Chapter 1
A/N: Lisa Doyle is a pivotal figure in my original story about Henry Evans and his adopted, supernaturally-altered brother Mark, and AM83220 and I have speculated some about the possible other fates of the character, something that comes pretty naturally when you deal with fanfiction, which is a kind of alternate history for fiction anyway. One other alternate story, "The Downfall", explored what could've happened if Chris had escaped when Henry and Mark lured him to Fleetwood Hall to murder him late in their senior year of high school.
At some point late in 2021, I sent AM83220 a message that included asking about what if Henry had never asked Lisa Doyle out in early September 1998, and instead dated someone else for whatever reason. We went over the idea some and before long details for a new story were emerging. Chris Marshal emerged as the candidate to ask Lisa out instead, and so I decided on writing a story based mostly around his POV, but also including at least some others, namely Lisa. Trying to quickly get himself a reputation at his new and final high school, wanting to be a big deal his 12th grade year, Chris works up the nerve to ask Lisa out and, somewhat to his and Lisa's mutual surprise, that actually works, resulting in this story's premise.
I decided to start the story off with a POV from Jason Morgan in early October 1998, about one month into the school year. Jason didn't know Chris all that well at this point- he didn't start to become truly friends with Chris until Chapter 31 of "The Good Sons" (or so), because it's in Chapter 31 that Jason has Chris over at his house for the first time, for the Halloween party Henry and Mark want.
In this version of events, Chris, who knew early on that Jason was one of the strongest and most popular guys at Chamberlain High School besides Henry and Mark themselves, goes and talks to Jason before asking Lisa Doyle out on a date. Partly because he is starting to idolize Jason, partly because he figures that Jason knows where her locker is. Jason's friendship with Chris in "The Good Sons", where they formed a trio with Anthony Summers and ended up like they had all known each other since elementary school, was one of my favorite parts of writing TGS. It will be featured as starting out differently here, but with a similar end result. Jason is a pretty selfish, morally-rotten character, but he knows a lot about fitness and being stylish, which is something Chris always respected him for. Hence the story starts out where it does.
Jason Morgan flashed a grin at a mirror he'd fixed onto the inside of his hall locker door. He loved himself. Handsome, muscular, always sporting a great suntan at the end of every summer, rich and destined to go anywhere he wanted in life- what wasn't to love?
Before shutting the locker door, though, Jason suddenly frowned and leaned in toward the mirror. His hair wasn't right. Somebody had mussed it up. Not somebody in the halls, or some freshman- Jason would have killed them. No, it was probably Tony again. He'd been teasing Jason about the amount of time and money he spent caring for his appearance, especially his trend-setting stylish hair, ever since Jason had started really taking an interest in that the summer before 6th grade.
And ever since then Jason had been putting up with that greaseball Summers- he was Italian as hell even if his name wasn't- joking around, ruffling his hair like they were both still 8, that kind of shit. Jason liked Tony too much to kill him, or even do much of anything about it at all, and Tony knew that.
Christ. I'm gonna have to start hiring a stylist to follow me around. Honestly, I really should. I oughta have an entourage bigger than the one Henry and Mark have.
That Jason was part of the Evans' entourage never really crossed his mind. If it had, he would have insisted, as he always did on the occasion the subject came up, that he should have been the king and Henry should have stayed a loser, and Mark should have stayed in fucking Arizona.
But the resentment that burrowed deep down in Jason's mind, the baffled fury with which he'd reacted to Henry's sudden, swift rise in status as they got further into middle school, had been suppressed pretty well. Jason didn't like to think about it and people knew better than to remind him.
After a minute or so working with a comb and some styling gel he kept in his locker for just this kind of thing, Jason had his hair fixed up again. At least enough so that he was fit for public appearance. Just as he shut his locker door, Chris Marshal showed up, looking like the nervous, eager puppy he was.
"Hey, Jason," Chris said in greeting. The boys knew each other, attended the same workout group that Henry and Mark led at the YMCA, and Chris had been respectful of Jason's high social status. Jason had never invited him over and wasn't exactly planning to, but Tony liked him.
