There is Something...

It’s been a week since Mary-Ann was brought back to Rob’s beach house. She wasn’t doing much around the house and with the Shikari Gang. She was mainly reading a book about some mobster Rob gave her to pass the time and lounging on the chair and watching the boys and Alice fool around. They acted super-careful around her. And Mary thought that it was too much and she wasn’t some kind of handicapped person. She just needed more rest than usual. The weird dreams stopped and she totally forgot about the mystery guy and abandoned attempts to remember his face. She just thought that it was due to her trauma and a need for attention.

Currently she was in her room admiring the view through the window from her bed. The day was nearing to lunch time and her stomach churned a few times to remind about it. She hoped from the bed and headed to the door. When she was about to take the door knob the door swung open revealing Chris behind it.

“Hey!” he cheered. “Going somewhere?” he asked casually smiling shyly at her.

“Was about to raid the kitchen.” Mary-Ann answered coming closer to the doorframe.

“Oh, maybe you’d like to go to the café?” He asked, “with me.” He added in a low voice.

“Aw, Chris. And when Alice will be the one with you at a café?” Mary thought and smiled at him.

“I don’t feel like going anywhere right now.” She lied and saw some disappointment creep to his happy face. “But…” she begun carefully thinking over each word she was going to say next, “maybe Alice can be your company…” confusion was added to Chris’ facial features and she quickly covered herself, “or Rory?” she suggested.

“He’s with Charlotte, remember?” He asked totally ignoring that Alice was mentioned.

“Right..” she drawled remembering. When Mary was brought back from hospital everyone was extremely happy. Rory and Rob decided to throw a little party and Charlotte – the waitress from a coffeehouse – was also invited. But it looked like Rory just needed another reason to see her.

“So..?” asked Chris looking at Mary-Ann intently.

“Um..” she felt herself uneasy. “You can escort me to the kitchen if you like and maybe help me to cook something.” She suggested and Chris nodded in agreement.

They went down the stairs and into the kitchen. Mary-Ann couldn’t get a strange feeling out of her mind. Chris was extra nice to her in her opinion. Then and there she decided that she has to do everything in her power to show Chris that Alice is not just his friend’s sister and that deep inside he had feelings for her.

Rummaging through refrigerator Mary didn’t find anything she wanted. But seeing the fridge full of different things she opted to cook an apple pie. Chris told her from the start that he was a poor cook but he could help her on with ingredients and cleaning afterwards. Mary-Ann was more than pleased with that proposition.

They both worked in unison. Mary quickly put the future pie into the oven and sighed with relief. She looked about the kitchen and noted places that needed cleaning and started commanding orders to Chris. In her eyes Chris was of a great help but she couldn’t help but think that something was off.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the front door in the living room and the series of cheers afterwards. Chris and Mary-Ann exchanged glances with each other and left the kitchen.

“Oi!” Rou greeted Chris and Mary as they entered the living room to see what was happening.

“So?” Mary-Ann raised a questioning eyebrow towards the mess Rou and Rob were making with their muddy boots.

“Just ignore that, Ann, until you know what we are about to tell you.” Rob beamed from behind Rou as they kicked their boots off in the entryway and made their way to the couch.

“I’m not cleaning that,” she mumbled pointing her hand at the pile of shoes. “What do you want to tell us?”

“Not telling till Alice and Rory get home.” Rou came back from the kitchen with the bottle of water. He took a few gulps and passed the bottle to his heavy breathing mates. They looked as if they were running in the pool of mud.

“Whatever,” Mary said checking her watch, “You are not getting any pie till you clean everything up.” She smirked and went back to the kitchen.

A few disappointed “C’mon”’s rang through the house and Mary just giggled to herself. She placed the pie on the counter to cool down and felt a hand on her shoulder. She quickly spun around and was met by the pair of grey-blue eyes and a cunning smirk on Rob’s face.

“Hey..” she said and blushed. She avoided his eyes as she felt her cheeks burning up.

“Ann, I was thinking about when are we gonna go on a date?” he asked her straight away.

“Um..that’s bold.” She smiled. She decided to play along and see where it could get her, “Tomorrow, you choose. I know nothing about this place,” she said and left the kitchen. As she reached the stairs she practically ran to her room.

She closed the door behind her and placed her palm over the place where her heart was about to cut through her ribs. She looked about her room. It was very clean, too clean she thought. She approached her closet thinking what she could wear. Many ideas rushed in her head. In the end she decided to see where Rob would take her.

Mary-Ann glanced at the watch on the night stand and opened mouth with surprise. She spent nearly two hours deciding on clothes, accessories and shoes. And chose nothing. That was what disappointed her the most. She didn’t choose anything possible for the occasion.

Suddenly someone knocked on her door and didn’t wait for the permission to open the door. “Hey ya, dreadsy!!” Alice beamed sitting beside Mary.

“Oh, come in!” Mary-Ann pretended that her friend didn’t just invite herself in. “What a surprise, hello, Alice,” she continued. She looked at the wardrobe again with sadness.

“What’s wrong beautiful? By the way nice pie!”

“You didn’t!” Mary-Ann returned her attention to the black-haired girl and shot daggers in her direction.

“What?” Alice was confused. “Didn’t eat the pie? Yes we sure did.” Alice glared back. “But I saved you a bite cause we live with 4 pigs for your information.” She crossed her hands over her chest.

“It was very nice of you that you all had a decency to invite me.”

“Seriously? Are we gonna quarrel over some pie? Besides when I came it was half eaten.” Alice looked at her slightly annoyed.

“Of course not.” Mary sat back down on the bed and looked at her toes sadly.

“Did I miss something?” Alice asked and tried to look her friend in the eyes.

“Rob finally asked me out and I don’t know what to wear.” Mary huffed.

The reaction Alice gave was beyond unexpected. She burst out laughing so hard that she fell on the floor. Several minutes later the fake raven haired girl calmed and scrambled herself up on the bed. Breathing heavily she apologized between chuckles.

“Everything will be fine!” she tried to reassure Mary-Ann. She nudged her shoulder to cheer her up and added, “Believe me, Rob is totally down to earth guy. You will easily impress him.”