SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, FOUR PM
Today, Ava is finally being released. Lily and Ondreaz have already signed her papers (with her help), and Ava is healing fast. Marco's parents are taking the papers up to the office, and Marco is sitting on the side of Ava's bed. His sandy blond hair and dreamy gray eyes glisten as he talks. "So, today's Thanksgiving." Ava takes a minute to wrap herself together. "Yup! Are you having any family over?" "Not sure yet, we don't plan on it though." "Why?" "Well, it would be awkward for me." Ava thinks on this. 'Awkward for him? Its his family! Maybe he hasn't seen them in a while.' "Guess you haven't seen them in a while." "Well, i've never seen them before. I'm adopted, but my parents were ashamed because their families are completely against it." "Wow.. That's really tough." "Yup. But its fine, I don't mind not going to family reunions or things of that manner." "Thats why you look completely different from them. And why you have a slight British accent. I didn't want to mention it but..." "No no, its fine." Ava smiles and they just stare for a moment. Ava clears her throat, looking away. "So, when were you adopted?" "When I was eleven." "Oh my god, thats so old. How did you deal with that? You know, adjusting." "I was just happy someone wanted me. My real parents kicked me out when I was ten." Ava giggles a little. "Whats so funny?" Ava burst out laughing, "What did you do? Tell them a dad joke??" They both start laughing, holding their stomachs.
After they die down, Marco replies. "We were a low income family in Britain, so we wouldn't survive with my mum, dad, and I." Marco smiles shyly and continues, "So they sent me to the Americas to have a better life. It was alright I suppose." Ava gets a little teary and hugs Marco. Marco hesitantly wraps his arms around her. They sit there, Ava awkwardly leaning to him with her hands around his neck, and Marco holding her waist. Marco pulls back, looking at her face, wet with tears. 'She cares so much, but I just met her. How did she capture my heart?' He moves her messy sleek-black hair from her face, and stares into her blue eyes. Ava looks at his sharp jawline in awe. Why was he so perfect? Marco moves her chin up, and they stare again. Ava's butterflies are doing summersaults.
Just then, Lily and Ondreaz walk in. Ava almost flies back to the headboard, and Marco straightens out his clothes. Lily looks suspiciously at them, but shakes it off. "C'mon guys, get your things. We can leave now," Lily says. Ava gets her phone and picks up Noah Oliver. She messily wipes away some tear marks and walks out the room.
The moment Ava and Marco had has been circling in their heads on the drive home. They couldn't stop thinking what would've happened if they had kissed. Would they have started dating? Would they think differently of each other? They didn't know, and honestly were to scared to find out. They finally arrive to Marco's home. As Ava leaves the car, she sees a mysterious women waiting irritably by the door. Marco winces and looks again, shocked. Lily and Ondreaz are actually very happy, and Lily starts bombarding the woman with kisses and hugs. She looked like a model. She matched Marco's looks AND height! She's like a solid six foot! The woman turns to see Marco, smiling, ignoring his annoyed face. Then, she spots Ava. "Marco, dear, who's this." "Emily please go.." "No no no, I just got here! Who is this," Emily says under her clenched teeth. Marco nervously glances at hurt Ava, who seems to be crying a little. Ava stands a little taller, even though her heart is pounding with frustration and embarrassment. She thought her and Marco were forming something, but she guesses it was just innocent flirting. "Hi, I'm Ava." Emily gives a disgusted look at Ava, then Ava's baby.
"Oh, I see Marco. You move on fast." Emily storms away, upset. Marco barely flinches, keeping his stone face away from Emily's direction. Ondreaz has gone inside while Lily, Marco, and Ava are outside. "Marco, baby, why did you push her away? You know how much me and your father love Emily." "You set me up with her, of course you love her," he says sarcastically, "And she cheated on me. I told you this." "Give her another chance. Ring her and tell her you're sorry!" "Sorry? Mom please go." "Alright, but listen to what I said." Lily goes inside, about to prepare the turkey. Ava tries to rush away, but Marco pulls her arm. "Ava wait! Please, she's my ex." "She didn't seem like it.." "You heard my mom, I pushed her away. I never liked her, she's still a teenager. She's fourteen." Ava makes a disgusted face. Marco laughs, "My parents said age never really matters. Look at them, my mom is like forty and my dad is sixty." "Oh gosh.. But why would they set you up?" "I was a loner. I never really got out much, and when I did, it was just for school. Last year, when I was in high school, my parents decided that they wanted me to marry." Ava wipes her tears and sighs. "You're a strange guy, you know that?" "You are too!" Marco laughs. They both stop laughing. Marco takes Ava's hand, and looks at her eyes. "Ava, I don't like anyone but you."
