When they arrived back at Marley, Gabby, Tristan and Kelly's room, they burst in weary and overwhelmed. Marley's eyes searched for who she always searched for in every room, finding him exactly where she left him. He was scrolling on his phone, but he dropped it when he laid eyes on her. A dazzling grin lit up his features, "Spitfire."
Her heart melted as she gravitated towards him instinctively. He sat up in her bed and used her wrist to pull her between his legs.
"Hey." she murmured dreamily.
"Now I'm gonna puke," Tristan spoke up from behind her, causing Marley to jump and pull away. Aiden let her, much to her relief.
"Sorry guys." she breathed out, blushing profusely.
"Tristan's salty that she doesn't have a boo right now." Kelly grinned, barely managing to dodge the red pillow she sent careening towards her head.
"Shut up. I have Kane."
"Kane's a fuckhead, trust me." Aiden piped up before he was laying back down again, "You deserve better."
Marley watched Tristan's hazel eyes widen and though her dark complexion didn't allow for a really noticeable blush, she could see a small tinge of red. Marley felt a shot of something akin to anger race through her blood. She sat down on the floor by her bed, as far away from Aiden as possible. She could feel Gabby looking at her.
"Um...thanks Aiden."
His next words soothed Marley's doubts, "I'm taking a leaf from the Marley Hoover Handbook on how to be a decent human being. I guess? You matter to my girl so I'd be glad to kick him in the face if he isn't treating you right."
My girl. She'd never get used to that, especially coming from the most attractive guy she's ever met. He could have supermodels at his door, but for some reason, Marley is the object of his affection — who he loves.
It made her giddy enough inside to stand and sit beside his laying body. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, his eyes boring into hers with a staggering amount of intensity. Her skin was on fire, and she wondered if his effect on her would ever fade.
"Besides," Aiden shrugged, playing with her fingers, "You have Brendan by his dick anyway."
Marley gasped, "You noticed too?!"
He rolled his eyes, "I don't think it can get more obvious-"
"Okay couple goals can you two be cute somewhere else?" Tristan interrupted, trying to change the subject.
Aiden laughed and Marley watched him, because when he's carefree and happy he's more handsome than any other of his moods.
"You two can be couple goals later. Today is girls day so you're out Matthews." Kelly said.
Marley watched Aiden's laugh instantly turn into the most adorable pout, his blue eyes widening. Before she knew it he was yanking her down my her hand, so she was smashed into his toned chest, his arms coiled around her and his chin on top of her head. She couldn't even speak, her cheeks squished as he held her tightly.
"Mine," he bit out.
"Actually, mine." Gabby shot back from where she was sitting on her bunk.
"Excuse the fuck outta me?"
"Aidjwhh-"
"I'm her best friend since we were practically in diapers. I had her first."
Marley slipped her hands between their bodies with much effort, attempting to push at his chest. As much as she loved being close to him, this was no cuddling session right now, especially with three of her friends in the room watching.
"Well you've never had your tongue in her mouth now have you?"
"Aidkejdbekk!" She mumbled, trying to wiggle and shove.
"Well you didn't see her in braces, or her Harry Potter phase from 10-13 when for those two straight years she'd use spell names as her only insults. Beat that jerk."
Marley finally managed to convince him to give her air, panting with her coffee brown hair a mess over her eyes, "Silenco! Both of you!" She growled, shoving her hair from her eyes and scrambling upwards.
Aiden's laughter was booming and uncontrollable and even Gabby joined in. Marley's anger faded into an insane amount of affection and love; the two people laughing happily are the two most important people in her life. They were everything to her. And their happiness made her happy to the point where she felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, her lower lip trembling.
Aiden's laughter cut off brutally when he noticed her state. He sat up and reached for her immediately, cupping her cheeks, "Marley baby, what's wrong? I'm sorry we made fun of you. I'm sorry. Don't cry." he panicked, his thumbs wiping at the few tears that managed to slip, his mood turning guilty and sad.
