M A R L E Y S • P O V

Laying on the floor and staring up at the ceiling, I was surrounded by a pile of clothes which were becoming less like material garments and more like items of torture sent to drive me insane.

"Am I crazy?"

I sighed and threw my hands up. "Well yeah you're talking to yourself."

I sat up and put my head in between my knees, clapping my face in between them and groaning with frustration.

It was Saturday night and Josh was picking me up in an hour. So far, all I had done to get ready was shower and curl my hair. I held on to my towel and stood up.

I needed an epic outfit. I was, after all, going to a high school party, where a majority of the people that I disliked, would be.

And while I didn't actually care what anyone thought of me, I wanted to look hot. Like enviable hot.
You know when you don't want someone to like you, but you want them to think, wow she looks so good.

Me.

I needed to focus on just picking an outfit. But my mind kept wandering to potential scenarios of how my night could go. In these scenarios someone spikes my drink and ties me to a power pole naked.

Or I have my hair cut off while I'm passed out drunk in a corner.

Or someone pants' me in front of everyone while I'm caught off guard.

All of the things that happen to the loser who shows up at a party in the movies.

But with each new scenario that came to mind, I concluded that Josh would never let anyone do anything like that to me.

I started going through my clothes again and finally put an ensemble together.

I secretly loved clothes. I spent a lot of money on them. I loved dressing up and getting pretty.
It was exciting that I finally had someone who liked me for me. And I didn't have to worry about impressing him. He got the reward of seeing my cute side because he gave the real me a chance first.

I slipped in to a black long sleeve body con dress that hugged me tight. I pulled on a pair of white vans, some chunky bangles and a long necklace.

I traded my glasses for contacts and sat down to put some make up on. I winged out my eyes with some black liner before coating my lashes with mascara to make a dark smokey effect. Bronzer, contour, conceal and of course highlight followed before finally smearing a layer of nude lipstick on to top it all off.

I smiled with content as I assessed the finish product in the mirror. A moment later the doorbell rang so I grabbed my cellphone and keys before rushing out of the room.

"Hey," I let Josh inside and his eyes immediately grew wide as his gaze followed the length of my body. The look that he gave me never failed to make the goosebumps rise. He looked at me like there was something worth admiring. Like I singlehandedly held the key to his joy and I was the only person that knew how to use it.

"Shit— you look—" he started to say before taking a step back and putting his hand behind his head. "You look too damn good for me, that's for sure."

My cheeks grew warm. "Impossible."

His gaze fell back down to my body again and he bit his lip, something that I'd never seen a guy pull off before, until now. I didn't even think he was aware that he was doing it either. Or how it made me feel.

"You look great as well Josh," I complimented.

He wore a tight black t-shirt and a pair of casual denim jeans. I was practically salivating over his arms as they flexed with his movements.

Suddenly a clearing of someone's throat behind me caught our attention and I spun around to find Dad on the other side of the living room.

"Now listen you two," he started with the attempt to sound authoritative, but it wasn't going in his favour at all. "I can't stop you from doing the frick frack, but for the love of all that is holy, use protection okay. I'm too young to be a grandfather."

What.

The.

Hell.

"Dad! Could we not have had this conversation in private!"

"Well if Josh is dating my daughter he should hear it too," he gestured behind me. "Of course, I'm not going to do the whole, touch my daughter and die speech. It takes two to tangle, I know that."

"It's two to TANGO Dad! TANGO."

I heard Josh snicker behind me and had to resist the urge to stand on his foot. The entire situation was mortifying, not funny.

"Okay," Dad shrugged, unfazed by the correction. "Just wrap it up is all I'm saying, okay."

"Okay fine! Goodbye! We're leaving now."

I didn't even wait for Josh as I pulled the front door open and stepped into the warm night air. He caught up a moment later, falling into step beside me. His cologne was intoxicating, mixed with the scent of the summer night, it was the kind of fragrance that instilled a desire for adventure.

"I am so sorry about my Dad," I apologised as I put my seat belt on after we were in the safe confines of his car.

