Girlfriend On Mars

28. "What lovers do"

Twenty Eight.

"What lovers do."

Jen opened her front door around eight am a few days later groggily, squinting her eyes against the early sun. Marley was stood in a bright outline like a halo; soft, honey hair fixed away from her face by two pink butterfly clips, lips coated in a light gloss, dark eyelashes naturally curled. She was dressed in a crisp cream button-up that was tucked neatly into a navy, knee-length skirt, her freckled face tinged a gentle pink along the cheekbones. Jen couldn't stop the smile that was pulling at her lips.

"It's too early to be looking that pretty." She said, leaning against the doorframe and scratching at the back of her forearm. "Making me feel gross."

Marley smiled widely, the obvious glitter in her eyes showing that she enjoyed Jen's approval of her outfit. She'd taken a blouse that belonged to her mother, even sprayed a little of her perfume too—she felt youthful, she felt like she was going on a first date when really she had just wanted to see Jen.

"Do you want to go and get breakfast?" Marley asked.

Jen glanced over her own shoulder and back into the house and nodded. "Yeah, I can make you something if you come in."

"Nope, I meant let's go and buy some, I'll pay." The younger girl said, rocking on her heels, hands clasped behind her back as if she were nervously asking someone out.

Jen paused then grinned. "Sure, let me go and get changed—because I'm clearly not ready." She pointed down at her bed shorts and her crinkled graphic shirt. "I'll be two minutes. Come in and wait here."

Marley nodded and muttered an 'okay' before stepping into the hallway and watching Jen yawn loudly as she padded off back upstairs.

Though she didn't much want to admit it, Jen was very happy to see Marley. She was pleased that things were falling back into old ways, the irritation surrounding the confession becoming a clouded memory. Though they had spoken a few times about 'couple stuff' and Jen realised that it was mostly what they'd been like before. Though Marley longed to hold hands and receive sweet messages and kiss while watching movies, like on television she said, and Jen said she'd work on it.

Jen hurried into her room, tugging off her shorts and shirt clumsily as she did. She pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt and sprayed her body down. She tried to push her feet into some shoes but just ended up squashing the backs of them as she shuffled back out of her room.

Down at the bottom of the stairs, Pamela was talking to Marley. She was waiting by the door for Jude, who was rushing about as he looked for his baseball bag. Marley was awkward yet very polite, almost robotically polite like she'd been programmed to reply a certain way to adults and Jen could tell Pamela liked it but found it odd. Jen listened in on their conversation as she made her way down the stairs.

"So how are you and Jen? Going steady? Happy?" Pamela asked, trying to get to what she thought would be a more laidback subject.

Marley faltered slightly and she shook her head. "Well, actually, we aren't dating. Jen is my friend."

"Oh! I'm sorry for misunder—"

Jen stopped at the bottom of the stairs, exaggerating a shaky sigh and covering her mouth with her hand. Pamela and Marley looked to her, both visibly confused.

"Are... Are you breaking up with me?" Jen sniffled.

Pamela suddenly very uncomfortable while Marley's face burned up crimson, her hands balling into fists at her sides and Jen wanted nothing more than to break character and burst out laughing.