Author's Note:
Dear GOD, I never update.just started high school whadda ya expect?
This is turning out better then I thought. This story is actually just a way for me to get over my HUMUNGOUS writer's block. I got reviews! I was really not expecting that.
A recurring comment I got was that Marissa seemed a little too perfect. Well, actually, it was hard, but I meant to write it like that. I mean, not to say I haven't liked writing this story, but it even annoyed me writing her that way. This chapter, a little bit more of her real self starts showing. It's part of my whole plot line. Just stick with it a while, and you'll see what I mean. I have about four more chapters written, and I just need to polish them a little. Hang in there!
* * * * *
Marissa had nothing to do at lunch, so she walked over to the payphone in the corner of the cafeteria, and figured out pretty fast how to make a call to Oregon.
"Marley?" she said once someone answered the phone. "You're cutting class again?"
"Actually, I'm out of school," she said. "I'm sort of on a mental health leave. How you been, girl?" Her light Spanish accent
"Okay," Marissa sighed. "I mean, I'm not living in the projects anymore, so that's a good sign."
"I ain't convinced," Marley said. "You sounds miserable."
"No, really, I'm fine," she said. "You've got to believe me. It's not exactly the best place I can imagine, but I'm better off here than I was back there-I guess."
"Is there a guy?" Marley asked.
"Is there a guy?" Marissa repeated incredulously. "I thought you knew me. Of course there is. Since when hasn't there been?"
"Oh, chica, sounds serious," Marley taunted. "Do you love him?"
"Love him? Hell no!" Marissa said. "Marley, you know me. I go through guys, quick and easy. Boys are like tea light candles, hermana. They're not too bright, and once they burn out, there's nothing to do except toss 'em aside."
"Girl, you really don't get it," Marley laughed.
"You know I've tried to act different and keep to one guy," Marissa groaned. "I just don't have an easy time connecting like that. You know it don't do shit."
"You sure you're happy there?" Marley asked. "I mean, you only cussed once since we talked, and you know it ain't you're style."
"I'm not enough of a lady to fit in around here," she replied simply.
"I bet they got you in a skirt," Marley laughed. Marissa laughed weakly in reply. She muttered something else, but she didn't say it too clearly. "You're a what?" Marley snapped. "You went and became a cheerleader? You were on your way to the Olympics, then you move there and suddenly you're running around in a short skirt, doing some half-rhyming routine? Chica, you're just going to waste there."
"You're right," Marissa said. "It ain't the Ritz around here as far as I'm concerned. I ain't getting permanently hooked up with anyone. I'm doing my best to stay here as short as possible."
"So you've got a plan?" Marley laughed. "What're you thinking about doing?"
"No clue," Marissa said. "At least until the end of the year, I'm probably stuck here. Anyway, no one like us is supposed to have a serious, lifelong thing yet." There was a weird silence on the other end of the line. "Marley?"
"You remember Gordy?" she asked. "Well, we're sort of getting married."
"Married?" Marissa repeated in disbelief. "You're some kind of crazy. Hell, chica, is that the reason why you're out of school?"
"Actually," she said uncomfortably. "I'm sort of getting married to him for another reason. Rizzy, I'm pregnant."
"What?" she hissed into the receiver. "What the hell were you thinking? You're seventeen! Are you seriously gonna have this kid?"
"You ain't helping," Marley said.
"I don't wanna get into this with you," Marissa snapped. "I'll call back another time. Buena suerte, chica." She hung up the phone and shook her head.
The rest of the day, she couldn't concentrate at all. The classes rushed by, and she went home, just to pick up the phone and call Marley again. She and Marley had been best friends in Oregon. Now she was pregnant, and Marissa practically didn't know her anymore. She almost didn't even want to waste her money dialing Marley's number when all they were going to do was argue about who was wrong and who was right. In the end, Marissa knew she at least owed it to Marley to check if she was okay with what was going on.
"You just hung up on me," Marley said.