"Hey, man." Jason tried being polite, or what he figured was polite, with someone of lower class around here. "I got to get to class, so, whatever it is, ask me at lunch tomorrow or something."
"Look- can I ask you now?"
"Jeez. What?" Jason huffed, wishing Tony's next class wasn't on the opposite side of the school. Chris Marshal seemed okay, but God, if you let it be known that skinny, ambitious virgins could come up and talk to you just anytime around here, every freshman would be looking you up in the school phone book.
"It's not gonna take long, I promise. Look. You know Lisa Doyle, right?"
"What? What about her?" Jason demanded. He'd lost his virginity to Lisa Doyle, summer after 8th grade. It had been one of the purest, most confusing, scary, and blissful nights of his life, and he'd spent days afterward inviting her over for more, visiting her house for more, or talking with Tony about it, trying to make sense of it all. But Chris Marshal didn't need to know all that.
"She's still single, man. We're a month into school and she's still single."
"So?"
"When has Lisa Doyle ever been single for more than a few days? You've grown up around here, you know how popular she is."
"Yeah, I do. I also know she's fucked most of the big-timers around here. She wasn't bad, but she's a slut, man. She's probably blowing some dude from Waynflete School, so we haven't heard about it yet."
"No, man, I heard from Tony that Mason said that Brittany Jorgenson, Courtney- uh- anyway, they were talking about it in the halls this morning. She's available, man, she's just playing hard to get."
"She's been waiting for Henry Evans to ask her out for fucking forever."
"Yeah, and he asked Nicole Miles out instead, didn't he?"
"Yeah. So?"
"He's ignoring her. That's what Tony said."
"Oh, what, trying out for Best Friend now? News flash, man: I'm it."
"Nah, I just- Tony said-"
Jason suddenly realized. "Oh, no," he sighed, feeling a rush of pity. "You're not planning on asking her out…"
"I am. I'm doing it. I've been thinking about it all day. I've got a plan. She'll go out with me."
"What, you got a 12-inch dick nobody knows about yet?"
Chris flushed; he shrugged uncomfortably before replying. "Well, no. But she likes guys that're cool. I can be cool."
"She likes guys that hang out with Henry Evans. Hot guys. Hot, rich, super-fuckin'-cool. Me. Tony. Mason. John. You're at our table but you're new, man, and she knows that. She also knows you're not exactly the most buff dude around here."
"I'm not bad," Chris insisted. "And I do sit at your guys' table. The table only the fuckin' coolest of the cool get to sit at. She's seen me there."
"Look, whaddya you even want a whore like her for? You know how many dudes she's fucked?"
"She's the hottest girl in school. There's some chicks that're close, but man- look, I go out with her even once, I'm gonna be a big deal."
"Oh, you're a big deal, now?" Jason laughed, liking Chris a little more now despite himself. He was tough and he had ambition. Maybe he was hiding eight inches down there and just had no clue how to get to where he could use it.
"I'm gonna be. Asking out Lisa Doyle's gonna be news."
"She's said no to everybody."
"Because she's been holding out for Henry. She's getting tired of waiting, but no one's impressed her yet."
"Ah. So you'll be the cool new guy, huh? Gonna fuck Lisa Doyle at the next party?"
Chris flushed, but didn't look away. "Maybe. I'm good for anywhere she wants."
Jason laughed again. "Nice. So, look, what's the point here? You don't need my fuckin' permission or something."
"Dude, do you know how cool you are? You know all about what goes on around here. And one of the things you know- is where her locker is."
Flattery, huh? Okay.
"Okay, man. I know where her locker is. You better hurry if you're gonna ask her before class starts. But I'm telling you, she's a slut. And she wants gifts. Like, expensive gifts. You know what you'll get into even if she says yes?"
"I'll figure it out," Chris said firmly. He grinned. "I'm Chris Marshal."
Jason laughed again, and in his mind Chris got another point. "Okay. She's on Hall C, 155. Lemme know how it goes."
ΩΩΩΩΩ
As Lisa stepped away from her locker, the cute new redhead who'd so quickly impressed Henry and Mark Evans approached, obviously nervous about talking to her. And he did want to talk specifically to Lisa; Chris Marshal, looking rather green around the gills, practically threw himself in front of her.
