Rewritten

Chapter 13: Maria

Dad saw me and Scott snuggled on the couch when he got home from work. He wasn't mad or anything but accused Scott of trying to take advantage of me while ill. He rushed out of here quick, slamming the door behind.

My cold cleared up on Sunday, being able to breathe was one of the best things. Now I could rest easy all day with nostrils.

"Maria!" I heard my dad scream from downstairs. I pretended not to hear him, eyes still closed I covered my body with my plush comforter.

"I know you hear me," dad spoke entering my room.

"I'm in my sacred dome, leave me or I'll shoot icicles," I groaned in response.

"Go take out the trash and get the mail." He took the pillow off my head and pulled the covers off my body.

I groaned again. "I'm still sick," I pouted. He felt my forehead with the back of his hand.

"Your temperature is down. Go now!" he walked out of my room, leaving the door open.

"Hmmph," I got up sluggishly, looking at my phone as it was eight in the morning. "Ugh," I went downstairs to the kitchen, lifting the garbage bag which is heavy, so I dragged it on the floor, hoping the trash juice doesn't drip and hopefully rip from the bottom. Retrieving the mail I placed it on the counter, going into my room I flopped on my bed and went back to sleep.

-&-

Through the school week I mostly studied and classes were full of quizzes. None of the entertainment was good enough for the prom, Tony's words. Maybe it's because I wasn't there to choose a good one. I was disappointed, we could try again though. Mom and dad were at work, Jason's out with friends, Terri and Rachel both had study group for Government all weekend. Settled on the couch I ate caramel popcorn out of a bowl while rewatching 'Glee' episode. The Sunday afternoon was a great day to chill in. Windy weather yet sunny. The doorbell rang interrupting my bliss. Lazily I dragged my feet from the couch to answer it, revealing a leather jacket smirking messy haired Scott. "What?" I asked brashly raising an eyebrow.

"Hello to you, too!" Pinching my cheek, he entered uninvited and flopped on the couch.

"Why are you here?" I asked crossing my arms.

"So you don't miss your boyfriend?"

"You are not my boyfriend." I shut the door closed.

"Aww Maria you're hurting my feelings," he placed his feet on the coffee table, lounging with arms behind his head.

I pushed it off, "that table is designer."

"Oh really? Who designed it?" He asked.

"Bill Blass." I replied.

"You made that up."

"No I didn't. Scott don't annoy me, I just got over a cold."

"Which is why you need some fresh air. Come on."

"What?

"Let's go for a ride."

"Where?"

"Anywhere."

"Really? Can we go to New York?"

"Not enough gas money. We'll go to my house, change of scenery."

Sighing I stared at him, wondering why he's wasting time with me. He can throw his grins, hard muscles and pretty eyes at someone else. "Scott, you can go home by yourself."

"But I don't want to be alone."

"Then call Lauren or your other booty calls."

"I don't do back to backs."

"Then what am I?" I pointed to my chest.

"An acquaintance." He responded.

"We don't hang out."

"You can be a friend, then. Pleeeeaaaasssse?"

"Oh my God don't beg, let me get dressed."

Slouching my shoulders I walked upstairs changing from my sweatpants and tshirt to blue jeans and black long sleeve. We left my house, I locked the door behind me and we entered his car.

Twenty minutes of bickering and changing songs on the radio the car turned into a driveway.

"Come on." Unbuckling his seatbelt he exited his car. I followed him to his two story white and blue house.

We approached his red door speed walking behind him as he opened his front door. He opened his door. My first time being here, with his mom being a doctor and his dad in real estate and journalism his house was huge. Spacious living room, modern black and blue furniture and beige painted walls.

Scott broke me out of my staring and said "let's go to my room to watch a movie." I moved my lips to the side skeptical, when a guy said that it meant sex. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut but I'll karate chop his neck if he tried anything I don't like. I followed him up the flight of stairs behind him.

"It's just you today?" I asked.

"Yeah, mom's at work and dad is still out of town." Entering his room upstairs it's somewhat messy, clothes on the ground and bags of chips on his dresser. 'Bigger than mine,' I thought. A guy didn't need this much space, only clothes and shoes in their room. I don't really have that much things but I would love more space. I watched closely him as he grabbed dvds out of his closet while I looked for a spot to sit.

Finally settled on the edge of his bed, I bounced twice on his mattress. He had plenty of half naked women posters, bands Fall Out Boy and Twenty One Pilots. To change this whole situation I asked "why we can't we watch the movie in the living room?"

"Because it's better to watch it on my PS4," he responded simply still searching.

"You have a PS4? What games do you have?" Standing up to find it under his TV, a variety of games: from Call of Duty to God of War and Grand Theft Auto five. Obviously every guy has that game.

"You have Tekken Revolution?" My eyes widened excited. I'm not a big gamer, Jason was. Fighting games are my go to, since I always tied with Jason. Once I beat him he got pissed, banning me from playing with him or even touching his system. "We're playing this."

"I didn't know you liked video games." Scott told me with a grin and started setting up.

"I used to play with my brother a lot but he told me I can't anymore since I beat him in a game one time" I shook my head at the memory.

"You don't want to play COD?"

"No, I know how you guys get so engrossed in that game with me being bored. I want to play and we're playing Tekken," I grabbed the extra remote, the screen lighting up to begin.

