Disclaimer: If you notice a trend in the disclaimer, you get 10,000 cool points!!! (I Don't own a darn thing...)
AN: There will be more on the way, pLeAsE review, folks!!! It is muy importante!!!
--Static Bites---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back at the station Travis, Ray ,and Lily were trying to figure out what was wrong with the signal.
"Looks like the transmitter's broken. I can fix it with electrical wire and duct tape, but—"
The transmitter spewed sparks inches away from Travis's Converse clad feet. "Or not..."
"How much does a new one cost?" Ray asked. Travis just looks at him in an 'are you sure you want me to say it?' manner.
"Oh...wow...that sucks"
"We don't have the money for that, what are we going to do?"
"I can call around to different electrical supply stores and compare prices." Travis said as he pulled out the phone book. He blew the dust that had collected on the cover. It had obviously been there for a while.
While Travis began researching possible parts places, Ray decided to do some much needed writing and snacking. He pulled out some paper, a pen and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 'How can I say this...Lily, I love you, I always have and I always—No...' he thought as he frustratedly scribbles it out. 'I see you everyday, but I can't seem to tell you how I feel...being around you...' he smiled as the ideas flowed from his pen to the paper. He noticed something sticky as his had slid across the paper. Ideas weren't the only thing flowing onto his paper. He wiped off the jelly and then wiped that jelly onto his shirt. He wasn't the cleanest person on the planet. Lily noticed that he was writing and walked over to read over his shoulder. She read aloud,
"I see you every day but I can't seem to tell you how I feel... Ray is this a love letter?! Who's it for?" she said punching him. Ray tried to hide the note as fast as he could, but Lily was too quick for him. "Being with you is like double overtime? Ray you'll never impress a girl with this..." she said as she skimmed the note for more problems.
"Well why don't you help me woo this strumpet since you know so much about...strumpets..." Ray said matter-of-factly tone.
"Ok. I will. When I'm done with you, not only will you be a girl magnet but you'll have your own gravity."
"Ray smiled and ran his hand through his obsidian hair.
"Oh yeah. I can see it now... I'll be 'The Ray' and I'll refer to myself in the third person."
"And I will shoot you. I hate when people do that. Its so...just ah, I can't stand it."
"Yes , oh knowledgeable instructor."
Lily smiles and walks over to the techbooth to see how Travis is doing with the transmitter problem. He finishes the conversation with the person on the other end of the line and hangs up.
"Any news?" Lily said, as she leaned against the frame of the doorway.
"Radios 'n' Things said they'd supply us with a free transmitter if we agree to plug some of their ads.
"Oh Robbie will not like that. I'd call him first to check and make sure he's okay with it."
"In other words, let him scream at me over the phone instead of him caterwauling in person."
"Mmhmm." Lily nodded.
"Yeah, I like that idea."
Robbie had just finished sorting the vinyl records when his phone rang.
"Hello..."
"Hey Robbie, our transmitter's screwed.
"Yeah I heard. Everyone's wondering what was going on." He said as he went outside to talk. He was greeted by a small gush of cool, crisp air.
"Well I can't fix it, but Radios 'n' Things can, for free."
"And what's the catch?" Robbie asked skeptically.
"We'd have to play an ad or two and promote their new wireless radio pens."
"Whoa, no. Sorry, we can't. It totally goes against everything RFR stands for. We don't have to answer to anyone. You know, Radio Free Roscoe."
"Well you can tell the listeners that, but I doubt they'll be able to hear you through all the intermittent static."
Robbie sighed and threw up his hand in defeat. "Don't you ever get tired of always being right?" He joked. "Ok, go ahead. How soon can we get it in?"
"Tomorrow. I'll call them back now and see what's going on. Oh and how's inventory going? Dying of boredom yet?"
"No, actually, I met this gorgeous girl, Marpessa Kingsley. She's new here. Oh, by the way, I'm no longer a single man."
"Oh, the lightning that is Robbie McGrath has struck the fancy of an unsuspecting lady fair, huh? Well Mazeltov to you both."
"Thanks. Well I've got to go, I've been out here long enough according to the way Mickey thinks..."
"Ok, see you later."
"Later, Travis." Robbie said. He ended the phone call and tossed his cell in the air, it in that endearingly "Mary Tyler Moore" way.
Life was great now that he had Marpessa, even though technically they weren't exclusive he felt like the luckiest guy on earth. That one kiss, though brief, made him want to be nice to everyone and everything. It was like...icy hot... Refreshing, yet soothing.
He sighed when he looked over at her through the window. His view was partially obstructed by the partition blinds but he made due with what he could see. She was reapplying her lip gloss. Her amber eyes were fixed upon the mirror before her. 'If I were her, I'd be looking in the mirror too. Probably more than I should.' Her long, legs were crossed at her ankles, her knees facing one side. She was wearing a pleated charcoal gray mini skirt and a pink tee shirt with a gold brooch in the shape of a heart on the left side of her chest. She looked over at him staring and walked outside. The sun was setting on the town of Roscoe, shooting different shades of watermelon, cherry and peach into the sky. She leaned on Robbie, resting her head on his shoulder and looked at the magnificent display.