"Hi," Chris said. He forced a smile, managed to look at least sort-of confident. There was a modest-but-pleasing bulge in his biceps as his hands fidgeted with his backpack straps, Lisa noted, and his shoulders weren't bad, even if he had little of the iconically-stunning, broad-shouldered look that Henry, Mark, and others like Jason Morgan and Tony Summers were so known for.
"Well, hello," Lisa said patiently, offering a smile of her own. Brittany Jorgensen stayed silent beside her; even Lisa's best friends tended to step back when a boy actually had the nerve to approach her. If she responded well, or if she was amused or mocking, they followed her example. Small wonder that Lisa was the undisputed queen of the senior class and not any of them.
"So- I'm Chris Marshal," he offered, sticking out his hand and then quickly pulling it back when Lisa stared dubiously at it. Clearing his throat, he went on, "So, I was wo-"
"Do you wanna ask me out?" Lisa was getting bored. Over a month had passed since 12th grade started, Henry still hadn't given her a second glance, and Lisa wanted to go on and be at her wits' end about it. She didn't want some complete rando new kid in her face, but right now, that was all that was on the menu.
Chris' face fell; whatever he'd been expecting when he went up to talk to Lisa, he hadn't expected to be called out so readily. Lisa was in no mood for games, though, so she just stared at him, doing her best deadpan expression.
"Out?" the red-haired boy asked, doing an automatic half-scoff, half-laugh, like teenage boys always did when you told them you knew exactly what they were doing, that they weren't smooth or clever. Chris rallied, though, and flashed her a charming smile. "Well, I mean, now that you mention it-"
"Just go ahead with the pitch." Lisa was barely interested in listening, but she'd heard plenty of stories of Chris' brash, ballsy confidence and the way he'd just charged onto the Chamberlain social scene. He'd done it so purposefully, known exactly who he needed to impress, Lisa just knew he'd spent some time scoping this place out so he knew who the big players were, planned his big move before he acted. Then he went for it. That was surprisingly cool for a rando new kid.
That white Nike shirt Chris was wearing didn't look bad on him either. And that was a nice, stylish haircut. And his jeans were new, name-brand at least, and his shoes were adequate. Used Addidas or something. Lisa didn't bother looking, but she'd assessed all this when he first walked up to her.
Still. Lisa wanted Henry, needed him to finally see her this year and realize what a perfect couple the two of them would be. She wanted a man, the living, teenage He-Man like the action figure she'd had as a kid. Chris Marshal was a boy.
"Oh," Chris said, but he gathered himself again. "So, I was thinking, you know, you're way the coolest girl here. And, I'm the coolest new guy here. And- Rush Hour just came out, and I hear it's pretty cool too." He gave a seemingly casual shrug of one shoulder, and Lisa was surprised at how well he pulled it off, that air of nonchalance, of assurance. "I was just thinking we might wanna hang out. You gotta see this Camaro I got; it's almost as cool as Jackie Chan is."
"I hate Jackie Chan movies," Lisa replied flatly, not because she really did, but because she was tired, annoyed, sick of Henry looking at anyone else but her. She also just wanted this to end now, mostly because she might be late to class, and she didn't need to listen to any teachers complaining about that today.
The red-haired boy's face fell again, and this time his shoulders slumped; he knew that defeat was imminent.
"You don't- oh, well…" Chris gave a sharper, frustrated shrug now, looked away. "Okay… Fuck it."
As abruptly as he had shown up, Chris turned and left, doing his best not to flee with his tail between his legs, still thinking of his rep even in a moment of failure. Lisa was again faintly impressed. She'd also heard he had a pretty nice ass, and sure enough, he had a solid bubble-but going on for someone who had to be a little over half of Henry Evans' weight, at most. At least there was an okay view to entertain Lisa, now that she'd gotten rid of the new kid.
"Why'd you do that?" Brittany asked, confusion obvious in her tone. "You never said you hate Jackie Chan movies."
"I don't," Lisa admitted. She'd even been thinking of seeing Rush Hour. Maybe. But she'd also been wanting Henry to fuck her like the absolute stallion he was for a long time now. Lisa hadn't even gone to the last party the Evans brothers held. When Henry never showed up to ask her out, not even as the day's end neared on Friday, Lisa just gave up and lied about her parents making her stay home. She didn't want to admit how much Henry's continued rejection bothered her.
