Bluff

It didn't take Kory very long to arrive at the spa. She walked in through the double glass doors, the air conditioning leaving a refreshed feeling on her skin. When the tall, tan, blonde secretary noticed her, she beckoned her over to the front desk.

"D'you have an appointment with us today?" She asked, chirpily. She brushed her curled, long locks behind her shoulders as she waited for Kory to respond.

"Oh, no. I'm picking up a friend. Do you know when Marrissa Albee will be out?" Kory waited as she looked something up the the computer. She looked at her cell phone when she felt it vibrate in her palm, seeing that it was a text from Jimmy. Out of politeness, she waited until after the secretary was finished to reply.

"Any minute now," she finally replied, a smile on her face. "We have coffee over there, if you want while you're waiting."

Kory nodded. "Okay, thanks." She took a seat in the waiting room. Not very many people were present; a very touchy couple, an older woman with a teenager who looked to be her daughter or possibly niece, and a very posh-looking woman with a Vogue magazine in her hands.

Kory sighed, and put her damp hair up using one of the bands on her wrist, before reading the text Jimmy had sent her moments ago.

To: Kory
From: Jimmy
Txt: where do you want the cake?

She replied rather quickly, hoping that everything would go as planned. Jimmy had explained how the guys and several other people had just arrived as soon as Kory left. He continued to promise her that everything would be in perfect shape when the two had gotten back, but she was still nervous.

Several moments passed before Marrissa came through the door leading into the spa. When she seen Kory, a smile plastered itself onto her face. "Hey," she greeted Kory happily.

The happiness between the two was almost visible. "Did ya have fun?" Kory asked, a grin on her face. They both walked out into the warm, California air.

Placing her sunglasses on, Marrissa nodded as she climbed into the passengers seat of Kory's car. "Lots. You have to do their facials one day, Kor. They make your face all tingly," she giggled. "Why're you all wet?"

Kory couldn't help but laugh softly. The Papa Roach album she was listening to hours previous played softly. "Jimmy pushed me into the pool after we finished putting decorations up," she replied.

There was a comfortable silence between the two then. Once they had reached the dormitories minutes later, a chorus of "Happy birthday Marrissa!" from several girls bellowed out before they finally reached their dorm.

"I'm just gonna put my bikini on now, and wear something over it," Kory said, digging her bathing suit out of the purple beach bag on the bar.

Marrissa laughed as she shredded her clothes on the way to her room. "You didn't over-do anything, did you?" Marrissa asked, concerned. She didn't doubt that she wouldn't like the party, but sometimes Kory overdid small things when she was excited about it. Marrissa had had experience in this field.

Kory laughed. "No, I made sure everything was really simple. I just ordered a cake and put up a few decorations. I promise," Kory said, walking out with just her bikini on. It was a black two-piece, sequins decorating the fabric, the strings had silver beads on the end of them. Kory was proud of her body; she worked hard to get it. "Do you know where my Azria shorts are?"

Nodding, Marrissa walked into Kory's room. She opened the second drawer down, shuffling through all of the unfolded clothes in her dresser, before finally pulling out the jean shorts. They had several antiqued spots on them, where it looked as if someone had stitched up a hole. "Here," she said, handing them to her.

Kory thanked her then. "Are you just gonna get dressed there?" She raised an eyebrow then. Seeing as Marrissa would be talking to everyone, she'd be a little bit busy, and Kory thought it easier to just put her bathing suit on now.

She shook her head. "I need your help tying it," she said, grabbing her bikini from the store bag and walking into the bathroom. When she had the bottoms on, she walked back into the lounge where Kory was texting.

"You look hot," Kory commented as she tied the dark red strings. Marrissa's was also a two piece, but wasn't as flashy as Kory's. It was a dark, blood red. A swirl design was printed in silver all over the fabric, giving it a worn type of look.

She laughed then. "Thanks," she pulled on a pair or black jean shorts that had once been jeans, and slid on a thin, white tank top over herself. Both girls walked into the bathroom, Kory taking out the braids in her hair and turning on the blow dryer while Marrissa waited for her straightener to heat up.

They were finished with their hair and makeup in a matter of twenty minutes, and Kory quickly put on a shredded Misfits top, before they were on their way.

When they finally arrived at the party, several people greeted Marrissa immediately. A few people from college were present, though not many. It was mostly just a few people from Marrissa's family, and the guys.

"See, simple," Kory said once they had freedom to roam about. "I think you should go talk to the Matthew," she said, laughing softly.

Marrissa nodded. "Okay, okay. I will, but you're still taking me out later, right?"

