Growing Up Won't Bring Us Down

The rest of the day had been quite a buzz about Zacky and Stevie’s baby. Johnny had lightened up when he heard the news and joined in the festivities of a barbeque and small backyard party at the house. Marco had tried to join in, but butterflies just swarmed through her stomach. She kept to her room, watching the group outside once in a while. It was now nighttime and everyone, but Matt, Kell, and Johnny had left. The couples switched out since they figured Zack and Stevie would want to be alone for the night.

A light knock came at her door. She turned slightly to see Kell smile as she peeked her head into the room. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” Marco replied, turning back around. She pressed play on her iPod which was charging in her iHome. The sounds of a cover of Beethoven floated softly into the room. Kell raised an eyebrow, sitting on the edge of the bed closest to the desk that Marco sat drawing at.

“Beethoven’s fifth, huh?” Marco nodded, slightly amused Kell knew the name of the tune. “So something is either terribly wrong or you are very calm. Which is it?”

“Well since it’s technically Apocalyptica’s cover, it could be neither. It could just be that I want to listen to my normal dose of rock,” Marco pointed out with a smirk.

“True. Smartass.” Marco just grinned in response. She began to do the shading where it needed as the sound of the cellos and drums danced around the room. “But really, what’s on your mind?”

“A lot,” Marco sighed. She looked at the drawing in front of her and blinked a few times. She tossed her pencil in the cup that held her other writing tools. She shut her black book and placed it between her other drawing books.

“Want to talk about it?” Just ask Marco opened her mouth the sound of her phone blared from it’s spot on the end table. Marco had the song changed to “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance. She stood to her feet and walked around the bed to pick it up.

“Hello?”

“You, my lovely little friend, are coming with me, Lizzie, and Danny to the movies,” Phoenix told her the second she picked up.

“You’re suppose to ask her to come with Phoenix,” a girl in the background scowled. Of course Marco recognized the names. They were the Thompson twins. Phoenix had had the hots for Elizabeth for months now. It was kind of cute in a ‘lovesick puppy dog’ kind of way.

“No, she’s coming either way. Right Marco?” Marco bit her lip, staring at a random spot on the wall. As much as she wanted to mope around in her room she also knew Phoenix would kidnap her and force her to go. Kell grinned as she saw Marco’s unsure attitude.

“She’s coming. You guys come get her,” Kell said into the phone as she stole it from Marco’s grasp. Her jaw fell open as she stared at the older woman in shock.

“Great! Lizzie and Danny’s mom is giving us a ride. We’ll be by soon.”

“Okay. See you then Phoenix.” As Kell hung up Marco groaned.

“Why did you do that?!”

“You need to go out with friends missy, and that’s final,” Kell announced, placing down her cell phone. “Now you get dressed and I’ll go tell Matt I need money to send you to the movies.”

“Okay?” Before Marco could even finish that word she was out of her room. Marco sighed, pulling open her drawers to find something to change out of her pajamas. She quickly pulled on her outfit and walked out of her room as she shoved her phone in her pocket. She jogged down the stairs to come face to face with Matt.

“Movies, huh?”

“Yeah. Fifi, Lizzie, Danny, and I.” Matt smiled and pulled out his wallet, handing Marco a twenty. She raised an eyebrow at the man. “In case you want something to eat. You didn’t eat dinner.”

“Fine,” Marco sighed, shoving the money in her pocket. She gave Matt a quick hug and called goodbye to Kell before heading outside. It was eight o’clock so naturally it was pretty dark aside from the small light above her door. She let out a sigh as she plopped down on the top step leading up to her door.

“You look nice.” Marco turned her head to see her father sitting on the railing that surrounded the edge of the porch. Between his lips was a cigarette. Marco winced at the memory of her trying one from Phoenix. Stupid idea.

“Thanks.” It lapsed into an awkward silence. Neither person was too sure what to say to the other. Marco decided in her mind that silence was probably the better way. Johnny seemed to read her mind and agree because he didn’t speak. About five minutes after they had called, the Thompson’s mother’s SUV pulled to a stop in front of the house.

“C’mon Marco!” Phoenix called as he climbed out of the backseat. Marco stood and smiled at her father before walking down the pathway to the vehicle. She climbed in the back before Phoenix followed her, trapping her between Danny and Phoenix.