Josh turned the headlights on and reversed out of my driveway as he waved his hand in dismissal. "Don't be sorry. Your dad is great. And I agreed with him. It shouldn't be just the girl that has to hear the embarrassing safe sex talk."

I gave him a grateful smile. I was becoming more and more certain that he was too good to be true. There had to be something wrong. Some sort of flaw. Men like him just didn't exist. But I didn't want to dwell on such things. So I pushed the cynical thoughts aside.

"Ready for our debut?" He asked once we are on the highway.

"Uh, I guess."

Josh flicked his eyes from the road to me, looking concerned at the uncertain tone in my voice. "What's wrong?"

"What exactly are we debuting?"

"Us.." Josh smiled as he shifted the gear stick, another simple action that he made look sexy as hell.

"What— what is us? Like what are we?" I quietly asked. I felt as though I was beginning to sound more pathetic than I wanted to. I just figured that we should be on the same page about our status before we turned up at this gathering.

He was quiet for a moment, a small smile set on his lips. "I want you to be my girlfriend, but we've known each other for two weeks and if that freaks you out, then I understand," he swallowed and cast me a nervous glance.

Cute.

I was grinning like a loon. I couldn't help it. "You really want me to be your girlfriend?"

"I like you, a lot. I don't want to see other people. I want to do couple type things together, so why not just make it official?"

Although there was a small distant voice that wanted me to be cautious, protect myself and realise that this was too fast. A louder voice was jumping up and down, praising God that I'd met a decent man.

"What do you think?" He said with a quiet voice.

"Of course I want to be your girlfriend."

He shot me a bright smile that reached his eyes as he took my hand in his. He lifted it and placed a kiss on the back of it before placing our intertwined fingers on the gear stick and shifting in to fifth.

I could have melted in to a puddle of goo right then and there.

Or floated away.

Or turned inside, out.

It kind of felt like an out of body experience. One which I hoped never came to an end.

J O S H • P O V

I pulled up in front of the large mansion and glanced over to my girlfriend as I turned off the car.

I was worried that she'd think that we were moving too fast when I asked her to be mine. But she'd agreed and I couldn't have been happier.
I didn't see the point in spending months and months at the in-between state, just for the sake of it. I wanted to spend all of my time with her, I wanted to take her on dates and spoil her and most of all, call her mine.

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Ready?"

Her enthusiastic smile was reassuring. Not to mention gorgeous. She took my breath away without failure.

That's my girl.

We stepped inside the large dark foyer greeted by loud EDM music blasting through the house.
I had been here before so I lead Marley straight to the hallway that took us to the rec room.

It was a huge space that was packed with our classmates, dancing, drinking and smoking.
A strobe light sat on a shelf, giving off blinding flashes every second. The walls were lined with couches, leaving a big dancing space in the middle. The french doors were open leading out to a large deck and pool area. A bar was placed in the back corner and I could see Bryce mixing drinks for people. I took Marley's hand and lead her further in.

Slowly, people began to notice our arrival, turning to face us with a mixture of reactions, some people appeared surprised and I could faintly hear 'is that Virgin Marley?' 

Some of the girls looked angry and shot glares in our direction. And some of the guys were clearly checking Marley out. I put my arm around her waist and held her close to me. Call me jealous, but I didn't want anyone looking at my girl.

Davina, the home owner and class mate wandered past in a tight dress with a drink in her hand. She smiled and if she seemed surprised, she didn't let on. "Hey guys, drinks are at the bar! Help yourself!"

"Thank you," Marley shouted above the music.

Davina nodded and raised her drink above her head so that she could get through the crowd without it ending up down her front.

"You okay?" I whisper shouted in Marley's ear.

She peered up at me through her full lashes and gave me a reassuring smile. "Yeah I'm fine!"

"What is this?" A familiar voice taunted loud and obnoxious behind me.

I turned to face Dehlia and didn't even attempt to hide my boredom at the sight of her. I doubted that she needed to take any uppers tonight. She got her high off creating drama and sticking her nose where it wasn't wanted.

