A Beginning part 6
by gothicgirl143
Marissa's mind wandered all throughout her psychology class. She doodled all through the three hours, mind never once focused on her work. She wrote down her homework and asked one of the girls in the class if she could borrow them. She stuffed the notes and books in her bag and slug the pack over her shoulder. She exited with the other students.
She started to Al's place. "Poor Ed," she thought to herself. She had heard everything as she left a couple minutes after him. Her feet now shuffled against the sidewalk, eyes to the ground, hand keeping her shoulder bag up.
"Marissa," a soft voice called to her. Green eyes turned upward and saw the golden haired golden eyed boy.
"Hey Ed. How are you holding up?" she asked, noting his tear-stained face and messy hair.
"Eh," he mumbled and shrugged.
Marissa wrapped her arms around Edward, "I'm sorry Ed. If I had known what would happen, I wouldn't have put you through it."
Ed looked to her sympathetically, gold eyes full of sadness. "Its not your fault. Its not like I didn't enjoy it. It was fantastic. I just feel so bad for it. You're my brother's girlfriend and heaven knows I wouldn't be that..." he seemed to be searching for words at this point.
"You wouldn't be able to be that open with a relationship as your brother is. And I enjoyed myself too. Its not everyday you find two boys as wonderful as you two. As a kid, I wasn't allowed to wear hats so I never had friends because of my ears. For some reason, the kids picked on me and stuff," Marissa laughed. "Dad withdrew me from public school so I never really had friends. I was home-schooled and kept inside because of these babies," Marissa smiled, pointing to her perky black ears. "I'm glad that you two didn't shy away from my abnormality. Most guys would have either ratted me out to central or ran for the hills by now. Its nice to finally have friends who don't have those weird lines all over them," Marissa smiled and pulled from Ed at last. "You want to go home or are you staying with Roy?"
"How'd-" Ed asked, dumfounded.
"Oh, my father is in the military. He kinda knows everyone."
"Who is he? Anyone I would know?"
"Oh, ummm... He's just an enlisted man," she hesitated.
"I see. I'm staying with Roy. He said he didn't mind for tonight. I just hope things settled down soon. I don't think that Roy likes me coming over like this, the ladies might think I'm his son or something," Ed remarked and rolled his eyes. "That man really needs to take a good look at Hawkeye. She'd be perfect for him."
Marissa smirked. "Oh, they've already hooked up. Shows how much you pay attention. Things should settle soon. I have to go back to my father's home soon. He's anxious. I'm not usually away for too terribly long. Maybe after I leave, you can get things sorted out?"
He nodded with a smile. He wrapped a curl of Marissa's in his fingers. "What made you dye your hair?"
"Just needed a change. Might grow out, might not. My coloring changed again too, my ears are just a smidgen lighter that they used to be," Marissa blushed.
"So what happened? Of course, only if you don't mind."
"I have medical issues. Dad has to make sure the chemicals in my blood don't congeal and stop my heart. Happens every once in a while. I'm really high maintenance, as you can tell," Marissa shrugged.
"Oh. I'm sorry," Ed said with a sad sigh.
"Its fine you goofy boy. Its a fact of my life. Just like you boys will get older and your body will wear out. Similar to me, but my metabolism is super charged and everything happens a lot faster, my heart wears out really quick," Marissa shrugged it off and smiled. "My dad used to assure me that it would be alright, would read me poems about the afterlife and about the reaper that will take us on to the next world. It was nice."
"Are you a shut in or what?" Ed laughed.
"What do you mean?" Asked Marissa curiously, head cocked to the side.
"You're always talking about this, that and the other that you've read or have had read to you. You just seem like you don't get out much."
"I do too get out. I'm just busy with school and the brothel and the tons of homework I have with the university. When I do get out, I join in with the night life. Just because I'm literate doesn't mean I'm a 'shut in'," She laughed.
"Then do you ever sleep? You're making it out that you never sleep. So are you awake all the time now?" Ed chuckled.
"Well, I tend to sleep in the afternoon, more of a cat thing. I work the brothel at night, so my master won't fuss about the tuition, though I am planning on taking the next couple semesters off to travel and study abroad. I've only ever lived here in this wretched town. I want to experience new cultures and new places," Marissa smiled, a curious light coming to her eyes.
"Sounds rather nostalgic. It doesn't matter where you go, the people are all the same, striving to stay sane and make it through life, struggling against hidden battles to maintain their lifestyle. They just look different and the scenery changed," Ed said rather soberly.
By this time, between the pleasant quiet moments between the two's change in conversation, they made their way to Roy's apartment. Marissa looked to Ed's smoldering eyes and smiled. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Things will get better between you and Al. I know how close the two of you are. I won't ever try to pull you two apart. I always wanted to know my older sister and have a bond like you brothers have."
"You had an older sister?"
"Yeah, she died when she was four or five. Her name was Nina. Dad said she was really sweet. He hated to see her go. But I have to get back to Al. Sleep sweet Edward," Marissa smiled and waved as she walked down the street.
Ed watched her walk away, dumbstruck. "N-nina?" he squeaked, watching her curls bounce in the light of the moon, then the streetlights. He stood there gosh only knows how long until he heard a gruff male voice call his name.
"Edward," Roy commanded.
Ed's head snapped to where the voice came. "S-sorry Roy. Thanks again for letting me room with you... again."
"No problem. Now stop gawking after Marissa and come inside before you catch your death."
"O-okay.," He stammered, a blush across his cheeks. He followed the older man obediently to his apartment. Ed closed the door behind him and watched Roy pull out a blanket and pillow, set aside for guests. Roy threw the two at the boy and proceeded to his bedroom.
Ed pulled out the couch-bed and threw the pillow at one end. He crawled into the big empty couch-bed and sighed. He pulled the cover over his body and curled on his side, sighing about the newly learned information. Marissa was Shou Tucker's 'daughter'.
Marissa made her happy way back to Ed and Al's shared apartment, humming a lullaby to herself. She hopped up to the second story window Al was sitting at and meowed at him. Al smiled when he saw her and opened the window, watching Marissa slink into the room.
