After school, the first thing Marley does is pull out her new phone and dial Harry's number.
She sent him a text earlier, but he didn't respond. And she thought maybe it was because of the new number. At least she hoped so.
Marley hasn't talked to Harry since they said their goodbyes. And Maria can't help but slip in the thought that maybe he's glad she's finally gone. Out of his life.
But he wouldn't do that. Because he loves her.
Right?
As the phone rings and rings, Marley can't help the worry that settles into her stomach. Her mind wandering to the last time she saw him. That morning after the glorious night she told him she loved him.
loves him.
Still does.
Isn't sure she could ever stop. Even if she wanted to.
When Marley hears his voice, she stops in the middle of the floor. "Hey, you've reached Harry." But it's just his voicemail. "Sorry I can't answer your call but leave a message and I'll give you a ring."
She contemplates hanging up. Doesn't know what to say. But then it beeps. Telling her to speak. "H...Hi--umm... Hey." She stutters. "It's Marley--umm--my dad got me a new phone. Wow that sounds weird to say. 'My dad' I mean. But, uh... I miss you. Call me back when you get this--if... if you want."
A pause. She doesn't know if she should say it.
But she does anyway. "I love you, Harry... umm... yeah. Bye." And hangs up.
"I didn't know you had a boyfriend." Fiona says from the doorway.
Markey clutches her phone to her chest. "You scared me."
Her half sister walks into the room. Sits down on her bed. "Oh, sorry." Smiles. "Tell me about him."
"His name is Harry." Marley immediately smiles at the mention of him.
Fiona rolls her eyes playfully. "Well yeah. I got that from the little sigh and the 'I love you, Harry' thing."
"Oh," Marley's cheeks feel warm, "you heard that."
"Is it hard? Being away from him?" Fiona asks.
Marley nods. Sits next to Fiona on her bed. "Harder than I thought was possible." She suddenly finds herself opening up to her sister. "I've always been the kind of person who didn't need anyone else but... it's different with him. He's the first person I've trusted in a really long time."
"That's really sweet." Fiona says. "I wish I had someone like that."
"You're fourteen." Marley says.
"Age is but a number, darling." Fiona smiles. Purposely speaks in a posh voice. "But seriously. Tell me everything."
"Well, he's got this... magnificent accent. He was born in England." Marley explains. Her lips curling up slightly. "And he has this thing that he says. Something about my eyes remind him of ice or something but it sounds so poetic the way he puts it."
"Wow." Fiona says. In encouragement to continue.
"He's the kindest person I've met in my entire life. He just makes me feel safe." She turns to her sister. Realizing she's saying too much. She's gotten a bit too used to vulnerability. Her eyes go wide. "Sorry. I'm gushing."
Fiona is smiling wider than Marley. And Marley thinks her sister is probably always smiling. Fiona is a far happier person than she is. And she wonders if she would have been more like her had Marley grown up the way Fiona did.
"No, it's fine." Fiona says. "I'm glad that you're so happy with him. To be honest, I didn't know how to act around you. Dad told me about your... situation. I'm glad it wasn't all bad, though."
Situation? Is that what you'd call it? We were better off alone.
"No, it wasn't bad." Marley shakes her head. Her eyes scan over the walls of her room, which used to be the guest room in the house. Paintings of sailboats and watercolor people with indistinct features hang in strategic places. Although it is distinctly nicer than her old room, it doesn't feel nicer. It doesn't feel like her. "I did okay. I babysat to pay bills and did my best. Sure this is less responsibility, living here, but it doesn't feel like home."
Fiona's expression drops. And she isn't sure what to say. "It doesn't feel like home because you haven't been here for very long."
She wants to tell her big sister that she will love it here. That she will love having a sister. Because Fiona had wanted one since forever. And she was ecstatic when she found out about Marley. And Marley should feel that way, too. Because having a sister is supposed to be awesome.
"I--" Marley starts to say, but she's cut off by her phone ringing in her hand. Looks down. And stares at it for a moment. Surprised and overjoyed that he called back so quickly. "It's Harry."
