Girlfriend On Mars

12. "Stephen Olvera"

Twelve. 

"Stephen Olvera." 

The moment Marley woke, her fingertips trailed up to her lips, running along the bow tenderly. She'd awoken in heat, a line a sweat beading down the middle of her shoulder blades. She hadn't dreamt of anything, but her mind had been occupied late into the night. She couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting to the kiss. Marley had done something she thought she never would have considered in her whole life, being as risky as she was the night before.

She would never admit it to the older girl, but Jen was practically the first proper kiss she'd had in her life. Her second official kiss. Her first had been with her 'kind-of' freshman boyfriend when she initially moved to Bank Rock. But Jen was a good kisser, the kiss itself was enough to make her weak at the knees, even in thought.

Marley was glad it hadn't ruined the friendship they'd formed though. Jen was laid-back and teasing after it had happened, pinching the blonde's cheeks and laughing happily. The relief that Marley had felt to her reaction was powerful, she'd even smiled herself.

She realised she must have slept late into the morning when she felt the sun beaming through her blinds onto the exposed small of her back. Marley's peace was short lived though as after a few seconds, the door to her bedroom was thrown open.

She jumped up, pulling her covers up to her neck and staring wide-eyed at her formally dressed mother. She looked ready to be sociable, meaning they had guests. Her mother curled her lip at her and adjusted her dress collar.

"Get up now. We have guests downstairs, and make a fucking effort, this is important." She hissed, before slamming the door harshly, shaking the blonde's bedroom walls.

Marley exhaled shakily, releasing the covers from her anxious grip. She then swung her legs over the bed, stretched her back and moved quickly towards her wardrobe. It didn't matter what she wore anyway, her mother would never praise her. Marley couldn't recall a single time her mother had been loving in her whole life, her childhood was a miserable, grey blur of angry faces and intoxication on her parents' behalf. But they were well off, you'd never expect it when coming face to face with the Rhodes'.

After hurriedly dressing herself in a collared sweater and some floral trousers, Marley made her way down into the kitchen, where she'd knew they'd gather. Guests always spent most their time in the kitchen, that's where Mrs Rhodes would guide them. It was spacious, pristine, her mother's favourite thing about the house.

Her dad forced a smile at her when she walked in, "here she is," he then announced. It was foreign to her ears.

There was a couple stood in the kitchen, dressed as if they were at a business meeting, suits and pencil skirts, and an older teenager boy stood in their middle. He had combed, curly hair, swept into a neat middle parting and soft, downturned brown eyes. He didn't look quite as smart as they did in his dress sense, but he wasn't slobby in his style. The boy was the second to smile, holding a moment of eye contact with a confused Marley.

"Marlene, this is Mr and Mrs Olvera, and their son Stephen. He's...?" Her mother prompted.

"18, ma'am, two months from now." He replied.

"Hi, I'm Marlene." The blonde introduced herself, stepping forward to shake hands as she'd been taught. "I turned eighteen last month."

"We've arranged for the two of you to spend the day together, today." Mrs Rhodes put on her plastic, socialite smile. "We hope you enjoy yourselves. Marlene, are you ready?"