I M M A C U L A T E

D E C E I V E R S

 ____________________

I woke up and reached over to the other side of my bed. My eyebrows curved with confusion as my hand hit something hard.

Feeling the hard object with my hand, it became clear to me that what I was touching was indeed a chest, and that chest definitely belonged to someone other than me.

Who is in my bed?

Suddenly, my eyes snapped open and I jumped up, causing Mark to grunt.

Mark.

"Mark!" I whisper-yelled. "Why are you still here?" I panicked.

"Well, I was sleeping, but ya know... nothing is ever sacred anymore." He sighed against the pillow.

"You can't be here. Lucy and Callie are here!" I whisper-yelled again, nudging his side with my leg.

"Who cares? They are in their own spots, and I am up here where they can't see me. Now let me sleep woman!" Mark hissed.

I rolled my eyes and smacked him on his bare ass, hard might I add.

He jumped, but pulled the blanket up over his head and then turned over facing the wall.

"They can't see you at all, Mark! You have to go." I firmly stated with more urgency in my tone.

Mark huffed, and then sat up. "Figures. Don't worry, I'm gone. And I won't return."

He got up from bed exposing his naked, beautiful body and then pulled on his boxers and pants.

He picked up his shirt and pulled that on, then began looking for his socks. He angrily yanked the blanket off the bed entirely, exposing my naked body and his socks went flying with the blanket.

When he didn't move to pick them up, I looked up and noticed his eyes trained on me. I felt small under his hard gaze, but I also felt a spark rise within me.

I sat up on my knees and made my way over to the edge of the bed. Mark stood directly in front of me, but him being much taller, my head sat against his chest.

"Naveah... stop." He instructed, but I didn't listen.

I gently grabbed his hands, and placed them around my waist. His hands landed just above my ass, and I looked up into his deep brown eyes.

"Nave..." He whispered against my ear. "Stop."

Again, I disobeyed. I reached my hands up around his neck and pulled him down into a deep kiss. I yanked his body down onto the bed, and back on top of me. He began unbuckling his pants when we heard a knock at my bedroom door.

Both Mark and I stopped immediately and our eyes widened as our heads snapped towards the door.

We both seen that the door was unlocked, and I quietly pushed Mark from on top of me and hurried to the door to lock it.

"Naveah, get out here." Callie said. "Lucy wants coffee, but I can't find the coffee filters."

"Uh, be right there!" I shouted through the door, clear panic in my voice.

"Are you alright?" Callie asked, jiggling the doorknob.

"Yes, fine. Just didn't sleep with many clothes on. I'll be right down!"

Callie laughed. "Alright." Then I heard her footsteps head towards the staircase.

"Fuck." I muttered, turning around to face Mark.

He walked over to me and placed his hands against my cheeks.

"Naveah, what do you want?" He asked. I have never seen a more serious expression on Mark's face before.

"What do you mean?" I whispered.

"What do you want?" He asked again.

"I want you." I stated with full confidence in my answer.

"You want me?" He asked.

"Yes."

He softly placed a kiss against my lips and then pulled his hands away. He pulled on his socks and shoes and stood beside my bedroom balcony doors, opening them. He stood half-way out, but turned to look at me once more.

"Then do something about it."

Then he stepped fully out of the doors, closed them and then left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

"Man, are you alright? You took forever up there. Don't worry, I found the coffee filters." Callie smirked, holding the coffee filters up in the air.

"Sorry, I needed to shower and change. The steam actually helped my headache." I smiled, pulling a coffee mug from the cupboard and pouring myself a cup of steaming hot deliciousness.

"I hear you. The shower I took this morning worked wonders!" She sighed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Can both of you stop yelling?" Lucy mumbled from the dining room table. She had her cup of coffee resting in between her hands as she peered down into the cup.

Callie and I laughed, and then joined her at the table.

"Feeling alright?" I asked, making sure to speak louder than normal.

"Ugh, no." She glared, causing me to smirk. "Remind me never to drink with you two again."

"Hey, you downed those shots all by yourself... no one forced you." I pointed my finger at her, to which she stuck her tongue out at me.