"You're pregnant!" Marissa said loudly.
"We didn't mean for it to happen," Marley said. "It was sort of an accident."
"An accident? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Marissa said heatedly. "You guys accidentally got naked and magically got stuck together? Your reasoning sure sucks."
"Just because you've gone through about fifty guys and you're still a virgin," Marley said.
"As opposed to you having had twelve boyfriends and having slept with all of them?" Marissa snapped. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
"I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do," Marley said.
"Well, I don't think you've got much of a choice," Marissa said. "You can't really being thinking about keeping this kid."
"I ought to, right?" Marley said. "I mean, what the hell else is there to do?"
"I'm driving back," Marissa said. She hung up the phone and packed a backpack. Then, she hurried out to the car. She started driving as quickly as she could, and it didn't help that she had taken in a few sips of beer on the way out. An hour into the drive, she opened the glove compartment and pulled out a pack of her mother's cigarettes.
As soon as she had it lit, she heard sirens behind her. Shakily, she pulled over. A tall man with a pointed nose came up to her window.
"Young lady, have you been drinking these?" he asked, motioning to the bottle of beer on the dashboard. "You look a little young."
"I just dropped my aunt off at home," she said. "She has that nasty habit of drinking."
"But you're smoking that cigarette," he said. "I've seen you around. You're a senior in high school, am I right?" Marissa didn't answer. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me,"
* * * * *
The next Monday at school, Marissa walked into the building and heard the whispers behind her back everywhere she turned. She walked into her history class and sat down next to Sunshine, as usual.
"So, are the stories true?' he asked. "Did you really just spend a night in jail?"
"I wasn't in a jail cell," she said. "It was sort of like a hospital room in the police station. I got caught speeding across the border."
"So they put you in jail for speeding?" he asked. "No way, honey, that's just bullshit. I know how things work. They wouldn't do that."
"I had a box of cigarettes and I forgot my ID anyway," she muttered. "Just leave it."
Unfortunately, Marissa's little escapade cost her more than just a night in jail. She had totally forgotten that they had a big test planned for the day. That would just be the start of a long, torturous history class.
* * * * *
No one said anything to her face, but Marissa knew that she was suddenly the talk of the town, so to speak. Lunch was as close to hell as she got. People just couldn't stop staring, and no one would just let her eat in peace. She finally just gave up and went into the Music Hall early to wait for class to start.
Unfortunately, music class didn't go too well either. It turned out that the teacher was out of school for the day, and the substitute had no clue what she was doing, so the whole class was just an hour and a half of talking.
Marissa couldn't have been more thankful that school was over, and it was finally time to go to practice. She changed in the school bathroom and hurried out to meet the squad. Her face looked rather tired when she got there, and it didn't take long for anyone to notice.
"Are you okay?" Joanna said, running up to her.
"She's probably got still drunk, or high on Marijuana, or something," said Nadine Redding. She was about the same height as Marissa, but she had curly, bright red hair, a skinny face with high cheekbones, and very noticeable-assets. She had had something against Marissa from day one, and now she had just about had enough.
"Where do you get off talking like such a genius?" Marissa snapped. "I had two sips of beer, that cigarette was a Marlboro, and it was lit for about ten seconds, and if you don't just shut your trap and get to practicing, I'll honestly stop being so nice." She took a deep breath and turned away.
"Looks like someone's still got a hangover," Nadine muttered. Marissa got up and looked at her.
"Do you still got something to say to me?" She said loudly so everyone could hear. Nadine shook her head. "I didn't think so. Let me make myself clear. If you open that big hole in your face one more time, then I'll staple it shut, understood?"
"You're just upset because you're perfect reputation is finally ruined," Nadine said. "It's about time if you ask me. Nobody likes the real you. Your boyfriend won't talk to you, and everyone's finally realizing how much of a pain you really are."
