This is the sequel story to Far Away.
*~o~*
Marissa and Todd arrived downstairs to discover that Joe had came home AND he had a guest. "Who is this?" Todd demanded none-too-pleasantly as he looked at Megan.
"This is Megan, my girlfriend," Joe stated as he wrapped his arm around Megan's waist.
"Hello, Mr. Manning," Megan said as she gave him a tentative smile.
Todd looked at Marty. "Isn't this Nora Buchanan's daughter?" Todd asked in a hiss.
"Yes, I am," Megan stated.
"Ohhh hell," Todd said in growl. "Can this night get any worse?!"
"Todd!" Marty chastised him.
"Marty, you'll never guess what YOUR daughter was doing upstairs when she was supposed to be studying," Todd said unhappily.
"My daughter?" Marty said with a frown. "I thought she was OUR daughter?"
"What were you doing, Marissa?" Marty inquired of her teenage daughter.
"I- I was... studying.. with- with Brendan," Marissa replied as her eyes were downcast.
"Studying?" Marty asked her daughter suspiciously.
"Were you two making out?" Joe spoke up suddenly with a grin on his face.
"Stay out of this, Joe!" Todd insisted of his son.
"I just want to know... when are we having dinner?... because I'm freakin starved," Joe said as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his arguing family.
"Uhhh... maybe I should go..." Megan said as she was uneasy due to all the bickering and Todd Manning's less than charming reception to her presence.
"No... don't go, Megan," Joe spoke as he wrapped her up in his embrace. "Stay and have dinner with me."
"We are having dinner, right?" Joe asked his parents.
"We better damn well have dinner; I am starved," Todd spoke in a growl.
*~o~*
"What's going on with you and Marissa? You better tell me, Brendan," Starr insisted as she walked him home.
"I guess I should," Brendan said somewhat reluctantly. "Everyone's going to know after tonight. Marissa and I are dating."
"Ohhh my God!" Starr gasped. "My brother is dating my sister! That just sounds SOOO wrong!"
Brendan shook his head. "Well, when you put it like that, it does sound wrong. But Marissa and I aren't related... and we love each other."
"What do you know about love? You're barely fourteen."
"I know that I love Marissa... and my heart beats faster when I am with her... and I cannot live without her."
"You got it bad for her, bro. My dad's going to kill you. Positively kill you. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I am so dead," Brendan said with a heavy sigh.