Halfway into our coffee, the front door to my house opens.

"Naveah!" My mom chirps. "You awake?"

"In the kitchen!" I yell.

A few seconds later, my mother's face appears. She looks exhausted.

"Oh, hello girls!" She smiles. "Have a nice sleepover?"

All three of us smirk at each other, and then look back to my mom.

"Yep, sure did!" Callie grins.

"Good. Naveah, can I speak with you alone please?"

I sigh and get up from the dining room table. I follow my mom into the living room and find my father sitting on the couch.

"Hey dad." I say, to which he only acknowledges me with a nod.

"Naveah, we heard about Lucy's mother. How is she doing?" My mother asked with a heavy frown on her face. My mom has only met Lucy's mother a handful of times, but the state Lucy's mother was in, wasn't really ideal. My mom tried to offer help, but Lucy insisted she had everything under control.

"She's been better." I frowned. "I mean, she lost her mom. No one would be fine after that."

My mother nodded, and my dad finally spoke up. "I assume she needs legal assistance?"

I snapped my attention over to my father, who had his hard gaze latched onto me. "Yeah, she really does."

"Well, come talk to me. Give me her situation." My dad stated, patting the spot beside him.

"Can I get her? I am sure she'd want to explain things herself." I insisted.

"Of course." My dad said, motioning for me to go retrieve my hungover best friend.

I walked back into the kitchen, to see both Callie and Lucy staring towards the living room.

"Luc, my dad wants us to talk about what it is exactly that you need help with." I said.

"Man, why couldn't they have come home later? This headache bites." She frowned. "But, let's go."

Callie said she would head home and call us later. We each gave her a hug and she left after gathering her things.

I pulled Lucy with me towards my dad's study.

"Relax, would you? You're not on trial here." I smiled.

"I know... but your dad kind of scares me. Always has." She admits, slightly smirking.

"Pretty sure he scares everyone." I sighed.

I knocked on the door to my dad's study, and then walked inside with Lucy right behind me.

"Have a seat girl's." My father pointed to the two chairs that sat opposite of his.

Both Lucy and I took our seats, and then waited for my dad to begin speaking.

"Well, don't just sit there. Let me hear it." He rose one eyebrow as he leaned back into his brown leather chair.

"Well, Mr. Olsin Sir, my mother had really good insurance which covered all of our bills and such. She also received unemployment due to her not being able to work. I just don't know how much I get from her insurance, and if it's enough to live off of, until I graduate and move into a career. I don't want to sell our home; I want to keep it, even when I go away to college I want to keep it so I can move back once I graduate."

Lucy swallowed a lump in her throat after finishing with her thoughts, and waited for my dad's response.

"Hm." Was all he said.

"What do you think dad?" I asked. He shot me a look that said, "I am thinking, do not interrupt."

"Well, it may take me a few weeks, but I can contact your mother's insurance company to sort some things out. I can also emancipate you, that way you can legally live alone since you are not yet 18. I will make sure you have your home once you return from College." My dad stated confidently.

"Dad?" I asked. He looked over to me, instructing me to continue with just a look.

"Can Lucy stay with us until she's able to go back home? Just for the few weeks it takes you to sort out her insurance money." I asked, praying he says yes. If not, I am sure Lucy would be able to stay with Callie, but I wanted her to stay with me.

"I suppose that's fine. I will let you know when I have more information. Lucy, get me the paperwork from your mother's insurance and I will take care of the rest." My dad said, standing up and motioning for us to leave his study, signaling the end of our discussion.

"Thanks dad!" I smiled. He nodded at me with a slight smile, and then sat back down to continue his work.

Lucy and I fled the scene, and went back into the kitchen.

"See, told you he would figure everything out." I smiled.

"Naveah, I don't know how to thank you!" She smiled back, giving me a tight hug.

"You don't have to thank me. It's what best friends are for!"

I internally sighed while hugging Lucy's neck.

Best friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day at school, Lucy felt bombarded with everyone giving their condolences about her mother's passing. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to yell at everyone to shut up about it. That saying, "I'm sorry for your loss" over and over again wasn't going to help, but she just smiled and said her thank you's.