“Hello Marco,” Jennifer Thompson, their mother, greeted, smiling at Marco in the rear view mirror. From the few times the group had all hung out their mother knew her enough to greet her by name.

“Hello ma’am.” Elizabeth turned around from her spot in the front seat with a grin.

“Hey Marco. Long time no see buddy.”

“Definitely.” Marco’s eyes trailed over to the much quieter twin. “Hey Danny.”

“Hi,” Danny replied shyly. No one would ever think they were twins if they had just seen them on the street. Elizabeth had her naturally black hair and a blue-green colored eyes and Danny had medium brown hair with bright blue eyes. Besides, their personalities were total opposites. Lizzie was loud and loved attention while Danny was quiet and almost fainted when attention was turned on him.

“So what are we seeing?” Marco finally questioned.

“Mirrors,” Phoenix said excitedly. She vaguely remembered seeing previews a while back. All Marco really remember is that it did, in fact, involve mirrors. She needed to get back in touch with the latest media. She was stumbling behind on it all.

“Cool.” After that it mostly lapsed into silence. Well, from Marco and Danny. Elizabeth, her mom, and Phoenix all seemed pretty content with doing all the talking. Not too long after they pulled to a stop outside the movie theater. It wasn’t quite busy, that was shocking for a Friday. Phoenix and Marco went ahead to buy their tickets as Danny and Elizabeth patiently listened to their mother’s normal rules and guidelines.

“I really am happy you came with Marco,” Phoenix said suddenly as the twins headed over to buy their own tickets. Marco turned to smile, not trusting her voice to say anything. Suddenly Elizabeth and Danny returned, Lizzie grabbing Phoenix’s hand and lacing their fingers together. Marco stared between Elizabeth’s hand and Phoenix’s and then to his face. She groaned, slapping her hands over her face.

“You two are on a date?”

“I can explain,” Phoenix instantly said.

“I’d like to hear that,” Marco remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. Phoenix sighed, smiling apologetically to Elizabeth as he let his hand slip from hers.

“How about you guys go get seats and we’ll get the snacks, okay?” The twins agreed. Danny passed over a ten and let Lizzie decide what to get since she knew what he wanted. Phoenix repeated the order over in his head as the two headed towards the concession stand. Once they both placed their orders Marco turned to Phoenix with a glare.

“Now what the hell is all this about?” Phoenix sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Apparently Danny and Elizabeth were going to spend time together tonight. I called, not knowing, and asked Lizzie on a date. Well Danny overheard and automatically offered for us to just go and he'll stay home. Their mom freaked and told them no. So he then said he’ll just tag along. Lizzie felt bad about that so she asked me to invite someone so the two could be together instead of Danny just being along. So, see? It’s all in the reason to not make Danny be alone.”

Marco and Phoenix took the orders they were given and headed to the right theater after showing their tickets. Marco stopped Phoenix outside theater seven with a glare. “You are so lucky this wasn’t a selfish reason or I would have Matt come pick me up.”

“I owe you a million favors,” Phoenix announced, a grin stretching across his face. Marco ‘mhm’ed before leading the way into the theater. Since the previews lit up the few people in the theater, it wasn’t hard to find the twins. They sat in the middle row in the middle seats. Facing the screen it went Danny, Marco, Phoenix, and Lizzie. Marco sat down, handing Danny the cherry Coke and skittles he requested.

“Thanks Marco.”

“No problem,” she waved off, taking a sip of her own cherry Coke. But she had a bag of Reese’s pieces to munch on instead.

“No, I mean for staying here.” Marco let out a ‘hmm?’ as she turned her head towards the boy next to her. He was staring intently at his drink. The light from the screen lit up his features oddly but one thing did stand out: his body showed he felt guilty. “I know you just got forced to come because Phoenix and Liz wanted their date. You didn’t have to stay here.”

“You need to quit being silly.” Danny looked over confused just as Marco turned her attention back to the screen, a smile on her face. “I didn’t just come because Phoenix wanted me to. I didn’t even know they were supposedly having a date. I came because I thought it’d be fun for us to all hangout, you included. Just knowing you would have been lonely without me just gives a better reason to be here.”

Danny blinked a few times, amazed by Marco’s kindness. Just then the previews ended, the real movie starting. He smiled a little and whispered out a, “Thank-you.”