[06]

~Marina's Pov~

"Can't believe you're going away for the entire week." My mom sighed with her eyes fixed on the road as she drove us to the spa for our nail appointment.

"That's why I booked this appointment for both of us, because you never have time anymore you're so busy lately, I wish it was like old times, you know, mommy and Marie, taco Tuesdays, pyjamas Saturdays, spa and makeup Sundays, massage Mondays, fried chips Fridays, what did we use to do on Thursday?" I asked pressing a finger to my cheek while pouting.

Mom laughed, "I'm pretty you just made all those up, I only remember taco Tuesday... Besides Honey, you know I've got to work right, I really love my job and–"

"Yeah right." I deadpanned, "It's always about work Mom, what about me and Jake and Dad." I stared out the window feeling a pensive air envelope the car which was a red Toyota prius prime.

She gently placed one hand over mine, "Sweetie, you know it's not like that, I just have a tight schedule, okay, let me make it up to you, when you get back every week we'll have Mommy and Marie time." She took her hands and placed them back on the steering wheel.

I gave her a small smile. It was still not enough.

I needed someone to convince me Mom and Dad weren't going to split but I am so scared to ask them, I feel like the answer is literally just staring at the four of us. The other night I had woken up to muffled arguments when I stepped out of my room, I realized my parents were nagging at each other late into the night. They had even awaken Jakob.

"Jakob, I'm scared, what is going on?" I had asked standing in the shadow of his room.

"I don't know Marie, I think it's been a long time coming, but they'll figure it out, just go back to bed, it'll be okay in the morning."

And it was okay in the morning, or at least they pretended to be okay in the morning.  Since the argument I've been seeing more of Mom but it still didn't feel right. Right now, here I was going on vacation during the family fire, I feel I'm running away.

We pulled up in front of Jamie's Spa and Nail Tech.

"What design are you getting?" Mom asked as she turned off the ignition.

"Probably tropical, because I think we're going on some visits to the beach... How about you?"

"Oh you know, just the regular short cone shaped nails in plain black polish, work restraints!" She smiled raising her hands in the air to remind me that she was a surgeon.

I shook my head. "Come on, Jamie is waiting on us."

~ ~ ~

"Bye mom!" I waved as Jason struggled with my small cosmos blue travel box.

"Have fun you two, and take care of my daughter Jason, if anything happens to her better don't come back." My Mom teased then drove off to work. She had an afternoon shift today so I was able to demand for some mother-daughter time through the disguise of nail appointments.

"It's student week!" Jason exclaimed in a sing-song voice as we walked towards the main door of his house.

Eww student week.

It was that crazy one week break we received at the start of each term to get away and do whatever the freak we wanted too one last time before the three month school marathon commenced. Jason decided both of us go on a trip together to Santa Monica, of course I wouldn't say no, I love road trips, especially with my best friend.

Oh no.

"What's that look?"Jason asked me mirroring my horrified expression.

"I forgot Topaz."

"Who cares? You were never the world's best pet owner."

"Jason! Dad's gonna kill her."

"Mehh she's probably going to die of starvation before he realizes you left her home alone style."

"Not helping." I groaned. Are all boy besties this dumb?

"Just call Jakob to protect her or take her over to Kiara's?" Jason suggested.

"Oh wait that's brilliant, that way I get to enjoy student week and be sure topaz is having the best time and treatment."

"Wait what? I didn't mean that."

"Only that's the most brilliant idea ever, thanks Jason, hey Siri call Jakey boy." I held the bottom of my phone to my lips.

"Calling Jakey Boy."

Jason and I chuckled while he just left my luggage in the hallway, as we strolled into the living room.

The call went to voicemail. "Hey bud, you've reached Jakob, I'm probably playing basketball so leave a message and I'll get back to you first thing after practice."

"Hey Jake, I forgot my bunny while packing, classic Marina yeah? Please do me a favor and get her over to Kiara's hopefully she won't mind before Dad kills her or like Jason said, she dies of starvation, call me soon with updates. Bye!"

"You kids ready to leave yet?" Mrs Kuyper asked from the where she sat comfortably on the couch enjoying a fashion show.

"It's an evening trip, we'll live in another two hours." Jason replied climbing the steps.

"Oh hi Marina, how's your mom?" Mrs Kuyper grinned at me.

"She's doing just fine," I grinned back following Jason.

"Jason?" She called out from below us.

"Yes Mom?"

"Kindly keep your door open please."

~ ~ ~

Finally, we were leaving Palm Springs. Well I won't lie student week is always the best time of my semester, I wonder what Jakob is going to be up too, probably video games, hanging out with Kiara, exercising, partying, basketball and more basketball.

Speaking of basketball, I scrolled through my I*******m explore page feed, not to sound stalker ish but my entire screen was covered in edits and posts from Bronny James numerous fan pages. I tapped on a post of him and his dad (LeBron James Sr.), LeBron was standing behind him, his hand crossing Bronny's chest with the pair in a fit of laughter, it was one of those unawares yet never un-fresh moments, I didn't hesitate to hit the like button and comment:

mjhunter16: goals ughhh!