Kory nodded, and gave her best friend a small, quick hug. "Of coarse. Happy birthday, boo." She then walked over to Zacky and Jimmy.

Marrissa was nervous, no doubt. But she knew that once the two got talking, everything would be fine and her nerves would calm down. They usually did. "Hey," she greeted him, smiling.

"Hey, Rissa. Happy birthday," he said, a grin on his face as he pulled her into a tight hug.

He smelled faintly of axe, which Marrissa loved. "Thanks," she mumbled, her cheeks turning red. "Are you having fun?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, I just wish you would've gotten here sooner. I would've talked to you as soon as you got here but it looked like everyone had already beat me to the punch," he replied, that half smirk on his face he always wore, dimples prominent.

Marrissa blushed then, giggling softly. "You're so sweet," she said happily. "You'll be at the studio tomorrow, right?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, of coarse. Will you?"

Marrissa nodded. She had planned on it, but she wasn't sure exactly how long she and Kory would be out. "Yep," she said, "I hope I'll be there for about another week or two. Then again, it might be longer. Kory's kinda unpredictable."

Matt nodded. "You really care about her, don't you," he said, more so a statement as opposed to a question.

Marrissa nodded. "Yeah, she's my best friend. Kinda like you and Brian, ya know?"

Shrugging, Matt nodded. He had never thought about it that way. The two were so close, he had never thought it possible to see anything like that elsewhere, but now that she had pointed it out... "Yeah, like that."

Marrissa smiled then. "Oh, I looked into that band you showed me, they're touring and they'll be here this weekend," she informed him.

"Really?" Matt asked, a grin on his face. "What're you doing this weekend?"

Marrissa sighed. "I've got class the next morning. Trust me, I've already looked into it," she said, laughing softly to make things more light-hearted.

"What class?" Matt wondered if there was any way she could get out of it, because spending the weekend with her would be amazing.

"Photography," she replied. "Why?"

"Just have Kory take notes for you. I'm sure she'd be willing," Matt asked, hopeful.

Marrissa sighed before nodding. "Fine, I'll ask. But you have to buy me dinner after the concert," she said, grinning.

Matt nodded quickly. "Done," he said, before giving her a chance to change her mind.

Just then, both Zacky and Jimmy ran towards the two of them, and when Marrissa glanced back at Kory, who had her famous "I'm not guilty" face on, she studied the two boys carefully.

And, suddenly, the cake was all down her front. She hadn't even had time to think before the two were smearing it all over her.

Laughing, Marrissa gathered as much cake from the floor as she could, making sure both Jimmy and Zacky wore just as much as she did. Instead of getting out of the line of fire, everyone joined in quickly and only ten minutes later there wasn't a single person who wasn't covered in cake.

Still laughing, Kory hugged Marrissa tightly. "So much for my present," she said, giggling softly.

Marrissa grinned. "I'd totally be willing to go back again," she winked playfully.

Kory laughed, before glancing toward Brian - who was talking to Johnny. "Hey, I'll be back in a second," she said, kissing Marrissa on the cheek softly before walking over towards Brian and Johnny. "Hey, short shit, is it alright if I talk to Bri for a second?"

Johnny scoffed. "You're shorter than me!" He exclaimed, laughing.

"By an inch and a half!" Kory shot back playfully. She grabbed some of the excess cake she had on her arms and smeared it on his cheek before he laughed and walked towards Zacky.

She looked around for a moment, before grabbing Brian's hand and pulling him into the house, despite that fact that it was "off limits" to all guests.

She placed a long-waited kiss to his lips, entwining her fingers behind his neck. Once she pulled away, she laughed as she noticed the goofy smile on Brian's face.

"So, what exactly is this?" He asked, knowing that they didn't have much time in here alone.

Shrugging, Kory thought for a moment before replying. "Nothing. You're a good kisser, that's all," she replied, though she thought it to be a lie. Unless being a good kisser meant making her head fuzzy and her stomach tie up in knots, it was surely a lie.

Brian nodded. "You are too," he replied quickly. He wondered if that's all she thought of him.

Kory sighed then. "They're gonna notice we're gone. Count to thirty before you walk out, and if anyone asks I was showing you the bathroom," Kory said, before slipping outside gracefully.

Once she was sure Brian had made it out without a problem, she grabbed Marrissa's hand, pulling her off of the gazebo and running and jumping into the pool with her, causing a train of followers to do the same. But, as everyone jumped into the pool, she and Brian connected eyes more than once, not caring to avert their eyes once they did.