Fiona takes that as her cue to go. "Okay, once you're done you should come downstairs. I'll show you how I make my favorite after school smoothie."
"Okay," Marley says but she's already pressing the phone to her ear. Her smile wide. Waits until Fiona closes the door behind her. "Hey, babe."
"Hey, love." His voice is warm and inviting and exactly what she needs. "How've you been?"
Marley flops down on the bed. Her hair sprawling across the plush pillows. "Better now that I get to talk to you."
Harry smiles. But she can't see it. He's missed her so much. Woken up to find himself clutching onto pillows instead of her. And he already can't wait until he can see her again. "When can I see you?"
"I don't know." She says honestly. Because she's not used to having to check with a parent before someone can come by. And she wants him there with her as soon as possible. But it most likely won't be until the weekend. "I'll ask, though. Maybe you can stay over this weekend."
But Marley kind of doubts it. Somehow she knows that her father and stepmother are not the type to just let a boy stay the night.
"Okay. How is your new school?" He asks.
Marley sighs. "It's alright, I guess. But it's not Cannon Valley High School." She pauses. Stares at the ceiling a moment. "I have to wear a stupid uniform. I look like a preppy bitch from a bad TV drama."
Harry smirks. "Are you wearing it right now?"
"Umm," she sits up, "yeah."
Harry hums. "Describe it to me."
Marley is a bit flustered by his suggestive tone. But also a bit confused. Eyes wide. Heart rate picking up. The tone of his voice doing things to her.
It's almost like she can see the way he would look at her. That look. The one that always ended in fingers tangled in bedsheets and soft gasps escaping freshly kissed lips.
"Umm..." her voice comes out softer than intended. "Harry, I don't know how to do this."
"We don't have to." He says. Realizing she may not be into that. Suddenly a bit embarrassed he brought it up. Just misses her. And misses being with her.
But his embarrassment is eased when she says, "No, I do want to." She pauses. Bites her lip. Imagining what he would sound like through the phone. Wonders if his breathy groans would sound different than in person.
"Then tell me, baby." He says. "What are you wearing?"
Marley hesitates. Eyes the bedroom door before hopping up and locking it. Harry waits quietly for her reply. And after checking to make sure the door is in fact locked, she steps in front of the full length mirror in the corner.
Suddenly the words just seem to come to her. Flowing freely with a soft smile on her lips. She tangles a finger around a few strands of hair. Paces and turns around her room, each time returning in front of the mirror to add another detail. Describes the skirt shorter. The top fitted tighter and more suggestive.
That is until Harry speaks up once she's finished. His voice just as hot and bothered as it always is when his lips are on her neck. "You're so perfect, baby." He moans. "The things you do to me."
"Yeah?" Marley lays down on her bed again. Feels more empowered than ever before. But still speaks softly so no one can hear her. "Tell me. What would you do if you could have me right now?"
Harry can hardly believe this is happening. He loves her even more for it. Loves the confidence in her voice. Loves how she still manages to sound just as turned on as he is.
"So many things, Marley Parker." He replies in a low voice. "So many things."
She hums. "Tell me."
And in mere moments his words turn into moans. And so do hers. He can hear her quickened breath and it only makes him moan in pleasure and quicken his movements.
They may not be together but somehow they're still all breathy moans and cold fingers clutched in bedsheets. And messy hair and flushed cheeks. And then quickened words and frantic motions and burning electricity and mutterings of adoration.
Two pulsing hearts. Separated only by physical distance. But it's as if there's no such thing. Electricity coursing through them as if their motions are the work of the other. As if the sparks flying and polarizing the air are a direct correlation to their touching skin. A causation of their conflicting seasons colliding despite the universe trying to seperate them. Despite miles. And despite the seemingly concrete laws of nature itself.
Because he is fire. And she is ice.
When it's over, all they can hear is the sound of the other's heavy breathing. And soft whispers like "damn, baby." And "fuck, I love you."
They stay there for a while. Phones pressed to their ears as if it can bring them closer together.
