Come Away.

How Much More?

Tyler and Steve waited for Marlowe to come out of her class. Tina came out first as she laughed a bit at Steve because he wasn't a cool kid anymore in her book nor Tommy's.  Marlowe came out handing Steve a piece of paper.

Taking the paper that was a test. "You passed?" Steve was very impressed by this. The corner of his eyes he sees Billy, looking worried about something. Moving closer to Marlowe he whispers. "California."

Marlowe looked at Billy when Steve moved away. Billy didn't look well and was very worried about something. "Will you both excuse me? I'll meet you in the cafeteria." Then headed towards Billy. "California... Is everything alright?"

"No." Handing a paper over to her. "She's dead."

It was a letter from a lawyer that belonged to his mother. Marlowe took a look at the letter. "Ohh. Cali... Billy. I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have been told by a letter." Not knowing if she should hug him or anything really.

"How did you do it when you lost your mom?"

With a sigh, but no smile to help him feel something. "You just... Well everyone is different. You push by thinking she is somewhere else or taking a vacation. I used to think my mom, was with my dad fighting crimes and saving Mexico. Then when the time came.... I looked at her and knew she was really gone." Placing a hand on the cuff of his jean jacket. "Truly I'm very sorry."

"Thanks." The bell rings, Billy has the second lunch. "I'll see you later Mars."

"See ya California."

Hours went by as Marlowe worked on her school assignments, so when she got home she could work out harder. A couple more weeks and she can have the surgery. Steve walked into the back of the barn as he was grinning.

"Sis!"

Dropping the wights down. "Jesus Christ!" Catching her breath after Steve scared her a little bit. "Is my lord and saver." Even though she really didn't believe, but her granny did. So Marlowe always said that just in case of her granny heard her.

"There is a party! We can go. Granny said that you can go if you want too."

"I think I'll stay home." Knowing that he'll run off with a girl.

With a sigh. "Come'on! Please???? It would be the last outing before the surgery."

Picking the wights back up. "Fine. If you promise me you won't run off with some girl and leave me behind."

"Promise."

"Alright I'll see you later tonight."

Steve left with a smile on his face. Around nine Steve came to pick Marlowe up. It was behind and old barn that had a lot of kids, drinking, eating snacks and pizza. Marlowe found a corner while Steve was on the dance floor.

A new girl had come over and danced with Steve. Billy was there drinking like a lot and of course Steve took the girl to his car. Billy sat down next to Marlowe. "So what's the party pooper doing in the corner." Teasing her.

"Well, Steve left me for a girl. I knew better that he would. But I still came anyways." With a sigh.

"I'll take you home."

"How many drinks did you have?" Marlowe didn't want to end up in a car crash.

"Four. Not that bad. I'd be wasted when I have ten." Billy stood up. "I'm ready to go when you are."

"You want to leave?" Marlowe was shocked cause he's a party teenager. Billy gave her a glare. "I'm just shocked that you want to leave California. Because you are a party guy."

"I don't want too, but I'm bored. Not enough ahocol." Scratching his head. "Shame that Steve left you though."

Rolling her eyes as she smiled. "It is." Looking at a girl named Samantha. "A girl over there, has her eye on you."

Billy looks over as he sees Samantha. His thumb points at her. "That's chick?" Chuckled. "That one is a long story."

Handing California a cigarette. "Well I have all the time in the world to hear about this."

Billy takes a cigarette out of the pack. "Can't we talk about it some where else?"

"Why? Afraid that she'll come over here and speak to you?" Marlowe chuckled as Billy lights up the cigarette. "Samantha won't do anything unless you hurt her. And to me, she doesn't look like you hurt her. More like she wants something else."

"Ugh." He moans rubbing his head, this seemed to bother him. "I rather not talk about it Mars. Please."

Marlowe didn't want to let it go. But you went to him, when he was alone. Come to find out, Marlowe was the only one that Billy ever told. Neil told him from the lawyer. Why couldn't it wait until like after school, not during? Anyway to hurt Billy, was a job well done.

But letting it go. Marlowe took a stab. "Want to talk about her?"

"I told you no." With snapping seeing Marlowe's eyes wided a bit. "Oh...wait who do you mean?"

"About your...." Then Marlowe whispers. "Mother."

Shaking his head no. It was like he was ashamed to talk about her. Everytime when he was little, his father would beat him or smack him. Lock Billy in his room.

"Okay. My mother up till the very end, she was  an okay mother. Did her best  as much as she could. But you know, being beaten you tend to forget things, heck even yourself. When she passed it was like I was looking at a lump of cold."

From the back they heard a deep loud voice but it was more cold as a whisper. "But she isn't dead Marshmallow." Tommy could hear from the side.

Marlowe stood up as she wraps her arms around her waist. "Like you know Tommy. You know nothing!" Storming off, Billy wasn't sure if he should go after her.

Looking at Tommy. Words slipped out of his own mouth. "What do you mean she's not dead?"

"Her mother is in a institution. After her inlaw beat the shit out of her, her husband couldn't take care of his family no more. So left them. Which I don't blame them." Taking a swig of the beer. After swallowing it whipping his mouth that had beer on it. "I mean look at her. Marlowe fat, doesn't care about anyone else other than herself. I don't know why you bother with the fatty anyways. Samantha or Kelly are looking for you my man."

Billy stood up as he threw down the cigarette since he finished it. Stomping it, nodding his head as he headed back in. Marlowe was talking to Steve, who was a little drunk but not overly.

"Please Steve I want to go home."

Whining just a bit. "Come'on just a little bit longer and then we can go." Swaying a bit to the music.

Marlowe gave up at that point as she walked passed everyone else. Billy HATES being lied to. Hearing about her mother, to the younger self, Billy gets it. Now that he's older, why would Marlowe act like her mother has been dead all these years? Billy grabs a cup filling up of a pinch bowl with a bit of alcohol.

Marlowe sitting on the stairs, telling her self as she was muttering. 'Stop crying there not worth it. It's not worth it.' Billy's foot steps were a bit loud. In the corner of her right eye. Seeing Billy.

"Please don't."

"Don't what? Don't sit by you?" Sitting next to her with a smile. "Eh..." Handed her the cup, but she shook her head no. Not listening to Marlowe. "I hate being lied. With that, I understand." Billy didn't but, of her mother is mentally gone, might as well claim her dead or not the mother that you use to know. "So, still want to go home?"

"Yeah.." A tear fell down as Billy sat close to her.

"Don't cry over that asshole." Softly nudging her. "Or me."

"California I wasn't lying. My mom just... She's gone. Like she doesn't speak, notice that I'm there when I go visit her. She just sits in front of the window."

Billy got up from the stairs as he shrugged. "I believe you." It's easier to think she's better off dead then alive, living another live without the child that you've always wanted and the abandon that child for no reason. "Come on. I wanna get going before I change my mind."