Marley covered Aiden's hands with her own, and where they were right now — inches apart, his hands on her cheeks and hers over his, eyes locked, warmth surrounding her and making her feel safe, secure, and loved — she'd stay in this little, beautiful place forever and never be happier.
She loves him more than a million people are capable of loving at once, more than the earth loves the sun, more than anyone could ever fathom loving anyone.
"I'm happy," she choked out in barely over a whisper, "that's all."
His expression morphed into the most tender, loving expression in the entire world. He leaned in closer to put their foreheads together....until she ruined the moment.
"Wait." she scrambled out of his hold, a hand over her mouth, "I need to brush my teeth!"
Her eyes were wide with horror as she made a dash for the bathroom. If he ended up kissing her, even if it was a peck, the fact that she threw up a half hour ago would haunt her forever. Marley was grateful that her mind, which tended to short-circuit around Aiden, at least remembered that.
"Oh yeah, she puked her guts out at Elena's." Marley knew Tristan was cringing in disgust as she dug around her toiletries bag for her toothbrush.
"She what?!"
"Relax dude. She wasn't actually sick she was sickened by the idea of you having a child at 17."
"Wait...hold on-I-what?"
Marley quickly rinsed the toothpaste out of her mouth and leaned against the doorjamp, watching Aiden fall back on his elbows with a look that said 'explain'.
"Oh god." Kelly groaned from the floor, "You might want to prepare yourself for this."
-
"I could live in this spa for the rest of my life." Tristan sighed dreamily from somewhere on Marley's right. She wouldn't know, because at the moment she had cucumber slices over her eyes.
"Sarah?" Bree asked for the second time in the last ten minutes, this time getting no response.
"She's sleeping, again." Tristan sighed, "Kelly, whack her for me?"
In the next moment Marley heard a distinct slap and a yelp, making her smile. She couldn't blame Sarah for falling asleep though, when she was feeling drowsy herself.
The girls didn't expect much from a spa in the mall, but were all pleasantly surprised by how luxurious it turned out to be after they were led through the double doors of the waiting room. The walls were glass on either side, tile beneath their feet as they walked down the hallway, having a beautiful view of bubbling jacuzzi's surrounded by dark slate and lush plants. All that could be heard around them was the tinkling of water and the soft, soothing instrumental music playing from speakers in the ceiling.
The six girls were led to a locker room of sorts and given complimentary, fluffy white robes and keys for their personal lockers. The changing rooms were marble themed with large, shining mirrors and lights brighter than what would be seen outside. The sink counter was long with seven shining silver sinks that had a waterfall faucet when turned on.
While they had waited for the employee to come back and bring them to where they'd be getting their facials, Tristan gathered the girls up in front of the mirror for photos in their matching bath robes. They smiled for some and for others made silly faces, laughing and joking with each other. Sarah was down on the car ride there, but once they had fun together her spirits were lifted as well.
Tristan warned the girls to expect a photo on her main account, which Marley wasn't bothered enough to protest, especially since the others also wanted photos to post on their own social media's. She truly didn't understand why they'd all post similar photos of them in the same place at the same time on multiple accounts, but she wasn't exactly fluent in girl world yet.
Now they were sat in their own cushioned, reclining chairs after their pale green face masks were applied, cucumber slices over their eyes. The room wasn't private, there were about seven other people enjoying facials, but it was still relaxing with quiet conversations and the soothing spa sounds.
"I would rather stay here than go to school on Monday." Kelly groaned out.
Marley tensed at the reminder of everything waiting for her after the weekend is over. One more day after this one and she'd have to face her missed meeting with Doris Underwood and Mr. Richardson, not to mention Trish. She wanted to know how Trish knew — if she experienced his friendliness herself or if another girl had. It made Marley sick to imagine anyone else going through what she did, and even more nauseated at the idea that it could've been worse for them.
She knew for the sake of her conscience that she would have to do something about it. Say something. Maybe Conner is a good place to start, she trusted him and he's always been nice to her.
But there was something else that worried her more.
