XIV.   I'd lie

EJ watched Marlowe from the living room as she grabbed drinks from the fridge. All he could think about was how pretty she looked, and his stomach filled with nerves. He stood from the chair and walked into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets. "Hey," he said to her with a smile.

Marlowe smiled back. "Hey." She put the sodas on the kitchen table and handed him a tupperware container full of tamales. "They were all almost completely gone but I managed to snag you a couple."

His eyes widened slightly. "Oh, wow. Thank you,  Marley."

She hinted another shy smile. "It's no problem. My dad always makes so many."

EJ looked into the camera with dazed eyes. "She remembered." He dozed off and a smile stretched on his face.

"Um. . ." He started to say and walked around her to the other side of the kitchen. Marlowe's eyes followed him and he picked up a container that was on the kitchen table. He turned around and handed it to her,  "For you." He said with a cute smile.

Slowly, Marlowe took the container and looked inside, seeing a large piece of apple pie. "You remember." She uttered with a pretty smile. "Gracias, Caswell."

He also couldn't stop thinking about how pretty she was when she spoke Spanish. EJ shrugged a tiny bit.  "It's no problem."

She laughed and out the container on the counter. "So, how's your spiritual, confessional journey going?"

He rolled his eyes at her mocking and smiled. "It's actually going great. I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders. I just called the girl from theater camp that I sabotaged so Nini could get the lead."

Marlowe's eyes widened. "You what?"

EJ realized he never told her that story. "No, no, no, it's not what you think! I just slipped her a bad deviled egg." When it didn't make it sound any better, he cleared his throat. "I, uh, I really wanted Nini to get the lead."

"Wow, you're supportive," she uttered and nodded her head, still in shock.

He chuckled. "Yeah. . . I, uh, I really didn't care about anyone but myself back then, but I'm trying to change that! That's why I'm confessing everything."

Marlowe smiled warmly. "Well, that's a good first step. I'm proud of you, EJ Caswell." She patted his arm and picked up the sodas she got out of the fridge.

There it was again, that word. She was proud of him. It was a word he wasn't used to hearing. EJ's cheeks flushed red. "Thanks, Marley."

Hearing loud voices, Marlowe turned around and saw Ricky and Gina enter the living room. "Ricky!" She exclaimed and ran out of the kitchen. She sat the drinks on the table and walked around everyone, throwing her arms around his neck. "There you are!"

"Hey!" He responded, equally as excited.

She ruffled the very large hat on his head. "Cute hat."

"Oh, thanks. Gina made it, actually."

Gina stood behind Ricky and smiled. Marlowe returned the gesture. "Is there anything you can't do?" She inquired and wrapped her arm around the girl's neck. "You have to make me one!"

The sophomore laughed at her excitement. "Sure thing."

Carlos came running back into the living room. "GATHER AROUND EVERYONE!"

EJ sat in the chair again and Marlowe squeezed beside him, crossing one of her legs over the other. Her forearm was pressed against his.

Everyone got with their teammates and gathered around the table. "Okay, okay, you guys, okay," Carlos started. "There are four basic categories. The Getcha Head In The Frame trivia challenge, the Bop Till You Drop dance challenge—"

Marlowe scoffed. "Easy."

"Sync To The Status Quo lip sync challenge, and Looking For Glee, which I thought would be a fun name for the singing challenge because when I was a kid, I was obsessed with the show," he finished with a faint grin and everyone laughed.

She gasped. "That was my favorite show, too!" She expressed.

"Yeah, we called her Rachel Berry for years." Luca told them.

Gina gasped slightly. "Oh my gosh, you are so Rachel Berry." She said while looking at her.

Marlowe went red. "Aw, thanks."

"Don't worry, Carlos. It still holds up." Said EJ.

"Oh, good, I thought you guys were gonna judge me," Carlos admitted and smiled in relief. "Okay, so, Knights, you won the coin toss so you guys get to pick the first challenge."

The team took a minute to discuss. "We've gotta do Looking For Glee," Ricky cumulated.

"Okay, we're gonna do Looking For Glee," Ashlyn agreed and smiled.

"Excellent," Carlos declared and pulled out a card from the deck. "Okay, as fast as you can go, please sing the lyrics to What I've Been Looking For to the rhythm of Getcha Head In The Game. GO!"

Everyone bursted into laughter when the team started or struggle with the task. "It's hard to believe. . . that I couldn't see. . ."

"No it goes. . ."

EJ snorted in laughter. Marlowe looked at him and smiled, laughing as well, but his laugh made her laugh harder. "This was terrible!" He cackled.

