Marianne's cheeks blazed red, but she acted as if nothing had happened. She did not want a repeat of lunch.
"It's fine, I get what you meant, don't worry about it." She forced her voice to sound casual, not allowing herself to stammer.
"Either way, Ryan's all over her. It's really creepy and gross, actually."
Mare exhaled, thankful for the smooth transition. "Really? I haven't noticed." They soon got to the park, halfway back to Mare's house. She looked up at Marianne. "You can come over to mine if you want. It's right around the corner." It was risky after what she'd just said. She gripped her hands together behind her back, avoiding Marianne's gaze.
A huge smile lit up Marianne's face. "I'd love to, if it's not a problem with your parents."
Cool it.
Mare's shoulders sagged with relief. "My dad won't mind I don't think." She started walking, leading the way. "How far out do you live?"
Marianne paused, spinning on her heel. "Pretty close, actually. A couple streets down, I think. By the library,"
Mare nodded happily. "Right, by the library."
They quickly got to Mare's house. She climbed up the stone steps and swung the door open.
"Papa?" she called out in French. A short skinny man with tousled brown hair and a Blue Jays t-shirt appeared in the doorway.
"Bonjour, mon chou." He walked up to Mare and kissed the top of her head before noticing Marianne.
"Ah, company!" he said in a tame yet noticeable French accent. "Name, address and social security number please," he deadpanned.
Marianne blinked, suddenly nervous. Unsure whether he was joking or not, she managed a reply. “Marianne Rembrandt, 41 Lannard Crescent, Er—- I don’t know my social security number.”
Mr. Vance burst out laughing. He put a comforting hand on Marianne's shoulder. "Ah, ma chere. I'm joking, dear, please. Any friend of my daughter's is welcome in our home." He smiled and cupped Mare's face in his hands affectionately. "Go on, scuttle."
Marianna mentally slapped herself when she began to imagine her hands in the same position as Mr. Vance's– or better yet, her face in the position of Mare's. She smiled nervously, looking down at her feet. "Thank you, sir."
(wait wdym by her face in the position of Mare's?)
Mare hastily detached herself from her father and, taking Marianne by the hand, dragged her up the stairs. "A plus tard!" she called out to her dad.
They got to her room and Mare decisively shut the door. "Sorry about him," she sighed. "French people are very touchy."
(Mare’s dad is cupping her face in his hands, Marianne is imagining herself holding Marianne like that/Marianne holding her like that. Sorry)
Marianne laughed slightly. “You don’t need to remind me, my father’s French. He doesn’t speak it though, his family’s been in America for generations. So we’re not really French. And your dad is great.” She looked around the room, which distinctly screamed ‘Mare’. “I like your room. It’s very You.”
Mare laughed quietly. "Very true." She'd hung up ballet, Doctor Who, theatre and Imagine Dragons posters on her pastel yellow walls. A small white bed was tucked into the corner by the huge window, bookshelf by its side. She had a desk in a corner and light blue poufs along the window wall. She fell into one of them.
OMG DOCTOR WHO)
Marianna sat cross-legged on the floor, looking around the tidy room until we eyes snagged on something on the wall and widened slightly. “Is that doctor who??”
"Allons-y," Mare replied enthusiastically. She reached under her bed and pulled out a box. She opened it and pulled out plush Dalek, a fez, a plastic TARDIS sharpener and a worn Rose doll. "Take your pick."
A huge grin appeared on Marianne’s face. “Whoah, this is so cool.. wait, what do you mean by take your pick?”
Mare laughed. "I meant pick what you want. Anything except…" She took out the Rose doll and handed the box to Marianne. "There. Pick."
Marianne’s honey eyes widened. “Really? I- I don’t want to take your stuff—“
Mare shook her head, biting her lip to stop a smile. "I have way too many of these things anyway." She fiddled with the doll, watching Marianne.
Marianne smiled shyly in thanks, tucking a lock of tangled hair behind her ear and looking back down at the box. “Thank you, Mare.”
She chewed on her chapped bottom lip, pausing a moment before reaching in and carefully removing the soft Dalek plushie. “This one, if it’s alright.”
Mare nodded. "No problem."
She put the box away. "So… what do you want to do?"
Marianne tugged lightly on a protrusion of the plushie. “Up to you, I don’t mind anything.” Once again, she flicked a lock of fair hair out of her line of vision.
Mare looked up at her cheekily. "I just got the Jodie Whittaker season."
(No spoilers I’m still on the tenth doctor seasons)
“Oh my god. You didn’t!” A slow grin spread across Marianne’s face, and a subtle fantasy infiltrated her mind. Her and Mare… cuddled together under a heap of blankets…. No. Snap out of it, goddamnit.
“That sounds awesome.”
(You're at Tennant? And Donna?)
Mare grinned excitedly. She could already see herself and Marianne cuddled together, laughing, crying together.
She shook her head to snap herself out of it.
"Wait here, I'll go get the popcorn."
She skipped out of the room, humming the theme song under her breath.
(Yeah, Donna after Martha. I’m in a doctor who Club at school and we’re in the middle of the wasp and unicorn episode w Agatha Christie)
Marianna cautiously sat down on the bed, biting her lip as cute fantasies raced through her head. Her head resting on Mare’s shoulder… Mare brushing a lock of hair out of her face….
Jesus Christ, get yourself together.
(DOCTOR WHO CLUB????)
Mare grabbed popcorn, a bottle of water and a bag of Skittles and returned to Marianne. She sat down right, right next to her, hoping it'd be easy to play off. She turned on the TV and switched on Doctor Who.
(at my school, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at lunch ;)
It's run by this awesome teacher who's classroom walls are literally covered with posters from every single fandom you can name. He's got limited edition shit, humongous posters signed by Tennant, you can barely see the walls and I love him he's such an amazing teacher)
A tinge of pink immediately rose to Marianne's cheeks, and she pressed ever-so-slightly closer to the other girl. Mare was right there– and she was so warm and comfortable– Marianne had to physically stop herself from leaning further into her friend.
"Which episodes have you watched so far?"
(What does he teach!?!!!)
"Only the first," Mare said, sliding a little closer to Marianne.
(homeroom, bio, girls' gym)
"Same here." Marianne's voice rose an octave, and she struggled to bring it back down as she pulled the blanket over both of them. "Sorry- I was cold."
"Don't worry." Mare felt brave all of a sudden. Maybe it was the comfort of her home. She pulled her duvet off of her bed and threw it over herself and Marianne, using it as an excuse to sit even closer to her. Their sides were completely touching now. Mare fought down a shiver.