"New clothes and some make up don't change the fact that you don't belong Marley. Give it a rest."

I finally noticed what Dehlia was wearing and it took all of my self control not to laugh in her face.
She was in a pair of six inch strappy leather heels, a tight black, short skirt that left nothing to the imagination and a black halter top, with a slit that came below her belly button and hardly covered her nipples.

"Do you smell that Josh?" Marley asked holding her hand under her chin, looking thoughtful. I furrowed my brows but before I could inhale, she continued. "Smells like desperation to me."

I loudly laughed as Dehlia's mouth fell open and she stared in disbelief. Her friend Ellie watched wide eyed and glanced at Dehlia, waiting for the reaction that we were all anticipating.

"You're right babe," I agreed, still laughing. "Let's move to a less polluted area."

I took Marley by the hand and led her past a dumbstruck Dehlia, through the crowd and over to the bar. "That," I said, wrapping my arms around her. "Was brilliant."

"Yeah? It felt great!" She excitedly exhaled a breath before perching on her tip toes to give me a chaste kiss.

She was exquisite. "Wanna drink?"

"Sure," she smiled with a brief nod. "Just a Jack and Coke please."

"Huh, didn't take you for a Jack and Coke girl."

"It's my dad's favourite drink, I've always had a little bit here and there during Christmas. So it's naturally became my preference."

"Ah of course."

I turned to the bar to find Bryce grinning at me. "Called it," he boasted with a smug grin.

"Yeah yeah," I waved him off and gestured at the bar. "Are you getting paid for this gig or what?"

"Na, Davina asked me to manage things half n hour ago when she caught someone trying to steal a full bottle of spirits."

"Fair enough. A Jack and Coke and a water please."

"Sober driving?" He asked as he passed the drinks over the bar top.

"Yeah I—" before I could finish speaking, a strong hand gripped my forearm and turned me around.

Blake stood in front of me with dilated pupils. He could barely keep his focus on me, his eyes rolled around and it was clear that he was on something.
"Marley is your bed buddy?!"

"So fucking what?" I snapped, shaking out of his grip.

I looked over to Marley who had moved a meter or so away from us, her eyes were darting around the party, clearly trying not to listen in on Blake and I.

"I. saw. her. ass!"

I rolled my eyes and clenched my jaw. I thought it was amusing at the time, knowing that he disliked her but admired her physique. However, if he kept bringing it up, I was going to get mad. "If you talk shit about her one more time, I'll knock you the fuck out," I threatened. "Have a good night."

I pushed past him and walked over to Marley. "Here babe," I handed her the drink and she snatched it, tipping it down her throat and finishing it in matter of seconds.

"That was impressive," I said with amusement as she put her empty bottle down on the bar.

She blushed and shook her head. "Shameful talent I have."

"Want another?"

"No, I'm good."

I laced our fingers together and began to pull her towards the exit. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

I didn't answer and instead lead her across the marble foyer that we arrived in, through the dining room and out a set of double doors. We stepped outside, into a private courtyard surrounded with trees and hedges. A set of cozy outdoor couches surrounded a fire pit with glowing flames burning brightly.

I shut the doors behind us. The music was still loud enough that it was a good volume outside but not deafening. We didn't have to shout to hear each other. I turned around and pulled Marley in to an embrace. I held her lower back and laced my fingers with hers, swaying our bodies slowly together.

"Josh why are we slow dancing outside?" She asked with a shy smile.

"Because I felt like slow dancing outside with you."

She bit her lip before resting her head on my chest. Damn that felt so right.

"So where's Davina's parents?" She asked.

"They died when she was ten. She lives with her older brother. He's not around much though. She pretty much has this house to herself. That's why she's constantly throwing parties."

"There's like this whole world that I didn't even know about."

"I wouldn't exactly be envious of this lifestyle babe," I said pulling her closer to me. "I think Davina's pretty lonely. She doesn't have anyone around unless she's throwing parties. It all just seems so hollow and meaningless. I'm only here to let everyone know that you're mine and I don't care what they think."