"You're really toeing the line, Redding," Marissa said calmly, yet fairly loud nonetheless. Her voice carried so that the Titans on the other side of the field could hear. "These goddamn rumors have got to stop. I've been listening to everyone's little conversations, and let me set the records straight. I had a drink, but I wasn't drunk. I didn't sleep with anyone on the way, and I never have. I don't smoke regularly. The pack of cigarettes just happened to be there. And while I'm at it, let's clear up some rumors about Nadine here. She gets herself drunk at Hal's every Friday night, like clockwork, and she's slept with more guys than I count keep up with, and that's just in the time that I've lived here. Anyone else want to open their mouth?"
No one talked for a good half-hour into the practice, and Nadine kept her mouth shut the whole time. Marissa got into her car, taking an extra minute to lean her head against the headrest and take a quick breath. Then, she started the car and drove home, not really caring about her bad posture as she opened the door.
"You sure do drive slow," said someone sitting in her armchair.
"So now you decide to talk to me?" she said, putting her backpack down and walking into the connected kitchen to get a glass of water. "Only when no one can see you, right?"
"Look, I'm sorry," he said, walking up behind her and grabbing her shoulder. "I'm human, right?"
"You're right," Marissa sighed. "But it would've been nice not to have you avoid me when that's what everyone else was doing,"
"Never again, okay?" he said, kissing her cheek. "I swear."
"Okay," she sighed. She turned around and hugged him.
* * * * *
The next day at school was practically back to normal, except for a few whispers. Marissa actually had a pretty good laugh about it with Emma and a lot of the other girls.
"Everyone was talking about it," Emma laughed. "I mean, it was a pretty stupid story, now that you think about it. I can't believe most of us actually fell for it."
"I can't believe you didn't stand up on a table in the cafeteria and say what you said to Nadine at practice," Joanna laughed. "You should have seen her face. It was the best thing!"
"So you did fix things up between you and Ray, didn't you?" Emma asked. "Last I checked, you were mad at him for believing those rumors."
"We talked." Marissa said simply. "Okay?"
Dear GOD, I never update.just started high school whadda ya expect?
This is turning out better then I thought. This story is actually just a way for me to get over my HUMUNGOUS writer's block. I got reviews! I was really not expecting that.
A recurring comment I got was that Marissa seemed a little too perfect. Well, actually, it was hard, but I meant to write it like that. I mean, not to say I haven't liked writing this story, but it even annoyed me writing her that way. This chapter, a little bit more of her real self starts showing. It's part of my whole plot line. Just stick with it a while, and you'll see what I mean. I have about four more chapters written, and I just need to polish them a little. Hang in there!
* * * * *
Marissa had nothing to do at lunch, so she walked over to the payphone in the corner of the cafeteria, and figured out pretty fast how to make a call to Oregon.
"Marley?" she said once someone answered the phone. "You're cutting class again?"
"Actually, I'm out of school," she said. "I'm sort of on a mental health leave. How you been, girl?" Her light Spanish accent
"Okay," Marissa sighed. "I mean, I'm not living in the projects anymore, so that's a good sign."
"I ain't convinced," Marley said. "You sounds miserable."
"No, really, I'm fine," she said. "You've got to believe me. It's not exactly the best place I can imagine, but I'm better off here than I was back there-I guess."
"Is there a guy?" Marley asked.
"Is there a guy?" Marissa repeated incredulously. "I thought you knew me. Of course there is. Since when hasn't there been?"
"Oh, chica, sounds serious," Marley taunted. "Do you love him?"
"Love him? Hell no!" Marissa said. "Marley, you know me. I go through guys, quick and easy. Boys are like tea light candles, hermana. They're not too bright, and once they burn out, there's nothing to do except toss 'em aside."
"Girl, you really don't get it," Marley laughed.
"You know I've tried to act different and keep to one guy," Marissa groaned. "I just don't have an easy time connecting like that. You know it don't do shit."
"You sure you're happy there?" Marley asked. "I mean, you only cussed once since we talked, and you know it ain't you're style."
