Three hours until my 'date' with Marley. And after texting her for four days, I'm not really nervous about her. I am, but it nothing compared to the anxiety I have for myself.
I sighed and figured it'd be better not to think about it. Instead I found my favorite jeans, a top with a radioactive symbol on the front -and that was so big on me that it almost hung on my shoulders- and a black hoodie. Setting them onto my bed, I proceeded to take a long shower to cleanse myself of all the sweat and gunpowder I'd collected during my session at the N.S. today. Hm... I'd probably have to take Marley with me once or twice. Kayla has no idea about any of this, so she hasn't called my mentor. My mentor is this guy named Trevor. He is the same species as Riley, Libby, and Zee, but he has never had any of the training they've had, just what the N.S. has given him.
I'd just gotten out of my steaming shower and put on my bra and shirt when my phone buzzed.
Grace : hey I can't make it to my house. If u just go early Marley won't even notice I'm gone ;)
Me : k
Grace : be good to my mar }:|
Me : I will
I finished putting on my clothes when she didn't reply.
Who would've thought. I'm getting involved with Hazel's soulmate's best friend. It sounds cheesy but there it is. Libby knows two things. Who people will or do live, and who people hate. Duh. I did an essay on her. Well, I studied her and gave another person my data to write up.
But, back to me. I figured I'd end up dating strictly firsts -the first of triplets- in the N.S. Having any sort of personal relationship between an agent and an outsider get very complicated. Most end up dead. Either the relationship... Or the people in it. Look how Alexa went. I've heard a thing or two about that girl. I'm sure she was the reason Hazel was expelled from the program.
Another rumor said that Hazel was in the Academy for a pretty long time. Go figure. Queen of the bitches is the first and only second to see the inside of the Academy. But they wipe all the Academy's info from the minds of the rejected. She knows she was there and she remembers it like any other memory, she just doesn't know the setting. Kayla is into this stuff. You pick it up.
Wait. The hell am I doing? I don't know anything about dating! God, Micha, not a good day to be off your game!
Me : WAIT GRACE! WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO DUING A DATE?!
Grace : you killed me. I just died laughing. I also took your line. I know.
I was about to send a retort but she beat me to it.
Grace : and she's marley, for god's sake. You give her a tub of cookie dough ice cream and she'll date u. Just do your weirdly accurate guessy thing. do whatever u ppl do its ur date not mine.
Me : okay. Good. Good. anything else??????
Grace : she likes cuddling. She likes being told her blushing is cute. She likes James Cameron's Avatar. I'm sure you can manage.
Me : when will u be back? / when will we not be alone?
Grace : if u need a cockblock, go to your own house x_x Jk I'll be back at nine. Sawyer is taking me bowling because he gets a discount from the food counter if he has an attractive female in his party -_- hope u have more fun than I do...
Me : hah. Good luck
Grace : you won't need it. Bye! Do me a flavor and talk to mar b4 u meet (you didn't hear it from me but she is having a mini panic attack)
Me : .... :| ...... :p?
I really did like Grace. I mean, it's heartwarming how much she trusts me. If Hazel breaks her, I am going to kill that she-devil.
Micha, stop texting, you're going on a date.
Fuck, yes, voice of reason in my head is correct.
Going on a date... Me... Mm... I kinda like it. Terrifying, but I like it.
...
Grace had given me her garage code, so by the time the sound of a key in door came chattering, I was sitting I the counter island in the middle of Grace's kitchen, wondering how the hell I ended up like this. I swore when I was younger this wouldn't be me.
"Grace- oh! Hi!" a brunette appeared at the door.
"Hey, Grace's brother took her bowling last minute" I tilted my head a little to try act... I don't know, innocent about it.
"Oh... Um..." why was she cute? I see it, and it's adorable, but why? How? Hm... No. No, I will not think like that. She is cute. That's it. Very, very cute. Nope too far. Why? It's a secret. Shhh.
"Popcorn is in the microwave" I nodded to the magic silver box with radiation and buttery goodness inside.
"Kay..." Marley took a seat on Grace's blue sofa. She had a nice house. The blue and white living room was my favorite. I felt free again. "What do you wanna watch?" The microwave beeped while she spoke. I dumped the popcorn into a bowl and carried it over to the brunette.
"Grace told me you like Avatar. I've never actually seen it..." I was only a popcorn bowl away from her. Poor Grace. The way it must feel to have the heart fluttering rush of proximity turned on you the way Hazel does, and for too long.
"Do you want to?" Marley stared down at the remote in her hands.
"Why not?" I chuckled. Marley started the movie and already I refocused. Marley was watching with extra interest... Again a swirl of emotions washed over me, but I tried my best to remove the confusing ones.
"Why do you like this movie?" I tried to scoot closer as inconspicuously as possible.