"It looks like someone scratched the sky and its bleeding different colors..." Marpessa said as she marveled.
"Or like someone spilled their paints into the sky." Robbie added.
He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He never wanted to let go. She smelled like vanilla...
She was loving how secure she felt. Most of the guys at her old school were complete deusch bags. They expected to get to third base before the second date. She had never gone that far before, but she was greatful that she wouldn't be expected to for Robbie. She could just tell. It was this inexplicable feeling she got when she was near him...she felt like she'd known him forever. She sighed and inhaled his scent. It was like soap and dried roses. He rested his lips on her forehead and closed his eyes. They were just so content. He started to feel sick. It was a good sick though, like he had just been on a roller coaster that had a billion loops and turns. 'I think I'm in love...Is this love? It feels like it...God, I think I am. I want to tell her...I've only known her for a day, and I'm in love...its way to soon though...But when the time is right, I'll let her know, even if it's a thousand years from now. I'll wait.'
Little did he know that Marpessa had been shot by a similar arrow of love.
'This is so right. Like I was meant to fit this way in his arms. I love him...where'd that come from? Love? Love? I've only known him for a few hours...but this feels so right...like the real thing. You know when it's love. Then again, I'm only sixteen...how the hell do I know what love is...' "Hey Robbie..." "Yes..." "Do you...do you believe in love at first sight?" Robbie's heart stopped and his stomach flipped. He wondered why she asked something like that. Then he realized. She felt it too. It was that connection that they seemed to have. She knew, and she wanted him to know.
"Of course, don't you?" "More now than I thought I ever did." She said looking into his gray eyes, smiling. The sun had hit the horizon and they had used up the remainder of their second break. "We'd better go on in, Mickey already likes us, lets not mar the perfect view he has on the youth of today." She said , entwining his fingers with hers. Mickey inspected their work.
"Wow, you two are the quickest crew I've had in a long time!" Today's work load is done. Early too. I'll let you two go on home then."
"Okay." The two answered simultaneously. Mickey noticed that they were holding hands. 'I leave them alone and they're already smitten. What is this, a singles bar?' he thought shaking his head. He walked to the back of his office to take care of some paperwork. Robbie and Marpessa gathered their things and headed out.
"Marpessa, where do you live?"
"About four or five blocks from the school."
"Really? I live about three blocks from school. Want me to walk you?"
"Thanks. My dad would flip out if he knew I walked home unescorted in the dark. Well near dark...Let's walk slowly."
They let Mickey know they were leaving and walked out the door towards Roscoe High. It was about five minutes but at their pace, it was more like ten.
The air around them was a mix of chill and refreshment. Above them was an ocean of mauve and indigo. About twenty minutes later, they arrived at Marpessa's house.
"This is my stop..." Marpessa said quoting the Daria theme song.
"Got to get off," Robbie chimed in.
"I may go pop-"
"Excuse me,"
"Excuse me,"
"I've got to be direct, lalala"
"If I'm always correct, lalala"
They finish together, "You're standing on my neck, Lalala You're standing on my neck lalala You're standing on my neck." they both laughed.
"I love Daria! Most guys don't watch that show, but you..." she said at a loss for words, "You're just amazing."
Robbie smiled and stepped closer to her. "You just have this...life force that illuminates the whole room. I feel like I'm blinded by you." Marpessa gazed into his eyes, fingers intertwined. They walked to a dark corner under the large oak tree in the front yard. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his hands at her waist, pulling her closer to him. Their kiss was so sweet. Tender, like they were afraid that it would break. The world didn't exist anymore, it was just the two of them. Their thoughts left them. Marpessa kissed the corner of his mouth, then trailed them down the edge of his jawbone. Robbie's hands began to roam as if they had developed minds of their own.
"Robbie..." Marpessa whispered, "Maybe we should stop." She hated to say it, but they really shouldn't have done anything in the first place. The last thing she wanted was an ill-fated romance due to circumstances they couldn't bring it upon themselves to control.
"Yeah, I guess we should. I'll see you tomorrow." he said kissing her again. Through the kiss, she whispered 'I love you.' She froze and wondered if he had heard what she'd said. He noticed her expression.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" she assumed that he hadn't heard anything, and said,
"Nothing, I just got a chill that's all."
He embraced her and walked her down the walkway and up the steps to her house. Reluctantly, they parted. She raced up the stairs to her room. She sat at the window, knocking on the glass to get Robbie's attention. He smiled when he saw her and blew her a kiss. She returned two. He mimed catching one, but missed the other and requested another. She laughed and blew him a replacement, which he caught and put in his pocket.
He said her name what seemed like a million times out loud and in his head as he walked down the street. He loved the sound, he loved what it meant. In a fit of delirious happiness, he skipped down the street.