"I'm not enough of a lady to fit in around here," she replied simply.
"I bet they got you in a skirt," Marley laughed. Marissa laughed weakly in reply. She muttered something else, but she didn't say it too clearly. "You're a what?" Marley snapped. "You went and became a cheerleader? You were on your way to the Olympics, then you move there and suddenly you're running around in a short skirt, doing some half-rhyming routine? Chica, you're just going to waste there."
"You're right," Marissa said. "It ain't the Ritz around here as far as I'm concerned. I ain't getting permanently hooked up with anyone. I'm doing my best to stay here as short as possible."
"So you've got a plan?" Marley laughed. "What're you thinking about doing?"
"No clue," Marissa said. "At least until the end of the year, I'm probably stuck here. Anyway, no one like us is supposed to have a serious, lifelong thing yet." There was a weird silence on the other end of the line. "Marley?"
"You remember Gordy?" she asked. "Well, we're sort of getting married."
"Married?" Marissa repeated in disbelief. "You're some kind of crazy. Hell, chica, is that the reason why you're out of school?"
"Actually," she said uncomfortably. "I'm sort of getting married to him for another reason. Rizzy, I'm pregnant."
"What?" she hissed into the receiver. "What the hell were you thinking? You're seventeen! Are you seriously gonna have this kid?"
"You ain't helping," Marley said.
"I don't wanna get into this with you," Marissa snapped. "I'll call back another time. Buena suerte, chica." She hung up the phone and shook her head.
The rest of the day, she couldn't concentrate at all. The classes rushed by, and she went home, just to pick up the phone and call Marley again. She and Marley had been best friends in Oregon. Now she was pregnant, and Marissa practically didn't know her anymore. She almost didn't even want to waste her money dialing Marley's number when all they were going to do was argue about who was wrong and who was right. In the end, Marissa knew she at least owed it to Marley to check if she was okay with what was going on.
"You just hung up on me," Marley said.
"You're pregnant!" Marissa said loudly.
"We didn't mean for it to happen," Marley said. "It was sort of an accident."
"An accident? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Marissa said heatedly. "You guys accidentally got naked and magically got stuck together? Your reasoning sure sucks."
"Just because you've gone through about fifty guys and you're still a virgin," Marley said.
"As opposed to you having had twelve boyfriends and having slept with all of them?" Marissa snapped. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
"I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do," Marley said.
"Well, I don't think you've got much of a choice," Marissa said. "You can't really being thinking about keeping this kid."
"I ought to, right?" Marley said. "I mean, what the hell else is there to do?"
"I'm driving back," Marissa said. She hung up the phone and packed a backpack. Then, she hurried out to the car. She started driving as quickly as she could, and it didn't help that she had taken in a few sips of beer on the way out. An hour into the drive, she opened the glove compartment and pulled out a pack of her mother's cigarettes.
As soon as she had it lit, she heard sirens behind her. Shakily, she pulled over. A tall man with a pointed nose came up to her window.
"Young lady, have you been drinking these?" he asked, motioning to the bottle of beer on the dashboard. "You look a little young."
"I just dropped my aunt off at home," she said. "She has that nasty habit of drinking."
"But you're smoking that cigarette," he said. "I've seen you around. You're a senior in high school, am I right?" Marissa didn't answer. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me,"
* * * * *
The next Monday at school, Marissa walked into the building and heard the whispers behind her back everywhere she turned. She walked into her history class and sat down next to Sunshine, as usual.
"So, are the stories true?' he asked. "Did you really just spend a night in jail?"
"I wasn't in a jail cell," she said. "It was sort of like a hospital room in the police station. I got caught speeding across the border."
"So they put you in jail for speeding?" he asked. "No way, honey, that's just bullshit. I know how things work. They wouldn't do that."
"I had a box of cigarettes and I forgot my ID anyway," she muttered. "Just leave it."
