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Chapter Three
Pop's Over Parties
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     WHEN TORI, MF, NOAH AND HIS FRIEND GOT TO THE DINER, they picked a booth and sat down. The memories of what happened the last time Tori was there came to her mind and she had to remind herself that she wasn't alone when she felt her heart race and her stomach churn. Pop Tate came by to take their order and once he did, he looked at MF who looked very different from the last time he saw her.

     "MF Jones, I hardly recognized you. Long time, no see," he said while smiling kindly.

     "I know, it's been a while," MF said and smiled back at the kind old man. "Also, I go by Marissa now."

     Pop Tate chuckled lightly. "My apologies, Marissa. I'll be right out with your order," he said before going into the kitchen to complete their order.

     "So, how was your talk with Sweet Pea before that devil Regina George swooped in and interrupted?" MF asked while looking at Tori.

     "That redhead you pushed into the pool?" Noah's friend asked while looking at the dark haired girl beside him.

     "That's the one. And it was alright until she ruined it," she remarked. She suddenly realized that she never got the paler brunette's name and just been thinking of him as Noah's friend. "I'm sorry, I never caught your name," she said while looking at the hazel eyed boy beside her.

     "Aiden," the boy answered and Tori nodded as she fidgeted with the fabric of her dress under the table. "I'm just glad that I'm not the third wheel anymore."

     "Please, if anyone was the third wheel, it was me," MF said and they all laughed except for Tori, who did not understand what was so funny. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

     MF slid out of the booth, leaving Tori alone with Noah and Aiden. She still didn't know who these people were or how MF could disappear for three months and suddenly come back with a new boyfriend and carry on like everything was okay when it wasn't.

     "You know, Marissa told us a lot about you but you can ask us anything," Noah said while smiling. "We don't bite."

     "Why is your jaw crooked?" Tori asked bluntly.

     After all, he did say she could ask them anything.

     Noah laughed at her question and tapped his fingers against the table top. "I got into a fight a few years ago. Honestly, I wish I had a more thrilling story than that," he said.

     "Let me guess," Tori started. "Someone did something stupid and the other one wanted to even the score?"

     Aiden raised his hand and the other two turned to look at him.

     "It was me who did something stupid. And you can't call it a fight unless you call a table a worthy opponent," he said while looking at Noah.

     "I guess the table was worthy enough if that was the result you ended up with," Tori said and both boys laughed.

     Both boys could tell that she was still on edge from what had just happened with Cheryl at Thornhill and Tori just wanted MF to come back from the washroom. Luckily, the person in question did return and it was like she could immediately tell what Tori was thinking about.

     "Don't worry about it, Shorty. If she's gonna act like that, she's not worth thinking about," she said as she sat down.

     Tori scoffed. "She's lucky I only pushed her," she said.

     Pop Tate returned with four milkshakes and the four kids thanked him for the sweet drinks.

     "So, did anything else happen over the summer that I need to know about before we go back to school?" MF asked.

     "Nothing more than what I already told you," Tori said before taking a sip of her milkshake.

     "Uneventful? Glad I got away," MF chuckled.

     "I wish I could get away," Tori said.

     MF shrugged lightly. "Who says we can't go next year?" MF asked.

     "I'm gonna hold you to that."

     "I never break my promises, Alvarez."

     Tori took another sip of her milkshake and cleared her throat. "So MF, where are you all staying?"

     "Well, for the time being, we're staying at a motel," MF replied while shrugging her shoulders. While MF seemed very nonchalant with the situation at hand, Tori was a little concerned and MF could see it written clearly on her face. "Listen, none of us can afford some fancy place like the Five Seasons and I doubt FP would offer us a place to stay so we didn't have anywhere else to go."

     Tori took note of how she addressed her father as FP and not Dad but then again, she couldn't say she blamed her. When the boys finished their milkshakes, they got up and headed towards the bar while Tori and MF stayed in the booth.

     "You seriously like this guy," Tori said and she couldn't help but smile at how red her cheeks turned.

     "Stop it, Alvarez," MF said.

     "Why? I never thought I would see the day. Marissa Florence Jones is in love," Tori said while smiling widely.

     "Oh, I wouldn't go that far. It's only been three months."

     "Okay then. Whatever you say."

     "I don't even know if we're there yet."

     "Well, I can't say for sure, but I think you'll know when you get there. You'll probably get there before you even know it."

     MF sighed, "I just . . . I've never done this before. Do you . . . nevermind. It's silly."

     "It's not. I've never done this before either," Tori said. "And no, Reggie doesn't count."

     "Reggie never counts," MF laughed. "But do you think . . . do you think it could turn into something? Something serious?"

     "If you want it to, and if he wants it to," Tori said while fidgeting with her fingers.

     "I mean . . . I want it to, but I don't know if he does. I never thought I would feel this way about anyone."

     "I think you should do what you told me to do with Sweet Pea. Talk to him and tell him how you feel."

     "I don't know. It's still a bit early and I don't wanna freak him out."

     Tori shrugged her shoulders while smiling kindly. "Whenever you're ready."

     MF chuckled and smiled slightly while Noah and Aiden came back with a plate of poutine. The boys sat down and Tori took another sip out of her half empty milkshake. She looked at Aiden who also had a knowing smirk on his face when he saw MF and Noah smiling at each other. Tori wasn't the only one to notice how oblivious they were to each other's feelings.

     After getting milkshakes at Pop's and everything else that happened during the day, all Tori wanted to do was just go home. MF and the boys insisted they would give her a ride home and she accepted since the day was slowly draining the energy out of her like a battery. When Noah pulled over in front of her house, Tori took off her seatbelt and made sure she had everything.

     "Thanks for the milkshake," Tori said.

     MF smiled. "No problem. Seeing you push that Cherry into the pool was the highlight of my day," she said and Tori laughed.

     "I guess I'll see you when school starts," she said as she stepped out of the truck and closed the door before walking up to her house.

     Once she was inside, the others were gone and Tori was alone in the house. She remembered her mother telling her that there was food for her to eat if she ever got hungry but she didn't feel like eating anything at that moment. All she wanted was for the town's nightmares to go away, including Archie being framed for murder and Hiram Lodge's reign of terror.