A whole month. It's been a whole month, I've dropped more hints than ever, and he STILL won't ask me. I'd blow him in class if that's what it took. Instead he's with… her. Nicole Miles.
"So why not let him ask you out?" Brittany asked, half-shrugging. "It's something to do." She paused. "I hear he likes to skinny-dip. Bring him by your place and I bet he'll give you the whole show, easy."
"God, Brittany, are you really sticking up for him?" Lisa protested, feeling the need to argue, if only because she wasn't used to her friends, any of them, contradicting her about anything, ever. She just said and did whatever and they went along with it, because Lisa Doyle knew best. She set trends. You waited on her word before wearing anything new and noticeable to school, if you were a girl with ambitions of being somewhere above the bottom of the social ladder.
"I'm saying he's cute, and I bet he'll at least take his shirt off and give you a view. He might even turn out to be, you know, super experienced or something."
"He's a probably virgin," Lisa said. "He's like a little kid almost."
"All the more reason to have fun with him," Brittany urged, lowering her voice. "He's got some muscles; we both saw that. And he half-worships you like every guy around here, so, I bet he'll just about do whatever you want."
"What do you- I've got higher standards than that," Lisa said, a little coldly. "What're you saying?"
"I'm saying he's pretty ballsy. He's kinda cool."
"But Henry might still ask me out," Lisa insisted, weaker now. She hadn't fucked a guy since the summer, when she let Mason Sarkozy go a few rounds with her after buying her dinner and laying on his bullshit charms, which weren't bad, as the popular boys around here went. Mason was chasing somebody else, though, and Jason and Tony and Paul and Henry and Mark were all taken or likely to be, too. Damn.
"He's surprised people before. Nobody was impressed with him when he found Henry and Mark and everybody at the YMCA, but he went and boxed Henry Evans, no hesitation. He's sitting right at the table next to them now."
"Didn't know you dug red-headed virgin-boys this much, Brit," Lisa said, flashing her friend a smile.
"If you don't wanna see what he can do," Brittany shrugged, "I might." She grinned, waggling her eyebrows. "I bet he's big and just doesn't realize it."
"Okay, okay," Lisa sighed. "I can't believe I'm really gonna do this." She headed off after Chris, who had retreated way down the hall, still making a lot of effort to seem casual as he left the scene of his failed effort. Brittany followed, as did some other, younger hangers-on who didn't dare speak without being addressed, but managed to be tolerated enough that they could follow her around.
"Hey, Chris!" Lisa called out as she got closer. She said it a bit louder than she meant to, but, even if she hadn't, she was Lisa Doyle and people turned to look. They could tell something was happening.
"Uhwhat?" Chris asked, nearly tripping over his own feet as he turned around. He noticed Lisa, and his pale face went crimson as he saw who it was. "Oh, hey, uh-"
"If we went to see a movie, can you come by my place to pick me up?"
"I might," Chris allowed, trying harder than ever to seem casual, in control. "Uh- so, you wanna- I guess- so, I could come- I could go by your place tonight, and ride- give you a ride, to the movie theater. You know."
"That sounds all right. Let's go see Rush Hour."
"Uh- yeah!" Chris nodded, and that cute, cocky smile of his showed itself again. It was crazy how his whole face seemed to light up when he did that, like somebody in his family was a Christmas tree. Brittany was right, too; even with his shirt on, closer up, you could see no doubt he had some pecs. "So, I'll drive by, to your house, we'll just- just go see a movie."
"Show up at five," Lisa said, getting a little closer now, enjoying how overwhelmed Chris clearly was. "Make sure you show me your Camaro."
"Oh, yeah- yeah, I'll- I'll do it," Chris nodded eagerly. "Hey, so that's cool, huh? I'll see you at five."
"Don't be late."
"Never," Chris promised her, and he flashed her another smile, more confidently this time.
