Marley didn't know what to think when Don handed her a glittery silver credit card Thursday morning. She flipped it over as if the back would display large letters that proclaimed it to be a joke. But instead, after a few seconds of inspection, she found it was real.
"What's this for?"
Her father smiles. "I thought you and Fiona could go shopping after school. You can get some new clothes and it will be fun for the two of you."
"I..." Marley really doesn't know what to say. She had never been allowed to spend her mother's money. So this just felt strange to her. "Why would I get clothes if I wear a uniform to school?"
He shrugs. "Get something to wear when you're not at school. Whatever you like. I'm sure Fiona can show you all the best stores."
"Shopping?" Fiona jokes as she comes down the stairs. Spotts the card in Marley's hand. And her eyes go wide. "Are we going shopping?"
"After school." Marley says, Her voice a bit softer than intended. She clears her throat. Turns back to Don. "Thank you."
He just smiles and pats her on the back. "No problem, kiddo." He checks his watch before downing the rest of his coffee. "Come on, we're going to be late."
Two minutes later they're zooming down the road and Marley unlocks her phone for the only real purpose it has.
To text Harry.
Marr: Alert. Calling all units. Send help.
She looks out the window as she waits for a reply. Noticing the icicles on the trees and the light dusting on the ground. It must have snowed last night. Everything is a little bit glittered in white. And it's all so beautiful.
Harry: I'm afraid all units are dispatched to other locations. What is your emergency? x
Marley smiles. Loves the little 'x' he seems to type at the end of all his messages and the humor she can sense between the syllables. She misses him so much.
Marr: I'm required to go shopping this afternoon.
"So, Marley," Fiona turns her attention to the girl in the backseat. "Where do you want to go shopping later?"
"I, uhh..." Doesn't really want to mention that she's never really shopped in a mall before. She always got her clothes handed down from Jax, neighbors, or bought them for a quarter and the local Goodwill. "I don't really know what's around here."
Her phone buzzes with a response from Harry. And she reads it as Fiona starts rambling store names.
Harry: For what? x
Marley also loves to flirt in her texts, as she has realized. So her response of a simple winky face is both normal and a bit adventurous for the old her.
"...do any of those sound good to you?" Fiona asks.
Marley didn't hear any of the stores she just mentioned. But she still just shrugs and says, "sure. We can go to the ones you think are best."
And goes back to staring out the window.
__________
It's as if all the girls in the school have noticed the absence of a crystal blue eyed girl next to Harry. And all of them assume he dumped her. People whisper in the hallway. And by the end of the week, some are even saying that Marley switched schools because she was so devastated from their breakup.
Of course none of this is true. But it makes her absence even more painful for Harry. The only thing that makes it a little bit better is that he can call her all the time now. And text.
Goddamn does he love her little winky texts.
Thursday. Two days until he's going to visit Marley.
And he can't wait.
"Hey, Harry." Acacia sits down at the table across from Harry at lunch. Interrupting the sentence he was previously typing to his girlfriend. They haven't stopped texting all day.
He looks up. But doesn't show interest in the slightest. He knows Marley isn't a fan of her. And for good reason.
"What happened to your little shadow?" She looks over her shoulder. And Harry follows her gaze to a large table of girls watching them. They quickly look away when one of them notices his gaze. "You know, Maddie or whatever. You dump her?"
"Marley. Her name is Marley." He says.
Harry's friends around them have gone quiet. But Xander speaks up, "Look, Ashley or whatever," he mocks her tone, "why don't you go--"
"Xan, it's fine." Harry says. Knows his intentions are right but Harry doesn't want to be rude. As much as he's not a fan of Acacia, it's not her fault that the school is spreading rumors. He turns back to the girl in front of him. "No, Marley and I are still very much together. You can tell your friends that, too."
"Hmm... so then she is in rehab? For you know..." Acacia lowers her voice for dramatic effect. Leans in closer. "All the drugs? I mean, it was bound to happen with her brother and all."
Ashton butts in, "Gossiping will get you nowhere. Stop trying to spread lies."
