Part V

Alex paced back and forth on her apartment while her friends were watching a movie. It was lunch time and she could hardly wait for dinner. She wanted to see Marissa now. Her heart ached knowing a few hours were in between them.

This is crazy. She's fifteen minutes away and these… Well I don't want to call them imbeciles because they aren't. These… friends of mine. Yeah that's it. FRIENDS of mine wouldn't want me to go and see her. They're saying wait for the right moment. Yeah right. I waited long enough.

"I have to see her now…" Alex mumbled but her friends heard her and turned their heads.

"What? I really need to. Two years… Two years!" Alex emphasized looking wearily at her friends.

The trio just laughed.

"Fine Cohen. See her already. Bait Shop. You do remember where that is right?" Summer joked, earning kiss from Jodie.

Bianca stood up and straightened Alex's shirt.

"Remember. You're Alex Cohen. You're charming. You're cute. So bring her back ok? We can't wait to see her either." Bianca spoke earning a huge grin from everyone in the room.

Alex nodded and gave Bianca a kiss on the forehead. She ran out to be on her way to see Marissa.

----

At the Bait Shop, Marissa was all smiles. She was helping out with the posters before she took the night off. Mark and Joyce were also around. Jean was in her office doing some paper work, leaving her employees by their lonesome to prep up the club for tonight's show.

"So… You know the girl?" Joyce asked out of the blue, giving Marissa a slight nudge.

Marissa just smiled. She opted to not answer the question. She was too excited and thinking of Alex will just fuel her desire to run out and go see the blonde again. She didn't want to push the wrong buttons. She wanted to wait for dinner. It's just a few hours a way anyway. She could take the anticipation.

Mark just swept the floor with a frown on his face. He overheard the girls talking but he didn't really show them that he was eavesdropping. He thought of ways to get Marissa to think of him instead of the new blonde girl.

"Who did the last inventory check?" Jean appeared from her office as she looked at her employees.

"I did." Marissa raised her hand with a smile.

"Let's go Cohen. Or you'll be late for tonight." Jean grinned, motioning Marissa to go to her.

Mark just frowned more. He felt his blood boil. How could a new blonde girl make so much impact to Marissa? He asked himself. They did after all know little about "Marissa Cohen." Marissa wasn't the type to talk about herself that often. Mark was.

----

Alex was a few meters away from the Bait Shop when she saw a lady selling roses. She thought for a second.

White or Red.

Alex always gave Marissa white roses. So she guessed she would buy the white ones. She thought again.

Would it be alright to give Marissa roses?

Alex didn't know if Marissa was still single or if she was with somebody. She didn't want to build complications for the other girl. Her heart ached for Marissa's love, but she would not force it. If Marissa was taken, Alex would be happy for her. But of course the blonde knew it would hurt as hell.

White roses it is.

Alex reached the Bait Shop door and opened it. She entered slowly, peeking if there were people around. She looked down to where the bar was and she found the bartender, Joyce and the black haired guy. She slowly made her way down the winding staircase. She saw Joyce go to the manager's office, leaving the black haired guy in the bar: Sweeping.

"Um… Hi… I'm looking for Marissa Cooper." Alex greeted politely, making the black haired guy turn around.

Mark saw Alex and knew exactly what to do. He was so engrossed into putting Alex out of the picture that he missed out the surname Alex used to ask for Marissa.

"Oh. She's at the back. I'm Mark, her boyfriend."

Alex could feel her blood pressure rising, but she kept it in check. She tried hard not to make her lips twitch in anger. She was here for Marissa. Not for a brawl. She gave out half a smile knowing pretty well Marissa's personal life was not her business. Two years. It was two human years. What else could Alex expect?

"I'm Alex." She let out as she took a stool beside the bar.

She gently put the roses on top of the bar, while Mark swept the petals that fell.

"You want anything?" Mark asked.

"Vodka please." Alex replied.

She wanted to start getting drunk now. She didn't want the pain she was feeling. But she was determined to let of Marissa if this was the case. She was her friend too. And this, no matter how hard, Alex was going to take in, absorb, and let go. She loved Marissa that much to let Marissa be where she was happy.

"Hey! Don't you think that's too early for that?" Joyce appeared from the office.

She smiled at Alex then she took away the bottle of vodka on Mark's hand.

"COHEN! You have a visitor!" She yelled out making Alex eyes grow wide-eyed.

You have to be kidding me? You used my surname. Oh honey… You really know how to make me smile. No matter what you did. And this… Ass doesn't know a thing about you doesn't he? He doesn't know who we were to each other.

Alex smiled shaking her head. She looked up to Mark who was grinning at her. She knew what the boy was thinking. She found it pretty damn funny.

"Cohen?" Alex let out smiling widely.

"Yeah Cohen... What's so funny?" Joyce asked clearly confused at Alex's question.

"That's my surname." Alex replied smiling widely at Mark who turned pale.

"Really? Are you guys…" Joyce started to ask with her brows arching.

"No. Not yet anyway." Alex answered still smiling.