As Chris turned and headed on his way again, a bounce in his stride like he'd just been named Coolest New Kid Ever or something, the gossip began, the whispering. Already word was being carried into classrooms nearby as kids who'd seen what went down dropped their bags at their desks, went to share the word. Lisa knew her name would be mentioned often, and that Chris' would be as well- in connection with her. The cocky, nervously-confident new kid had won more points. And if he got anywhere at all- at all- with Lisa… another date, progress along the 'bases'… he'd win more points, more of that social status he obviously craved.
Somehow, Lisa found she didn't mind that. That was okay with her. She was no stranger to status herself; she was practically the queen around here, and could pick and choose which boys got to go out with her. Chris Marshal was worth a date, at least. We'll see what else happens, Lisa thought.
Brittany said nothing else about it as they made their way to class, but the knowing smile she gave Lisa a few times during the next forty-five minutes said she was pleased. Lisa didn't often like being steered or even contradicted by her friends, but she'd allow it this time. A date with Chris Marshal it was.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
It might have been early October, but Chris wore a t-shirt anyway, 'accidentally' picking a dark gray Nike from a few years ago that was a size or so small on him now. It stressed all the nice spots of the muscle he did have, the fitness he could boast about. The plan was to tell a small lie and say he'd forgot his sweater, but to have one in the trunk in case it really did get cold later.
Just as he started out to the car, though, Chris' nerves got the best of him. He ran back in, grabbed his favorite 'reading material' issue from his stash inside his mattress, closed the upstairs hall bathroom door, and just forgot everything for a while. Thank God his clock was wrong, and he'd tried to leave an hour early.
After he was all done in the bathroom, Chris went back to his bedroom, pulled his shirt over his head, knocked out some pushups and eyed himself in the mirror, trying to hype himself up. He wasn't as hot as Henry Evans, or Jason Morgan, or Tony Summers. But he wasn't bad, either. He knew he wasn't.
The flow of his muscles under his skin as he moved his arms, the nice bulge in his biceps, was a plus- the benefits of the gym time he had put in since he'd started in 9th grade, gotten more serious in 10th and 11th. But Chris had a much leaner build. He wasn't a bodybuilder like Henry and Mark were. Even if he had been more fit today, he wouldn't have been Henry, and he probably wasn't ever going to be.
How am I going to get Lisa Doyle to like me? I mean really like me? Chris wondered. He'd made it this far, sure. He was about to go on a date with the hottest girl at his new high school.
But how was he supposed to make that a success? If I screw it up, Chris thought with real worry, she'll tell everyone, or word will get around anyway. Everyone will know. And I'm gonna end 1998 a virgin. I need to bury that.
Chris had always liked his looks, and his past girlfriends and some girls he was just friends with had, too. He just didn't know if he'd be good enough for Lisa Doyle. And he didn't have the money her usual boyfriends did, either. Hopefully, as corny as it was to even think, he could just charm her. Being bold and daring to try things had worked so far. Maybe it could work now, too.
Throwing his shirt back on and hoping for the best, Chris grabbed his keys off his bed and almost ran into his mother as he headed out the door. His mind was already focused on his date, his big chance to impress the hottest girl at his new school. But his mother was pretty tough to ignore; a career sailor's wife, she was immovable as a mountain when she wanted to be, so her tall, red-haired son, his head filled with thoughts of his upcoming date, just bounced off her, hit the doorframe with his right elbow, and landed on his back on the floor.
"Chris," Laura Marshal said with a slight laugh. "Going somewhere in a hurry?"
"Mom," Chris responded, in that I'm-grown-up-now tone teenage boys used with their mothers all the time. "I was just gonna go hang out with some of the guys."
"Which guys? I haven't seen you looking that focused about just going to the gym."
Picking himself up, Chris felt his face heating and looked for a good excuse. "Well, Jason Morgan and Tony Summers really wanted me to get there on time."
"Chris." Now his Mom was using her own mildly reproachful tone. "You don't ever look that focused on something unless that something's a girl."
"I'm serious," Chris protested, "It's just that I really wanna go hang out with some of the guys!"
"But why your best pair of jeans, then? You wear shorts or sweatpants whenever it's-"
"Okay, okay, okay!" Chris interrupted, desperate to hurry this along and just get out the door before Mom clued in all the way and started to really tease him. She never meant anything serious by it and would always stop if Chris let her know he truly not up for it, but anytime she could, she teased him.