Unfortunately, Marissa's little escapade cost her more than just a night in jail. She had totally forgotten that they had a big test planned for the day. That would just be the start of a long, torturous history class.
* * * * *
No one said anything to her face, but Marissa knew that she was suddenly the talk of the town, so to speak. Lunch was as close to hell as she got. People just couldn't stop staring, and no one would just let her eat in peace. She finally just gave up and went into the Music Hall early to wait for class to start.
Unfortunately, music class didn't go too well either. It turned out that the teacher was out of school for the day, and the substitute had no clue what she was doing, so the whole class was just an hour and a half of talking.
Marissa couldn't have been more thankful that school was over, and it was finally time to go to practice. She changed in the school bathroom and hurried out to meet the squad. Her face looked rather tired when she got there, and it didn't take long for anyone to notice.
"Are you okay?" Joanna said, running up to her.
"She's probably got still drunk, or high on Marijuana, or something," said Nadine Redding. She was about the same height as Marissa, but she had curly, bright red hair, a skinny face with high cheekbones, and very noticeable-assets. She had had something against Marissa from day one, and now she had just about had enough.
"Where do you get off talking like such a genius?" Marissa snapped. "I had two sips of beer, that cigarette was a Marlboro, and it was lit for about ten seconds, and if you don't just shut your trap and get to practicing, I'll honestly stop being so nice." She took a deep breath and turned away.
"Looks like someone's still got a hangover," Nadine muttered. Marissa got up and looked at her.
"Do you still got something to say to me?" She said loudly so everyone could hear. Nadine shook her head. "I didn't think so. Let me make myself clear. If you open that big hole in your face one more time, then I'll staple it shut, understood?"
"You're just upset because you're perfect reputation is finally ruined," Nadine said. "It's about time if you ask me. Nobody likes the real you. Your boyfriend won't talk to you, and everyone's finally realizing how much of a pain you really are."
"You're really toeing the line, Redding," Marissa said calmly, yet fairly loud nonetheless. Her voice carried so that the Titans on the other side of the field could hear. "These goddamn rumors have got to stop. I've been listening to everyone's little conversations, and let me set the records straight. I had a drink, but I wasn't drunk. I didn't sleep with anyone on the way, and I never have. I don't smoke regularly. The pack of cigarettes just happened to be there. And while I'm at it, let's clear up some rumors about Nadine here. She gets herself drunk at Hal's every Friday night, like clockwork, and she's slept with more guys than I count keep up with, and that's just in the time that I've lived here. Anyone else want to open their mouth?"
No one talked for a good half-hour into the practice, and Nadine kept her mouth shut the whole time. Marissa got into her car, taking an extra minute to lean her head against the headrest and take a quick breath. Then, she started the car and drove home, not really caring about her bad posture as she opened the door.
"You sure do drive slow," said someone sitting in her armchair.
"So now you decide to talk to me?" she said, putting her backpack down and walking into the connected kitchen to get a glass of water. "Only when no one can see you, right?"
"Look, I'm sorry," he said, walking up behind her and grabbing her shoulder. "I'm human, right?"
"You're right," Marissa sighed. "But it would've been nice not to have you avoid me when that's what everyone else was doing,"
"Never again, okay?" he said, kissing her cheek. "I swear."
"Okay," she sighed. She turned around and hugged him.
* * * * *
The next day at school was practically back to normal, except for a few whispers. Marissa actually had a pretty good laugh about it with Emma and a lot of the other girls.
"Everyone was talking about it," Emma laughed. "I mean, it was a pretty stupid story, now that you think about it. I can't believe most of us actually fell for it."
"I can't believe you didn't stand up on a table in the cafeteria and say what you said to Nadine at practice," Joanna laughed. "You should have seen her face. It was the best thing!"
"So you did fix things up between you and Ray, didn't you?" Emma asked. "Last I checked, you were mad at him for believing those rumors."
"We talked." Marissa said simply. "Okay?"