"That made my ears bleed." She added and pretended to rub her ears.

"Oh, you are so dramatic!" Ricky called out from where he was sitting.

"She's not wrong, dude." Said Knox while laughing.

"I'm so happy!" Seb declared and cried happy tears.

"Congratulations, you get to move four spaces closer to center stage at East High!" Carlos announced with a wide smile.

Ashlyn let out a cheer and Big Red moved their knight piece further on the board. "Wait, they get four spaces for that?" EJ asked in disbelief. "I can 100% say Marley probably sounds better than that when her head's under water"

Marlowe titled her head in his direction. "He's not wrong." She confirmed.

"Great, you guys let the most competitive people here on the same team!" Gina said and threw her hands up.

"That means we'll win!" Knox declared.

"Yeah!" EJ shouted and the seniors reached over to high five.

"Okay, Wildcats, take a spin."

He leaned up and spun the small dial. When it landed,  EJ leaned closer to Marlowe. "Okay, what are we gonna do?" He whispered.

Luca dropped his jaw and snapped his fingers at them.  "Excuse me, you have more people on your team."

Blushing red, they quickly looked away. "Sorry," he said and cleared his throat. "Okay, what are we going to do?"

The East High Wildcats leaned together and discussed. "Bop To The Top, Bop To The Top!"  Marlowe whispered repeatedly .

"All right. We're gonna bop." EJ announced at her request.

"Okay, pick one member from each team." The leader of the game instructed both teams.

"Twins, maybe?" Nini questioned.

"Nah, Luca and I are experts. Let's make it hard for them." Marlowe declared casually.

Ricky scoffed. "Way to be discreet, Mars." 

When they made their decision, he and EJ stood up and almost instantly, everyone knew it was probably a bad idea. Marlowe and Nini widened their eyes. "This probably won't end well."

"Oh boy." Seb muttered and reached for her hand again.

"Your challenge is to stare at your partner and do the Sharpay and Ryan warm-up thing for sixty second straight without laughing. . . killing each other." Carlos told them, giving each a warning glare.

"Emphasis on the killing each other part." Knox pointed out.

"Okay, GO!"

"Brr! Brr! Brr! Ma!" Both of the boys started and they stared dead into each other's eyes. They kept going until it got gradually more aggressive.

Marlowe let out the loudest laugh she could produce till there was nothing but wheezes. Seb squeezed her hand again, both of them cackling with laughter.

"Brr! Brr! Brr! Ma!" Their shouting got louder and louder and they waved their hands in each other's faces.

Knox leaned against Luca and held his chest from laughing too hard while Luca just looked embarrassed by them. When they were finished, EJ fell back into the chair. "How was that?" He asked the girl squeezed  beside him.

Marlowe could barely talk because she was tired from laughter. "Oh, that's definitely going to be brought up in the future." She replied with tears in her eyes.

They took a break from playing and Marlowe went to the kitchen to grab some cookies. Ricky came walking in and smiled at her. "Hey, Mars."

"Hey,  Richard," she said back and her eyes widened.  "Oh. . ." She realized and walked over to the fridge.  She pulled out another tupperware of tamales and pumpkin pie she brought for him. "I brought these for you."

Ricky looked at the containers of food and up at her with soft eyes. "You brought these for me?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I saw the hot wings and mashed potatoes. I just didn't want you guys to be alone for Thanksgiving." She told him, kindness soaking in her words.

He didn't say anything else and took the containers from her hand. Ricky stared at them in appreciation.  Marlowe patted his cheek and smiled before walking past him to back into the living room. He stood in front of the camera holding the containers and he opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He just smiled.

After another break between the game, Marlowe walked back into the living room and plopped down beside EJ, releasing a huff. He smiled at her. She looked at him and furrowed her brows. "What?"

"You look nice tonight. Has anyone told you that?"

Resisting the urge for her face to turn a shade of red, Marlowe smiled shyly. "Just my parents."

EJ's smile widened. "Well, you look great. Like usual."

The back of her neck became hot and Marlowe tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, her nerves spiking. When she saw that he was still smiling at her, her eyes went slightly wide. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like. . ." She paused and motioned her hand to his face. "That!"

EJ kept that charming smile on his face.

"Stop smiling at me!"

"Do you have a problem with it?" He questioned, slightly teasing.

"I'll slap that cheeky look off your face." She playfully threatened and raised her hand.

"You wouldn't dare."

"I would.  Your pretty looks will only get you so far in life."

EJ smirked this time. "You think I'm pretty?"

Marlowe's eyes went wide when she realized what she said and she looked away from him. "Leave me alone."

