and i love her ▸ tate langdon ✓

23. boys on the radio

I'll be on the other side
When you're beautiful and dying

-

"Go fish," Marceline says to Tate.

He sighs, grabbing a card from the pile that sits on the table. It was Saturday and Tate's mom and Larry were gone from the house. Which meant free space for Tate and Marceline.

Blind Melon plays softly in the background as they play a game of Go Fish. It was just something to do. Ever since last night, Marceline didn't have much energy. The hangover from the drugs and alcohol mixed with how exhausting it was to confess her feelings did her in.

"I'm out, then," he says, looking up at Marceline. She smiles, happy about her victory. "What're you doing for Valentine's Day?" Tate asks as she lights the cigarette she had grabbed from Tate's pack. She stands from her chair and paces as she smokes it.

She shrugs. "I don't know," she replies. "Why?"

"I was thinking that we could maybe go on a real date," Tate replies, shuffling the cards mindlessly. Marceline pauses her pacing and looks at Tate. "Really? A real date?" she asks in response.

Tate nods. "We haven't been on a real date and we've already said 'I love you' to each other," he says. "It'd be nice,"

"Who would pay?" Marceline questions.

"I could sell off some of those funny pills Sally gave me. They'd go for a lot,"

"So you're a drug dealer now?" Marceline jokes, drawing on her cigarette before exhaling deeply. Tate chuckles, shaking his head. "Desperate times, Mars," he says.

"Desperate times meaning you wanna buy me dinner so you don't feel bad for fucking me like some kinda whore," Marceline says dryly, a smile on her lips. Tate stands from the table, dropping his cards. "Yeah, but you're my whore," he teases, kissing the side of her head as he passes her.

She smiles, her eyes following Tate as he opens the fridge in an attempt to find something to eat. "Wanna order pizza or something? My mom left me twenty bucks for food," he suggests.

"Sure," Marceline replies, leaving the kitchen and going to the living room. Tate follows behind her, grabbing his phone as he sits on the couch. Marceline sits beside him, laying down so that her head rests on his lap.

He orders the pizza as Marceline clicks through the TV channels. He hangs up, telling Marceline that the pizza would be here in fifteen minutes.

The pizza finally arrives. Marceline goes to the door and pays for it before bringing the box back to the couch where Tate sat. America's Funniest Home Videos plays as they eat their pizza. Marceline's phone rings from the kitchen, making both their hearts drop.

She quickly grabs the phone, answering it and shushing Tate who watches intensely from the living room. "Dad, hi," she says into the phone, afraid she was going to get caught.

"Where are you?" he asks on the phone, his voice dropped to that 'Give me the truth' tone that scared Marceline. "I'm at t-the beach. Why?" she lies. Tate mouths something at her but she just ignores him.

"Who're you with?" her dad asks.

"Nobody. I'm all alone. By myself," Marceline replies, going a little overkill on the answer. "Okay. You have that appointment tonight. Gloria is taking you," her dad tells Marceline. Marceline groans, her eyes rolling back.

"Yeah, yeah. Fine," she says flatly, her eyes meeting Tate's. Who looked almost as scared as her. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen with his dark eyes wide open.