Acacia over exaggerates her look of confusion and innocence. "I'm only repeating what I've heard. I'm just trying to get the truth."
"Well butt out." Ashton says. "It's none of your business."
Acacia rolls her eyes at Ash. And stands up from the table. "So drugs then. Got it." And walks away.
Harry sighs. Wants to ream her out for talking about Marley that way. But also knows it won't do any good. It will only start a wave of new talk and new rumors. The best thing to do is to ignore them and wait until everyone gets bored with spinning their own versions of the truth.
"Sorry about that, man." Xander says. Patting Harry's shoulder before retracting his arm to take another bite of his corn. "She's a bitch."
Ashton nods. "Worst in the school, easy."
Harry doesn't say anything. Just looks back down at his phone to finish his text to the girl he loves. Smiles at the winky face she responds with.
And goddamn does he love her little winky texts.
"Hey," Dorrit says as she sits down where Acacia was just sitting. "Why was Acacia over here?"
Ashton loudly pushes his chair back. Says nothing as he walks away. Clearly annoyed by Dorrit's presence.
She bites the inside of her cheek. And looks down at the table. "Sorry. If you guys don't want me to sit here..."
"No." Xander says. Though clearly there is a glimpse of pain in his eyes. "You can stay."
She gives him a soft smile just as Vivian sits down next to Harry. "The lunch line is insane today." She inspects her tray before picking up the cup of yellow-white goo. Offers it toward Dorrit, "Hey, babe, you want my vanilla pudding?"
"Sure." She smiles at Viv. And places the pudding on her own tray. Picking up her spoon and taking a bite before looking back at Harry. "So, Acacia?"
He sighs. "Asking about Marr, of course."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Vivian says. "You'll get to see her this weekend, though."
Harry can't help but smile at the thought of holding his crystal-blue-eyed girlfriend in his arms again. And being able to kiss her instead of just thinking about it. Saturday cannot come soon enough.
"What's the new rumor? There seems to be one every day." Dorrit asks.
Xander answers for him. "Rehab, apparently."
"That's bullshit!" Vivian's hands ball into fists on the table. "And she had the audacity to ask you if it were true?"
Dorrit reaches across the table to take Vivian's hand in hers. Which immediately releases some of the tension in Viv's shoulders and eases her clenched fingers.
"It's fine, Vivian." Harry shrugs. "I don't care what they think."
Everyone is quiet a moment. The loud sounds of the cafeteria drowning out their unspoken words. No one says anything, yet simultaneously they come to the same conclusion.
"You're not going to tell her, are you?"
Who says it doesn't matter. Because they all were thinking it. Yet all know the answer before it slips out of Harry's mouth.
"No."
But then he continues with his reasonings. As if the group doesn't already find the same logic. "It will only make her upset. She shouldn't have to worry about this on top of the stress of adjusting."
They all just nod. Unsure of what else to say.
Harry wishes there were a way to stop all of it. Make everyone shut up about the girl they know nothing about. Make the rumors stop. But he can't without kicking up more dust to add to the swirl.
He just hopes that Marley never finds out about the things everyone has spread about her.
But you know what they say about hope.
________________
THIS IS A BIT SHORT. SORRY.
But I'm sooooo glad to be on Thanksgiving break. College is freaking hard. I don't even mean the classes. It's just mentally draining.
And let me tell you what a beautiful thing it is to come home to my mother's fridge stocked full of food because I've been living off of instant oatmeal and chai tea lattes for too long.
Anyone doing anything exciting for the holidays coming up?
Anyone have fun family traditions the is time of year? Or in general?
Anywhooo
Happy Thanksgiving! American lovlies, enjoy your turkey.
World lovlies, you should still eat turkey. It's the best.
Also don't (DO) talk to me about how Niall hasn't seen or talked to Zayn in months but he walked by him at the AMA's and shook his had/ said hello. I CAN'T.
But also the slight 1D shade Zayn threw in his acceptance speech was golden. I'M LIVING.
All the love.
-Lena xx