FRIENDLY FOURTEEN:

~Marina's Pov~

I successfully resumed my 5am routine with my quick keep-fit morning workout, then I strode downstairs to prepare breakfast, I mean it's been a while, pretty sure the boys missed Marina's cuisine, right?

I took out bread and cheese from the refrigerator and set out to make some cheese on toast. I toasted nine slices of bread while I chopped chilli, tomato, garlic and kept them aside while I spread butter and cheese on the toasted bread slices, then I carefully sprinkled the chopped veggies alongside condiments before I placed them in the grill oven. The aroma engulfed me and I knew I got the recipe right.

"Hmm, something smells good." Dad cooed as he came up behind me in his grey pyjamas.

"Mmm-hmm, what can I say? Marina is wife material." I nodded back in agreement, "Is mommy home?"

Dad stiffened for a second then replied, "Oh no dear, she called late last night that she would be in theatre for another ten hours, being a gynecological surgeon isn't child's play." He explained and I just nodded again to hide my disappoinment.

A smile tipped my lips at a thought, "Technically, it's still child's play because you know?"

"Hey, that's a good one! Now let me have a taste of those lovely toast." He beamed sympathetically and pointed at the browned slices of bread still in the oven.

"All these noise, I should have guessed who was in the kitchen!" Jakob appeared around the corner, shirtless as usual.

"Grab a plate, kid!"

Jakob grabbed a plate for himself as he approached dad and me. Me and Dad exchanged a look and we both laughed.

"What am I missing?" Jakob asked looking around him like he was checking what was wrong.

"You look like a prisoner holding a plate like that." I managed to say in-between my laughter.

"Oh please, just serve the toast already."

I used a glove to get the grilling pan out of the oven and carefully placed it on the kitchen counter, then I used a spatula to serve the perfect toast.

"Bon appétit!" I grinned as I handed everyone back their plates.

We all dug into our breakfast and Jakob passed around glasses of orange juice, some casual conversation kicked in about school, work, basketball and dad also asked if Kiara and Jakob were doing okay, and just like that people is how the Hunters eat breakfast. It was times like this I couldn't help but believe we were fine even without Mom and it didn't matter if she cared to be here or not.

~ ~ ~

School has started off well, I had turned in my algebra assignments in Mr George's class which was in first period, I had chemistry with Mr Ivan after that and now it was time for Biology, my favorite subject with Miss Heidi.

I strolled into the class happily but my excitement was knocked off the moment I remembered what was happening in Miss Heidi's biology class today, the time of the semester I dreaded, the day we'd all be paired and given project partners or buddies. Ugh socialization... I just wasn't cut out for it, but Miss Heidi– young, blonde and pretty Miss Heidi in her size two jeans, the female teacher most SLake boys had a crush on– didn't leave me a choice. It was either I followed her instructions or dropped Bio, and Bio is my favorite subject so how'd that be possible? Also have you ever seen a science student who doesn't offer biology? It was just insane. I heard the bell sound in the hallway and knew I was on time as always.

As expected, I took a seat by the window that overlooked the properly mowed surrounding, and up ahead, just across the compound was the entrance to the senior's block, I wonder what class Jason would be having now, I have barely seen him since Sunday, this being in the juniors block alone wasn't working well for me and yes I did miss him.

"Hey, Jocelyn!" Someone called out from behind me.

My head turned slowly, how did I end up in a class room with Darnell? And what's worse, I was sitting in front of him? No no no no no no no...

I cringed as my eyes met his green ones, "Darnell? I didn't know you offered biology."

"I didn't, my Mom forced me too." He gave me a cringey smile in return.

"..." I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but my tongue betrayed me and no words came out. "I hate this." I finally muttered.

"Being in a class with me or sitting in front of me?"

"Both!" I breathe out and the devil's incarnate decided to lean closer on his desk.

Darnell touched my hair softly and tangled the tips between his fingers, then I smacked his hand with my pen.

"Keep your hands to your side, mister!"

"Really, why?"

"People are staring." My voice reduced to a hushed whisper.

