Marilyn, Marilyn

Part Two

The next day, there she is again.

'Hey,' she says brightly. 'I knew I'd see you again. How was Hamlet?'

'Still going,' Jonah replies, 'but I'm taking a break. An indefinitely long one.'

She laughs. 'Yeah, I've had more than a few of those myself. What school do you go to?'

'Tenor River. You?'

'Yellowlake.'

'Oh. Shit. You're a genius then, yeah?'

She laughs again and shrugs, saying, 'I don't know about that.'

'Nah, only geniuses go to Yellowlake.'

'And only the rich kids go to Tenor.'

Jonah blushes, and ducks his head so she doesn't see. 'What's your name?'

'Lily Jones. And you?'

'Jonah Faltas.' He holds his hand out for her to shake, and she has to move her phone into the other hand to grasp it. Her palm is cool and dry and Jonah is suddenly, inexplicably reminded of when Ella squeezed his hand underwater as she guided him deeper into the lake, and when they lifted their arms over their head, still intertwined, the light glistened off their skin as if they were stars.

'Who're you waiting on? If it's not too much to ask.'

'My friend. Ella. She's been here for a month.'

'Why?'

'Car crash.'

'Shit. I'm sorry.'

Jonah is never sure what exactly to say to that, so he just nods. 'And you? Who're you waiting for?'

'My grandpa. Lung cancer.'

Jonah isn't sure what to say to that, either, so again, he nods. He's about to open his mouth when Ella's mother appears from a hallway and nods. Jonah, expecting this, stands. 'I think it's time for me to go in now. I'll see you later?'

'Sure,' Lily replies. 'I'll be here.' She smiles softly, and Jonah can't help but smile back as he walks to Ella's door.

'Oh my god, Jonah. Just kiss me.' Ella leaned forward from her place in the circle, pursing her lips comically. 'Come on. You know you want to.' Her voice was a silken purr, and Jonah rolled his eyes.

'Forget it. I'm not kissing her.'

Ella pouted. 'I'm offended.'

'Yeah, and you're ruining the game,' Carrie called, nudging Jonah with her shoulder. 'Just kiss her, Jonah. What's so wrong with that?'

'This is a dumbass game.'

'Then why'd you agree to play?' Ella challenged.

'Shit, Ella, if you wanted to kiss me so bad you should've just asked,' Jonah replied deadpan, to which Ella howled with laughter.

'Fine, then, I will. Kiss me, Jonah, kiss me so bad.'

So he did. It was a sloppy kiss, a forced kiss, one that tasted wrong in his mouth and when they pulled apart two seconds later, she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and said, 'Now, was that so bad?'

He rolled his eyes again. When it was Carrie's turn, and it landed on him, he was just glad to get the taste of Ella out of his mouth. She is his best friend; she is the one who makes his blood burn and heart race and soul fill with the best kind of happiness, but she's Ella, and she is not meant to be kissed by him. It just feels like another part of him she's claimed.