Alex almost didn't want to go home, she didn't want to talk to Marissa. But she knew she had to. She nodded to Jay, the guy working the rest of the shift alone. He waved her away, shaking his head and frowning in the direction of Marissa.
Alex grabbed her jacket and pulled Marissa out behind her. "You've had enough." Marissa giggled and pulled her playfully closer to her, their hips touching as they faced each other. Alex frowned and looked down, whispering: "Stop." She pulled away and opened her Jeep's passenger door for Marissa.
Marissa blushed and got in. "I'm sorry." She said, searching Alex's face. Alex climbed in beside her, starting the car.
"It's okay." She sighed. "Just... You need sleep, you don't know what you're doing."
They both laughed. "Bullshit," Marissa said, rolling her eyes. The two girls rode to Alex's
(... Our place...)
apartment in silence, glancing over at each other in silence. Alex parked her car in front, and shut the engine off.
"Alex, I'm sorry." Marissa said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's just... I didn't know what I was doing..."
Alex shut her up with a kiss, and started to play with her hair like she used to. She pulled Marissa closer to her. "... I know. You were overwhelmed, frightened." She looked down at her hands as a single tear streamed down Marissa's face. "I was there once, remember? With me and Jodie. She was the agressive one who'd been there, done that. I was new to it and scared, like you.
"And you still love Ryan." Alex said, a hitch in her breath as she started to cry. She got out of the car and walked around to the other side, meeting Marissa there. Marissa pulled her close, into a hug.
"Loved. Or... I thought I did. Alex... When we were apart, I realized that... I love you. And I don't want anyone else. What Ryan and I had was... right at the time. But what we had is over. And I guess I just had to make sure of that before I could be with you." With that, she kissed Alex, and pulled her close again, tasting the tears on her girlfriend's lips, and mourned the very fact that they were there. That they were there because of her.
That night, Marissa vowed never to hurt Alex again.
The next day, Alex didn't have to work, so they hung out. They rented movies, and just.. stayed together. But Alex couldn't help feeling the need to talk some more. She was laying with Marissa on the couch, watching one of the new Jude Law movies. Marissa moved so that she was on top of Alex, and kissed her. Alex closed her eyes, taking everything in. She pushed a strand of hair back over Marissa's ear.
"Do you know how much I missed you?" She whispered, swallowing back tears that threatened. Marissa cuddled close.
"I missed you, too."
Alex sniffed and shook her head. "Marissa, I love you, but you don't know what it's like to love someone and have them walk away when you've fallen for them the hardest you ever thought you could."
Marissa nodded, climbing back down beside Alex. "I really am sorry about it, Alex. I hope that now everything will be okay…"
Alex nodded. "Yeah. I know. And it will be. I'm just…"
"Trying to get used to it again." Marissa finished, laying her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.
"Yeah…" Alex sighed, closing her eyes. "God, I'm tired. I need to get to bed."
Marissa smiled, climbing up on top of Alex again, kissing her neck. "Is that an invitation?" She asked between kisses.
Alex's eyes widened, and she moved her hands to Marissa's shoulders, grinning. "Normally, yes. But you have to go to school."
A groan from Marissa, who stood up, and pulled Alex up with her. "Whaaat? Alex…" She resumed kissing her neck, and bit down on her earlobe, gently.
Alex pushed her back, rather reluctantly. "Marissa, you can't. You have to go to school tomorrow. You don't want to turn out like me." She frowned.
Marissa rolled her eyes, groaning again. "Fine. I'll go. But you can't make me like it."
The next morning, Marissa woke up to Alex's alarm clock going off. She made a loud irritated sound and threw the covers off of herself. Alex laughed in her half-sleep state, turning over to look at her.
"It doesn't matter how much you pout, you'll still have to go, Marissa." She said, closing her eyes.
Marissa sighed, and turned to face her, putting a hand under Alex's shirt, caressing her soft stomach. "Not even if I offer you a whole day of hot sex?"
Alex gasped for breath lightly, opening her eyes again. She smoothed Marissa's hair, and pulled her in roughly for a kiss that rocked both their worlds for a moment. Marissa tried to keep kissing her, but Alex pushed her back.
"You do this shit on purpose. You know you drive me wild."
Marissa smiled slyly. "Then maybe I can drive you wild all day long..."
Alex rolled her eyes and rolled over on her back. "No, Marissa. Get up, and go to school. I told you."
