ATTENTION!!! this is my longest chapter so far! Ha! im just so proud
of that. anyway, I have tiny plot bunnies worked out for the rest of this
story...whichever way I choose, there is still a long way to go. so anyway,
they next bunch of chapters are gonna be peppered with a lot of different
pairings, so if you see one that really jumps out at you as "destiny", give
me a shout! or, if you have any ideas for something that I may not have
come up with, tell me about that too...oh, and nice, LONG reviews are cool,
because I like being able to see what I can change in this story. I might
actually go through with finishing this one! whoa!
* * * * *
"Those boys better not make fools of themselves or I'm gonna kill every last one of 'em," Marissa said, "I should have stayed the other night. I mean, what if they just make themselves look stupid?" she paced back and forth across the sidelines, staring at the Groveton Lions warm up on the field.
"Marissa, for God's sake!" Joanna said, "Quit worrying already,"
"These are football players, not dancers," she replied, "I mean, I doubt it's going to help if they butcher a cheer right before one of their hardest games of the season,"
"So that's what you're upset about," Joanna laughed, "Sure, this is probably the biggest game they're ever gonna have, but that doesn't matter, because they're about to do a cheer!"
"It's our cheer!" she said, 'They'll make us look bad!"
"Well, it's too late to make them stop," Joanna said, "Because they're already on their way," Marissa looked at them, and it hit her that they weren't too bad. Heck, they were good. The first time through the cheer, all she could do was cross her arms and smile, but the second time, the cheerleaders had joined the Titans on the field. The crowd went wild, watching the cheerleaders and Titans dancing on the field as if in the game it was absolutely natural for a bunch of burly guys to be dancing around in football uniforms.
* * * * *
As soon as the game was about to begin, everyone grew quiet again. Even the cheerleaders couldn't seem to break through the cloud of tension. Groveton was infamous for having no mercy and, in Petey's recent words, being a bunch of rednecks. Marissa stared intently at the game—and the first thing that happened totally set her off. Her jaw dropped as, barely a minute into the game, she saw Rev go down after a hit from Kip Tyler.
"What was that?" she yelled, "That jerk—I'm gonna make sure he never has kids! And where was Ray all that time, taking a water break?" Halfway out of her mind, she started towards the field, but two of the girls pulled her back. "Let me go!" she squealed. "Joanna, get off of me!
"Not when you're crazy like that," Joanna said, struggling to pull her back.
"I'm not gonna do anything, okay?" she said, calming down. She looked up and saw Boone put Ronnie in the game. "Make 'em hurt where their jockstraps don't work!" she screamed. Apparently, she got her wish, since the Lions just took one hard hit after another. Out of the cheerleaders, only Marissa was able to enjoy that subtle pleasure of watching a guy get the stuffing knocked out of him.
Regardless of how much Ronnie cheered her up by putting so many points on the board, she was in a very temperamental state until halftime, when she took a walk around the field. She told the rest of the squad that she was just trying to cool off, but she actually had some other plans in mind.
"Those cheerleaders from T.C. are crazy," said one guy, Kip Tyler, the same one who had taken Rev down. Marissa turned towards him.
"You know, you're right. I'm crazy," she said, "Crazy enough to give you one little hint, Tyler," she kicked him mercilessly in the groin. "Never mess with one of my boys, got it?" Then, she walked away, leaving the guy, who was about a foot taller than her, crumpled on the ground.
"Really ladylike," Joanna said, rolling her eyes. Marissa just smirked proudly.
The game still went well, as the Titans still pulled a victory. Before they headed to the locker room, Marissa ran over to Rev, who had been determined to stay and watch the game. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Okay as you can get with a broken wrist," he shrugged.
"Well, I gave that jerk who broke your wrist something to remember me by," she said, walking off. Rev just laughed. As much as he admired Marissa, he had to admit that she played a lot rougher than most of the other girls.
Marissa shuffled her feet, kicking up tiny clouds of dirt. It was then that she caught a quick glance of Gerry before he got into the locker. "Hey, Bertier, why the long face? From what I recall, Rev's fine, and you still won the game,"
"Nothing," he said hastily, "Just thinking," By the expression on his face, she could see that it was something serious that he was thinking about, but really hadn't the slightest clue what it was. All she knew was that if she and Gerry really did have some "twin-thing" going on, then that expression had a reason behind it. He saw the look on her face and repeated, "Just thinking,"
"Well, don't do that," she smiled, "You'll hurt yourself." She gave him a hug, knowing that it was probably weighing a lot on his nerves, having to play such a rough game.
"I'll remember that," he laughed weakly. It just wasn't like him. Then, he walked into the locker room, muttering to himself. Marissa shook her head solemnly, knowing nothing good could come out from what she had just sensed from him.
She shrugged, walked out to her car and went home. The first thing she did once she walked in the door was unfold the couch-bed, then take a nice, long shower. As soon as she had dried her hair and changed into the most comfortable, worn-in sweats she owned, he picked up the phone and dialed Rev's number.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hey!" she said energetically. "I'm glad you can actually pick up the phone right now. I mean, it's so good that you're okay, but are you—"
"Yes, I'm sure I'm all right," he laughed.
"Are you sure?" she said, "Because if you asked me to, I would find that jerk and kick his—"
"I'm really fine," he said, cutting her off. He laughed slightly, knowing that Marissa was (in a purely positive sense) like a lap dog. She was loyal, and would literally bite anything that laid a hand on her friends.
"You had me really worried, though," Marissa said. "I mean, I would have taken on all of that team. I practically went crazy. Joanna had to hold me back,"
"I heard that from Sunshine," he laughed. "You know, I never thought you the type to hit a guy where it hurts,"
"Hold on, Rev, I don't get it," she laughed, "You're not making sense here! Doesn't it hurt if you hit 'em anywhere?" She asked innocently.
"You know what I mean," Rev said.
"Yeah, well that's how mad I was," she laughed, "And I think the poor lug forgot to wear a cup, too," They both started cracking up when the doorbell rang. "That was the door. People pick the worst times to come over to visit, but I've got to get that. I'll talk to you on Monday, all right?"
"Wait, I've got to say one more thing," Rev said. "If it's Ray—"
"Yeah, I know," Marissa interrupted, not paying attention to what he was starting to say. "No more kicking guys where the sun don't shine, I understand that completely." Then, she hung up. She hurried over to the door and opened it, only to see Ray with a bottle in his hand. "What are you thinking?" she said shrilly, snatching it away from him. "How many beers have you had?"
"One or two," he muttered, "I sort of lost track. Maybe six,"
"Shit, what are you doing driving? You could get yourself killed like that!" she said, pulling him by the hand inside. "Okay, spill," she said, crossing her arms. "You'd never do something like this unless something was seriously wrong. Start talking."
