Today, three days after she woke up...
She was finally allowed to go home, with the promise that she would take her medication properly and start seeing a psychiatrist again. Rolling her eyes, she settled into the mandatory wheelchair to be wheeled out to his car. He was taking her home because, as usual, her father was "unavailable." Smiling at the sight of the Range Rover, she mentally urged the nurse to push faster. She couldn't wait to get out of the hosptial. Finally, the wheelchair reached the curb and she jumped out of the chair, despite the nurse's protests that she needed to be helped up. She rolled her eyes once more, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Thanks for picking me up."
He smiled down at her, kissing her lightly on the forehead, "Not a problem whatsoever, m'dear. Ready?" At her nod, he opened the door for her and watched her clamber into the seat. He pushed the door shut again, walking around to get into the driver's seat. Starting the car and pushing play on the cd player, he drove quickly away from the hospital, glad himself to get away from the building in which he spent so much time over the past two weeks. He snaked one hand across the car to hold her hand delicately. Smiling, she closed her fingers tightly around his, rubbing the back of his hand with her other fingers.
"So, how are we feeling?" He smirked, glancing over at her before returning his eyes to the road. Nada Surf floated softly through the car as he turned the car onto the highway.
She smiled back at him, taking in his profile, the concentration he was giving to driving, but at the same time, the concentration he was giving to clinging to her hand. She quickly wiped away a single tear, while responding, "WE are doing just fine, thank you. I was SO ready to get out of that place. It smelled like death, Seth."
His nose wrinkled in disgust, "Sum. That's nasty. I really didn't need that imagery."
Giggling, she apologized quickly. She gripped his hand tightly as they drove closer and closer to her house. She didn't want to go back into that house. Her father was just going to be there with a new psychiatrist and a new round of drugs. She didn't need a shrink and she didn't need drugs. She just needed Seth, "Do you think we could go hang out at the beach for a little while before we go home?"
Seth shook his head, "Can't. I promised your dad that I would bring you straight home. And we all know that his opinion of me is shaky at best. So I can't go back on the promise."
She sighed, gazing out the window, allowing her grip on his hand to loosen. The soft music and hum of the car slowly lulled her to sleep, her eyes catching a last glimpse at the warm beach as they closed lightly.
Three years and three months ago, one month after he said "I love you"
She stood outside the door to his bedroom, her fist poised to knock. It froze midair at the sound of the screaming inside. She could hear her two best friends, now dating, yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.
"What the hell are you talking about Mike? I have never cheated on you and I never will! I can't believe you're accusing me of doing that! And especially with Jake! You know that I can't stand him! Why the fuck would I hook up with him?"
"You fucking bitch! You're lying to me! You're lying! I KNOW that you're cheating on me! I KNOW that you're hooking up with HIM! You won't have sex with me, but you'll have sex with HIM? I can't believe you! You dirty, slutty bitch!"
Marissa coiled back as she heard the sound of a hand meeting a face. She started to turn to leave, but was caught by the door being wrenched open. Summer stormed partway out, turned to glare back at Mike, screaming, "Do not ever, EVER, call me that again! I am NOT lying! You ASSHOLE!" She slammed the door shut as hard as she could, flying past Marissa, tears flying down her face.
The bedroom door opened slowly, and Mike appeared, a red handprint standing out clearly on his lightly tanned cheek. He looked miserably at Marissa, who in turn placed her hands on her hips, fixing him with a death glare.
"I've really done it this time, haven't I?"
Refusing to answer, Marissa gave him one more pointed look, before turning on her heel and hurrying down the stairs. She ran out the door, and spotted Summer down the street, still running. Marissa ran after her, catching up only when reaching Summer's house. They ran together up to Summer's room, where she threw herself onto her bed, sobbing. Marissa sat down lightly on the edge of her bed, softly rubbing her back until the wails subsided.
Summer sat up, her face blotchy and tear-stained. She stared out the window, a few more tears escaping her eyes. It was then that Marissa noticed the bruise on her arm.