"I still have half an hour before I need to start getting ready." She said before climbing on top of Alex like she had the night before. She began kissing her neck, hand under Alex's shirt, running her hand over her flat, tone stomach. Alex closed her eyes, unable to push her off, as she pulled her girlfriend's face to her own, kissing her again, wishing she had more self-control, that she could make Marissa care about her future. Yes, sure, Alex turned out all right, pretty well actually, for not finishing high school, but who's to say Marissa would luck out and end up owning and managing her own bar? Exactly, it's anyone's guess. So for now, make her go, at least. She's bound to get some kind of a diploma for just that.
Alex pushed her off a minute later, guiding her by her shoulders slowly back down onto the bed. She leaned over and kissed her again, then sat up. "Go to school."
"Awwwwww." Marissa whined, finally getting up, and grabbing her jeans off the chair that she'd thrown them on last night. She put them on, looking at Alex, pouting. But Alex just ignored her, turning her back to her and closing her eyes, so she could go back to sleep. But she couldn't, Marissa had really woken her up for the day. But she waited to get up until after Marissa had closed the door gently, thinking she was asleep. She heard Marissa's Mustang start, and then she got up, and headed off to the shower.
Being the last day of school, Marissa was wondering what the point was of her going. Alex must think that we go for a little while more, but since we're seniors, we don't. Marissa started to clean out her locker when she got there, throwing everything from her mirror to pictures of celebrities into a messenger bag that she'd taken out of her trunk. She sighed and looked around, searching for her friends. Summer had the locker next to hers, but she was nowhere to be found. However, Seth was standing close by, and noticed Marissa looking a little lost. He walked over.
"What's up?" He asked, opening up Summer's locker and looking at the pictures she had up in her locker, covering the walls and door completely.
Marissa raised her eyebrows and shrugged, one hand running through her hair, and the other in a pocket of her pants. "Not a lot, obviously. We leave in an hour, what's the point of even coming?"
Seth shrugged back. "Good question. I'm enjoying the no-finals part of today, though, aren't you?"
Marissa nodded, looking at him. "Yeah, definitely. But I'd like to be at home with Alex."
He sighed. "Mm-hmm. I'd like you to be, too." He grinned. "But... Marissa, as much as I enjoy the thought of you two together -- and trust me, I do -- ... Do you know how much you've hurt Ryan? All that you went through with Trey, and his standing up for you... He's wondering what the point of it all was."
She frowned and turned away. "Seth... I know I hurt him. But wouldn't it have hurt him more if I'd stayed with him, but kept loving Alex? It's the same thing I did to Alex before, and it wouldn't be fair to him."
Seth nodded, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans, avoiding eye contact with her for a minute as he thought it over. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry, Coop." He pulled her closer into a hug, and she hugged back. Summer walked up just then.
"Aww, Marissa, now you're stealing my boyfriend?" She laughed and hugged her boyfriend, as he leaned against the lockers, and she pressed herself up against him, kissing him. "Why are you here? I figured you'd be with Alex." She said, turning to her friend.
Marissa shrugged. "Alex made me come, she's determined to make me graduate, since she didn't, I guess." Summer nodded, and moved over to hug her friend.
"Don't leave us out again, this time, okay? We won't care if you come hang out with us, you know." Summer held Marissa's hands in her own, looking up into her friend's face. Marissa nodded.
"I promise. And thanks."
Summer smiled. "Good. Now get to class." They laughed.
Marissa let herself into the apartment, and collapsed on the couch, exhausted. It was crazy all day, last day. She'd made it. She'd finished. Graduation was on Saturday, and she had acquired her cap and gown today, and practiced outside on the lawn where it would take place. Prom was tomorrow, Friday. Marissa didn't know what to think about it. Summer had dragged her all around the mall, searching for the perfect dress.
"What do you want, Coop? And what will Alex wear?" She'd asked while roaming the many aisles in the store. Marissa froze. She hadn't even thought about taking Alex to prom with her. She'd always planned to go with Ryan, it's just how it was. She couldn't move for a minute. Summer walked back up to her, and waved a hand in front of her face. "Marissa?"
Marissa pursed her lips, and excused herself for a moment. She took her cell phone out of her purse, and flipped it open, calling Ryan. He picked up on the third ring, after Marissa was about to quit waiting and hang up. "Marissa." He answered, his statement not a question.
She froze again, then found her words. "Hi, Ryan. Listen, about prom..."
He interrupted her. "I've got a date."
Marissa cocked her head, eyebrows together. "Oh? Who?" She asked, trying to sound simply curious, instead of hurt. It didn't work that well, but he answered anyway.
"Lindsey. She's back in town, and I figured she needed something to do."