"Gabby?" She breathed out to her best friend, who was sitting on her right.
"Hm?"
"How do I tell Aiden about our..." she mumbled it as quietly as possible, "teacher?"
Gabby snorted, "You don't, until he's behind bars where Aiden can't beat him back to birth."
Marley would've rolled her eyes if they were open, "I don't think he'd do that-"
"Girls?!" Gabby called out, causing Marley to jump in her seat and flailing her hand wildly for Gabby's arm.
"Don't you dare." she threatened in a hiss, now desperate to get the cucumbers off so she has good aim to five star Gabby's bare thigh.
"What would happen if somebody hurt Marley?"
Gabby's words had her slumping in her chair with relief. She felt bad for doubting her best friend so much though, Gabby would never reveal a secret without her express permission.
"We're talking a cool voluntary manslaughter conviction." - Kelly
"Mrs. Keisha? Mrs. Keisha? Oh my fucking god she fucking dead." - Bree
"Hurricane Katrina? More like Hurricane Matthews." - Tristan
*snore* - Sarah
"Guys," Marley squeaked, her cheeks flaming below the mask as she shrunk, "don't you think you're exaggerating a little?"
"No." they all said at the same time.
Bree sighed from her left, "Think about it Marley. Every time you're so much as in the slightest danger or confrontation he's right there. If somebody got close enough to hurt you and he wasn't there to stop them at the time..."
"It would actually be their last day on earth." Tristan finished.
Marley felt anxiousness fill her body to the point where she wanted to be sick — again. If Aiden found out that an older man touched her inappropriately he'd lose his mind. The girls were right, her safety has always been his priority.
"You have to tell him," Gabby breathed from beside Marley, "at some point, Mar, you have to tell him everything."
"Tell him what?" Bree demanded, causing Marley to panic.
"Nothing!"
"Marley! Spill the tea. Now." Sarah griped, now perfectly awake as they heard the soothing voice of one of the employees.
"Alright ladies, times up. You can remove your cucumbers and follow us to the sinks for rinsing."
Marley was actually disappointed that they had to remove their masks, she was hoping to avoid the rest of the world for a little longer. But as soon as she reluctantly blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the lights again, she also focused on the rest of the girls staring at her expectantly.
"Come on Marley." Bree touched Marley's forearm soothingly, her blue eyes reassuring and warm, "We're your friends. You can tell us anything."
She gulped, looking down at her hands and feeling like his were back on her again.
Marley didn't say a word, to anyone even about the news she has spent years waiting for. Gabby is the only one who knows and they didn't celebrate for a second. It felt wrong. It felt...stained black. Goosebumps formed on her arms and her eyes burned.
She shouldn't feel shame but it's all she could feel in that moment.
"That's why Gabby asked what would happen if somebody hurt you." Tristan realized, "Marley, who hurt you?"
She wanted the employee to come back so badly. She wanted to escape this trap she felt stuck in.
"Hey," Bree was suddenly kneeling in front of Marley's chair, forcing her to connect their gazes, "if you don't want Aiden to know yet, your secret is safe with us. Promise. We won't tell a soul."
Marley felt ready for them to know, but her voice had died. Tilting her head towards her watching best friend, she nodded. Gabby's expression flooded with sudden rage, fists balling.
"Mr. Richardson is a fucking creep."
The girls went silent. Marley felt her stomach ache with pain at how they had no reaction yet. She dared peek her eyes up through her lashes to see they were all balled fists and murderous glares.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Tristan boomed, "your teacher-"
"What did he do, Marley?!"
"I'm going to chop off his dick the first chance I get," Sarah growled.
"Please don't." she squeaked, wrapping her arms around herself, "Please don't do anything. At least until I figure out what...what to do."
"I know what to do." Tristan cracked her knuckles, "Do you even realize how sick this is?! What if he's done it to someone else?!"
"Done what? Marley. Explain." Bree growled out, but her voice lowered considerably once the employee came back after she prepared the other room.