"Did you play games with Tyler too?" Scott blurted.

I turned to him and frowned.

Scott:

"How do you know about Tyler?" Maria questioned.

"I heard your neighbor mention his name when you were sick. Who's he?" I shouldn't be getting personal with this girl, but I was curious about her. She seemed mysterious to me, most girls were readable but not her. She was silent for a second.

"He's an ex," she told me simply. Wow, miss goody goody had a boyfriend. I didn't want to get too into it then I would have to get into my shit and then I share my problems about relationships. My initial plan today was to finally get her on my bed since no one's home but now we're playing video games. The game started, she chose Hwoarang and I chose Kazuya. I actually thought she would pick a girl character like Christie or Anna. The first round, I won of course. The second round she won, reaching the third round she won again. I had to admit she was good, I peeked at her concentrated profile as she pressed the buttons on the controller.

Out of five rounds, I won twice and she won three times. I needed to shake things up. As we picked other characters, her Christie and I Bruce, an idea popped in my head. While playing the first round she won, I took off my shoes. She looked at me confused but continued pressing the buttons hard. We played another round and she won again, I took off my shirt this time revealing my tank top.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked dumbfounded.

"You never heard of strip Tekken?" I shrugged telling her.

"I've heard of strip poker."

"Well, this is how you play: whoever loses a round, takes off a piece of clothing." She gave me a you-got-to-be-kidding-me expression but I went back and started the game again.

"All right, let's do this!" She agreed with confidence. This was gonna to be fun.

Maria:

Game on Mr. Player! The first round started and he finished me with a roundhouse kick to the face. He started gloating, I took off my shoes.

As it progressed to four rounds I was bottomless while he was topless and let me say, he had a great body. Not too muscular but just right, his biceps pulsated while he pressed the buttons on the controller. Not that I was looking or anything, okay I was looking so I lost a round.

"Ooh I won! Shirt off," he exclaimed and I did what I was told, slipping it off. "Is that a tattoo?" He asked pointing to the side of my stomach on the right.

"Yeah," I answered.

"What does it say? 'nothing's gonna change my world'" he read it while tracing his fingers on my skin, it tickled.

"I'm a Beatles fan." I pushed his finger away. Me and Tyler were dating within five months, our anniversary gifts were tattoos. We got lyrics from our favorite songs. His was 'start me up' from Rolling Stones. Our love for rock and roll music was one of the many things we had in common.

"Whoa, I didn't peg you as someone with some ink." I shrugged at his statement.

"There's a lot of things you don't know."

"I bet. Do you have any more?"

"Do you have any?" I questioned back. He showed me a design on his arm of a cross and a dragon on his ribcage.

"Nice," I mumbled and then noticed something familiar about it.

"Is that the Dragon Ball Z dragon?" I chuckled.

"You watch anime?" he asked in disbelief.

"Hell, yeah! Goku is my favorite character. Who's yours?"

"Majin Buu."

"But he's the villain."

"A bad ass villian. Especially when he turns to Kid Buu." I giggled, our eyes locked for a second before I broke it.

I cleared my throat, "we should get back to the game." Trying to ignore that fluttering in my stomach I shook my shoulders as we played another round.

-&-

Two hours of playing I got tired, cold and hungry. I shivered as a breeze crept up on my skin. I stood up and began to put my clothes on but Scott held on to my wrist. "What are you doing? Let's play one more game."

"I'm cold," I reached for my shirt, he swiped it quick before I could.

"I'll turn on the heater."

"Scott, gimme my shirt," I demanded.

He held it up, "if you really want it, come and get it," he mocked in a sing song tone swinging it back and forth. I reached up on my toes but he held it higher. He just had to be taller than me. I jumped, he stretched higher and ran to the other side of his bed. I tackled him down, my boobs were practically in his face smooshed between. I made my arms longer, straddling his lap.

"Aha! Got it!" I declared, snatching it from his hands and climbed off of him. He latched onto my waist, turned me on my back pinning my arms up.

"I got you," his tone low while staring into my eyes.

"You didn't get anything," I said with confidence. Gazing into his pupils it went to my lips as he leaned in.

"Scott, I'm not sure but I mean are we really- is this a you know? A thing between us?" I asked.

He sighed, dropping his head on mine, "Maria I think you're cool, but I'm not exclusive kind of guy."

"Then why are you telling people you're my boyfriend?"

"Your neighbor, not anyone else. It shouldn't be a big deal."

I sighed silently, as perverse as he was I could somewhat respect that. I didn't want him to be my boyfriend anyway. Then why won't the fluttering in my chest stop?

His lips traced from my neck and collarbone. I closed my eyes, the sensation against my skin warmed me. He reached my cheeks, cradling them with his hands, pecking them softly and then went to my lips. Closed mouth until he parted them with his tongue gently, it was soft, tender, my skin prickled and I felt his hand tense on my chin.

"How does a virgin like you be a great kisser?" he asked as his lips against mine.

"So I have to not be a virgin to be a good kisser?" I retorted.

"Come on, you like school, wear glasses-"

"And you're stereotyping," I finished for him, sitting up on my elbows.

"I'm sorry. It's cool that you are, I can teach you things your ex never did." His words giving me goosebumps, my stomach dropped.