Duff and Marcelline spent the next day in Santa Monica. They went into all of the fanciest shops and tried on ridiculously expensive clothes. Neither of them had any intention of actually buying anything. The store clerks would send them disproving looks when they walked in. They weren't exactly the image of wealth, especially with their messy hair and Marcy's slept in makeup. Marcy found it particularly funny when they were kicked out for 'causing a scene' and 'loitering'. It didn't bother them much. What some stupid person thought of them wasn't a big deal. They'd just move right on to the next store.
Marcy convinced Duff into the most ridiculous 'salmon' pinstripe suit. He looked absolutely awful in it but Marcy didn't think anybody could pull the suit off. When he walked out of the changing room Marcy burst into a fit of giggles. Duff examined himself in the conveniently placed mirror. He did a little twirl before turning to Marcy. He tipped his hat to her (it was horrid and matched the suit) and bowed down on one knee. Duff took her hand and placed a soft kiss on top of it. Marcy tried so hard to contain herself, but only ended up snorting with laughter.
"Pleasure to meet you m'lady." He spoke in a posh British accent.
"The pleasure's all mine." Marcy tittered. She wished she had her camera, but she'd left it at work the other day.
"Excuse me," A stern old woman had joined them. Her name tag told Marcy her name was Beatrice. Unfortunate. "Are you going to buy anything?"
Duff and Marcy exchanged grins. They suppressed their laughter and tried to appear somewhat serious. "Actually, we were just about to leave." Marcy smiled sweetly, as Duff disappeared back into the changing room.
.
It was a rather warm day for the middle of autumn so they bought ice creams from the stand by the pier. They walked down the beach while they ate. Marcy took off her shoes so she could wade in the ocean. She loved the feeling of the sand beneath her feet and the icy water on her skin. The salty smell of the sea found its way into her clothes and her heart. The gentle sound of the waves lapping at the shore and Duff's voice as he told her all about where he grew up made Marcy never want that day to end. She felt so happy that her chest ached and a permanent smile had etched itself onto her face.
Marcy couldn't believe this was her life. When had it become so good? It didn't seem like long ago that Aubrey was her only friend and Marcy was working two jobs just to get by. She nearly laughed aloud when she remembered how she slept with every guy that came along. Marcy guessed she'd just been lonely. Now she felt on top of the world. Nothing could stop her. Things just seemed to be getting better and better. Marcy was actually excited to see where she'd be in a couple of years time.
"What about you Marce, where'd you live when you were a kid?" Duff asked.
"In France, of course," Marcy kicked at the water while she walked, trying to see how much of a splash she could make. "But my childhood was boring compared to yours."
"Doubt it," Duff smiled over at her. The way he looked at Marcy sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn't sure whether she liked it or not. It was that kind of gaze that told her he saw everything. Marcy had people look at her like that before and she knew what it meant. "What about your family? What are they like?"
"I don't have any brothers or sisters and I don't talk to my parents anymore." Marcelline admitted.
"How come?" Duff kicked off his shoes and joined her in the water.
"Dunno, they used to call every so often when I moved here. I guess they just forgot about me or something." Marcy didn't really mind much, although she probably should have. Her parents weren't exactly the best anyway. It wasn't like her life had changed without them in it.