"I got kicked off the team," he said, shoving his hand into his pocket. "Gerry said I planned it all along for Rev to get hurt,"
"Baby, I'm sorry," she said. There really wasn't much else to say, because a part of Marissa believed the same thing. If this was about him not playing the game, then he had brought it upon himself. But he was here, and he seemed so unlike the person that Marissa knew. Before now, she had half the mind to call him and end it, straightaway, yet now he seemed different. He was vulnerable. The more maternal, nurturing side of Marissa screamed out one thing, and that was that he needed her.
"I'll just go," he said, shaking his head.
"Hell no," Marissa said, raising her voice slightly. "You aren't driving like this."
"It's nothing," he muttered. "I swear, it's nothing,"
"I don't care what you swear it is," she said. "You aren't going anywhere. I've got your keys," she waved his keyring in front of her. "I know, I know, me and my damn cheerleader reflexes. Now, sit down, and tell me exactly what happened." She dragged him over to the unfolded couch-bed, and sat down.
"I just got kicked off," he said. "I mean, the damn team was pretty much my whole life. I ain't got anything to live for,"
"Ray, quit talking like that," She leaned over and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, and they rested against the back of the couch. She pulled his jacket off of him. She rested her cheek against his chest, so that the top of her head was under his chin. "This is really bothering you, isn't it?" she said. "I know it doesn't really mean much, coming from me, but things aren't going to be so bad."
"I'm nobody," he said, "All I've ever been known for is being on that team, or being friends with the captain. I mean, it wasn't great, but it was better then nothing."
"Here," Marissa said, reaching over to the table and handing him a glass of water. "It'll calm you down. He took the glass, but, as soon as it came into his shaky hand, he somehow held it too tightly, and broke. He managed to not get his hand cut open, but he looked over at Marissa, who hissed quietly. A fairly large wedge had pierced into her skin, right near her collarbone. He moved his hand towards her, but she flinched. "It's nothing," she winced.
"Just stay still a minute, or else it'll go in further," he said, pinching the area slightly so he could pull out the shard of glass. Then, he quickly took off his shirt, which was wet from the spilt water, tore a piece off the sleeve, and pressed it against the small bleeding spot on her neck. "I might have killed you," he said.
"Don't be silly," she laughed softly, "It's like saying I would die from a papercut,"
"I'm just a screw-up," he said, shaking his head as she pressed against the cut, trying to make it stop bleeding.
"I've done worse to myself," Marissa laughed, 'I've fallen down the stairs and run into things more times than I count. This is practically nothing,"
"You don't have to pretend it doesn't hurt just so I don't feel bad," Ray said.
"It's really not that bad," she snapped, getting slightly annoyed. "I just don't like seeing blood. It grosses me out and everything." She wanted him to stop beating himself up over this, so she did the first thing that came to mind. She took his face in her hands and pulled him closer, kissing him full on the mouth. He ran his hand through her hair. Then, she felt him hook onto the bottom of her shirt with his thumb, trying to pull it off. She pushed away, shaking her head.
"What?" he asked. "I thought you wanted this,"
"No," she said adamantly, pushing him slightly off of her, "I mean, you've had a whole damn case of beers. How much could it actually mean to you?" She put crossed her arms and instead went to sit in the armchair on the other side of the room. "Maybe I'm just crazy, but I don't want my first time to be one big mistake,"
"Okay," he said, "I think I need to say something anyway. Earlier, that argument we got into, I admit it. It was really my fault. I just didn't like seeing you around all the other guys, because you look too comfortable with them and all,"
"I didn't think I needed to prove myself to you," she said. "I thought you knew how I felt about you."
"You want me to leave, then?" he said. Marissa knew that he was just being manipulative, using reverse psychology on her, but she couldn't tell him that she really would prefer it if he left.
"No, you're staying here," she said, "You're not getting anywhere near that car tonight, or you'll run yourself into a tree,"
* * * * *
The next morning, Marissa woke up first and wriggled out from between Ray's arms, trying not to wake him up. She ran upstairs and started getting dressed.
"Why'd you get up so early?" Ray said, standing in the doorway of her bedroom.
"I'm gonna drive up to see my mom today," She said. "That's where I'm spending the weekend," Then, she turned to face him. "That is, if you're gonna be okay,"
"Yeah," Ray said. He kissed her quickly on the lips.
"Thanks for understanding," she said simply. "I'll see you on Monday." Then, she picked up her bag and went out to her car.
The two-hour drive seemed so long. She had only driven there once before. The radio was playing the whole time, and Marissa tried hard to keep her voice down, but all she could do to keep herself awake was sing loudly. Of course, no one seemed to mind. There was hardly anyone on the road anyway.
During the long drive, all Marissa could think about was the previous day. She wasn't sure she had meant a single word she had said to Ray the night before, and she realized that part of her was absolutely furious with him. She couldn't really blame Gerry for taking him off the team. They really did think alike. This 'twin-thing' was really annoying sometimes.
She pulled into the driveway of a Victorian style house in a farm- like setting. This was the boardinghouse where her mother stayed. She rang the bell, and a tall, thin woman with wavy brown hair answered the door.
"Hi Mama," Marissa smiled. She hugged her mom, and they stepped into the house. "It's real warm today,"
"It's like this all the time around here," she shrugged. Marissa's mother, Liz Donovan, was thirty-two years old, and could pass for her sister. "Why don't we get a bite to eat?" she asked. They went out to Liz's car and drove about fifteen minutes until they reached an old, out-of-the- way karaoke club just off of the highway.
"Liz, are you crazy? I can't go in there," Marissa said, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. "I ain't old enough," She looked at her mother in total shock. She didn't dare say that they barely knew each other, but she couldn't deny that Liz had a lot to learn about being her motherl
"Aw, you're nearly eighteen," she laughed, "Consider this an early birthday present," They got out of the car and walked into the place. They sat down at a table, and Liz ordered drinks. When the drinks got to the table, Marissa just stared at it. It was nearly as long as her arm, and about as wide. She couldn't even find it in her to ask Liz what was in it. She peered into the top and sniffed. It smelled slightly sour, but sweet at the same time. She scooted away a bit, not entirely sure she'd want to drink whatever was in the glass.
"So, words travels fast around here. I've heard you're pretty popular nowadays." Liz said, taking a swig from her drink. "So you probably know what I'm about to ask, but I'll ask it anyway. How are things going with boys?" she laughed.