He chuckled and smiled at her again, his delicate green eyes full of sparks.

From across the room, Ashlyn secretly watched interaction with a smile on her face. She saw the way EJ smiled at her, the way M face turned red, the way his eyes shined when he looked at her, and the way she laughed. EJ was never that way with Nini even during the early stages of their relationship. It was like he was a completely different person. Ashlyn grabbed her Polaroid camera. "Okay, bring it in!" 

"Yay!" Marlowe beamed and quickly got up from the chair. Everybody squeezed together on the couch and she sat between Seb and Luca, wrapping her arms around them.

Ashlyn stood at the front of the couch and got the camera ready. "Nini, come on!" She hollered to the girl in the kitchen.

Nini came running and she laid across everyone on the couch. Marlowe laughed and held onto her so she wouldn't fall. "Okay, three. . . two. . . one!" The home owner hollered and took the picture. "Beautiful!"

After a while, everyone gathered around the table again to continue the game. "Okay you guys, according to the musical Choosical Handbook of Rulesicicles—" Carlos started.

"Stop it." EJ interposed with a laugh.

"The only way to resolve a tie at the end of regulation play is with a lighting speed round of Getcha Head In The Frame trivia questions." He informed them all.   "Are you ready? Because people have been known to cry during this."

Luca scoffed and waved his hand. "Easy. I don't cry."

Marlowe looked quizzical. "You've cried during every rom com we've ever watched."

He threw a glare at her. "Yes, thank you, Marley."

"Oh, sorry."

"Really, you do?" Knox asked him with a laugh.

"Hey, if it makes you cry then it's a good movie!"

Big Red had to nod. "He has a point."

"I thought you've never actually played this—"

"Honey, not today of all days." Carlos interrupted Seb.  "Okay, here we go. Name both jersey numbers Troy wears in the movie."

"Oh, fourteen and ten!" Big Red answered immediately.

Marlowe's eyes widened, looking pleased. "Okay, I see you."

"How did you know that? I didn't even know that?" Asked Ashlyn.

"Correct!" Carlos declared with a laughed. "How does Gabriella describe herself when she's complaining to her mom?"

"As the schools freaking genius girl!" The party host hollered and stood up.

"And do people talk like that?" 

She giggled. "They do not."

"Wildcats! Whose red tie does Ms.  Darbus compliment at the auditions?" Carlos asked the other team.

Marlowe was conflicted. As many times as she watched the movie, she never recalled that scene. She leaned closer to her team. "Do any of you know?"

They all shrugged, not knowing. "Allen?" EJ guessed. 

They all looked at him with impressed expression. "How'd you know that, dude?" Knox asked with wide eyes.

He sheepishly held his phone up. "I looked it up on my phone guys—"

Marlowe groaned and hit him on the arm. "EJ Caswell!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" He quickly said and grabbed her hand to stop her. "I can't stop cheating. I'm sorry!"

"Well, the West High Knights have a chance to steal,"
Carlos voiced as Marlowe hit EJ again with her other hand because he still had ahold on the other. "What is the name of the girl who pops and locks?"

Gina immediately jumped up from her spot on the couch. "I love to pop and lock and jam and break.  Martha Cox!"

He had a handful of red confetti and threw it up in the air. "The West High Knights win!"

Marlowe glared at EJ. "I blame you."

He gave her puppy eyes. "I'm sorry."

The knights team cheered for their victory. Carlos walked up to Gina with a ribbon in his hands. "You, my dear, get this homemade scholastic decathlon ribbon.  Careful, it's just a straight pin and was never sanitized."

The sophomore awed at the victory and took out her phone. "Wait, okay, Everyone get in!" She ordered and everyone squeezed into the frame. Marlowe couldn't move, seeing as EJ still hadn't let go of her hand.  "Ooh, okay, I won!" The girl cheered. "Okay, hold on, I need to share this honor with my loved ones."

"You gotta stop moving," Carlos told her as he was still trying to pin the ribbon to her shirt. "This is the price you pay for beauty."

Gina dialed a number and held her phone to her ear.  "Mom? Mom, mom, okay, two things. One, I was just crowned the Queen of Crazytown! And two, can I spend the night at Ashlyn's house?"

"Um, it's actually the Queen of East High." Carlos corrected but everyone shushed him.

"Uh mom, sorry, I can't hear you, okay," she said and pulled the phone away from her ear. She put it on speaker. "Okay, you're on speaker. Say Happy Thanksgiving to my mom, everyone."

"Happy Thanksgiving!" The group of kids shouted while Marlowe shouted, Happy Thanksgiving, mama Porter!"

