THANKS FOR ALL THE WORDERFUL FEEDBACK
And sorry for all the errors
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Alex had been training non-stop since Marissa picked Chris over her. Every free time she had, morning or evening, she'd go to training so she had an excuse to avoid Marissa. It was draining Alex down but it beats dealing with rejection.
After another whole weekend of training, her arms were sore and her legs were killing her already. She hurriedly opened her bedroom door and threw the keys on the side table by the door. She dropped her racket bag and her training bag on the floor and slumped face down on her bed.
"So that's it…you're just going to avoid me forever." Alex shot open her eyes and realized Marissa was in the same room as she is. She looked around first to make sure it was her room before she pushed herself up and turned on her bed. Marissa was standing by the archway of the walk-in closet with her hands crossed around her.
"Don't you live on the other side of the fence?" Alex said as she sat up and shook her fatigue off. Marissa rolled her eyes and surrendered. As much as she was upset with Alex ignoring and avoiding her for two weeks, she still missed her best friend terribly.
"I miss my best friend" Marissa confessed. She walked to the foot of the bed and grabbed a post on Alex's bed. Alex took a deep breath and just looked at Marissa. She missed her best friend too.
"Are you still with him?" Alex asked. She knew the answer to that but she just wanted to make sure and convince herself to stand by her decision. "This is not about Chris" Marissa started. "This is between us and that kiss" Marissa finished.
"What kiss? I've forgotten all about it" Alex pretended. She had spent all her nights reminiscing about the kiss. Alex had made the first move and kissed her. When Marissa made her move and picked Chris, their fates was sealed.
"Well, if you have forgotten all about it, I haven't, ok?!" Marissa said as she sat and looked at Alex deeply. "I spent the entire two weeks thinking about it and dreaming about it…but I love him." "Do you love me?" Alex interrupted Marissa.
Marissa just looked at Alex and smiled shyly. Alex wanted to hear Marissa say it but Marissa just couldn't bring herself to say it. "We have a great friendship-" "oh here we go" "-and I don't want to ruin it" "You don't want to make it better either." Alex finished. She was not even trying to hide her disappointment. "Well, I love you…and I thought you love me too…" Alex conceded. She lay on her back and focused her attention on her ceiling. Marissa smiled and move to the other side of the bed. She lay on her stomach and looked at Alex.
"So am I going to see you tonight at dinner?" Marissa asked. Alex thought about the dinner and complete forgot that it was Marissa's parents' anniversary. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know what to wear. Is it like formal dinner or just hanging out dinner?" Alex asked keeping her eyes off Marissa who was teasingly close to her…on her bed.
"We are talking about my parents here…" Marissa answered Alex. "You're right. I guess I have to cancel my date then." Alex said trying to sound obvious and at the same time apathetic. Marissa pushed herself up and, immediately, her jealousy came up.
"You planned a date for tonight?" "I did mention that I have forgotten all about it, right?" Alex questioned back. She liked the hint of jealousy in Marissa's voice. "Is she from school?" Marissa was extremely curious. "Let me see…have you seen her? I don't know…just this model I worked with in last week's photo shoot for Calvin Klein." Alex answered. "Is he handsome?" Alex shook her head at Marissa's question. "No…but she's pretty." Alex finished.
Marissa just looked at Alex who had a smile on her face. She wanted to wipe it off her face and make Alex break the model's heart. "Maybe I'll bring to her dinner. Do you think they'll mind?" Alex asked Marissa as she looked at her. Alex could see the jealousy in Marissa's face and she loved it.
"No! It's RSVP." Marissa fired back. "Then I guess, I'm not invited too…cause I didn't RSVP." Alex stood up and walked towards the closet. She remembered she had just come from training. She smiled when she remembered Marissa was standing there waiting for her to come back knowing that showering was the first thing she did after training.
"I RSVPed for you." Marissa yelled as Alex got lost in the bathroom. Alex took off her warmers and rolled it in a ball. She threw it in the basket and it went it. "Is Chris going to be there?" Alex asked before stepping in the shower. Marissa took a deep breath before answering. She knew Alex would say something back to even the score. "Yes…I invited him…but I can uninvited him if you want…"
"You don't have to do that. I'll just go there after my date with Monica." "You're still going out with her?" Marissa protested. "You don't want me canceling last minute, right?" Alex said loudly as the water from the shower crashed onto her. Marissa started walking in the closet to the bathroom.
She stopped when Alex almost bumped into her. "I'll just call and surprise her. We're starting early so I can still wish your parents 20 more years." Alex said as she scanned her new pile of free clothes. Marissa just nodded. She was completely engulfed by Alex's scent and that wet look she had.
Marissa shook her daze off and turned to walk out of Alex room. Alex nodded and smiled arrogantly. Her plan to make Marissa jealous seems to be working.
~o~o~o~
During the anniversary dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly and Mr. and Mrs. Cooper were talking to each other. "I heard Alex is now ranked #4 in the tour." Julie said as she sipped her wine. "Yes but college is fast coming so I wouldn't think she'll do better than 4 for the next 4 years." Alex's dad answered. "It's always been school first before tennis." Alex's mom followed.