"Okay," Marissa shrugged. She didn't want to go into detail, and wouldn't unless her mother brought it up. "I mean, I have a lot of boys who're like my best friends and all,"
"Anyone special?" Liz asked. Marissa squirmed a little. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to avoid the topic after all
"I don't know," Marissa said, "There's this one guy, but I'm not really sure about him. There's just a lot about him that I'm not too crazy about...a whole lot,"
"Like what?" Liz said, resting her elbow on the table.
"Do I really have to get specific about this? He gets jealous real easy, and he's not exactly buddy-buddy with my friends," Marissa said, "And he just don't do nothin' for himself anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say is that at this point, I'm just not too crazy about him, period."
"He plays football, doesn't he?" Liz asked. Marissa gave her a look, as if wondering how she knew. "You always seem to fall for that type,"
"Well, he did," Marissa said, "He just got kicked off, and he came running to me. I didn't know what to tell him, because I think he may have deserved to get kicked off,"
"Why so?" Liz said. Just like Marissa, she loved to ask questions. "I mean, even before, you always tended to take your man's side in a fight. Why the change of heart?"
"Well, somebody got really hurt, and it's sort of his fault, but he won't tell anybody," Marissa said. "He expects me to take his side, but I saw it with my own two eyes, and the guy who got hurt is my friend too—one of the best friends that I got. I mean, I'm not sure to feel sorry for my guy, or to laugh in his face because he's had it coming all along. But, being his girl and all, it kinda feels like my job to be on his side."
"Well, anyone who makes you compromise what you feel doesn't deserve you," Liz said.
"But he's a good guy, really," Marissa said, finally getting over herself and taking a swig from her drink. "At least, I thought he was. I mean, he's probably capable of being really a nice guy, but he hardly ever is. I mean, my really close friends don't think much of him, and they're probably the most open-minded people that God ever put on the face of this earth,"
"Well, count on your friends to give you an honest opinion, but count on your heart for the honest truth," Liz said, "What's his name?"
"Ray," Marissa said. "You know, now that I think about it, my friends tried to warn me a lot about him, but I was stubborn about it,"
"That came from me," Liz laughed. "You know, if you're with this guy because you think he's the only guy who wants you, you're probably just not looking hard enough,"
"It's not like that, mom," Marissa said, trying to peer into the top of her drink. "There's a lot about him that bothers me, sure, but no one's perfect. I could've stayed back home, but I insisted on coming out her with you. And for what? Just to soak up the small-town life,"
"And there's no one else?" Liz prodded. "I mean, absolutely no one that you're interested in? I think that's a lot of bull, to be completely honest."
"Of course there's a little bit going on between me and some others," Marissa laughed, "Almost all of my friends are guys. You'd expect that. At first, I was crushing on almost all of the guys, because they were just...different. But I got over that. They're like my brothers now. But one of the guys that I don't know really well—"
"He's not exactly your brother yet," Liz said, "And you wouldn't mind getting to know him a little better...in a different way"
"Exactly," Marissa said. "But I'm not single, so I can't,"
"You're young," Liz said, "You've got time to learn what you can and can't do. You know, I think it'd be fun to meet this guy—Ray." She pulled something out her pocket, waving it tauntingly in front of her daughter. " I had no clue that girls carried little black books nowadays,"
"Ma!" she squealed. "Where'd you get that? I swear, it was in my bag—" She looked up. "You took it, didn't you?" But it was too late. Her mom had already stood up and walked up to the payphone. She ran up to follow her. "You know, mom, his number isn't in there," she said wryly.
"So whose number is this?" she said, pointing to a tiny space, "The name says Ray Budds, and it's surrounded with little hearts," She started dialing the number, and before Marissa could even try to wrestle the phone away, someone had answered.
"Hey, this is Marissa's mom, Liz," she said, smirking in her daughter's direction. "Am I talking to Ray?" Marissa hit her forehead. This was terrible. "Yeah, she says you're a real great guy—totally crazy for you," It just hit rock bottom.
"Mom, please!" Marissa whispered. "Just put the phone down,"
"Yeah, my girl's a real character," Liz laughed. "I can tell you're a smart fella. So you two haven't been doing anything I should know about, right?"
"Ma!" Marissa squealed, "I think you've asked my boyfriend enough questions for one phonecall. It's my turn to talk to him." She grabbed the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, baby," Ray said, trying to keep a flat tone. "I think I just met your mom,"
"Yeah, I think you did, and just let it out, because I know you're just dying to laugh," she squealed, "And I'm really sorry about that. She talks nearly as much as I do," Ray laughed.
"Oh, no" he said, "You know you can't keep quiet for a minute,"
"Okay, now that ain't funny," she squealed, "But really, sorry for bothering you,"
"Well it's fine," he laughed. "Love you,"
"Love you too," she sighed, "Bye,"
"Did I just hear you say 'I love you'?" Liz repeated. "Sounds like you've gotten yourself into a whole lot of hell with that boy,"
"And I have no clue how I did it," she sighed. "It just sort of slipped out, and he just keeps saying it for the sake of hearing me say it again. Of course, being the loudmouth crowd-pleaser I am, I say it just because he wants to hear it—and it's just a whole damn vicious cycle."
"Yet another thing you get from me," Liz laughed, "The inability to keep that mouth shut,"
"Well, that's just how it is," Marissa shrugged. "I let it slip, and now I have to deal with it,"
"You're seventeen," Liz said, "You don't got to deal with anything to don't want to. You're still a kid. If this is something you're not ready to deal with, then don't,"
"I had boyfriends back in Oregon and you didn't give me this talk," Marissa sighed. "I don't see any big difference here,"
"You never used those three words with them," Liz said. "I think this place has changed you. I mean, I've said it before. You're just a kid. You should be boy-crazy, not commitment-ready."
"Well, I like it," Marissa said unconvincingly. "I'm glad we came here to Virginia. I mean, I hated the way things were back in Oregon, and in California. I always felt so detached back there, like I couldn't take anything seriously, even if I was on my way to making it big. I could never learn anything like that. This is probably the best thing I ever could have asked for,"
"Enough serious talk," Liz laughed, "I didn't take you here for no reason. I want to hear that voice that's got Alexandria gushing, and I think everyone here does. Why didn't you start showing off until we moved here? Even I didn't know you could sing!" She pushed her daughter up to the stage so she was already at the microphone.
"Thanks a million," she muttered. A random song started playing, and once again, Marissa just had to roll with it.
"At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last
The skies above are blue
My hearts was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I could call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I've never known
You smile, and then the spell is cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine—
At last"
Blushing brightly, Marissa jumped blindly off of the stage, shaking her head and laughing. Soon, she found herself bumping into somebody. "Oh, sorry," she laughed, "I wasn't watching where I was going,"
"At least it wasn't on purpose this time," the guy laughed.
