skinny || h.s. au [Rewrite Now Up!]

sixtythree

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.