Saturday finally rolled around, Alex and Marissa hadn't seen each other all week. Marissa called Alex in the afternoon.

"Hey Alex" she smiled into the receiver

"Hey" Alex wandered to the couch with the cordless and made herself comfortable on the couch.

"First date is still on for tonight. I'll meet you from work at eleven thirty Ok? I'm sorry it's so late"

"It's ok. I don't mind, it's not your fault I had to work"

"Yeah. Well I'm running into L.A later I'll come straight back and meet you at outside the bait shop at eleven thirty"

"Done. Anyway, I better go I have to go to work. See you later"

"Bye" Marissa hung up. She proceeded to the car, in her black trousers and top. She figured she'd have enough time to get ready when she got back. It was already 4pm; she needed to get to L.A.

Marissa spent most of her time in L.A running to Alex's favorite diner and ordered her favorite. She saved it in a box and continued walking around until around, perfecting things, picking things up. Generally just keeping herself occupied. She went back to her car, and turned up the radio. By this time it was raining heavily, she smiled because she just missed it. About a twenty-minute drive from the bait shop. The car stopped abruptly.

"No" Marissa sighed in frustration. She attempted to restart the car, no such luck. She had been so preoccupied with everything she forgot to fill up the car with gas. She set her keys on the passenger seat, and picked up her bag and cell phone. She checked it.

"No service! I don't believe this," she yelled out loud, despite the fact no one was there to hear her. She climbed out of the car with her backpack on and cell phone in hand in search of service. The rain came down hard on her, her scarf was already soaking. She shuffled along to the side of the road and searched for service. She moved around the grass verge and couldn't find any service at all so headed back to the car.

She tried the door. Locked.

"What the fuck!" She yelled. She used her hand to peer through the glass. She saw her keys lying in the center of the seat, somewhat neglected. She kicked the car door out of aggravation. And stood by the road looking rather lost. The rain was soaking through her now, she was freezing cold. Her hair fell in awkward, dark; wet strands at random intervals along her face. Her eyeliner and mascara had created deep black pools under her eyes. Water was in droplets on her skin, and awkward drips fell from the end of her nose. Her black tshirt clung to her saturated with water. He trousers rubbed her awkwardly as she shuffled from foot to foot. Her black canvas shoes icy cold and soaking. She checked her watch. Eleven o clock.

"Fuck it!" she yelled. And started to walk in the direction of Newport. She had a steady pace, but occasionally staggered to the side, because of the heavy wind. She fell at one point. She pounded the tarmac. And staggered to her feet. She kept walking. She couldn't shake the image of Alex's disappointed face out of her head. She focused eventually after about an hour of walking she reached the edge of Newport. Occasionally being blinded by passing cars, she hoped to be rescued, but the only person she cared to be rescued by was about a mile away. She picked up the pace. The view of Newport from the top of the beach filling her with hope. A smile spread across her face as she passed familiar landmarks, and drew minutes away from the bait shop.

She ran towards the door which was just feet away now, and reached out to grab the thick steel door of the bait shop. She shook it fiercely, It didn't open. She kicked it and ran. She ran to the pier and stood right at the end she dropped her bag to the floor. And spread her arms and looked up. She started to cry, a lot.

"Why did this have to happen? Why the fuck did you do this to me! I just needed a chance to prove to someone I care about that I'm not a fuck up" she sat down. Crying still. Tugging at herself out of awkward anger directed towards her self.

"You didn't fuck up" Alex was stood behind her, in the pouring rain, due to the dark and cold it was impossible to tell what kind of mood she was in, Marissa could always read her expression, but not when it wasn't visible to see. Marissa stood and faced her. She sniffed awkwardly. They faced each other, Alex and Marissa both soaked to their skin; eye make up smudged everywhere, stood a few feet away from each other.

Alex stepped forward, as did Marissa. Almost touching now. Marissa looking down at her soaked feet, drops of water falling off her face. Alex held her close, the dye rubbed off Marissa's black tshirt onto her white one, smudging black lines on her, Marissa looked up and they kissed. Water fell on their skin as they stood, alone in the middle of a storm on the edge of the pier. Alex pulled away.

"What happened"?

"My car broke down and I locked my keys in the car"

"So you got the bus?"

"I walked"

"From where?"

"I don't know, it was a few miles. I didn't want to be late, honest" she bent down and picked up her bag.

"Well we could always salvage what's left…I'm a huge fan of spontaneous first dates" Marissa formulated a plan.

"It may well be salvageable" she took her hand and they walked towards the bait shop. "Open it up?"

"What?"

"Open up the bait shop!" she demanded. Alex paused, she gave Marissa an important look, and a lot was understood. She didn't know precisely what Marissa had planned but she knew she would enjoy it. She swung open the heavy steel doors, and closed them behind the pair. She flicked on the lights and smiled. "Sit down." Marissa said in a military way. She kissed her on the head to soften the sergeant-esque order's she'd just dished out. "I'll be back in a few minutes". Alex sat in wonder, as one thousand things rushed through her head at once. The minutes went by slowly as Alex just looked around and stared. Marissa appeared again with a box, and two saggy pieces of paper. She put the paper underneath the box.

"One more minute I promise. Don't peek I need to explain it" she ran off. The Bravery came on over the speakers. Marissa returned and sat opposite Alex at the bar.

"What's this?"

"Our first date" she picked up the box and moved it to the side. She picked up the slips of paper and handed her them.

"What are these?"

"Bravery tickets. I was too late by the time we got here. You can keep them though."

"You got us tickets to The Bravery?" she said in disbelief, it was hard to read if she was being negative or positive.

"Umm yeah? I got us backstage passes, one of summer's exes owed me a favour." she showed it was positive by kissing her softly.

"So what's in the box?" she opened the box, and on It was, a huge hamburger, and a fish salad. Marissa took the fish salad and placed it on her plate. And took the hamburger and placed it on Alex's, dripping water everywhere all the while.

"Wait a minute…this is from Lisa's old diner… tell me you didn't!"

"What?"

"Go to L.A just to get me this"

"Well…I, bought a cd while I was there too"

"Marissa you are perfect" she grinned and kissed her yet again.

"Well I had to be original…I bet so many others have done the same thing."

"Hardly. They take me to a bar get me wasted and take me home. I seriously didn't think you'd put this much thought into this"

"Thanks?"

"Trust me it s a Good thing". They finished eating and sat next to each other just talking, the music was quieter now, and an acoustic song was on. Alex stood up and held Marissa too. She pulled Marissa to her feet and put her arms around her neck.

"Dance" she said quietly. In some kind of hug, they danced shifting their weight from one foot to the other.

"Ow!" exclaimed Marissa.

"What is it?" said Alex looking a little concerned; she suspected she had probably trodden on her toe.

"My pants are hurting me!" Alex laughed

"It's not funny! They're drenched." Alex leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"We'll have to take you home and get them off then".