"Excuse me?" Marissa said, dusting herself off. "Have we met?"
"Oh, I bet you wouldn't recognize me without the helmet," he laughed, "I'm Kip Tyler—you know, the one you tried to castrate yesterday,"
"Oh, that's right. Sorry about that," she said, brushing her hair behind her ear and laughing nervously. All grudges aside, he wasn't a bad looking guy. He was nowhere near as good-looking as, say, a certain blonde quarterback she knew, but he wasn't horrifyingly ugly either. "I was just kind of mad. I mean, the quarterback is sort of a friend of mine, so combine that with being a hyperactive cheerleader, and it gets crazy. What can I say?"
"Things get crazy on the field," he shrugged apologetically.
"Things get crazy off of it, too," she laughed. "Yesterday just wasn't the greatest day in the world, even before the game. I stress over that kind of small stuff. Besides, you were just playing the game,"
"So, are you the same Missy Donovan everyone's buzzing about?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, now I get why people call you Songbird back home," they both laughed. This guy actually didn't have much bad about him, save for the fact that Marissa still related him to Rev getting hurt. Of course, if Ray had been blocking like he was supposed to have been doing— "So, are you going out with that quarterback or something?" he asked.
"Actually I'm with—" she stopped. What was she supposed to say? 'Actually, I'm with the guy that used to be number 87. Oh, don't worry, I wouldn't expect you to know him. He just got kicked off the team.' "I'm sort of with somebody," she shrugged.
"Well, if your schedule is ever suddenly clear, give me a call," he said, jotting down number on a napkin. "I'd ask you for yours, but that'd be mighty inappropriate, wouldn't it?" he laughed.
"Maybe not mighty inappropriate. Just a little," Marissa laughed. "I guess I'll see you around, Kip," Then, she walked back to her mom's table.
"And what was that?" Liz laughed. Marissa held up her hands defensively, but her mom didn't give her an opportunity to deny it. "You were flirting with that boy. Care to reconsider what you said about Ray? You didn't hesitate much when you were talking to him."
"Yes I did!" Marissa laughed. "I was totally hesitating. I'm, like, the master of hesitation!" Her speech was peppered with exuberant gestures, mostly for the reason of convincing herself that she wasn't lying through her teeth. "Really," she added desperately.
"Yeah, that's right," Liz laughed, "Now that you mention it, you hesitated bringing up the fact that you had a boyfriend,"
"I thought you'd be happy," Marissa said, smirking. She knew she couldn't win this argument. "I'm just naturally a social butterfly. Besides, you said that I should be boy-crazy, remember?" Her mom nudged her playfully on the arm. "But really, I was just being nice. Just because I have a boyfriend doesn't mean I can't flirt."
"Imagine what Ray would say if he saw that scene," Liz said, clicking her tongue in mock-disapproval.
"He'd realize I'm not his trophy girl, then," Marissa laughed, taking a fearless sip from her drink. "I told you, I know how many other options I have. If I don't trust him anymore, then he can consider himself kicked to the curb,"
"Bet you couldn't say that last part five times fast," Liz laughed. "You know, why don't we make the most of this little moment and give you a little change of style?"
"What do you got in mind?" Marissa asked.
"Well, first of all, you've got to stop drying your hair so it's stick-straight," Liz said, twirling her daughter's long locks. "I mean, it's the family trademark, having hair that's about as straight as a California Boy, so roll with it,"
"And?" Marissa asked, still a bit fazed by the 'California Boy' comment. "I'm gonna warn you. I never wear makeup,"
"Not even a little?" Liz prodded. Marissa shook her head with such finality that she had her mother convinced. "Okay, nothing goes on those pretty cheeks," Liz laughed. "Let's hit the road and find someplace to do something about that thing on your head—I swear, how do you manage with your hair that long?"
"It's not just hair! It doubles as a weapon if a wear it in a ponytail," Marissa laughed. "I've tested it out on people once or twice. I usually aim for the shoulder, but I need to work on aim." They laughed as they walked out of the club.
* * * * *
They got back to the boarding house that night at around eight o'clock, and Marissa set up on the daybed in her mom's room. She dragged the phone over to her side, the cord trailing across the floor.
"Hey Rev!" she said once he had answered. "Feeling much better?"
"Now that the wrist's stopped swelling," he laughed, "I'm feeling pretty much normal. Where were you? I couldn't get a hold of you all day,"
"I've been out with Liz since I got here," she said. "That's my mom," she added.
"You call her Liz?" he asked.
"Yeah," Marissa said simply. "Usually I do, at least."
"Is this the same mom that you haven't seen for about two months?" he asked.
"Well, yeah, seeing as I only have one mom," she laughed. "We spent the day out. There's just loads I'm gonna have to tell you when we get back."
"You two must have had loads to talk about," he said. "Did you tell her about Ray?"
"She actually looked through my phone book and called him," Marissa laughed. "To tell you the truth, I don't think she's crazy about him."
"Well, I'm not going to comment on that," Rev said flatly. "So what did you do?"
"Well, we went to this karaoke place called Passing Notes," she began. "It was really small. We were talking about Ray, and then she called him, and then I made her hang up, and then she made me sing," she said all in one breath. "And there was this other guy there—I'll give you details if anything comes up. But, anyway, my mom was busy telling me that I was just seventeen, and I should be flirting around,"
"Well, that's the opposite of what my mom would be saying if I were a girl," Rev laughed.
"Oh, and I got a drink," Marissa laughed proudly.
"And I can just imagine the newspaper headlines tomorrow," Rev laughed. "Drunk cheerleader rampages city,"
"I had a drink, but I wasn't drunk. There's a really big difference! I hold liquor quite well, thank you very much." she laughed, "And I did more than just drink. They had these cool shrimp thingies that were really good,"
"Are you on the phone with that boyfriend of yours again?" Liz said, coming into the room.
"No," Marissa laughed, "It's just a friend from school."
"Male or female?" Liz asked.
"Male," Marissa said, rolling her eyes. "And you can't have the phone," she laughed. Then, she put her mouth back to the receiver. "I'm going to call it a night. See you Monday, okay?"
* * * * *
I was trying to show a little sympathy for Ray, and give him Marissa a fluffy moment...but I gotta say, that was YUCK! I gave her Ray-Cooties...I kinda feel bad for the guy, though, because he's always getting bashed. Sure, he deserves every bit of it, but still! Maybe he should consider therapy...haha. I may make this story end with Ray/Marissa, just to tick everyone off, but that'd be hard, seeing as I can't stand to write any more blatant fluff with that....thing.
