"The Summer Was Full of Mistakes We Wouldn't Learn From"
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Chapter 4
"So what's the deal for tonight?" Alex asked, plopping on her and Naomi's big, comfy, couch.
Seth, a very frequent house guest, was in the kitchen making the two roommates' lunch. He was about to open his mouth to suggest a bar he's been wanting to try out, but was interrupted by a vibration, followed by the sounds of "Call It Off" by Tegan and Sara – all emitting from his pants.
"Your ringtone is not Tegan and Sara, Seth." Naomi stated, shaking her head at the boy. "You're such a lezza deep down inside!" the shorter-haired blonde smiled, one – because the boy had great taste in music, something she always admired in someone, and two – she knew Alex was going to yell at her for saying "lezza" again.
"Really, dude?" Alex asked Naomi and she walked into the kitchen to see who Seth was talking to. He heard the boy giving directions to their apartment and wanted to know why he was inviting someone over without even asking – not that they didn't trust Seth's friends or judgment, but this was something the boy rarely did.
"You're welcome." Seth said, putting his phone back in his pocket, and continuing to make lunch.
"For?" Alex and Naomi both said in unison, as if they were two kids trying to figure out what sort of surprise their mom and dad had gotten them on Christmas or something.
"Marissa is on her way with beer for us. She just finished her last exam and wants to get drunk – apparently they're having another party at their apartment tonight. Danny is backpacking through Europe all summer and leaving in a few days, so this is his bon voyage." Seth told the girls, who both obviously wanted to go.
"Should I invite Luke and Anna?" Alex asked, excited for this party. This time around, Jodie wouldn't be there, dragging her feet and such. Alex had a talk with the girl and they were basically over. The last thing left for the girls to do was exchange their stuff, then be on their ways apart.
"Yeah, I think Anna is hanging out with Jay and her girlfriend tonight also, but they can come too. It's going to be a huge party so we can bring whoever, as long as we bring our own alcohol." Seth said, "It's going to be weird without Summer, though." The boy frowned, "I'm not sure if you met the people from across the hall, but the backyard is shared between both apartments, so they're all best friends. It's going to be fun."
"Yeah it sounds like it, I'm excited." Naomi smiled, as she made herself a plate of the fresh burgers and homemade fries Seth just cooked. "Unbelievable, this burger looks bloody brilliant."
Seth laughed at the girl's usage of British slang, something that happened to become more and more frequent. Alex just rolled her eyes.
"So Marissa knows shes coming to our place, right?" Alex asked, wondering if Seth mentioned Alex to the brunette at all.
"You were standing right next to me, Lex. I said I was at yours and Naomi's place making lunch and that she should come hang out with us so we could start drinking for the party tonight. She's coming from midtown, picking up beer, then coming straight here, so give her thirty minutes or so." Seth said.
"Give me some information on this girl." Alex said, trying to get some stuff figured out about the girl before she got there.
"She double majored in political science and international studies, she has a minor in literature, she's actually a year older than me… which makes her two years older than you guys. She's straight, had a boyfriend for over two years and they broke up last fall. She's a health freak, she's obsessed with her dog, and she's out of her mind. She's literally crazy, but in the best way possible. But still, really crazy." Seth said, now remembering some of the things she would say and do when he lived with the girl.
Raising a brow, Alex asked, "Like, kill me in my sleep, crazy? Or would punch someone in the face for making fun of her dog, crazy?"
"More like killing someone in their sleep for making fun of her dog. And I wish I was kidding." The boy replied, smirking.
"Oh my." Naomi said, walking out of the kitchen.
"Give me your phone." Alex told the boy, ignoring his statement that basically made Marissa look like she had a personality disorder.
Again, the boy obliged. She opened his text messages and started typing to Marissa, when she realized the girl had sent Seth a text,
Be there sooner than I thought. Forgot I didn't have my ID on me, long story and super great, you'll die. Going to need someone to come to the store to purchase the liquid love. See you soon. xx!
"Ew, she says 'xx' in her text messages?" Alex said, crinkling her nose. "Is she one of those girls, Seth?"
"She says shit like that, but whatever. What else did she say?" The boy asked, assuming she had just sent him something.
"Something about a long story she has to tell you and she's coming here first because she doesn't have her ID." Alex said, handing the boy his phone back.
"Oh, shit. Summer told me something about a cab driver robbing her the other night or something, but it was just insane. She's going to be in crazy mode when she tells the story, it's going to be something like you've never seen before." Seth said, realizing that Alex and Naomi will see how over-the-top Marissa could be.
"Oh, great. Another crazy girl for Alex to get hooked on." Naomi scoffed.
"Hush, I'm sure she's not that crazy, right?" Alex replied, then turned to Seth.
"I mean, as long as it's not Jodie you're swooning over, I'll let it go. I'll encourage this straight girl for you, just please don't get back with your shitty ex." Naomi smiled, before stepping into her room. "I'm re-reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Don't bother me – I'll be ready to leave for the party tonight in a few hours, so don't worry."
Alex just shook her head and smiled at her roommate. It was crazy how well they loved each other and got along, because they were quite different. Alex hadn't picked up a book to read leisurely since God knows when. She skimmed by in college, everyone was actually surprised that she finished on time. Naomi, even though she went out and like to have a good time, was just all-around a more responsible person and a more functioning member of society, overall.
Alex and Seth were eating lunch when the doorbell rang. Instinctively, Alex rose to her feet to answer the door, even though it was Seth's guest that was arriving.
"Hey, buddy." Alex said, as she hugged Marissa hello.
"Hey there, yourself, blondie." Marissa said, into the hug, as Seth rolled his eyes.
"Get a room." Seth said sarcastically as Marissa made her way to the boy to hug him.
"Jealous that all the attention isn't on you, Sethy?" Marissa asked, tussling the boy's curly brown hair.
"Hey! The hair, watch it. This Jew fro is hard to maintain." Seth replied, running his hands through his brown locks, trying to fix the slight tangles Marissa just made. "So should we get beer before you tell us the story, or should we hear the story first?"
"I vote story, then beer." Alex said, sitting down and taking a bite of the food Seth had made. "And I only say this because I'm still eating and would like to finish." The blonde smiled.
"Nice. Well it's a fun story…" Marissa said, rolling her eyes.
The brunette proceeded to tell the pair about how she went out the other night and basically got robbed by her cab driver. Marissa was at a party that had an open vodka bar – according to her, vodka is alcohol that takes the biggest toll on her. She said she got into the cab and told the driver the cross streets of her apartment. She was dozing a little, but noticed that the meter was running unusually high to get from the area she was at to back to her place. She questioned the driver, he pulled the car over, locked the doors, and told the girl he could "think of another way she could pay him." Needless to say, Marissa cursed him off, threw her purse in his face, unlocked her door, and ran out.
The girl nonchalantly told the story, as she grabbed Alex's fork out of her hand and took a bite from her food.
Alex and Seth just sat there with their mouths agape. Neither really knowing how to respond to her story, both just saying "Holy shit."
Marissa put the fork back in Alex's hand, where she took it from and looked at the speechless blonde, "So you down to come get some beer with me, blondie?"
Without saying a word, Alex got up, grabbed her wallet, put her shoes on, "Who is this girl?" she asked Seth, clearly joking since Marissa was right there and part of the conversation.
"I'm the best person you'll ever meet. It sounds like a good thing, but I promise you it's not." Marissa said to the girl, looking her straight in the eye.
Seth shook his head, and again, Alex was left speechless. Something that never happened to the girl.
"Beer?" She asked, then opened her front door and walked out.