My gaze swept through the class once and I didn't miss the surreptitious glares some girls were already throwing in my direction. Was he already popular? Oh I forgot coach had already put him on the roster and that's just great for the student forum gossip, I can already picture the post; Marina Hunter and Darnell flirting in bio? And the comments would be stuff like; oh I think she's trying to hit on him or Darnell is not into sandy blonds. The girls in the student forum have no fear whatsoever they wouldn't even care if the person they were talking about would see the texts, which they obviously will... But are you starting to see why Marina has no girly friends in SLake?

"What does it matter? Let them stare."

"You won't be in the picture when your lovers start sending me death threats." I smacked his hand again.

He gave me a hurt look, then said, "So you're not part of them, like my lovers? I guess I need to up my game."

My mouth dropped open, the last time I had a conversation with someone sick in the head was in Santa Monica with that guy called Bodie, as weird as it might sound, I do hope I see him again sometime soon, he's sorta funny.

Back to the matter on ground, Marina Hunter!  My subconscious snapped at me and that's when I realized I was staring at Darnell wordlessly for some more-than-needed extra seconds.

Before I could think of a comeback talk more of utter it, Miss Heidi walked into the class.

"Eleventh graders! It's another lovely morning." She grinned and her perfect thirty-two were in full glory.

The class mumbled something similar to welcome and good morning back at her, and some shameless boys didn't hesitate to hoot some naughty comments alongside what was supposed to be a greeting.

"Okay class! As I mentioned before student week, today I'd be assigning project partners for the terms work." Miss Heidi mentioned and the class went in an uproar. "Quiet down kids, my class, my rules! I've said it before, if you have a problem, drop biology or argue it out with the management... So do I have your undivided attention now?" She asked and the class chorused agreement, I mean did we have a choice?

"Much better... I'd just go straight to calling the names." She said and flipped open her jotter, she began calling out names but I didn't fancy paying much attention until I heard my name and my ears perked up like a dog's.

"...Marina Hunter and Daneley Royce, Darnell McCoy and Curtis King."

Please tell me it's not that same Daneley, like Jason's fling? I thought she was supposed to be an art student, then why is she offering biology? That is beyond me. See why I hate pairings, Marina never gets paired with someone interesting like Darnell for instance. I mean if miss little blond pants wasn't in Bio, maybe just maybe I might have been paired with Darnell, I'm deffo requesting for a partner switch after class though.

When Miss Heidi finished reading the list the class scattered again, but when she raised her hand to request for silence, it was quiet again.

"You guys haven't even heard what the project is about, and because of your saucy attitudes, I might as well stretch the project period–"

"Aw, come on!" Someone exclaimed, two rows away from me.

"Uh uh, don't complain! I'm giving you guys time to get to know each other and who knows this might even be the beginning of new friendships!" Miss Heidi said with an I-feel-like-cupid grin.

I huffed and shook my head which made my pigtails bounce, who still wears pigtails in highschool? Well Marina does.

"Someone doesn't look happy." Darnell whispered into my ear.

I turned around and glared at him, "How can you smile? Oh I forgot, you probably got paired with someone you like."

Darnell chuckled softly, "You wanted to be my project partner?"

"What?!"

"It's showing in your eyes, I could talk to Miss Heidi if you want, she won't say no to a cute teenage boy." He smirked and shook his head so his curls bounced, he's been wearing his hair down a lot recently.

"You're disgusting! I don't know what you think you saw in my eyes, but keep dreaming, Marina's not into you." I glared at him one more time then returned my attention to whatever Miss Heidi saying.

Okay maybe I am attracted to Darnell but so what? My studies matter.

"You're breaking my heart."

"Jeez, do you ever shut up?"

"Not when I get a chance to get on your nerves."

"Darnell! I'm trying to pay attention."

"Oh she's finally paying attention to me–"

I turned and gave him an exasperated look, then the guy by his side surprisingly came to my rescue.

"Let her be, man."