So, aside from that we have some football, and some interesting mother- daughter time. I guess you can tell that the age gap between Marissa and her mom is pretty small...they're on a first name basis, and all that.
And WHO is this mystery guy that Marissa wishes she...knew a little better?? Hm...
Recycle, Reduce...REVIEW!! XD
* * * * *
"Those boys better not make fools of themselves or I'm gonna kill every last one of 'em," Marissa said, "I should have stayed the other night. I mean, what if they just make themselves look stupid?" she paced back and forth across the sidelines, staring at the Groveton Lions warm up on the field.
"Marissa, for God's sake!" Joanna said, "Quit worrying already,"
"These are football players, not dancers," she replied, "I mean, I doubt it's going to help if they butcher a cheer right before one of their hardest games of the season,"
"So that's what you're upset about," Joanna laughed, "Sure, this is probably the biggest game they're ever gonna have, but that doesn't matter, because they're about to do a cheer!"
"It's our cheer!" she said, 'They'll make us look bad!"
"Well, it's too late to make them stop," Joanna said, "Because they're already on their way," Marissa looked at them, and it hit her that they weren't too bad. Heck, they were good. The first time through the cheer, all she could do was cross her arms and smile, but the second time, the cheerleaders had joined the Titans on the field. The crowd went wild, watching the cheerleaders and Titans dancing on the field as if in the game it was absolutely natural for a bunch of burly guys to be dancing around in football uniforms.
* * * * *
As soon as the game was about to begin, everyone grew quiet again. Even the cheerleaders couldn't seem to break through the cloud of tension. Groveton was infamous for having no mercy and, in Petey's recent words, being a bunch of rednecks. Marissa stared intently at the game—and the first thing that happened totally set her off. Her jaw dropped as, barely a minute into the game, she saw Rev go down after a hit from Kip Tyler.
"What was that?" she yelled, "That jerk—I'm gonna make sure he never has kids! And where was Ray all that time, taking a water break?" Halfway out of her mind, she started towards the field, but two of the girls pulled her back. "Let me go!" she squealed. "Joanna, get off of me!
"Not when you're crazy like that," Joanna said, struggling to pull her back.
"I'm not gonna do anything, okay?" she said, calming down. She looked up and saw Boone put Ronnie in the game. "Make 'em hurt where their jockstraps don't work!" she screamed. Apparently, she got her wish, since the Lions just took one hard hit after another. Out of the cheerleaders, only Marissa was able to enjoy that subtle pleasure of watching a guy get the stuffing knocked out of him.
Regardless of how much Ronnie cheered her up by putting so many points on the board, she was in a very temperamental state until halftime, when she took a walk around the field. She told the rest of the squad that she was just trying to cool off, but she actually had some other plans in mind.
"Those cheerleaders from T.C. are crazy," said one guy, Kip Tyler, the same one who had taken Rev down. Marissa turned towards him.
"You know, you're right. I'm crazy," she said, "Crazy enough to give you one little hint, Tyler," she kicked him mercilessly in the groin. "Never mess with one of my boys, got it?" Then, she walked away, leaving the guy, who was about a foot taller than her, crumpled on the ground.
"Really ladylike," Joanna said, rolling her eyes. Marissa just smirked proudly.
The game still went well, as the Titans still pulled a victory. Before they headed to the locker room, Marissa ran over to Rev, who had been determined to stay and watch the game. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Okay as you can get with a broken wrist," he shrugged.
"Well, I gave that jerk who broke your wrist something to remember me by," she said, walking off. Rev just laughed. As much as he admired Marissa, he had to admit that she played a lot rougher than most of the other girls.
Marissa shuffled her feet, kicking up tiny clouds of dirt. It was then that she caught a quick glance of Gerry before he got into the locker. "Hey, Bertier, why the long face? From what I recall, Rev's fine, and you still won the game,"
"Nothing," he said hastily, "Just thinking," By the expression on his face, she could see that it was something serious that he was thinking about, but really hadn't the slightest clue what it was. All she knew was that if she and Gerry really did have some "twin-thing" going on, then that expression had a reason behind it. He saw the look on her face and repeated, "Just thinking,"
"Well, don't do that," she smiled, "You'll hurt yourself." She gave him a hug, knowing that it was probably weighing a lot on his nerves, having to play such a rough game.
"I'll remember that," he laughed weakly. It just wasn't like him. Then, he walked into the locker room, muttering to himself. Marissa shook her head solemnly, knowing nothing good could come out from what she had just sensed from him.
She shrugged, walked out to her car and went home. The first thing she did once she walked in the door was unfold the couch-bed, then take a nice, long shower. As soon as she had dried her hair and changed into the most comfortable, worn-in sweats she owned, he picked up the phone and dialed Rev's number.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hey!" she said energetically. "I'm glad you can actually pick up the phone right now. I mean, it's so good that you're okay, but are you—"
"Yes, I'm sure I'm all right," he laughed.
"Are you sure?" she said, "Because if you asked me to, I would find that jerk and kick his—"
"I'm really fine," he said, cutting her off. He laughed slightly, knowing that Marissa was (in a purely positive sense) like a lap dog. She was loyal, and would literally bite anything that laid a hand on her friends.
"You had me really worried, though," Marissa said. "I mean, I would have taken on all of that team. I practically went crazy. Joanna had to hold me back,"
"I heard that from Sunshine," he laughed. "You know, I never thought you the type to hit a guy where it hurts,"
"Hold on, Rev, I don't get it," she laughed, "You're not making sense here! Doesn't it hurt if you hit 'em anywhere?" She asked innocently.
"You know what I mean," Rev said.
"Yeah, well that's how mad I was," she laughed, "And I think the poor lug forgot to wear a cup, too," They both started cracking up when the doorbell rang. "That was the door. People pick the worst times to come over to visit, but I've got to get that. I'll talk to you on Monday, all right?"
"Wait, I've got to say one more thing," Rev said. "If it's Ray—"
"Yeah, I know," Marissa interrupted, not paying attention to what he was starting to say. "No more kicking guys where the sun don't shine, I understand that completely." Then, she hung up. She hurried over to the door and opened it, only to see Ray with a bottle in his hand. "What are you thinking?" she said shrilly, snatching it away from him. "How many beers have you had?"
"One or two," he muttered, "I sort of lost track. Maybe six,"
"Shit, what are you doing driving? You could get yourself killed like that!" she said, pulling him by the hand inside. "Okay, spill," she said, crossing her arms. "You'd never do something like this unless something was seriously wrong. Start talking."
