chapter 5
cozy cuties 😘😘
lily!!: marlene where tf are you??
lily!!: MARLS??
lily!!: marlene.
lily!!: why did benjy just tell me that you were in a bathroom stall with Alice?
mary!!: MARLENE WTF??
james!!: marlene get out here. tito is here.
Missed Call:
tito
tito & marlene
tito: Marlene. I am here. Come out.
Missed Call:
tito
Marlene pulled her skirt back down and looked back at Alice. “You have to go,” Alice asks as she looks at Marlene, heavy-lidded. Lord. Marlene has to get out of here or she’ll never leave. She can hear Kingsley Shacklebolt and his girlfriend in the stall next to theirs. Weirdos. Who makes out in the stall directly next to the stall where other people are making out?
“Yeah, I have to go.”
“Alright. I guess we should both go.” Ugh. Marlene hates this. Leaving the makeout is so awkward. Especially because they’re fucking whispering as not to… interrupt Kingsley. Marlene grabs her phone off the trash can. “See you around, Marls.”
“Yeah. Bye, Alice.” Marlene rushes out to find Lily waiting for her. “Oh, hey. Didn’t know you were still here.”
“Yes. I’m still here. You left me out here by myself.”
“Where’s James?”
“He left! Like 20 minutes ago! I’ve been sitting here waiting for you!”
“I’m so sorry, Lily.”
“Come on. My dad can’t pick me up. Remember? He was in that motorcycle accident? Or did you forget about that too?”
“I’m sorry, Lily! Do you want Tito to take you home?”
“Yes. Let’s go. I’m tired of being here.”
“Ok.” Marlene walks toward the exit with her head down. She checks the time and sees 11:17 glaring back at her. Shit, it’s late. “Bye, Siri!”
“Bye, love! You look… ruffled.”
Lily rolls her eyes. “Goodbye, Sirius.” Lily pulls him into a tight hug. “See you at school on Monday!”
“Bye, beautiful! Thank you for coming.”
“Of course!” Lily walks out the door and Marlene trails behind. “Come on. I can’t believe you ditched me to stick your tongue down Alice’s throat.”
“I’m sorry! I don’t know what to say!”
“Was it at least fun?”
Marlene paused with the abrupt attitude change. “Uh… yes? I think?”
“You think? Was it fun or not?”
“I don’t know. I was kind of thinking of Pandora the whole time.”
“Oh, Jesus Christ, Marlene.” Lily stomps away and into Tito’s car.
Marlene texts the group chat.
cozy cuties 😘😘
marlene!!: i did something…
mary!!: more like someone. do you mind explaining??
marlene!!: SORRY I WAS LONELY!!
marlene!!: ALL OF YOU MFS ARE IN RELATIONSHIPS
marlene!!: I WAS DESPERATE
mary!!: clearly. last time i checked you and alice weren’t even talking.
marlene!!: well we didn’t do much talking today either…
lily!!: marlene mckinnon. i’ll kill you.
marlene!!: pls don’t 😭 i love you.
lily!!: i hate you.
marlene! & pandora!
marlene!: hey! it was so nice talking to you earlier! i feel like we haven’t talked in forever.
Lord, help her. Marlene is pathetic.
pandora!: i had so much fun! how was the party after i left?
marlene!: fun! i may have done some things i regret but…
pandora!: oh geez. substances or kisses?
marlene!: kisses 😐😔
pandora!: omg spill who?
marlene!: alice…
pandora!: oh my gosh. girl again?
marlene!: OK DONT SCOLD ME!! LILY ALREADY DID.
pandora!: i’m not mad… just disappointed.
marlene!: shut up.
marlene!: also don’t tell mary im talking to you rn. i heard yall aren’t talking??
pandora!: yeah we got into this ridiculous fight.
marlene!: ik i heard all about it. you really hurt her.
pandora!: I HURT HER???
pandora!: she was the one shit talking my entire relationship hoping we’d break up when she was the one who got us together
marlene! (replying to pandora!): you like totally ghosted her after she got in that fight with xeno about concert tix
pandora!: and she was a bad friend marlene. she would’ve never told me about any of the problems or issues she was feeling despite me saying she could always tell me if there was a problem!
pandora!: and she hurt xeno’s feelings with her comments about his wealth or lack there of etc etc
marlene!: woah i didn’t know any of this
pandora!: she only told you about how we hurt her, not about how she hurt us.
marlene!: damn. i’m sorry that sucks. i didn’t know any of that.
pandora!: whatever. i don’t want to talk about it anymore. can we change the topic?
marlene!: of course! i miss you and we need to hang out NEOW
pandora!: ugh yes. it’s insane that we’ve never hung out except for a couple times after school at the three broomsticks
marlene!: ikr?? WAIT OMG when the new season of heartbreak high comes out we should have a sleepover and binge!
What is Marlene doing???? Why is she inviting her crush to a sleepoverrr.
pandora!: omg 100%. we can have dr pepper and ice cream.
marlene!: im not a big dr pepper girl
pandora!: ok! what’s your fav soda?
marlene!: fanta
pandora!: OMG I LOVE FANTA
marlene!: what ice cream flavor??
pandora!: mint choc chip duh
marlene!: YES THATS CORRECT THANK YOU
pandora!: you’re the romeo to my juliet
What. The. Fuck.
marlene!: ok ntm
pandora!: stop 💔💔
marlene!: ok fine. i’ll play along.
marlene!: we’re destined to be besties but our friend groups forbid and judge us for liking each other 💔
pandora!: and we’ll die but you’ll die first and i’ll be like no and then i die but then it turns out you’re alive and then you find me real dead and then kill yourself
marlene!: 😭
marlene!: our story is overwhelmingly tragic
pandora!: it always will be 💔
marlene!: goodnight 💀
pandora!: don’t kill yourself!
marlene!: i won’t!
She might. She’s really considering it.