An Arranged Marriage with an Old Friend [one other]

Marisa snickered. "Oh god, so would you not trust me?" she asked, winking and laughing a bit. That was just silly. If you marry someone, that means you trust them with everything in your being. So how do stories change that? "Honestly, it goes both ways. Not just on women." she scoffed playfully.

"No, I trust you," he told her. "I just don't want you to end up being bored and unhappy," he explained.

Marisa nodded, smiling. "That is kind of nice though..." she replied, smiling. "Either way, what was it you did then for your dad?" she asked, never really remembering what his dad did before.

"I just did a bunch of paperwork and did some undercover stuff. The company didn't know who I was for a while until I told dad a bunch of stuff they were doing that they shouldn't have been doing."

"Oh wow...good thing then." Marisa muttered, nodding. "Hm..so nothing's changed with you huh? You just grew taller and..more mature?" she grinned, remembering when they were young.

He shrugged. "I dunno," he chuckled. "That's for you to judge. What about you, though? How have you been?"

Marisa sighed, leaning back again into the chair and shrugging. "Well...I was going to college, for graphic design. You know, like the ads you see on billboards and such." she chuckled, smiling. "You know I was always messing with something so..might as well put it to use. But either way, it's almost like this place hasn't changed at all.." she said, smiling a bit in the nostalgia.

"Are you still going or are they online," he asked curiously. He didn't want to get in the way of her going to school.

"I was going there, but due to the situation, I'll switch to online..." Marisa shrugged, obviously down about it. She liked seeing her education and learning up close and personal, but computer was fine. "So, aren't you tired? It's been a long day." she said, standing up and stretching.

He frowned. He couldn't convince his dad to let her go. That was the sad part. "It's been a long day," he agreed. "I'll walk you to the room," he offered and stood.

Marisa nodded, going upstairs and walking beside him. Once they had reached the room, she sighed and turned to look at him. "I'm sorry about all this....I bet if we just didn't click back then..your dad wouldn't have dumped this on you." she muttered, smiling weakly.

"But if we didn't click back then, who knows where we'd be now. I'd be marrying a girl I don't know or like, most likely."

"What, you're saying you still love me fully?" Marisa blushed, chuckling a bit. It was almost like they were kids again.

He blushed and scratched his head. "I, uhhh... Not... fully but.... I... do.... uh....." he stammered nervously.

Marisa moved closer and smiled. "How about you just still have feelings for me? Is that a more simple answer?" she chuckled, patting his cheek and going into her room. "Night." she said playfully as she closed the door.

My reply::::::
He nodded and murmured, "Night," before he went back to the den and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch to lay down.

Your reply::::::
The next morning, Michael and Marisa both were downstairs, talking and cooking breakfast. It was natural for Michael to wake up early since he was part of the military, early hours were his norm. For Marisa, she just liked seeing the sun come up. It was six a.m and the both of them were making pancakes and bacon, eggs, too. They simply reminisced when they were younger and just how Damien was always the first to get in trouble. They expected that Damien would wake up sooner or later.

My reply::::::
Damien slept in. He woke up with the sun shining on his face and he groaned, hiding his face in the pillow, though he quickly moved it as he caught a whiff of home made breakfast being made. He got up, not bothering to put his shirt back on, and walked into the kitchen, yawning. "Morning."

Marisa turned over to greet him back but yelped and turned around. She blushed lightly, not expecting him to come down without a shirt. Sheesh! Michael grinned and whistled. "Morning bro'." he said as he then started to stack the pancakes on three separate plates.

Damien frowned, confused and a little out of it. "Why'd you yelp," he asked, yawning. "Not like I'm naked."

Marisa grunted. "Excuse me, but for one, I'm the only girl in this damn house. I'm surrounded by two guys..one's shirtless. How does that spell normal?" she chuckled, really just joking as Michael whistled. "Sheesh, make it sound like Three's Company eh?" he laughed, rubbing her head and setting the plates down. "Get a shirt on man, this may be your wifey soon but you still gotta be decent." he winked.

"Okay, okay," Damien yawned and shuffled back upstairs tiredly. He wasn't a morning person. He came back, pulling his shirt down. "There. Happy," he asked with a grin.

Marisa rolled her eyes. "Yes I am. Anyways, sleep well last night?" she asked, sitting down at the table and serving herself. Michael sighed, shaking his head as he sat down and started eating his breakfast. "To see you guys actually argue would be priceless." he grinned as he stuffed his mouth with pancakes.

"Yeah," he yawned and sat down, helping himself. "You act like you've never eaten pancakes before," he laughed at his brother. "This isn't your mess hall, slow down."

Michael scoffed, smiling. "Hey, I was taught to eat this fast. On a ship, you have no choice but to hurry up. Damn, or at least in boot camp they rushed us." he laughed, eating more slowly.

Marisa smiled, chuckling. "So any plans for today guys?" she asked, eating her pancakes and chugging down whatever coffee was left.

"Not really," Damien yawned and continued eating. "What about you?" He wanted to take her out for lunch today, but he wouldn't ask in front of his brother.

Marisa shook her head, smiling. "Nah, just maybe take a stroll through town. See what's changed ya know?" she said, finishing most of her plate and going off to the sink. Michael however nodded along with her plans. "Yeah that sounds pretty good, but eh, I'll stay at home for now. Still have some jet lag." he said, rubbing his head. He had a splitting headache. "All by myself then?" Marisa said, frowning playfully.