Marissa and Chris then joined in their mini circle. Marissa greeted her parents then Alex's parents. "Hey Marissa, we haven't seen you in a while…you and Alex okay?" Alex's mom asked. Chris just rolled his eyes and tried not to listen. Both of Alex's parents noticed Chris reaction and they smiled proudly at each other. They were both hesitant at first with Alex's orientation but, as time passed, they have accepted it…especially now that the apple of Alex's eye was Marissa.
"She's been avoiding me but we talked already. She said she was going to be here but I haven't seen her yet." Marissa answered as she looked around for her best friend. The dinner was about to start but Alex was still not there yet
"You invited her here?" Chris whispered in Marissa's ear. Marissa just looked at him irritated and continued looking for Alex. "Speaking of the devil…" Chris spotted Alex first and smiled when he saw Alex had brought a date to the dinner.
"Mom, Dad…I'd like you to meet Monica" Alex introduced her first to her parents. Monica kissed both the cheeks of Alex's parents and Alex's parents smiled at Monica. Alex smiled then turned to face the other four.
"Mon, I'd like you to meet Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Julie Cooper" Monica then greeted Marissa's parents the same way she greeted Alex's. She kissed them both on their cheeks and then smiled at them. "And she's Marissa Cooper. My very best friend." Monica got closer to her to kiss both of Marissa's cheeks but Marissa stopped her. She pushed her away and stepped back. Monica just settled for a hand wave and a smile.
"I think everybody's hungry now, why don't we find our seats and eat," Jimmy suggested. Jimmy and Julie led the way to their back yard and revealed a well-designed party reception. "Um, Mrs. Cooper, it's okay if I take a seat away from my parents…I didn't RSVP for two so we'll be fine at any available seats" Alex said as they followed Julie to their reserved table.
"Nonsense, we can fit Monica in our table. It's an even number seat arrangement anyway so I'm sure I can find a seat for Monica" Julie said as she pointed Alex's parents to their seat. Julie gave Alex and Monica their seats across Marissa and Chris. Alex held the chair for Monica and helped her get situated on her seat before sitting beside the model. Marissa glared at Monica as she watched her best friend have a private conversation with the model.
"How many girls have you brought to your parents?" Monica asked. "You mean besides my best friend? None…" Alex smiled. "How many girls have you brought to your best friend?" Monica followed. "None as well" Alex answered. "That's why she's giving me the death glare." Monica nudged to Marissa's direction and Alex followed. Marissa and Alex looked at each other. Marissa immediately looked away and Alex just smiled.
"I cannot believe it's been twenty years." Jimmy started. "In a couple of months, the kids will be off to college." Julie added. "I know, I was just talking to Alex about it" "Mom…" Alex pleaded her mom to stop. Mrs. Kelly just smiled and continued. "As I was saying…" Alex just shook her head and hid her face behind Monica. Monica just smiled and listened to Alex mom as she continued. "I'll miss my baby." Alex's mom finished leaving her daughter blushing. Monica kissed Alex on the cheeks to make her feel better. It did. And it left Marissa livid.
"Marissa, where are you going to go to college?" Alex's dad inquired. "I'll be going to UC Berkeley, Mr. Kelly" Marissa politely answered. "How about you, Alex, where you off to college?" Julie asked Alex in return. "I really don't know yet, Mrs. Cooper. I passed NYU, USC, Berkeley, Cornell, Columbia and Harvard…but I don't know which one to pick…" Alex looked at Marissa, begging her to make that decision for her.
"Maybe you should go to Columbia…so you can stay away from me and Marissa." Chris just had to ruin the moment. Marissa rolled her eyes and gave her boyfriend the look. "I was thinking of going to Columbia, as a mater of fact…" Alex fired back. "You were?" Marissa asked.
Alex took a sip of her drink and explained "Well, yeah…I'll be in New York…easier for me to still continue my tennis. Unless I find a reason to go elsewhere…I think New York is my place." Alex said as she hinted at Marissa.
"Thank God for that!" Chris exclaimed. Alex just smirked at him then looked at Marissa again. Monica watched how Alex looked at the girl in front of her and gently stroked her hand. Alex took her eyes off Marissa then looked at Monica. Monica stared deeply at Alex eyes and slowly leaned in for a short sweet soft kiss.
"Hmmm" Monica moaned after they separated. Alex still had her eyes closed from the kiss as Monica moved away. The model raised an eyebrow at Marissa and smiled proudly at her self. Marissa was gritting her teeth at the girl stealing Alex away from her. Chris smiled at what Monica did as well then looked at Marissa. He leaned in as well but Marissa pushed him away.
"Alex…the food is ready" Monica whispered softly on Alex's ear. Alex took in Monica's scent and was completely overwhelmed in it. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Monica was still close enough for her to kiss without moving much. So she did. She caught Monica off guard but soon Monica eased into the kiss. Monica cupped Alex face as Alex slowly ran her hand on Monica's smooth thighs under the table.
"Okay you two!" Alex dad interrupted. Alex and Monica smiled into their kiss and separated. "Sorry" Alex said as Monica leaned her forehead on Alex shoulder to hide. "Yeah, you should be!" Marissa couldn't help it. Alex slowly took the smile of her face. She knew she had gone too far with her game…but there was something in that kiss that just left Alex wanting more.