Marley softly ran her hand through the hair on the back of my head. Her smile bright and confident. "I don't either."

I kissed the top of her head and smiled. I hadn't expected to find a girl like her when I came back, but I was glad that I had.

"What was your life in Australia like?"

The question was unexpected but I didn't blame her for asking. We were still getting to know each other. Our relationship wasn't standard but it was important to me all the same. "Not like this, that's for sure," I told her. "I was forced to attend a lot of functions and high society events with my parents. But I preferred to hike and stuff like that."

"Why high society events?"

"My parents own their own business so they mix with all those type of people."

I rested my chin on her head while I remembered the constant events with stuck up snobs and self obsessed socialites. We continued to move, just swaying back and forth until she lifted her head from my chest and looked at me quizzically.

"So your family is— wealthy?"

This was something that hadn't come up yet. It wasn't something that I liked to boast about or bring up straight away with new people. It definitely wasn't something that I wanted to use to my advantage. But Marley had proven to me that she was about way more than status and money.

"My parents—" I emphasised — "are loaded."

"How did I not know this?" Her mouth made a round circle and her eyes were wide.

I laughed and placed my hand on the back of her head, gently pushing it back on to my chest before I rested my chin atop her soft strands. "Would it have changed anything for you?" I questioned.

"No, I'm just even more curious about what you see in me now."

"I spent a lot of time around socialite barbies," I stated. "None of them could hold a conversation the way you can. Most of them didn't know their left from right or what the capital of our own damn country is."

I leaned back and Marley copied the action, her bold beautiful gaze merging mine. Her smile was so humble. There was a faith in her expression. Almost as if she believed that I could save the world. It was motivating. "There's so much I see in you, so much good and intelligence and passion and drive. Everything you do and say has purity behind it. You are a breath of fresh air."

I leaned down and pressed my mouth to her smiling lips and as always she instantly responded.

Before our kiss really even began my phone dinged with the sound of a notification. I paid it no mind. It wasn't important. Nothing could be of importance when I had her. But she broke our kiss and started to step back. I quickly wrapped a hand around the back of her neck to keep her close.

"Josh," she mumbled in between my kisses. "Check your phone."

"Why?"

"It might be important."

I groaned and placed a hand on Marley's hip, ensuring she wouldn't go anywhere. I pulled my phone out of my pocket with my free hand and read the screen.

It displayed that Blake had sent me a video attachment. For a moment I thought that it was probably just some stupid vine he'd forwarded around. But the caption caught my attention.

Virgin why?!

I suddenly felt a rush of heat run through my blood. I glanced at Marley who had her eyes fixated on my upper arms. Something that I would have usually teased her for, but something felt off.

Really off.

I angled the phone away from her, without making it too obvious and opened the file.

A video started, but it was just filming a wall.
After about seven seconds, the camera slowly moved to show the locker rooms at school. Marley stood by a bench, in her underwear and that was it.
My stomach dropped as she turned around, exposing everything. She pulled the girls sports shirt out of her locker and that's when I shut the video. I didn't need to see more. I felt sick. Physically sick. The entire party would have seen it.

"What's wrong?" Marley's worried voice pulled me out of my thoughts. Her features were etched with concern and she held on to my arm. "Are you alright?"

Am I alright? Her distress for me fucking broke my heart. She didn't deserve this. White hot anger blinded me.

I entered the rec room, only vaguely aware of how I got there in the first place, all I knew was that pure rage was carrying me. My eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Blake who was holding his stomach, curled over in laughter with Parker, Dehlia and Hannah.

I didn't take my eyes off him as I stormed through the crowd. I barely noticed the shoulders that I bumped or the people that I had to push past to get where I needed to go. I was focused and the anger was on a wavelength of its own.

My fist flew forward and connected with his nose, making a loud cracking noise. Gasps came from nearby. The group that surrounded us watched with shock and the party became a little quieter as people realised what was happening.

Blake clutched his face, his eyes watering instantly as blood poured over his mouth and chin. "What the fuck Josh?" He groaned.