"Oh, same to all of you," Gina's mom said back. "Gina, honey, can you take me off speaker?"

The smile on Gina's face fell and she took her mom off speaker. They all watched as she left the living room.  Marlowe frowned and glanced at EJ but all he did was shrug. His eyes trailed down and saw that he still had a hold of her hand.

"They can't do this to us again. We just moved here!"  They heard Gina yell loudly to her mom, the frustration very clear.

Marlowe frowned deeply. When the girl walked away out of sight, Ricky followed after her. EJ conjured up a conversation to ease the awkwardness. "Are you staying the night here for Ashlyn's sleepover?" He asked the girl, quiet enough so only they could hear each other.

Marlowe nodded. "Yeah, I'm just gonna have Luca drop me home real quick to grab some clothes." She told him.

He hummed. "Maybe I can convince her to let me stay." He responded with a cunning smirk.

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, shoving his shoulder.  "In your wildest dreams, Caswell."

"Maybe." He shrugged again and laughed.

Marlowe looked at him with a grin on her face. Being this close to him, she noticed things that she hadn't before. EJ's eyes were not only green, but there was brown mixed into around his irises, like walking through a forest when the sky was sunlit and shined on the moss that covered the trees. He had the faintest freckles on his nose and ones that's dotted around his eyebrows. He was a pretty boy for sure, the kind of pretty that made her nervous, the kind that she used to hate but now couldn't seem to get enough of.

And his smile. Oh, that got her. Marlowe was quick realized that she was wrong about him. All the things she thought of him before were wrong. While yes, she thought he was annoying at first, and sometimes he still was, she was starting to see him for a lot more than what he showed.

Luca smirked at the camera. "I won't tell her I told you so. I'm not that mean."  He leaned closer to the camera and it zoomed in on his face. "But I'll tell you. I told her so."

After saying goodbye to everyone, and telling Ashlyn she'd be back, Marlowe and Luca left the party. As he was driving down the empty street, Luca glanced at his sister. "So. . ." He began with a smirk.

Marlowe already knew what he was thinking but she looked at him anyways. "So?" She repeated.

"Was I right?"

She kept her eyes on the road ahead of them, then she closed them and leaned her head back against the head rest. All her life, relationship to Marlowe didn't make sense. She never had time for them. While she was busy working in her music and going to dance classes, her friends were dating or talking about their crushes, and Marlowe just didn't relate.

She never felt the way she did for EJ with anyone else. And she never thought in a million years he would be the guy to make her open her heart. Because she spent years despising him. Whatever EJ did, Marlowe wanted to do it better. It was constant back and forth. She hated his arrogance and how he never took anything seriously. All he cared about was sports and his reputation, while Marlowe dedicated her life to musical theater.

She thought Nini deserved better, that she belonged with Ricky, and that there was no way someone like EJ could ever change for the better. But she was wrong. Marlowe got to know his heart, how deep he actually thought, and how hard working he actually was. EJ wasn't selfish or self-centered, he wasn't mean or spiteful — he was always smiling and playing around.  She got to know the joy that was actually in him.

Being an asshole took not effort but it took everything to own up to your mistakes.

Marlowe saw him a different light and she liked him.  Yes, of course she liked him. She was so afraid to say it out loud because of Nini and the fear of ruining their friendship but also because she was scared of she told him that she would get her heart broken. That was one of her biggest fears.

The frustrating she felt caused tears to fill her eyes and she sniffled. Luca immediately looked over to her and his face fell. "Whoa, Marlowe, what's wrong? Shit. I didn't mean—"

"No, no, es culpa tuya. I just. . ." Marlowe started to say and sniffled. She wiped her eyes, "Yes, you're right,  I like him. But. . . I don't know. I'm scared to like him." She admitted. It's not your fault.

"Why?"

"I've never even liked a guy before, Luca, let alone thought about being in a relationship. I-I don't understand these feelings I have. I don't know what to do with them." She rambled. "What happens if I tell EJ how I feel and it doesn't work out between us? I don't want what he and I have now to be ruined by something like that. It's too painful."

Luca glanced at her again. "So what would you do if EJ asked you how you feel about him?"

Marlowe threw her hands up. "I don't know! I'd lie."

"Look Marls, I understand. Trust me, I was feeling the same way about Knox. I went through every possible senecio in my head except for one — the possibility that he might like me as much as I like him. Just talk to him, okay? I promise, if things don't work out that everything will be okay. You just have to trust it."

The sister looked his way and Luca looked back at the road. Marlowe inhaled hair through her nose and suddenly felt a headache coming on. Too many emotions hitting her at one time.