Marissa nodded, running a hand through her hair. "Oh. Okay. Sorry to bother you about it, then." She said, and hung up. If he's going to be a jerk, then I'm not going to try, she thought, and walked out of the changing room she'd sat in while she called. She found Summer instantly, who had about ten dresses over her arm.
"Marissa! What do you think about this one? Or this one?"
Back at home, Marissa laughed at her friend's earlier hyperness. She heard the water in the kitchen sink shut off, and turned her head as Alex walked in the room.
Alex smiled at her girlfriend, and sat down beside her, kissing her. "Hey. How was school?"
Marissa shrugged, too tired to move much. "Good. Done with it, last day, you know."
Alex squealed, and hugged her close, laying down, and pulling Marissa with her. "I'm so proud of you. You made it!" Marissa smiled, and nodded.
"Yeah. Listen, Alex... Prom is tomorrow. And we need to find you a dress."
Her eyes widened, sighing. "Whoa. I never went to prom. Um... okay. Will you help me pick one out of the ones I have?"
Two hours later, the girls collapsed on their bed, eyes rolling up in exhaustion. Alex had never spent that long worrying about clothes before, but she knew Marissa was pleased. She turned to face her girlfriend.
"Are you sure that it's okay with the school if we go together?" She asked, wrapping her arms around Marissa's waist.
Marissa turned her head, thinking. Then she shrugged. "Who cares? They can't just not let us go in."
And they didn't. There was no problem, Marissa and Alex were let in with no objection. Marissa immediately found Summer, who was standing with Cohen, Ryan, and Lindsey near a table lit by candles. Prom that year was being held at a night club in L.A. that had closed its doors to normal customers and opened its doors to the students of Marissa's high school. Marissa and Summer hugged, and Alex said hi to everyone else.
"Why aren't we dancing?" Marissa asked, sitting down with the others.
"Some technological difficulties with the music equipment. The DJs are having trouble tonight, for some reason." Seth answered, taking a drink out of the plastic wine glasses provided for the night. With a closer look, Alex recognized what was inside as simply water.
Alex nodded. "That sucks." She turned to Lindsey and held out her hand. "I don't believe we've met, I'm Alex."
She smiled and shook Alex's hand. "Lindsey."
Alex smiled inwardly at Ryan's furtive glare of disapproval. Everyone was looking at him, and he noticed, so he smiled and got up, offering to get everyone some drinks.
Summer rolled her eyes. "I wish he'd just buck up. He's being pathetic." At that moment, the music started up.
The popular song "Grind With Me" was the first to come on, and Marissa quickly pulled Alex up and with her to the dance floor, which was only a few feet away. She pulled them to the very center of the floor, and turned Alex around to face her. Pressing close like she always did, she started moving her body slowly against Alex's to the music. She could tell Alex was shy about dancing by her lack of movement. She whispered in her ear: "Grind with me. Come on, I know you love making Ryan jealous, now help me give it a go."
Alex smiled back at her and started dancing with her, their hands wrapped around each others' waists, eyes closed, breathing as normally as they could... And then the song was over. Both girls look around for Ryan, who looked away from staring at them as soon as he saw them looking back. He pretends to be lost in Lindsey's dancing to the new song that had come on. Alex shook her head and turned back to Marissa, dancing to the slow song that had come on. She laid her chin on her girlfriend's shoulder, and whispered: "I wish he'd just get over you. You got your girlfriend back, and he got his. Isn't that enough?"
Marissa sighed, leaning her head on Alex's shoulder as well. "I wish it were. I thought I was the hopeless one in that relationship, not him. Just goes to show, doesn't it?"
Later that night, Marissa and Alex skipped the after-prom parties. They decided they'd had enough of Ryan for the night, and they were both tired from dancing in their high-heeled shoes. The two of them dropped down onto their bed after changing out of their dresses. The girls cuddled close, cold from the air conditioning, which had been left on all day.
"Did you like your prom? Was it all you'd ever dreamed it would be?" Alex asked, smiling, laying her head in the space between her girlfriend's neck and shoulder.
Marissa nodded. "Yeah. It was just... not as glamorous as I thought it'd be. But that's just because I was a spoiled brat growing up." She turned to face Alex. "But the fact that I was there with you made it the best night of my life." She turned her body around, and kissed the blonde. They pulled the covers over themselves and continued kissing.
I hope you all liked. I enjoyed writing it, crappy as it is. I would have enjoyed putting some lyrics in, but I'm far too tired. Please review, and brighten my day/evening. :)