"Dunno" she shrugged "I guess it's the combination of the genres and the amazing C.G." She still wouldn't look at me and I needed to fix that.
We began a silence that lasted for most of our time.
"Micha...?" She finally broke it and set her eyes on me.
"Yes" I tried to move even closer, but I really didn't want to seem invasive.
"I really like you..." she bit her lip. To me, that sounded like permission. I resisted the urge to act on that and start cuddling her.
When I didn't react right away, she blushed and avoided my gaze.
"You're blushing" I hid a smile.
"No..." She denied with this guilty tone and long 'o'.
"It's cute" she let her eyes dart towards mine for just an instant before drifting away. "You can look at me, you know. I don't usually bite" I teased her lightly. She did nothing. "Hmmm..." I grumbled. I lifted her chin with my finger and turned her to look at me. It had been a good while since my heart had beat this quickly without physical exertion, and I basked in the nervous, electric frisson of the unknown.
I didn't even realize my eyes were drifting. I only noticed when I was the deep chocolate color of her somewhat pleading eyes, or the glint of white through pale lips. I didn't see the closing space until I could feel her breath mixing with mine. It took me a while, but I also realized she'd at some point closed her eyes.
"I should probably warn you... About something..." I let my eyes close too. Without the distraction, I could feel the heat radiating from her skin. Her heart beating, breathing, in sync with me.
"Mm?" I felt the air on my lips shift with her words.
"So many things... One in particular" I could smell her skin. Just a breath in our way. I leaned a little to the side, close to her ear. "I like you. I will be with you, if that's what you want... I would show you things you will never believe. But you have to promise me you will take all consequences of your choice. No take backs"
"Please kiss me..." she touched her nose to my neck. I almost gave in. But I had to be careful, if I brought her into something she didn't agree to, bad things will happen. Worse than normal.
"I will, if you're really willing to face my world" her lips traced my neck and shoulder.
"I don't know why I don't care about the risk" she pressed her lips to the crook of my neck and I was gone. I pushed her onto the couch and, straddling her waist, kissed her.
Here is why I don't allow myself to think any thoughts that are even remotely intimate.
But I was already kissing her, so to hell with such restraint. I will not give in to all my wishes, but I will take what I can.
I only let her breathe when she was boarding possible harm. I was not exactly ready for a break, so I went on to her neck. I kissed around that area until I found the spot that she was most sensitive at. She moaned loudly as I bit and sucked until a clear mark was left. That was satisfying. My Marley.
"Why'd you stop?" She whined breathlessly. A year of extreme sexual frustration and she was dangling the bait in front of my face. No. I am not going to go too far.
"If I don't stop now, I'm not going to be able to stop later" I kissed her lightly, she tried to keep me there, but I've had enough experience escaping my own desires that I had successfully reestablished my sanity; I didn't let her get the best of me.
"What are we now?" She sat up on her elbows.
"We are exclusive" I gazed happily at her mark.
"Are you my girlfriend?" She blushed and bit her lip.
"Sure" I didn't have time to move before she was kissing me again. This time there too much emotion in it for me to ignore. And I was back to controlling myself. Ugh. Was it worth it? Yes. Did it still suck? Hell yes.
...
We ended up cuddling on the guest bed, since there was more room and a bigger T.V. there. Marley really did love cuddling, as I quickly learned. She was currently laying with her legs wrapped around one of mine, arms around my waist, her head on my collar, making light snoring sounds that were more like little sighs. She had fallen asleep about half way through our second movie, Mean Girls. After it was over, I started flipping through channels... And I am now watching some animated cartoon marathon.
"Marley?! Micha?! You here?!" I jumped a little at the sudden noise. Marley protested with a grumble and tightened around me.
"Yeah" I called softly. Grace knocked and walked in a few seconds later.
"It went well, I assume?" She chuckled, carefully keeping low volume.
"Yeah" I smiled. She did too, her eyes went soft when she heard Marley make another whine.
"You are her first real relationship. And I don't want to have either of our friendships ruined. Be good with my Mar. You're welcome to stay over and borrow clothes if you want. I'm on the second floor, first room to your left if you need me. Emergency sleep over clothes are in the closet across the hall from me. G'night"
"Night" I relaxed. I feel so bad for the girl. I know I for one will stand by Marley during the secret-bomb phase of our relationship. God knows Hazel doesn't know how to be sympathetic, and once Grace figures out our only common secret, she will be lost.
**Awkwardly trying to write this because I have never been involved in any romantic shenanigans. Definitely nothing this dramatic. I'm just thinking YOUR LIFE IS A SOAP OPERA the whole time. Not to mention YOUR LIFE IS A SAPPY CHEESY MUSHY DRAMATIC MESS
Now wait till you see how awkward the Hazel-Grace tragedy scene is ;) spoilers