She was finally allowed to go home, with the promise that she would take her medication properly and start seeing a psychiatrist again. Rolling her eyes, she settled into the mandatory wheelchair to be wheeled out to his car. He was taking her home because, as usual, her father was "unavailable." Smiling at the sight of the Range Rover, she mentally urged the nurse to push faster. She couldn't wait to get out of the hosptial. Finally, the wheelchair reached the curb and she jumped out of the chair, despite the nurse's protests that she needed to be helped up. She rolled her eyes once more, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Thanks for picking me up."
He smiled down at her, kissing her lightly on the forehead, "Not a problem whatsoever, m'dear. Ready?" At her nod, he opened the door for her and watched her clamber into the seat. He pushed the door shut again, walking around to get into the driver's seat. Starting the car and pushing play on the cd player, he drove quickly away from the hospital, glad himself to get away from the building in which he spent so much time over the past two weeks. He snaked one hand across the car to hold her hand delicately. Smiling, she closed her fingers tightly around his, rubbing the back of his hand with her other fingers.
"So, how are we feeling?" He smirked, glancing over at her before returning his eyes to the road. Nada Surf floated softly through the car as he turned the car onto the highway.
She smiled back at him, taking in his profile, the concentration he was giving to driving, but at the same time, the concentration he was giving to clinging to her hand. She quickly wiped away a single tear, while responding, "WE are doing just fine, thank you. I was SO ready to get out of that place. It smelled like death, Seth."
His nose wrinkled in disgust, "Sum. That's nasty. I really didn't need that imagery."
Giggling, she apologized quickly. She gripped his hand tightly as they drove closer and closer to her house. She didn't want to go back into that house. Her father was just going to be there with a new psychiatrist and a new round of drugs. She didn't need a shrink and she didn't need drugs. She just needed Seth, "Do you think we could go hang out at the beach for a little while before we go home?"
Seth shook his head, "Can't. I promised your dad that I would bring you straight home. And we all know that his opinion of me is shaky at best. So I can't go back on the promise."
She sighed, gazing out the window, allowing her grip on his hand to loosen. The soft music and hum of the car slowly lulled her to sleep, her eyes catching a last glimpse at the warm beach as they closed lightly.
Three years and three months ago, one month after he said "I love you"
She stood outside the door to his bedroom, her fist poised to knock. It froze midair at the sound of the screaming inside. She could hear her two best friends, now dating, yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.
"What the hell are you talking about Mike? I have never cheated on you and I never will! I can't believe you're accusing me of doing that! And especially with Jake! You know that I can't stand him! Why the fuck would I hook up with him?"
"You fucking bitch! You're lying to me! You're lying! I KNOW that you're cheating on me! I KNOW that you're hooking up with HIM! You won't have sex with me, but you'll have sex with HIM? I can't believe you! You dirty, slutty bitch!"
Marissa coiled back as she heard the sound of a hand meeting a face. She started to turn to leave, but was caught by the door being wrenched open. Summer stormed partway out, turned to glare back at Mike, screaming, "Do not ever, EVER, call me that again! I am NOT lying! You ASSHOLE!" She slammed the door shut as hard as she could, flying past Marissa, tears flying down her face.
The bedroom door opened slowly, and Mike appeared, a red handprint standing out clearly on his lightly tanned cheek. He looked miserably at Marissa, who in turn placed her hands on her hips, fixing him with a death glare.
"I've really done it this time, haven't I?"
Refusing to answer, Marissa gave him one more pointed look, before turning on her heel and hurrying down the stairs. She ran out the door, and spotted Summer down the street, still running. Marissa ran after her, catching up only when reaching Summer's house. They ran together up to Summer's room, where she threw herself onto her bed, sobbing. Marissa sat down lightly on the edge of her bed, softly rubbing her back until the wails subsided.
Summer sat up, her face blotchy and tear-stained. She stared out the window, a few more tears escaping her eyes. It was then that Marissa noticed the bruise on her arm.