She inhaled shakily, staring into the comforting green eyes of her best friend for courage.
"After we leave here, I'll tell you guys everything you want to know."
-
Marley could tell they were itching with impatience as they waited in the checkout line. Tristan would open her mouth to speak and then close it as she glanced around the other customers and spa employees in the room.
She hovered close to Gabby, mentally preparing herself to relive the experience and how to explain it correctly. She didn't regret telling her friends the truth like she thought she would, but their angered reactions made her nervous.
"Girls, were you guys our 12:30?" the cashier asked the girls as they finally made it to the front of the line.
After confirming, the employee squinted as she scrolled through her computer, "Okay, well is there anyone here named...'Spitfire'?"
Bree, Tristan, Sarah, Kelly and Gabby simultaneously turned to look at Marley, whose eyes were widened. She met their gazes with shock, "Why are you guys looking at me?!"
"Because there's only one of us who were given that nickname and this can't be a coincidence." Kelly responded instantly.
Marley had this foreboding feeling, as if she didn't want to know what was about to happen next, "Um...you must have the wrong group. None of us have that name."
Gabby shot her a sharp, sideways look as the employee shrugged carelessly, "Well, then decide amongst yourselves who wants the free facial. Someone paid for one of your spa expenses in full via direct deposit a half hour ago, made out to the name 'Spitfire'. He also paid the tip."
Marley felt dizzy and disoriented as she put the pieces together.
"Oh my god!" Sarah squealed, "Aiden paid for you! That's so freaking cute!"
Aiden paid for you.
Marley felt her blood start to boil, "I reject it." she demanded, "Send the money back."
Even the employee was smiling as if this was freaking cute, "I'm afraid I've been given strict orders not to do that. I've already docked it off of your total."
Strict orders not to.
He knew. He knew she would be through the roof if he did this. He knew she would lose her mind at him paying for her. Marley didn't want or need his money, she earns her own way and has values about her independence. So this was purely disrespectful to her. Aiden understood, because he knows her well, that she would hate this and he did it anyway.
"Excuse me." she seethed through a tight jaw, "I have to make a call."
Marley pushed past the snickering girls and cashier and headed for the exit. The automatic glass double doors slid open, the typical background noise of the mall a stark contrast to the quiet of the spa. She walked off to the side, leaning against the brick wall and trying not to scream as she grabbed at her phone and dialled his number. Her foot tapped impatiently as it rung, for longer and longer until she growled and ended the call, doing it all over again. Now he was dodging her, she knew. Aiden has his phone on him, she had zero doubts of that. She would bet he was staring at it ringing over and over like the sadist he is.
She growled out in frustration as the girls filtered out, Bree staring down at her phone with a smirk, "Jason texted me to ask if this is an emergency and if you're in any immediate danger."
So he has been receiving her repeated phone calls, he's choosing to ignore them.
"That jerk." she growled out, tugging on the ends of her hair, "Tell Jason that Aiden is about to be in immediate freaking danger."
"Girl why are you going mental about this?" Sarah asked, still in dreamland at what they thought was a nice gesture but really wasn't one at all, "it was extremely thoughtful of him."
"Total Dad move." Tristan seconded while Marley's right eye twitched.
"I don't want his charity. I can pay for my damn self."
Bree let out a loud laugh, causing Marley to snap her head towards her dark haired friend, "Aiden's response is, and I quote: 'sexy' with the wink emoji, 'take me down, beautiful.'"
"Oh my god. I am going to actually kill him. His life is over." she hissed, but couldn't deny the slight rosiness of her cheeks.
Irregardless, her anger trumped anything else she felt about him right now.
"Do you want to go back to camp then?" Bree asked, sounding disappointed.
Marley was instantly shaking her head, "No. I want him to sit with this for a while, get nervous. Scared. I want the suspense. By the time we get back I hope he's shaking in his boots."
"I think the only thing he is right now is turned on." Sarah giggled, earning a withering glare from Marley shot her way.
