𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐘 | 𝐦. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

1

"Tonya!" I heard my mother call my from downstairs. "Yes, ma?" I answer back, getting up from my bed.

"That boy is here to see you again! Uh-... Marlon!"

I smile at the mention of my best friend's name. He's always popping up at random moments, but my mom doesn't seem to have a problem with it. I go downstairs and I'm met with that dorky smile of his.

"What's groovy, Tonya?" Marlon grins, snaking at arm around my neck and pulling me close like we're brothers or something. "Nothing, boy. And get your paws off me," I say, playfully pushing him off of me.

My mother clears her throat, and I realize that I sort of forgot that she was there. I look and see her smirking, like she knew something I didn't, but then I realized what she was implying.

She always thought me and Marlon had some discreet 'classified information' feelings for each other, but I always had to tell her that we're only friends.

"Ma, don't do that- We're friends, alright?" I explain, but it doesn't seem to change her mind as she just shrugs and walks off, keeping the same smug look on her face. I take a deep breath.

"Don't worry about what she thinks of us, baby. We're getting married soon anyway," Marlon jokes, wrapping an arm around me once again. He's always playing like that, so I can see why my mom would have her suspicions.

"Shut up," I remove his arm from around me. "See, that's why she thinks something's going on," I say, trying to sound angry and firm, but he sees right through me. He smiles that goofy smile and I can't help but smile, too.

"You're such a dork," I laugh, lightly jabbing his forehead with my finger as he pretends to be hurt. "What adventures we goin' on today?" I ask him, and his eyes light up like he's been waiting for me to bring it up.

"Yeah, well, my da- Joseph's out of town for the weekend, so I was thinking maybe we could go to a party," he explains as we walk upstairs to my bedroom. "Yeah? That'd be cool," I reply, watching as he plops down onto my bed.

"But what about today?" I question, looking out my bedroom window to admire the nature before turning back in Marlon's direction. "Yeah, uh, let's go the park!" He says excitedly.

"The park?" I ask, thinking that we're a little old to be hanging out at the park, given that we're both almost eighteen, but then I think about what he's been through and how he probably just wants to be a kid again, and Joseph isn't here to ruin it, so why not?

"Yeah, duh. It's like the funnest place in the world," Marlon tells me as a matter of factly. I giggle at his choice of words and nod. "Yeah, sure, why not?" I say, and he jumps up immediately, startling me a little. "Well, come on, let's go!" He exclaims, grabbing my hand and rushing downstairs. This boy is something else...