"You're such a fûcking piece of shit." I snapped, shouting above the music. "Why did you do that to her?"

The prick looked at me with sarcasm through his narrow glare. After being smacked in the face. He still had the nerve to give me attitude. I was about to land another hit on him when a soft familiar voice saying my name, drew me to the crowd.

I glanced up and saw Marley standing among the onlookers. They stared at her with amusement and I could see that she was doing her best to ignore them.
Her eyes were glazing over and I felt the strongest urge to protect her from everything and everyone.

As much as I wanted to continue verbally and physically assaulting Blake, I could see how much Marley needed me. She needed to get out of here. Far from these assholes. Far from being a spectacle.

I shoved him in the chest and he stumbled, losing his balance before falling over. I didn't wait to hear whatever he was going to ramble next, I grabbed Marley's hand and pushed through the crowd of curious on lookers. No one here offered her comfort or support. No one spoke up for her. It made me sick.

As soon as we were on the road, I reached across the console and grasped her hand. "Where do you want to go?"

"Just home please," she whispered. "Can you stay with me?"

I glanced over at her with surprise. She kept her eyes on the road in front of her but I caught sight of the tear that rolled down her cheek before she could wipe it away.

"Of course I will."

I didn't know what to say to her. I didn't know how to make her feel better. I wanted to though.
God, I wanted to.

When we arrived back at her house, Marley poked her head through the front door and spoke to someone on the other side. Her sister I assumed once I heard the question.

"Is Dad around?"

I didn't hear the response that came from inside, but after a moment Marley opened the door and told me to go straight to her room. I walked through the living area, only slightly glancing at Andrea who was sat on the couch watching a movie.

"Don't tell Dad," I heard Marley tell Andrea before I'd made it to her room.

She walked in behind me and shut the door. I immediately pulled her into me and held her tight. She let out a soft sigh and wrapped her small arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry Marley."

"I'm okay," she mumbled against me.

I leaned back and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You don't have to be okay babe. You're allowed to be upset." Hell, she should have been fucking fuming.

"The thing is, I'm upset, but not in the way I should be I suppose," she looked thoughtful, her arms still wrapped around my waist. "I'm not embarrassed of my body in the sense that I don't like it or anything. I'm content with my figure. I'm upset because none of those people mean anything to me, yet they've all seen me naked. It upsets me because, to me, letting someone see me naked is personal and special. It's something I'd reserve only for someone who deserves it.. someone like you."

She looked up and her bottom lip jutted out. "How can it be special when they've tainted it and now everyone's seen me naked. It's not something that can just belong to you anymore."

I was beyond lost for words. That was what upset her most? That we could no longer have that personal experience to ourselves. She was more than I deserved.

I was genuinely not sure how to respond. She always seemed to have an answer for everything.
I tried to keep up with her but I just didn't have the same way with words that she did.

"They may have seen, but they don't get to touch. That can still be ours."

I kissed her forehead and said a silent prayer.
She might have deemed that a totally innapropriate comment at this moment. But I wasn't sure how else to make it better. What I really wanted to do was give Blake the beating of his life for hurting my girl.

She looked up at me with a wide grin on her face and giggled so I breathed a sigh of relief. "You're right," she agreed, leaning up on her tip toes and throwing her arms around my neck, "I'm all yours."

She tenderly pressed our lips together and I could feel the smile she was wearing. The fact that she was smiling after what happened tonight, blew me away.

I decided that those who were involved in this, because it would have been more than just Blake, needed to pay. They would. But for now, I wanted to let Marley forget about it. I wanted her to sleep peacefully and feel safe. I wanted to make her feel safe. I would do whatever I could to help her.
One way or another she would get the justice that she deserved.

End of chapter. Please tap the star to vote if you enjoyed ❤️

Okay so you know how Andrea ships JARLEY so hard.
I am literally just like Andrea with my little sister.
She has her first 'thing' with a boy. They like each other etc and ahhh I'm so excited. !
This is a legitimate conversation that we had ! 😂 I'm purple. 😂