"I got kicked off the team," he said, shoving his hand into his pocket. "Gerry said I planned it all along for Rev to get hurt,"
"Baby, I'm sorry," she said. There really wasn't much else to say, because a part of Marissa believed the same thing. If this was about him not playing the game, then he had brought it upon himself. But he was here, and he seemed so unlike the person that Marissa knew. Before now, she had half the mind to call him and end it, straightaway, yet now he seemed different. He was vulnerable. The more maternal, nurturing side of Marissa screamed out one thing, and that was that he needed her.
"I'll just go," he said, shaking his head.
"Hell no," Marissa said, raising her voice slightly. "You aren't driving like this."
"It's nothing," he muttered. "I swear, it's nothing,"
"I don't care what you swear it is," she said. "You aren't going anywhere. I've got your keys," she waved his keyring in front of her. "I know, I know, me and my damn cheerleader reflexes. Now, sit down, and tell me exactly what happened." She dragged him over to the unfolded couch-bed, and sat down.
"I just got kicked off," he said. "I mean, the damn team was pretty much my whole life. I ain't got anything to live for,"
"Ray, quit talking like that," She leaned over and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, and they rested against the back of the couch. She pulled his jacket off of him. She rested her cheek against his chest, so that the top of her head was under his chin. "This is really bothering you, isn't it?" she said. "I know it doesn't really mean much, coming from me, but things aren't going to be so bad."
"I'm nobody," he said, "All I've ever been known for is being on that team, or being friends with the captain. I mean, it wasn't great, but it was better then nothing."
"Here," Marissa said, reaching over to the table and handing him a glass of water. "It'll calm you down. He took the glass, but, as soon as it came into his shaky hand, he somehow held it too tightly, and broke. He managed to not get his hand cut open, but he looked over at Marissa, who hissed quietly. A fairly large wedge had pierced into her skin, right near her collarbone. He moved his hand towards her, but she flinched. "It's nothing," she winced.
"Just stay still a minute, or else it'll go in further," he said, pinching the area slightly so he could pull out the shard of glass. Then, he quickly took off his shirt, which was wet from the spilt water, tore a piece off the sleeve, and pressed it against the small bleeding spot on her neck. "I might have killed you," he said.
"Don't be silly," she laughed softly, "It's like saying I would die from a papercut,"
"I'm just a screw-up," he said, shaking his head as she pressed against the cut, trying to make it stop bleeding.
"I've done worse to myself," Marissa laughed, 'I've fallen down the stairs and run into things more times than I count. This is practically nothing,"
"You don't have to pretend it doesn't hurt just so I don't feel bad," Ray said.
"It's really not that bad," she snapped, getting slightly annoyed. "I just don't like seeing blood. It grosses me out and everything." She wanted him to stop beating himself up over this, so she did the first thing that came to mind. She took his face in her hands and pulled him closer, kissing him full on the mouth. He ran his hand through her hair. Then, she felt him hook onto the bottom of her shirt with his thumb, trying to pull it off. She pushed away, shaking her head.
"What?" he asked. "I thought you wanted this,"
"No," she said adamantly, pushing him slightly off of her, "I mean, you've had a whole damn case of beers. How much could it actually mean to you?" She put crossed her arms and instead went to sit in the armchair on the other side of the room. "Maybe I'm just crazy, but I don't want my first time to be one big mistake,"
"Okay," he said, "I think I need to say something anyway. Earlier, that argument we got into, I admit it. It was really my fault. I just didn't like seeing you around all the other guys, because you look too comfortable with them and all,"
"I didn't think I needed to prove myself to you," she said. "I thought you knew how I felt about you."
"You want me to leave, then?" he said. Marissa knew that he was just being manipulative, using reverse psychology on her, but she couldn't tell him that she really would prefer it if he left.
"No, you're staying here," she said, "You're not getting anywhere near that car tonight, or you'll run yourself into a tree,"
* * * * *
The next morning, Marissa woke up first and wriggled out from between Ray's arms, trying not to wake him up. She ran upstairs and started getting dressed.
"Why'd you get up so early?" Ray said, standing in the doorway of her bedroom.
"I'm gonna drive up to see my mom today," She said. "That's where I'm spending the weekend," Then, she turned to face him. "That is, if you're gonna be okay,"
"Yeah," Ray said. He kissed her quickly on the lips.
"Thanks for understanding," she said simply. "I'll see you on Monday." Then, she picked up her bag and went out to her car.
The two-hour drive seemed so long. She had only driven there once before. The radio was playing the whole time, and Marissa tried hard to keep her voice down, but all she could do to keep herself awake was sing loudly. Of course, no one seemed to mind. There was hardly anyone on the road anyway.
During the long drive, all Marissa could think about was the previous day. She wasn't sure she had meant a single word she had said to Ray the night before, and she realized that part of her was absolutely furious with him. She couldn't really blame Gerry for taking him off the team. They really did think alike. This 'twin-thing' was really annoying sometimes.
She pulled into the driveway of a Victorian style house in a farm- like setting. This was the boardinghouse where her mother stayed. She rang the bell, and a tall, thin woman with wavy brown hair answered the door.
"Hi Mama," Marissa smiled. She hugged her mom, and they stepped into the house. "It's real warm today,"
"It's like this all the time around here," she shrugged. Marissa's mother, Liz Donovan, was thirty-two years old, and could pass for her sister. "Why don't we get a bite to eat?" she asked. They went out to Liz's car and drove about fifteen minutes until they reached an old, out-of-the- way karaoke club just off of the highway.
"Liz, are you crazy? I can't go in there," Marissa said, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. "I ain't old enough," She looked at her mother in total shock. She didn't dare say that they barely knew each other, but she couldn't deny that Liz had a lot to learn about being her motherl
"Aw, you're nearly eighteen," she laughed, "Consider this an early birthday present," They got out of the car and walked into the place. They sat down at a table, and Liz ordered drinks. When the drinks got to the table, Marissa just stared at it. It was nearly as long as her arm, and about as wide. She couldn't even find it in her to ask Liz what was in it. She peered into the top and sniffed. It smelled slightly sour, but sweet at the same time. She scooted away a bit, not entirely sure she'd want to drink whatever was in the glass.
"So, words travels fast around here. I've heard you're pretty popular nowadays." Liz said, taking a swig from her drink. "So you probably know what I'm about to ask, but I'll ask it anyway. How are things going with boys?" she laughed.
"Okay," Marissa shrugged. She didn't want to go into detail, and wouldn't unless her mother brought it up. "I mean, I have a lot of boys who're like my best friends and all,"
"Anyone special?" Liz asked. Marissa squirmed a little. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to avoid the topic after all
"I don't know," Marissa said, "There's this one guy, but I'm not really sure about him. There's just a lot about him that I'm not too crazy about...a whole lot,"
"Like what?" Liz said, resting her elbow on the table.