SEVEN PM
They all sit at the table, laughing and having fun, until they hear the doorbell. Lily pardons herself to get it, and opens the door. Lily's face looks disoriented. The person she invited, Emily, was there. But not too far behind her was Lily's dad and mom. They seemed young for their ages. Lily tells Emily to go ahead and go inside, but closes the door to talk with her parents. Emily walks over to the table and sits down like she owns the place. "What do you want Emily," Marco asks. "You invited me! Your mom told me that you said you would love to have me over and apologize. Oh, look what the wind dragged in. Hello, Ava. Looks like your Prince Charming isn't as Charming as you think. Also, Mer Bear, your grandpa and grandma are here, but they don't look happy." Ava looks upset, bothered, and tired. "I'm going to go to my room. I'll see you tomorrow Marco." "Aww, the baby is going to cry." Marco reaches for Ava, but Emily stops his hand. "Its better this way." Marco scoffs at her, saying, "I'm going to handle the drama outside." Emily leans to kiss his cheek, but Marco slaps her across her face, frightening Ondreaz since he doesn't know whats going on. Marco gets up and goes outside.
The first thing he hears is his Grandpa. "WE DO NOT ADOPT IN THIS FAMILY! WE HAVE TO KEEP THE BLOODLINE FRESH, YOU KNOW THE CORE RULES! YOU COULD'VE ATLEAST TOLD-" Yes, Marco's family were Cores. Lily's dad spots Marco and starts rambling on in Spanish. Her mom was in the car waiting impatiently. Lily's dad calms down and faces Marco. "How long have you been her son." "About seven years sir." Lily's dad looks down on Marco, then his face softens. "You're also a Core." "Yes sir." "I guess its fine if our bloodline has diversity. Who are you dating boy?" Marco blushes, about to mention Ava when Lily says, "We're trying to set him up with this girl named Emily. She's a sweetheart." Lily's dad scoffs, "That girl who was walking in here like she owned the place? Pfft yeah right." Marco smiles internally, about to mention Ava, when Emily storms out. "Babe you've been gone for so long. Aren't you gonna introduce me?" Marco and his grandpa roll their eyes at the same time, and his grandpa winks at Marco. "Hello, you must be Emily. Well, on behalf of my grandson, I would like to formally breakup with you. Permanently. I think this fine boy likes someone else." Emily scoffs, leaving the residence with her bag. "Now, who is the special lady my boy." Marco smirks to himself unknowingly thinking about Ava. Right then, Ava peeks out the door. She's interested in whats happening. "Her name is Ava. She's the funniest, cutest, most honest girl I've ever met. I really wanna ask her out," Marco rubs the back of his neck. "Well then, do it! I'm sure my Lily didn't raise a wimp!" But over on the side, Lily is cursing to herself for thinking that Marco and Ava wouldn't fall in love. She knew from the start that Ava was the Queen of the Titans and Merpeople, and if Ava married her son, her destiny would play out. Lily didn't want that to happen. "She's mad at me right now, and she leaves tomorrow." "The manliest thing to do right now is apologize my boy. Get her while you still can." Ava walks from behind the door, smiling a huge grin. "Hey Marco," she attempts to say calmly. Marcos's grandpa notices the way Marco looks at her, and that that has to be Ava. He also sees waves in her eyes, like actual waves. Then he sees her eyes are a golden hazel color, like Titans. He ignores that and nudges Marco a bit. "Hey Ava. I'm sorry about Emily. She means nothing to me." "I know, I guess I was just caught up in my feelings." Marco takes Ava's hands like he did before, and whispers these five words: "Will you be my girlfriend?"
Lily has gone into the house, thinking on what to do. Ondreaz has gone in for the night, so Lily takes his phone. She broke hers a while ago and usually uses his. "Hello Emily." "Oh what a nice pleasure it is to hear your voice, what do you need?" I need you to come here around four AM tomorrow." "Why so early?" "We both want you together with Marco, so I need you to act like you've been with him all night. It'll be right before Ava leaves, so he won't be able to reach her properly without her yelling at him." Emily snickers on the other end, then Lily hangs up.
SIX AM
Ava is about to leave, and she's sad. She realizes that Marco was only in Detroit so he could visit his mom, but now he has college, which means pretty, older, girls. Ava knocks on his door, about to say goodbye when she hears a girls voice. "... I love you so much Marco." Then she hears more smooches. She cracks the door, and she sees Emily kissing Marco. They are sitting on the edge of the bed. Marcos back was towards Ava, so he couldn't see her. Ava gasps, tears threatening to fall down. Hard. Marco turns around, surprised. He pushes Emily off, trying to explain himself without a girl hanging off his shoulder. "Ava please, she mustve got in some how." "Then why were you kissing her?" "I wasn't! I was still sleep! Emily set me up!" Emily pipes in saying, "Well I guess you kissing back was involuntary." Ava shakes her head, picking up Noah Oliver. "Goodbye Marco. I respect your decision as a player, but you didn't have to go out of your way to make me think you actually cared." Ava leaves with her luggage, rushing out the door. She packs up everything and sits down Noah Oliver. She gives him a little hug, and notices he smells like Marco. "You'll need another bath at home." She sits in her seat, and she breaks down. She let this guy she's never met before past her walls, and it came back to bite her. Hard.