Tristan clapped her hands to get everyone's attention, "We have about an hour and a half left before we have to get back to the carnival so we're going to the coffee shop to talk about Marley's confession and then hitting a few stores on the way out. Then we get the free entertainment of watching Marley go crazy on her boyfriend."
She flinched, "We're not officially dating, don't say that."
"Well he didn't pay for anyone else's spa treatments, now did he?"
Marley sighed and rolled her eyes, slumping against the wall, "That wasn't a thoughtful gesture out of love, it was a power move. Which are all his moves lately."
"Well do you expect anything less with Aiden Matthews?" Bree asked as they started to walk away from the spa and merge with the crowds walking north.
Marley ran a hand over her face, "No, I don't. I love him for bad and for good but that doesn't mean I don't wish he was a little less overbearing with the caveman tend-"
"Woah woah, did you say the L word?!"
Marley's eyes widened at what she let slip. The girls were now turned to look at her in shock — apart from Gabby — even though they were still walking through the crowded town mall.
She felt her entire face flame up and suddenly her brown sandals had all of her attention, "I mean...I...yes?"
"Wow. I mean I'm not surprised but does he...when are you going to tell Aiden how you feel?" Tristan's words were gentle now, almost pitiful.
"Well I don't really have to, actually. Because he knows and he...he loves me too." she stammered, a smile slowly growing on her face and her heart swelling at those wonderful words.
He loves me too.
"Oh my god!!" Sarah shrieked, and out of nowhere Marley was being tackled into a hug by the redhead, stumbling to regain her balance.
"I'm so so happy for you! You two are freaking soulmates!!" She squealed into Marley's ear, swaying their bodies back and forth.
Marley felt like the luckiest girl in the world in that moment, surrounded by her friends and in love with someone who loves her right back. And not anyone, Aiden Matthews — who never cared about girls until he met her. Who was never serious until her.
She embraced Sarah in return, her anger at Aiden fading into nothing. She more had the urge to leap into the safety of his arms and pepper every square inch of his handsome face with kisses.
He loves me too.
She giggled as Sarah let her go, "It still feels so surreal."
"I can't believe it. Already into the love thing? That seems almost superficial."
Marley frowned at Tristan's comment. She thought it could be...fake? Aiden is the most real thing in the world to her, by a landslide. It would be an understatement to say Tristan's accusation bothered her.
"I mean come on, they've spent every day together for the last month. And Aiden isn't the kind of guy you fall for halfway, he's a living breathing Adonis for Christ's sakes." Kelly shoved Tristan with her shoulder and it almost seemed like a subtle warning.
"Guys Aiden can be the centre of the world everywhere except on girls day. Let's move on." Bree waved a hand for the girls to follow her into Starbucks.
They all reluctantly agreed to move on from the subject, though Marley's mind lingered on his payment of her spa bill. It was a thoughtful gesture, and it was what he knew how to do to show that he loves her and wants her to be happy, and taken care of.
It was a bit of an overstep, but the fact that he went out of his way to search up the spa they were at and go through the process of direct deposit on his own time, was more love and care than she had ever been given. If she remained petty and stubborn, she'd look ungrateful and selfish.
So she pulled out her phone, and resigned to the fact that he wasn't about to answer her anytime soon, sent a text.
Marley: I love you.
She put her phone on Do not Disturb afterwards because Bree had a point. Aiden is close to the centre of her world, but for the sake of her friends, she can put him aside for girls day.
After they ordered, paid, and collected their purchases from the barista, they headed to the corner of the quiet coffee shop and sat around a dark wooden, round table. Taking seats in the metal chairs, Marley took a gulp out of her berry hibiscus, keeping her hazel eyes down but knowing that they were all looking at her anyway.
So Marley thought about how silence doesn't serve anyone. She thought about others who have gone through the same thing. She thought about how men like Mr. Richardson and her father prey on the weak. They count on their fear of speaking up. Marley would break the cycle. She would be brave, she would to do the right thing.
So she took a deep breath, and she did.
***
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