"Do I really have to get specific about this? He gets jealous real easy, and he's not exactly buddy-buddy with my friends," Marissa said, "And he just don't do nothin' for himself anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say is that at this point, I'm just not too crazy about him, period."
"He plays football, doesn't he?" Liz asked. Marissa gave her a look, as if wondering how she knew. "You always seem to fall for that type,"
"Well, he did," Marissa said, "He just got kicked off, and he came running to me. I didn't know what to tell him, because I think he may have deserved to get kicked off,"
"Why so?" Liz said. Just like Marissa, she loved to ask questions. "I mean, even before, you always tended to take your man's side in a fight. Why the change of heart?"
"Well, somebody got really hurt, and it's sort of his fault, but he won't tell anybody," Marissa said. "He expects me to take his side, but I saw it with my own two eyes, and the guy who got hurt is my friend too—one of the best friends that I got. I mean, I'm not sure to feel sorry for my guy, or to laugh in his face because he's had it coming all along. But, being his girl and all, it kinda feels like my job to be on his side."
"Well, anyone who makes you compromise what you feel doesn't deserve you," Liz said.
"But he's a good guy, really," Marissa said, finally getting over herself and taking a swig from her drink. "At least, I thought he was. I mean, he's probably capable of being really a nice guy, but he hardly ever is. I mean, my really close friends don't think much of him, and they're probably the most open-minded people that God ever put on the face of this earth,"
"Well, count on your friends to give you an honest opinion, but count on your heart for the honest truth," Liz said, "What's his name?"
"Ray," Marissa said. "You know, now that I think about it, my friends tried to warn me a lot about him, but I was stubborn about it,"
"That came from me," Liz laughed. "You know, if you're with this guy because you think he's the only guy who wants you, you're probably just not looking hard enough,"
"It's not like that, mom," Marissa said, trying to peer into the top of her drink. "There's a lot about him that bothers me, sure, but no one's perfect. I could've stayed back home, but I insisted on coming out her with you. And for what? Just to soak up the small-town life,"
"And there's no one else?" Liz prodded. "I mean, absolutely no one that you're interested in? I think that's a lot of bull, to be completely honest."
"Of course there's a little bit going on between me and some others," Marissa laughed, "Almost all of my friends are guys. You'd expect that. At first, I was crushing on almost all of the guys, because they were just...different. But I got over that. They're like my brothers now. But one of the guys that I don't know really well—"
"He's not exactly your brother yet," Liz said, "And you wouldn't mind getting to know him a little better...in a different way"
"Exactly," Marissa said. "But I'm not single, so I can't,"
"You're young," Liz said, "You've got time to learn what you can and can't do. You know, I think it'd be fun to meet this guy—Ray." She pulled something out her pocket, waving it tauntingly in front of her daughter. " I had no clue that girls carried little black books nowadays,"
"Ma!" she squealed. "Where'd you get that? I swear, it was in my bag—" She looked up. "You took it, didn't you?" But it was too late. Her mom had already stood up and walked up to the payphone. She ran up to follow her. "You know, mom, his number isn't in there," she said wryly.
"So whose number is this?" she said, pointing to a tiny space, "The name says Ray Budds, and it's surrounded with little hearts," She started dialing the number, and before Marissa could even try to wrestle the phone away, someone had answered.
"Hey, this is Marissa's mom, Liz," she said, smirking in her daughter's direction. "Am I talking to Ray?" Marissa hit her forehead. This was terrible. "Yeah, she says you're a real great guy—totally crazy for you," It just hit rock bottom.
"Mom, please!" Marissa whispered. "Just put the phone down,"
"Yeah, my girl's a real character," Liz laughed. "I can tell you're a smart fella. So you two haven't been doing anything I should know about, right?"
"Ma!" Marissa squealed, "I think you've asked my boyfriend enough questions for one phonecall. It's my turn to talk to him." She grabbed the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, baby," Ray said, trying to keep a flat tone. "I think I just met your mom,"
"Yeah, I think you did, and just let it out, because I know you're just dying to laugh," she squealed, "And I'm really sorry about that. She talks nearly as much as I do," Ray laughed.
"Oh, no" he said, "You know you can't keep quiet for a minute,"
"Okay, now that ain't funny," she squealed, "But really, sorry for bothering you,"
"Well it's fine," he laughed. "Love you,"
"Love you too," she sighed, "Bye,"
"Did I just hear you say 'I love you'?" Liz repeated. "Sounds like you've gotten yourself into a whole lot of hell with that boy,"
"And I have no clue how I did it," she sighed. "It just sort of slipped out, and he just keeps saying it for the sake of hearing me say it again. Of course, being the loudmouth crowd-pleaser I am, I say it just because he wants to hear it—and it's just a whole damn vicious cycle."
"Yet another thing you get from me," Liz laughed, "The inability to keep that mouth shut,"
"Well, that's just how it is," Marissa shrugged. "I let it slip, and now I have to deal with it,"
"You're seventeen," Liz said, "You don't got to deal with anything to don't want to. You're still a kid. If this is something you're not ready to deal with, then don't,"
"I had boyfriends back in Oregon and you didn't give me this talk," Marissa sighed. "I don't see any big difference here,"
"You never used those three words with them," Liz said. "I think this place has changed you. I mean, I've said it before. You're just a kid. You should be boy-crazy, not commitment-ready."
"Well, I like it," Marissa said unconvincingly. "I'm glad we came here to Virginia. I mean, I hated the way things were back in Oregon, and in California. I always felt so detached back there, like I couldn't take anything seriously, even if I was on my way to making it big. I could never learn anything like that. This is probably the best thing I ever could have asked for,"
"Enough serious talk," Liz laughed, "I didn't take you here for no reason. I want to hear that voice that's got Alexandria gushing, and I think everyone here does. Why didn't you start showing off until we moved here? Even I didn't know you could sing!" She pushed her daughter up to the stage so she was already at the microphone.
"Thanks a million," she muttered. A random song started playing, and once again, Marissa just had to roll with it.
"At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last
The skies above are blue
My hearts was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I could call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I've never known
You smile, and then the spell is cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine—
At last"
Blushing brightly, Marissa jumped blindly off of the stage, shaking her head and laughing. Soon, she found herself bumping into somebody. "Oh, sorry," she laughed, "I wasn't watching where I was going,"
"At least it wasn't on purpose this time," the guy laughed.
"Excuse me?" Marissa said, dusting herself off. "Have we met?"
