I Think We're Alone Now

Ch. 12: Last Night

        Marilyn squirms in her seat. This is not fair.

"Did you get an attorney?"

"What? No."

Mobius seems cheerful enough. "I'd like to open up the discussion floor. How about an icebreaker?"

This is the out Josie found for her? "I don't like that stuff."

Loki silently glares at him. "C'mon!" He says, "You can go first."

"Me?" No. Marilyn can't have this.

"No. Loki." What a relief.

"Do you plan on killing us?"

"Good question!" Mobius frowns. Was she supposed to raise her hand? "Sorry."

"No. We're just going to talk."

"That sounds boring," Marilyn retorts.

"Mmm-kay. Let's see..."

"What?" Mobius turns on some sort of projector. She gawks at the image. Shit. She didn't think this could happen. Like, it wasn't a possibility to her, until now.

Loki narrows his eyes. "Is that you?"

"Or we could talk!" Her voice comes out all high pitched and screechy.

"I thought that was boring." Mobius has the nerve to flash her a smile. "Don't worry. Loki's next."

"I don't think so."

It is, in fact, Marilyn onscreen. Only, she's fifteen.

Waxed legs. Glittery nails. Dark eyeliner. Her heart was thumping. Lacy underwear. Stripper heels. Rhinestone earrings. She'd been out. Guitar. Microphone. The only three chords she knew.

"Last night, I snuck out." She stops singing. To gauge her audience's reaction. To smile. "I had a little too much to drink. I nearly committed a serious crime, but- in the nick of time, I hit the brakes."

"I didn't hit and run, but I had a lot of fun. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I had a good time, last night." The spotlight's on her, but they're not looking. Rather, everyone's whispering. About her. Could it be going any more brilliantly? Maybe if her voice was just a little smoother. "I thought I might lose my mind. So, I got a nose ring and took up karaoke. Hmm, I met this weird guy and I thought he might choke me, when the cab broke down and I- yeah, I left him alone. On the side of the road."

"I didn't hit and run, but I had a lot of fun. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I had a good time, last night." The chorus was just brilliant, wasn't it? She'd penned it herself. The whole song. "Last night, I stayed out late. Didn't wear much, but hey! Yeah, I brought some friends back. They're backstage getting high off crack."

She strums a little faster with the delivery of the last line. The student body looks up at her and cheers. Best talent show performance, ever.

"What's going on there?"

"I wanted out of there. I hated that place." She's recoiling back, just at the mention of it. They sent her there, with all her dad's stupid left over money. Or maybe it was her mother's. She was so furious, she made a spectacle just to get out of there.

"But what is it?"

"A boarding school."

Author's note

Lyric transcript!

Last Night

Last night, I snuck out

I had a little too much to drink

I nearly committed a serious crime, but

In the nick of time

I hit the brakes

(Chorus)

I didn't hit and run, but

I had a lot of fun.

Oh, yeah

Yeah, I had a good time

Last night

I thought I might lose my mind

So, I got a nose ring and took up karaoke

I met this weird guy and I thought he might choke me

When the cab broke down and I-

Yeah, I left him alone (on the side of the road)

(Repeat chorus)

Last night, I stayed out late

Didn't wear much, but hey!

Yeah, I brought some friends back

They're backstage,

Getting high off crack