"So, fuzzy, you ready for the week of your life?" Jason asked me, his eyes fixed on the busy road.

Sighing, I cooed dreamily while staring at my screen, "I think I'm in love."

He playfully frowned as a muscle jerked in his jaw making him look ten times hotter, "With who this time?"

I gave him a look.

"Sorry... Aww who's the lucky guy?" He asked in a tone laced in sarcasm.

"Bronny James," I sighed dreamily again disregarding his sarcasm, "He's so perfect to look at goshh, like just take a look."

Before my phone reached his eye level, he shoved it back at me. "Eww, he's black."

"Heyy, rude!" I glared at him, "He's taller than you."

"Ouch, but I'm taller than you."

"Doesn't count, Marina is a girl."

I blabbed on, staring out the window and daydreaming of meeting my crush, "Any chance we can drive by Sierra Canyon in LA?"

"You've got to be kidding, what makes you think you'd see him?"

"Duhh fuzzy brain, because it's Monday afternoon."

"Evening." He corrected.

"I hate you."

"Oh, I don't like you very much either, fuzzy."

"How much longer to the end of this drive so I can kill you?"

"Why don't you kill me now and let's see who's gonna get you to Santa Monica, little fuzzy." Jason gave me a gloating smile.

I ignored him. He didn't have to bring my driving skills into this, you know, I've had enough, once we get back, I'll tell Dad I'm ready to take the driver's test again and I'm going to shock everyone single one of them especially Jake and Jace. Ouu look they have twin names, how cute!

"According to G****e maps it's supposed to take two hours five minutes, and we literally just started, so do the maths."

"One hundred and twenty-one miles in a car with you, I'm gonna be sick."

"Just stare out the window, fuzzy brained Marina, it's gonna be a long week."

"Could have fooled me." I exhaled and stared out the window.

For some minutes, a comfortable silence hovered inside Jason's 2019 black Mazda 3, it seemed like a perfect moment to just stare and sink into Oblivion... What? I am a daydreamer, I love long car rides.

"I see you've been getting all too friendly with the new kid huh? Coach put him on the roster last week." This was Jason's attempt at small talk.

"Haha too friendly? Also let me guess, you don't remember his name." I eyed him surreptitiously.

"Who said that? It's Danielle."

Haha, classic Jason! I shook my head in disbelief, "He's a boy."

Well I don't blame him, if he doesn't remember the names of his 'girlfriends' how is he supposed to remember that of a new team mate. Jason is like an all time classic TV show.

"Elijah? Jones?... Wait I've got it..."

"Darnell." We chorused together.

"Jinx! I said it first!" Jason exclaimed with a smug expression plastered on his handsome facial features.

I could kiss him.

"Tell me, is he any good?"

"Oh honey... He's perfect!" Jason said, eyeing me suspiciously while wiggling his perfect eyebrows.

I shoved his arm, "What's that look pony?"

"What? Oh, uhm, nothing." Jason spit fired in different intonations like an annoying teenage girl.

"Liar! Just concentrate on your driving and take me to santa Monica in peace... Why are we even doing this, like going on this vacay together?" I asked feeling a ray of sunshine hit my face, staring at my phone screen I realized I'd been given angles but I wasn't in the Kardashian mood right now.

"Now it's a crime to want to spend more time with my best friend? In a few months a lot of things are going to change Marina, this is probably the last chance I get to spend with you till after the winter regionals, too bad who's gonna be your date to homecoming when I'm busy?"

If I didn't know better, Jason was making fun of my relationship stats. That is cold. Jokes on him though, I laughed it off, "That's if I consider going."

"Take a break from your books and live a little, Marie... Maybe you could join the team so we could have more time to–"

"Stop talking Jason." I deadpanned.

Playing basketball with a team was out of bounds for Marina. Simply a no-go-area. I just have a sinister feeling about it, like if I join something is going to go terribly wrong.

At School, basketball mattered to everyone including the teachers more than class lectures, a handsome amount of the school's income were used to fund the team and the games, it shouldn't be that way. Don't get me wrong, I love basketball just as much as I love Topaz but getting good grades and sitting through lectures should be a thing of pride too and not just wearing the school's Jersey and being a popular jerk.

This is probably why Jason suggested I run for student body president.

"Here I have a basketball pun for you, why did Cinderella get kicked off the basketball team?" Jason asked me, looking away from the road.

"Seriously?" I quirked my brows at him.

"Go ahead," He notioned with a slight nod of his head that made his brown hair bounce.

"Because she ran away from the ball." I said easily.

"Show off."

"Shut up and drive, I'm taking a nap."

~ ~ ~

A/N: hopefully they don't kill each before the week runs out, hit that star and leave a quick comment on what you think Jason and Marina should do on their vacation. See you in chapter seven!

TheShadyButterfly🦋.