"Oh, I bet you wouldn't recognize me without the helmet," he laughed, "I'm Kip Tyler—you know, the one you tried to castrate yesterday,"
"Oh, that's right. Sorry about that," she said, brushing her hair behind her ear and laughing nervously. All grudges aside, he wasn't a bad looking guy. He was nowhere near as good-looking as, say, a certain blonde quarterback she knew, but he wasn't horrifyingly ugly either. "I was just kind of mad. I mean, the quarterback is sort of a friend of mine, so combine that with being a hyperactive cheerleader, and it gets crazy. What can I say?"
"Things get crazy on the field," he shrugged apologetically.
"Things get crazy off of it, too," she laughed. "Yesterday just wasn't the greatest day in the world, even before the game. I stress over that kind of small stuff. Besides, you were just playing the game,"
"So, are you the same Missy Donovan everyone's buzzing about?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, now I get why people call you Songbird back home," they both laughed. This guy actually didn't have much bad about him, save for the fact that Marissa still related him to Rev getting hurt. Of course, if Ray had been blocking like he was supposed to have been doing— "So, are you going out with that quarterback or something?" he asked.
"Actually I'm with—" she stopped. What was she supposed to say? 'Actually, I'm with the guy that used to be number 87. Oh, don't worry, I wouldn't expect you to know him. He just got kicked off the team.' "I'm sort of with somebody," she shrugged.
"Well, if your schedule is ever suddenly clear, give me a call," he said, jotting down number on a napkin. "I'd ask you for yours, but that'd be mighty inappropriate, wouldn't it?" he laughed.
"Maybe not mighty inappropriate. Just a little," Marissa laughed. "I guess I'll see you around, Kip," Then, she walked back to her mom's table.
"And what was that?" Liz laughed. Marissa held up her hands defensively, but her mom didn't give her an opportunity to deny it. "You were flirting with that boy. Care to reconsider what you said about Ray? You didn't hesitate much when you were talking to him."
"Yes I did!" Marissa laughed. "I was totally hesitating. I'm, like, the master of hesitation!" Her speech was peppered with exuberant gestures, mostly for the reason of convincing herself that she wasn't lying through her teeth. "Really," she added desperately.
"Yeah, that's right," Liz laughed, "Now that you mention it, you hesitated bringing up the fact that you had a boyfriend,"
"I thought you'd be happy," Marissa said, smirking. She knew she couldn't win this argument. "I'm just naturally a social butterfly. Besides, you said that I should be boy-crazy, remember?" Her mom nudged her playfully on the arm. "But really, I was just being nice. Just because I have a boyfriend doesn't mean I can't flirt."
"Imagine what Ray would say if he saw that scene," Liz said, clicking her tongue in mock-disapproval.
"He'd realize I'm not his trophy girl, then," Marissa laughed, taking a fearless sip from her drink. "I told you, I know how many other options I have. If I don't trust him anymore, then he can consider himself kicked to the curb,"
"Bet you couldn't say that last part five times fast," Liz laughed. "You know, why don't we make the most of this little moment and give you a little change of style?"
"What do you got in mind?" Marissa asked.
"Well, first of all, you've got to stop drying your hair so it's stick-straight," Liz said, twirling her daughter's long locks. "I mean, it's the family trademark, having hair that's about as straight as a California Boy, so roll with it,"
"And?" Marissa asked, still a bit fazed by the 'California Boy' comment. "I'm gonna warn you. I never wear makeup,"
"Not even a little?" Liz prodded. Marissa shook her head with such finality that she had her mother convinced. "Okay, nothing goes on those pretty cheeks," Liz laughed. "Let's hit the road and find someplace to do something about that thing on your head—I swear, how do you manage with your hair that long?"
"It's not just hair! It doubles as a weapon if a wear it in a ponytail," Marissa laughed. "I've tested it out on people once or twice. I usually aim for the shoulder, but I need to work on aim." They laughed as they walked out of the club.
* * * * *
They got back to the boarding house that night at around eight o'clock, and Marissa set up on the daybed in her mom's room. She dragged the phone over to her side, the cord trailing across the floor.
"Hey Rev!" she said once he had answered. "Feeling much better?"
"Now that the wrist's stopped swelling," he laughed, "I'm feeling pretty much normal. Where were you? I couldn't get a hold of you all day,"
"I've been out with Liz since I got here," she said. "That's my mom," she added.
"You call her Liz?" he asked.
"Yeah," Marissa said simply. "Usually I do, at least."
"Is this the same mom that you haven't seen for about two months?" he asked.
"Well, yeah, seeing as I only have one mom," she laughed. "We spent the day out. There's just loads I'm gonna have to tell you when we get back."
"You two must have had loads to talk about," he said. "Did you tell her about Ray?"
"She actually looked through my phone book and called him," Marissa laughed. "To tell you the truth, I don't think she's crazy about him."
"Well, I'm not going to comment on that," Rev said flatly. "So what did you do?"
"Well, we went to this karaoke place called Passing Notes," she began. "It was really small. We were talking about Ray, and then she called him, and then I made her hang up, and then she made me sing," she said all in one breath. "And there was this other guy there—I'll give you details if anything comes up. But, anyway, my mom was busy telling me that I was just seventeen, and I should be flirting around,"
"Well, that's the opposite of what my mom would be saying if I were a girl," Rev laughed.
"Oh, and I got a drink," Marissa laughed proudly.
"And I can just imagine the newspaper headlines tomorrow," Rev laughed. "Drunk cheerleader rampages city,"
"I had a drink, but I wasn't drunk. There's a really big difference! I hold liquor quite well, thank you very much." she laughed, "And I did more than just drink. They had these cool shrimp thingies that were really good,"
"Are you on the phone with that boyfriend of yours again?" Liz said, coming into the room.
"No," Marissa laughed, "It's just a friend from school."
"Male or female?" Liz asked.
"Male," Marissa said, rolling her eyes. "And you can't have the phone," she laughed. Then, she put her mouth back to the receiver. "I'm going to call it a night. See you Monday, okay?"
* * * * *
I was trying to show a little sympathy for Ray, and give him Marissa a fluffy moment...but I gotta say, that was YUCK! I gave her Ray-Cooties...I kinda feel bad for the guy, though, because he's always getting bashed. Sure, he deserves every bit of it, but still! Maybe he should consider therapy...haha. I may make this story end with Ray/Marissa, just to tick everyone off, but that'd be hard, seeing as I can't stand to write any more blatant fluff with that....thing.
So, aside from that we have some football, and some interesting mother- daughter time. I guess you can tell that the age gap between Marissa and her mom is pretty small...they're on a first name basis, and all that.
And WHO is this mystery guy that Marissa wishes she...knew a little better?? Hm...
Recycle, Reduce...REVIEW!! XD