"Thank you!" I breathe out barely looking in the stranger's direction, who knows for all his coming to my rescue it might just be a scheme, isn't that how boys are?

"Fine, have it your way, Butterfly."

Again with the nickname...
But then again, I do call him mystery boy, so maybe were even.

When my attention finally returned to miss Heidi's teaching, I learned she was talking about cell division as a form of reproduction in organisms.

"Can someone tell me what mitosis is?" She asked the class.

As always, pride didn't let anyone including me who knew the answer raise up their hands to answer the question. Then a nice student at the front row decided to be the hero and rescue us all by giving an answer and not just any answer, the right one.

"Thanks, Cassie! And just like she said, mitosis is a process whereby a parent cell divides into two daughter cells with equal number of chro–" The sound of the bell interrupted her and she looked even happier that she was done with the class, "And there goes the bell. See you guys later this week, my advice, work it out with your partners, you won't want to loose marks on the project!" She said lastly and closed her jotter.

Noise overtook the quiet as the class ended and thankfully some flirty girl engaged Darnell before he made a move on me, I took the distraction like a predator and ran to catch up with miss Heidi, hopefully she'd heed my plea and not let me suffer from emotional torture when I have to work with a girl who is basically dating my bestfriend who also happens to be my crush but then someone intercepted me. It took everything in me not to yell and cuss at this person.

"What do you want?" I exhaled in exasperation. "Get out of my way!" I added in a haste as I watched Miss Heidi leave.

"Sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?" A girly voice asked me.

I darted my eyes from miss Heidi, it was already too late to catch up with her and Marina's athletic skills were trash, you'd wonder how some who's relatively good at basketball isn't much of a runner, yeah? Well it fascinates Marina too, so since this stranger has already succeeded in disrupting my plans, I guess I might as well listen to what she has to say and hopefully it's worth my while and I don't have to murder her a thousand times over in my mind.

Hold on... I'd rather kill her now.
Why is Daneley trying to talk to me?

My fiery blue-hazel eyes met her similar jovial ones.

"You're Marina, right?"

I managed a small smile as I succeeded in gathering my shit together, "Yes that's me!"

"I am Daneley, we're project partners." She stated the obvious with an uncertain shrug.

Well I'm actually thankful she took the first step to try and get acquainted, because I would have never done anything about it.

"Nice to meet you, Daneley."

"You too, you seem pretty cool, and I love your shoes, I was on my way to the cafeteria, want to get acquainted over lunch?" She offered and gestured towards the exit.

Eww, why is she nice?

I nodded slowly, "I mean having lunch with someone in my grade for the first time since I entered highschool should be fun so why not?"

She laughed softly, that kind of laughter that flirty girls usually use to charm boys, something I guess every SLake girl had including me, although I never use mine. But hey, I'm kinda seeing why Jason is hanging out with her, she's pretty and friendly and looks innocent enough to catch a boy's eye. I was told guys love girls that look innocent, was my source right? Also we were around the same height, only I was like an inch taller.

"Come on!" She beamed as her pale blue eyes lit up and her slight movements made her blond ponytail bounce a little.

As much as I want nothing to do with this girl or any other SLake girl, I guess a few weeks doing school work wouldn't hurt, what are the odds? Should I be scared? Do you think we'd bond over Jason or worse?

We walked into the cafeteria side by side and as destiny would have it, guess who we met first?

Jason Kuyper!

Daneley shot him a sheepish-in-love grin but I guess she was oblivious to the shock visible in his blue grey eyes, I'm pretty sure lover boy didn't expect to see us together, I mean his bestfriend and 'girl' friend. He's probably thinking, Marina has a girlfriend? How did that happen? Why Daneley?

I chuckled to myself at his perplexed look but left the explanation to Daneley.

This should be interesting! I didn't miss a chance to make a mental note, while I mentally sat back to watch this drama unfold.

~ ~ ~
A/N: so I'm scrolling through Google and I find this lady named Marina Laswick who fits right into my description of Marina Hunter, like what kind of coincidence is that? See you in fifteen.
TheShadyButterfly🦋.