"Do they not realize that telling me they're sorry, won't bring her back?" Lucy sighed, once we reached gym class. We just got here from lunch, which you couldn't exactly call lunch for Lucy, since she never got to eat a single piece of her food. Too many people made it a point to confront her during lunchtime.

"They are just trying to be respectful. If someone else's parent died, wouldn't you be saying the same thing?" Callie asked.

"I guess so. Maye not now though, since I know how irrelevant it is." She shrugged.

"I think it's sweet that everyone cares." I chimed in, pulling my t-shirt over my head.

"I do too, believe me. I just... hate thinking about her. God, that makes me sound so selfish." Lucy sighed.

"It does not. It hurts to think about her, I know." I said, resting my hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Unfortunately, she's always going to be in there. Swimming around in your brain."

"Thanks for that image. My brain isn't a day spa." Lucy smirked, pulling her long blonde hair up into a ponytail.

"You know what I mean, asshole." I laughed, throwing my hair up into a messy bun.

"How about we discuss the fact that it's Monday, and after this week its Christmas Break. What are we doing?" Callie asked, brushing her hair out, letting it flow down her back.

"Oh man... Christmas break already." Lucy frowned. I instantly knew why she became sad.

"Don't worry Luc, you'll be with me." I pulled her in for a side hug.

"My first Christmas without my mom." Lucy mumbled to herself.

"We will get through this, babe." Callie said, also giving Lucy a side hug.

Lucy smiled at both of us and nodded, but I knew she still felt horrible on the inside.

"Let's just get gym class over with. I heard Coach Brown is in another one of his moods again." I sighed, heading towards the door that leads to outside.

All three of us walked outside and sure enough, Coach Brown noticed our tardiness.

"Ladies! How many times do we have to go over this? Be. On. Time!" He yelled in our direction. "Get to your laps and meet us for volleyball!"

"Yes, Coach!" We all three yelled in unison as we began jogging our laps.

"Run girls!" Coach Brown instructed.

"One of these days I am going to tell him off." Callie mumbled, as we all three began sprinting.

"Yeah, that'll be the day." Lucy laughed, causing myself to join her.

After we each ran our three warm-up laps, we took a short break to get some water. Even with it being winter, it was still warm outside with the sun beating down on the field. Thank you, California.

"Girls, get into position!" Coach Brown yelled, while everyone got ready for the game of Volleyball.

Lucy, Callie and I finished our cups of water, and then went to take our positions behind the net.

All three of us were on the same side, and we all smirked towards each other as the game began.

Volleyball was one of our strong suits. All three of us knew how to play, and we were good.

The ball plunged towards Lucy and she popped it upwards just in time, and then spiked it over the net scoring a point. Lucy loved being the attacker.

"Good move Kiser!" Coach Brown announced over the noise of the opposing team calling out profanities.

After twenty minutes, our side was in the lead by five points.

"Alright, that's enough Volleyball! This side wins!" Coach Brown announced, pointing towards our side of the net. Everyone on our team cheered, while the opposing team gave us all dirty looks.

"You get free time for the rest of the period." Coach Brown said, turning to walk towards the drink table.

Everyone followed and took a cup of water, and then went off to either walk around the track or sit on the football bleachers.

"Olsin! You're wanted in the principal's office!" Coach Brown yelled in my direction.

"Um, alright!" I yelled back.

"What did you do?" Lucy smirked.

"I have no idea." I sighed, standing up to head inside.

"Good luck!" Both her and Callie yelled as I walked away.

I gave them the middle finger.

Once I got inside the girl's locker room to change, I stepped out into the main hallway and headed towards the principal's office.

Right before I arrived at the door to the administration office, I heard someone whisper from around the corner of the hallway.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, but stepped around the corner anyway.

Suddenly, an arm appeared and yanked me into a nearby closet.

"Ow! Let go!" I yelled.

"Shut up!" The deep voice hissed.

"Not you again." I sighed.

Before I could walk away, Mark pulled me into his chest and placed a hard, tender kiss against my lips.

"I need to know Naveah. What are we doing?" He demanded, suffocating me with his hard eyes.

What are we doing?