"Who's the lucky girl?" Mom asked, looking quite pleased with herself.
"It's just- you don't even know her," Chris grouched.
"Who?"
"What'd you come in here for anyway?" Chris whined, trying to avoid looking at his mother.
"First things first, Chris. Just tell me who it is and I'll let you go."
"Okay- it's Lisa Doyle! I just sit at the same table with her at lunch, okay?"
"Chris, stop pretending you're still in middle school."
"I'm not, Mom! I just don't wanna be late!"
For a moment Chris was afraid he'd pushed too far. His mouth had gotten him grounded before. If he crossed the wrong line now he'd get his keys taken, and then he'd have to call Lisa Doyle and explain he, her would-be-boyfriend-or-something, wasn't going to be taking her out on a date because his mom had grounded him. It was a nightmare scenario with no way out but down.
What actually happened, though, was Mom just hugged him.
"Chris, baby, it's okay. You don't need to be this nervous."
"Mom- I didn't say I was nervous," Chris protested, but more carefully now, not wanting his tone to mess things up.
"This date's a big deal to you. Is this girl popular?"
Chris sighed. "Yes. Really, really popular. Probably the most popular one in school."
"So you're worried she's not going to like you, or you didn't go the gym enough, or that it's just not gonna go well and she's going to tell her friends about how lame you are."
HOWdidsheevenknowabout-
Chris must have jerked as if struck by a pin, because his mother held him just a little tighter. "That's a yes. Chris, listen. I'm a mom, I know things. If she didn't like you at least a little, she wouldn't have agreed to go out with you. Didn't I tell you that when you came home and panicked because you asked Karen Tran out and didn't know what to do?"
"Mom… that was 7th grade…"
"She likes you already, Chris. Just think about that, she likes you already." She hugged him one more time and let him go. "Drive safe. Use your signal, stop at all the red lights. Lisa Doyle can't go out with you again next week if you don't have a Camaro because you ran into a garbage truck again."
"I said I was sorry about that," Chris mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It wasn't even that bad."
"You're going to be safe and behave yourself?"
"Yes, Mom."
"You're going to be back by midnight, or you're going to call me and let me know where you are."
"Yes, Mom."
"I love you, honey."
Chris flushed crimson, but he had to say it. "I love you, too, Mom." He paused. "Can I please go now? I don't want to be late, please."
"I know." Laura Marshal smiled. "This is going to go great, I promise. The cool guys at school all like you, don't they? Lisa Doyle already does, just like I said. You'll be just fine."
"Thanks, Mom." Chris gave her one of his smiles, one of the type that betrayed his thoughts when he was really pleased. "I'll behave myself, I promise."
"I know. I trust you. Make sure your father gets to meet your new girlfriend when he gets back from Ireland."
"Mom… she's just- I just asked her out today…"
"Don't be late, Chris," Laura Marshal chided him, her tone one of teasing again. "Your new girlfriend's waiting on you."
Giving up, Chris headed for the door as Laura Marshal called after him that by the way, the leafblower in the garage still works, so he should take it outside and try it out on Sunday. Another way of saying "Go get those leaves off the lawn." Great. At least she wasn't making him do that now. Much as Chris avoided admitting it at this age, even to himself, he knew Mom was too nice to do that, especially when she knew he was trying to go do something that really mattered to him.
As he got outside and started the Camaro with its distinctive, throaty roar, it occurred to Chris that although he had absolutely no idea how he'd gotten Lisa to say yes to a first date, maybe she really did like him some, and maybe that really was a good sign of things to come. He sure hoped so.
A/N: 1-14-2022. My first upload and first new story for 2022! I'm still working on "The New Dawn" too, but I wrote out enough for this that I figured posting Chapter 1 wasn't a bad idea. I was originally planning to have Chris' first date with Lisa feature in this chapter, but I got to a good stopping point with just over 12 pages and 5,000 words, and I figured it would be better to have the first date be the focus of a whole chapter anyway.
Feedback is always appreciated, so feel free to post a review or send me a PM, or both.