Chapter 7 - Dinner Date

The next day, Marissa remembered she promised she'd introduce Alex to her mom and Caleb. Picking up the phone, she dialled in the number.
"Hello?"
"Hey mom, it's me."
"Marissa! How was the party last night? Have fun?"
"Yeah, we did actually. So, about this dinner arrangement..."
"Oh, well what about tonight?"
"Ok, hold on." Marissa covered the ear piece and called out to Alex.
"How do you feel about dinner tonight with me, my mom and Caleb?"
"Ugh, I'd rather eat paste." Alex groaned and pulled the covers over her head.
"She says that'd be great." Marissa told her mom.
"Perfect. Come round about 7 ok?"
"Ok, bye mom."
"Bye hon."

"So now you just decide things for me?" Alex questioned, sat up in bed.
"Well, we'd have to do it sometime."
"Yeah, whatever. Um, I guess I'm gonna make breakfast. What would you like?"
"I thought you didn't eat breakfast? Marissa said.
"I don't, but you do and I wanna make it for you. So what'll be?"
"A bagel would be nice."
"Ok." Alex kissed Marissa lightly and got up off the bed.
Marissa knew Alex wasn't wild about the dinner tonight, but hell, she'd make it up to her after.

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As it was such a wonderful sunny day in Newport Beach, Alex, Marissa, Summer, Seth and Ryan headed down there later that day.
"Lex, can you rub this cream on my back?" Marissa asked and twisted her hair up so it was out of the way.
"Of course babe."
"Oh I am so going to enjoy this." Seth said and rubbed his hands together. "Get it on you two."
"Seth, shut up." Alex commanded.
"Yeah Seth, you and your little perverted mind." Summer replied in his direction.
Alex massaged the sun tan lotion all over Marissa's back and Seth watched in awe. Summer slapped him in the chest.
"Ow! What did you do that for?"
"Because! Leave Alex and Marissa alone."
"But I'm not doing any thing!"
"You're watching, that's bad enough. Anyway, I too need some cream on my back." She thrusted the bottle at him.
Seth took a final look with a sigh and rubbed the lotion on his girlfriend's back.

"Alex, I know you don't want to go to dinner tonight, but my mom asked and I couldn't say no to her. She's really making an effort nowadays."
"I never said I didn't want to go to dinner, but there are better things I could think of us doing." Alex sheilded the sun from her eyes and looked at her girlfriend.
"I know babe. It's only this one time, I swear. Just try for me please."
"Ok, anything for you." Alex gave Marissa a smile and leant over to kiss her nose.
"Aww, that was sweet." Summer commented.
"What was?" Seth asked.
"Alex kissing Marissa on the nose. Cohen, I miss you doing that."
"What? I missed it? Damn. And Summer my love, I do kiss you on the nose. Here you go." He kissed her nose.
"What is it with you Cohen?" Summer asked and rolled her eyes.
"You know I love you."
"I do too... unfortunately."
"Hey!"
"Only kidding." Summer gave her boyfriend a kiss, and Ryan felt a little put out on all the romance taking place.
"Um, I'm gonna get some drinks. Do you guys want anything?"
"I'll take a sprite." Seth said.
"Diet coke for me Chino."
"Same here, thanks." Alex said.
"I'll help you." Marissa got up.
"Thanks."

