𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄́ ─ 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

She didn't owe Derek anything, but she thought, for the sake of her sister, she should try and tolerate him. She thought back on Madame LeBlanc told her about letting go of what she was afraid of.

How? She thought. How do you face something you can't see?

"Well, I'm gonna go shower." Marissa didn't know what else to say so she made herself scarce.

***

In the comfort of her room, Marissa dried her hair frantically with an old, used T-shirt. Her shower was relatively quick and gave her time to think her predicament with her father. She didn't know how long she could stay mad at him without destroying herself in the process.

Then, there in her room, in her pink shorts and gray tank top, she thought of Robby. That moment between them, she decided to call it that on her way home, and what it meant; if it meant anything. It did to her but then again, it was the first time any boy really looked at her. Previously, she'd had boys more interested in what she could offer them and not who she was.

Robby was different. A good different; the best kind of different. But, it didn't matter. He had a girlfriend and whatever happened in that studio meant nothing. Besides, she and Robby had a good friendship, feelings would only mess everything up.

On her bedside table, her phone began to ring. Talk about timing, she said to herself when 'Robby' was written across her screen. Marissa chucked the T-shirt in the bin by her closet before settling into her bed, grabbing her phone.

She felt her stomach twist and turn as she exhaled heavily. Marissa held the phone to her ear after pressing accept.

"Hey," she stated casually. "I thought you had a date." She cursed herself silently for bringing it up.

"I did. It's why I'm calling actually," Robby said through the phone. "It appears I ran into a bit of bad luck."

"Why?" Marissa inquired.

Robby sighed, "We got kicked out. Thrown out, actually."

"What did you guys do?"

"That's the thing, it wasn't us. It was Tory."

"Really?" Marissa said with feigned interest and surprise. "That still doesn't explain what you and Sam did to get thrown out."

He then went on a rant about how Sam spotted Tory and Miguel at the rink when they walked in. Marissa found herself bored at the situation more than anything because it sounded so ridiculous. But, the more he talked about Sam and his horrible date, the clearer her thoughts about what happened at the studio became.

"Wait, just stop." Marissa picked at the hem of her shorts. "Did you only call to tell me about Sam and how bad your date went?"

Robby was silent for a beat; as if scared of what he might say; what he wanted to say. "Yeah," he said finally. "I needed someone to talk to. I needed to talk to you." He paused again. "Was there...something else you thought I would be calling for?"

Marissa shook her head humorlessly to herself. She cleared her throat lightly, "No." She said quietly. "I just thought..."

"Thought what?" Robby asked just as quietly.

"Nothing, never mind." Sighing, she said, "Look, I'm sorry about your date, but I have to go."

"Marissa, wait—,"

"I'll see you later." She hung up before he could say anything else because if he did, Marissa knew she would not have been able to.

Part of her felt bad, but an even bigger part of her felt relieved that she ended the conversation before it became more devastating. How much longer could she get away with denying her feelings after this? Her relationship with Robby meant something more to her than it did to him and all he did was make it known.

Her father appeared at her door and she wondered if he'd been lurking the whole time; if he'd heard the crack in her voice when she hung up. "Who was that?"

Marissa sniffed shortly, "No one." She tossed her phone down beside her. "A friend. I thought you were leaving."

"I am," Derek stated. "I just wanted to say good-bye."

He waited in his spot. "Well, bye." Marissa said, expecting him to leave, but he still remained. "Did you...need something else?"

"Well, your mother thought it would be a good idea for me to walk Rachel to school on Monday."

Marissa furrowed her brow, "Why?"

"Try and salvage or build the bond between us," he admitted. "I also asked, so."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I wanted to know if you were okay with it."

That surprised Marissa. He didn't need her permission to be a father. After all, he certainly didn't ask for it when he decided to stop.

"If it's what Rachel wants." She didn't know what else to say. Truthfully, the space occupied by her and her father was growing more awkward by the second. "Is that all?"

Derek sighed frustratedly, running his hand over his face and landing on his hips. "No, that's not all. You're my daughter and you won't even have a conversation with me." She just sat there so he continued. "I'm trying to change, okay? Starting with you and your mother and sister."

Marissa hesitated; her mouth opened and nothing came out. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't. Her anger toward her father stems from all the times he said exactly what he claims now, but never actually did. All of her wanted to believe him now.

There was this nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach; a voice inside her head telling her to keep her heart closed off to him; the thought of being disappointed again.

Marissa felt her hands begin to shake. She just wanted to sleep. "Okay. Is that all?" There was nothing else to say until the feeling was relieved, the voice was silenced, and the thought disappeared.

"That's all. Goodnight, Mari." Derek said before retreating from his stoic position at the door.

"Goodnight."

Marissa quickly shut her door and turned out the light. When she came back to her bed and laid down, she remembered the girl in the castle. Closing her eyes, she dreamed, for the first time in a long time, about the castle.

How she longed to be the princess.

gabbys note. this chapter may appear short and uneventful, but if you really care about the story then you'll see how important it is.

also, before anyone gets judgy, marissa is still developing as a character

her problems with her father aren't going to go away just because everyone around her is moving on (told you there'd be daddy issues...)

ANYWAY, please don't be a ghost reader!

like, comment, and vote!!!