Chapter Thirty Nine

Marissa shivered as a body swiftly rampaged by her, leaving a chilly breeze. Marissa gazed at the person she saw walking in. She was slowly regaining her strength. As the girl squatted beside her, her lips quivered in a sort of shaky smile. She saw the girl around before- but never had she seemed so considerate, as she did now. The girl smiled right back, in a more confident, and pursuing grin. Instead of squatting in the awkward position she was in, she decided to sit right up against the wall like Marissa did.

"Cooper, right?" The girl said softly, her blonde hair covering her clear complexion. Marissa nodded, as she looked at the girl deniably, hoping she would recall the name that fit the face. "Alex. Alex Kelly. Didn't expect you to know me, don't worry." Alex smiled. Marissa had seen the slightly taller girl around school a few random times, but on no occasion would she admire her gorgeous eyes, pearly lips.. Marissa shooed the thought away, as the girl continued to talk. "I don't know what happened, Marissa, but if it's a guy that made you a complete wreck, it's not worth it. If it's school, screw it. If it's friends, fck em. If it's 'rents fck em twice. Life is just this whole load of bull sht. You never know what to expect- just deal with it. It'll blow over- whatever it is." Alex assured her, as she smiled a toothy smile. Marissa tried to smile back, but her mouth was numb. "You're just not going to talk?" Alex asked in a strong tone, but Marissa felt so inferior to it, she only managed to squeak, "Usually you have a loud mouth- not for the good reasons either," Alex quirked an eyebrow. Marissa didn't always intentionally talk about people behind their backs- occasionally, it just happened. "Listen, how but we call it a day? We'll go catch an early movie, pig out on popcorn. Get to know each other?" Alex suggested. Marissa replied with an uncertain, and oddly uncomfortable nod. "Perfect. I'll drive." Alex considered Marissa's state- helpless. But she certainly hoped a movie would be enough to cure the depressed. Marissa walked sketchily behind Alex- the daring, beautiful blonde. Marissa winced as she realised- she was that person. Well actually, not at the moment. However, she recalled little freshmen walking behind her- she always wondered what the dweebs wanted. All they wanted was to absorb some of her confidence- the confidence she wished she had at this point. Alex led the way to her car daintily and proudly- beaming at any person who stared at her luck, wide-eyed. Marissa felt like a shrimp as she shadowed Alex, who at this point was dangling her keys carefully fingering them in her pocket. When she walked to a beat-up car, she smiled as she hit the dashboard, "Meet my baby." Marissa wasn't sure if she was talking to Marissa about the car, or if she was talking to the car about Marissa. That's when it struck her. She had heard rumours about this particular female. This female was apparently… Marissa shot the feeling out of her mind. She smiled quickly, as she turned her cheek to look away. Alex' gaze was overpowering- Marissa wasn't in the mood. Alex ushered Marissa inside her cooped up car. When Marissa sat inside, she expected a stench so intense that she wouldn't be able to breathe- instead it was replaced by a sweet fragrance. It replenished the car so completely, that the outside seemed stunning when in tact with this fresh aroma. Alex quickly opened the door.

"So princess, what movie do you want to see?" Marissa shrugged. Princess? Marissa aspired to speak her first few silent words, but something immobile was lodged deep inside it. Instead she shrugged, "Still not talking, eh?" Alex nodded, as she turned on the engine. "We'll decide when we get there." Alex offered demandingly. Marissa faced the clear window in front of her, and she wondered. Wasn't Alex at all ashamed of showing her this old car? Marissa didn't care. At this point, she wasn't rich- money meant nothing. Maybe when she got home and swam in money, she'd give it a second thought. "So have you heard anything about me?" Alex said coolly, covering up her never-ending nervousness. She hoped Marissa would say no. Marissa shook her head, as she looked outside her own window avoiding Alex' blazing stare. "I don't bite." Alex decided not to add 'hard'. Marissa was already too afraid of her.

Alex finally stopped at a nearby movie theatre. When she parked, she glanced at Marissa hoping she would speak. "We're here." Alex said softly, after a long, excruciating, wordless drive. Marissa nodded, as she constantly ached for Ryan. Why was Alex being so nice to her all of a sudden?

Marissa and Alex got out of the car systematically, praising the music that was playing aloud for filling up the silence. Alex studied the movies being played. When she saw the one she liked, her eyes flared- but she wanted to ask Marissa's consent first. Marissa shrugged carelessly, seeing how excited Alex was. Alex went through ignoring Marissa's recollection of the movie Alex had chosen. Alex walked into the line, awaiting her tickets at the booth.

"I'll pay this time." Alex said as if she expected more meetings in the near future. Marissa glanced at her blankly, questioning her choice of words. Why did she believe that they would see each other in the future? Alex grabbed some popcorn on their way to the theatre. "Butter?" Alex asked. Marissa looked at her closely- why was her face so peculiarly glowing? Marissa shook her head politely- there was no polite way to refuse however. "Thought so." What was that supposed to mean? "I'll just get you another popcorn. I love butter." Alex grimaced. Marissa simply stared at her, wondering what had gotten into this girl- what had gotten her this hyped up?

"You ready?" Alex said after exiting the bathroom a few minutes before the movie. Marissa flashed her a quick smile, meaning yes. "Are you ever going to talk to me? Am I that frightening?"

"Just random." Marissa finally squeaked in English. Alex looked at her, overwhelmed with shock. She grinned at her, as they walked together toward the room where the movie was playing.

"So you do talk," Alex said excitedly, "You're not just some retarded guinea pig." Alex joked. When they entered the dim room, Marissa had a sudden urge to just walk out on the horrible movie she was about to see- against her will. "Sit." Alex pointed to some seats just down the row of the very top. Marissa shrugged, and Alex looked at her nervously, "Not back to the nodding crap, are we?"

"No. Don't worry." Marissa didn't bother to reassured Alex. She was in a grumpy mood- if Alex knew anything about her, a movie wouldn't solve sht. Marissa didn't complain for the entire movie. She tried not to mind the numerous, tacky 'romance' scenes, she tried not to care about the useless plot, and she tried not to seem bothered by Alex' annoying way of chomping down her popcorn. In the middle, when the whole movie idea, and Alex idea was driving her insane, she decided to make a flee for the little girls' room. Alex waited patiently, or so Marissa imagined. As she collapsed on the bathroom floor, still depressed from the day's events, she reminded herself what a wreck she was- until Alex had come in to salvage what was left of the beautiful, popular, Marissa Cooper. She decided to return, and cope with all the informalities. Alex welcomed her with bright eyes, but she quickly resumed the movie.

"Thanks." Marissa whispered in between a scene of the movie, where silence filled the room. Alex looked at her, her white teeth shining in the darkness.

"No problem."