Lost And Loved

4. Plus One

As soon as my hesitant thumb pressed the green phone next to Zayn's name, I regretted it.

She's going to hate me for this, I know she is. She's going to tell me to mind my own business and she's gonna be done with me. She's not gonna trust me if everytime somethings up, I run to her brothers side.

"Edwa-?" Zayn answers, but I already pressed the end button. I brought the base of my palms to my eyes and groaned loudly, causing the dolphins to chatter and swim away.

My phone began to ring, Zayn's name flashing across my screen and I stopped myself from sliding the red button.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Eddie, what's up? You called?"

"Yeah." I paused for a moment, rubbing the back of my neck. "Its about Marley."

"Is she okay? Did something happen?" Other voices began to speak on his end, getting louder and louder until I couldn't make out a single word.

"Please!" I yell after a few seconds. "Please, I just need- I don't even know what I need. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"What do you think you're doing?" Zayn asks.

"I think I'm driving Marley away. I'm trying my best to earn her trust back, I'm trying to be what she needs. I just.. I need help." I sigh as I press myself against the gate surrounding the dolphin enclosure, my free hand pressing my hair back.

"From what I know of Marley, she's hard, okay? Don't just sleep with her-"

"Zayn!" I hear Patricia scream. "Don't you dare say that!"

"Okay, sorry... But don't just do that, Edward. Be around her as much as possible, because some day she might really need you, and you'll be there to save her from whatever it is, and she'll open up." Zayn hums as he thinks. "It's gotta be something major, though. And if you save her too much, she'll get annoyed. Don't want that."

"I don't get the point."

"Be around her every chance you get."

* * *

I found myself at Marley's front door right after work. I didn't knock immediately, but when I did, I couldn't even look at it. I turned my attention to the gate they always had closed before Marley left for England. Now it was always open, as if the now rusting metal is only there for intimidation.

The door opened behind me and Marley stood confused. "Hey. What are you doing here? My parents are home."

"I didn't come here to have sex." I say softly. "I wanted to know if a party invitation is still up for grabs."

"The parties I go to don't have invitations, Ed." She leaned her head against the door.

"I meant an invitation to go with you, not to get in." I shoved my hands into my pockets awkwardly, already knowing how much I'm gonna end up hating the social convention.

"You seriously wanna go?" Marley asks, her head perking up slightly as she tried to search my face for any doubts. I only smile.

"One hundred percent." I say with a light tone.

"Then come in and shower and get dressed. Still have some of your clothes from times you had to run out." She turned herself away from me and I stepped in. I shut the door behind myself and made my way past the living room.

Jason and Emily sit with Nadia between them, trying to teach her to read a book even I wouldn't pick up. I think it was that how to kill a bird book.

Emily smiles softly, but Jason barely acknowledges me as he points to a word and sounds it out for the child.

I take the stairs two at a time, catching up quickly and entering Marley's room before she emerges from her closet with an arm full of my clothes, folded neatly. She shoved them at me and my keys drop to the carpet below.

"I washed them, but forgot to return them to you."

"Thanks." I say quietly. I didn't know if it was a gesture I should find flattering or not, but I did.

As I step into her bathroom and lock the door behind myself, I look around. It was neat and tidy, which surprised me a bit. I would've thought all the girly things would've been strewn everywhere.

I swiftly undress and begin the shower, but a male voice had me distracted just when I started to lather my hair.

"Time for a party, babe, come on!"

I knew it was Jackson, and I couldn't stand the way he spoke. I'm sure it was because I disliked him as a person, but the feeling was strong.

"We've got someone else tagging along." Marley says. "Which top?"

Was she gonna change in front of him?

I quickly rinse myself of everything that bubbled up my body, grasping a random towel on the rack near the shower. I emerged from the bathroom, sliding across the tiles dangerously in attempts to open the door quicker.

"That was... quick." Marley states, tugging the hem of her shirt down. She did change in front of him.

"Yeah, water was getting cold." I inform as my eyes land on Jackson. "Alright?"

He didn't say much, but he did size me up a few times, looking me up and down before his eyes went to Marley.

"He's your plus one?" Jackson asks.

"Yup. Finally." She answers, her eyes turning to me as she wiggles her eyebrows in a flirting matter. "Might wanna get yourself dressed, stud."

"Yeah, we don't want Marley to pounce on you pre-party. It'll take forever. Chicks got stamina." Jackson throws a wink her way and she responds with a roll of her eyes.

"Right." I mumble, turning away and sneering to myself at the thought of his words. "'Chicks got stamina', blah." I mumbled.

I walk back into the bathroom and shut the door half way, quickly putting my clothes on before wiping the floor of any water I had tracked.

I opened the door and emerged fully dressed to a room where Jackson and Marley lay sprawled out across her bed, her head laying on his stomach.

"I'm ready." I announce, picking up my keys from where they had dropped earlier. "I'll drive."

"Oh, shit." Jackson says, sitting up. Marley did as well, walking over to me with her fingers trying to smooth my damp hair. "We don't have to ride our boards this time."

"Edward, your hair is a mess." Marley says, dropping her hands to her sides.

"Its a party." I say with a shrug. "Once it's dry, it'll untangle itself and fall flat."

"Okay, then. Let's go." Marley leads the way down the stairs, practically skipping and I made sure I was the one to follow, with Jackson behind me.

"Your hair looks fine." Jackson whispers close behind me.

"Thanks." I mumble in response.

(Shitty chapter and I've been shitty with updating this book, I know, but I'm trying. Bare with me x)