They walked a little way to the drinks stall, talking about life and what things were happening between them.
"So, Alex is meeting your mom and Caleb?"
"Yep." Marissa replied.
"Well, that should be fun. I remember when she first met me."
Marissa laughed. "Yeah, that was bad, but she liked you in the end."
"Yeah."
"Anyway, she's really changed I think. She just wants me to be happy."
"And are you?" Ryan asked.
"I'm unbelievablly happy." Marissa smiled.
"Well, that's good, you know, you found someone you really want to be with."
"Yeah."
"So there's not, there's not even a small chance for us?" He asked quietly.
"No. I'm sorry Ryan but I just don't feel that way anymore. You were my first love and I won't forget that, but I'm in love with Alex and always will be."
"That's cool. I'm sorry. You and Alex are perfect for one another, I guess it's just taken me this long to realise it."
"I'm glad you undestand." Marissa took half of the drinks and Ryan took the other as they headed back to the group.
"You guys took long." Alex commented as Marissa handed the diet coke to her.
"I know." Marissa sighed, and sat back on her blue beach towel.
"He asked me if there was another chance for us. And I told him no, I'm in love with you and always will be."
"Poor guy. He must be missing Lindsay."
"Yeah."
"I'm in love with you too by the way. And always will be." Alex smiled and kissed Marissa warmly.

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Later that evenning, Marissa and Alex prepared for the dinner date.
"I am so nervous." Alex confessed.
"Don't be." Marissa took her hand.
"Do I look ok?"
"You look perfect." Marissa told her with a kiss.
"Ok, let's go."
Marissa drove, and every now and again out of the corner of her eye, she could see Alex was nervous, biting her lip.
"Hey, this is gonna be ok you know. My mom's not that scary."
Alex managed a laugh and looked over.
"Yeah, Julie Cooper Nichol, not itimidating at all."

Finally there were there.
"You must be Alex. Welcome, come on in." Julie ushered her in.
"Marissa, glad you could make it." Julie gave her a hug.
"No problem mom."
They walked into the living room and Alex was in awe.
"You have such a beautiful house."
"Why thank you Alex." Julie smiled. "It was too big for Marissa."
"I never said that."
"No, but I mean it was a long way to get to your bedroom, which I might add still has some belongings you forgot to take."
"Oh, well thanks. I'll take them later."
"Ok. Dinner's almost ready, you can come and meet Cal, he's sitting outside."
Alex took a look at Marissa and holding hands, they made their way out.
"Cal, this is Alex, Marissa's girlfriend.'
"Alex. Well, it's nice to meet you."
"You too Mr Nichol."
"Marissa, I didn't know you were a lesbian." Caleb commented.
Marissa reddened.
"I'm not, I'm bisexual actually."
"Oh. Well, Julie never told me."
"Must have slipped my mind." Julie said to him and the girls.
Marissa was deeply embarrassed and angry for her mom not telling Caleb.
"So, Alex I take it you're bisexual too?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Cal, stop asking the two girls rude questions. Dinner's almost done."
"Great. Let's all sit shall we?"
Reluctantly, Alex and Marissa went in, following Julie and Caleb.
"Ok, that was embarrassing!" Alex hissed.
"I know! God, I am so sorry. I'm so sorry for my mom not telling Caleb."
Alex shook her head and said,"Let's just get this over with."

At the dinner table, Marissa hardly touched her food.
"Marissa, you're so skinny. You must eat something." Her mom told her.
She picked up a new potato and chewed.
"Good. So Alex, tell me about yourself. Interesting outfit you got on by the way." Julie said.
"Um thanks, I think. There's not much to tell to be honest. I moved here last year from L.A when my parents threw me out and then I met Marissa and fell in love."
"I like thm purple pants, where did you get them?" Julie asked.
"I can't remember actually." Alex replied.
Silence fell round the table, and Marissa wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
"Whose for dessert?" Julie asked brightly.
Alex shot a look to Marissa, a get-me-out-of-here-now look and cleared her throat.
"Not for us mom, thanks. Alex has work in the morning."
"Ok ok, well call me soon ok?"
"Yeah."
"Bye Mr Nichol."
"Bye Alex, hopefully we'll see you again soon."

"It's not likely." Alex muttered as they left the house.
"That was awful. I can't believe my mom. I'm so sorry."
"It's ok. Just don't make me go back there again."
"I promise."
"Didn't you have some stuff to collect though?"
"Oh. well, if it's that important, my mom can send it to me."
Laughing, the two girls made their way back home.