss you, and Caitlin misses you, too. Won't you just come over for dinner? It'll just be the three of us."
Marissa sighed, she did miss her little sister. "Okay, fine mom, I'll be there at 6:00 for dinner, but I'm not staying the night." She hung up the phone and went upstairs to find something to wear. If she timed it right, she could sneak by the pool house after dinner.
*
"Luke, sweetie, it's been forever, why don't you come over for dinner tonight? It'll give you and Marissa a chance to talk about things. Be here at 6:30, okay?" Julie hung up the phone and smiled at herself. This Ryan kid was bad news, and she just knew that if she could get Marissa and Luke talking again, they'd get back together. Marissa needed a boy like Luke, not like Ryan.
*
Marissa called Ryan. "I'm going to my mom's for dinner, it'll be her, Caitlin, and me. I'm hoping to come over to your place afterwards, but it probably won't be until 9:00 or so. Is that okay?"
Okay? Ryan thought; it was better than okay. He'd had a hard time focusing at work today, all he kept thinking about was Marissa. "Of course it's okay; I'll make sure the coast is clear."
*
"Marissa, honey, it's so good to see you. Caitlin should be home from soccer practice in a few minutes. Tell me how school is going."
Marissa sat down on the couch; she'd had forgotten about soccer practice. She should've come over at 6:30, and she could've avoided this stupid chit chat. "It's fine mom, nothing much is going on," Marissa said as she wandered into the kitchen. "So, what's for dinner?"
This was all going according to plan. Caitlin was going over to a friend's house for pizza, and Luke was due to come over any minute now. She knew Marissa would be upset at first, but she'd be okay, everything would be okay, and Marissa would be happy again. She'd set the table for three so Marissa wouldn't expect anything, but she had no intention of staying here in the kitchen when Luke showed up.
*
Luke was driving over to Julie Cooper's house. He wasn't sure this was a good idea, but she was pretty persuasive on the phone, and he really did want a chance to talk to Marissa without that asshole around. He knew she was mad at him, and had every right to be, but he also felt pretty confident that he could win her back, just like always.
Luke pulled into the driveway. He'd borrowed his mom's Lexus so that neither Marissa, nor that asshole next door would recognize his truck. He checked himself out in the mirror once more; - yeah, he looked good - and he got out of the car and headed for the front door.
Hearing the doorbell, and wanting to escape the kitchen where her mother was, Marissa answered the door. Caitlin must've forgotten her key.