Marley wraps the blankets on her bed around herself. Wishing they were Harry's arms but hearing his breath begin to slow to a normal pace will have to do.
For now.
"I'll come visit you this weekend. Even if I can't stay." Harry promises. Sounding winded and a bit desperate for her touch.
"Okay." Marley pauses. Bites the inside of her cheek. "We can have a real date. Something super cheesy. Like ice skating."
"I'm afraid I'm not as graceful as you are, babe." He laughs. "I'd fall on my ass. And we've had dates. What do you mean a real date?"
"When?" Marley challenges. "Homecoming doesn't count."
"It most certainly does," he laughs, "but we also went camping."
"As friends." She rolls her eyes. But smiles all the same.
"Friends that make out against a tree?" Harry smirks. "And let's not forget the way your eyes practically popped out of your head when you saw me at the shower house."
"You were only wearing a towel." Marley says but knows he's right. She had to turn the water to cold to snap herself out of thinking about his wet chest and toned abdomen over and over. "I was startled."
"Okay, Marr." He says. "Whatever you say."
Marley just smiles. Thinks her worry from before was silly. Of course Harry still loves her.
And of course she feels the same.
"Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you." She says.
She can hear his light chuckle from the other end. Hears the smile in his voice when he responds, "I love you, too."
"I love you more." Marley insists. Pulling the blankets higher around her. And smiling like, well, a giddy fucking teenager in love.
"Not possible." Harry responds. And he means it.
And they're so fucking cute that Maria thinks she might choke.
Ugh. Stop, children. Mama can hear you. You've already scarred me enough.
Marley just hums. Ignores Maria. And focuses on the boy on the other end of the phone line. "How was your day?"
"Fuckin' weird without you, baby." Harry says. And he means it. He kept turning next to him, thinking she would be in her normal seat in English. Or there as he walked to class.
He doesn't want to tell her how much it hurt every time she wasn't there. Because that would probably just make her feel worse.
So instead he asks, "how about you? How was your day?"
"Alternate universe worthy." She sighs. "I don't fit in with these people. They're all rich and preppy."
"Did I tell you I went to a private school before coming to Cannon Valley?" Harry smiles. "Does that make me rich and preppy?"
"Well, yeah it does." Marley rolls her eyes playfully. "But no, I didn't know that."
He hums. Wants to tell her but decides against it. It's in the past. And he shouldn't dig it up.
"Pretty sure your uniform is hotter than mine was." He says instead.
"You don't know that. I could just be really good at this."
"This." He repeats.
"Stop you know what I mean." Her cheeks are most certainly flushed. And he can most certainly hear it in her voice.
And he wants to kiss her. Boy, does he want to kiss her.
"Maybe when I visit this weekend you can wear it for me." Harry says. Already can't wait. His tone suggestive once again.
"Is sex all you think about?" She laughs.
"Well, no." He says. "But you are."
Marley feels like she's going to break her face with how wide her smile is across her cheeks. "Stop."
"Never, baby." Harry smiles, too.
"I should go. Fiona is probably wondering where the hell I am." Marley sighs. "I guess you'll get to meet her when you're here."
"The only person I care about seeing is you."
"You're too much." She says. "I love you. But I gotta go."
"Okay, love." Harry sighs. "I miss you."
"I miss you, too. We'll talk soon." Marley promises.
But promises are meant to be broken, right? Or is that rules?
_____________
LONGER CHAPPIE BECAUSE I MISSED WRITING FLUFFY SHIT AND IT JUST KEPT GOING.
Buuuuuut... My other story "Obsession" recently hit ONE MILLION READS.... I just... THAT WAS LITERALLY MY WATTPAD LIFE GOAL.
Like what now? I don't know. Maybe get Skinny in the top 100 of the rankings?? *wink wink*
Anywho. Thanks for reading loves. As always, thanks for putting up with my sporadic updates.
All the love.
-Lena xx
P.s. Monday is my birthday (November 7th) so if you comment/ vote I'll love you forever!!