One

     The first time Marina Hope laid eyes on Arvin Russell, he were a mere child who reeked of sadness and guilt, the emptiness in his dark eyes leaving space for love and hope he didn't yet have.  Although, Marina didn't quite care.  They weren't friends — they'd never be friends — and maybe that was for the best.  But when his sister started tugging at his sleeve, rambling about how Marina was yet again drunk in public, he knew exactly who Lenora was talking about.

     Maybe it was partially because Marina had such a big reputation, though most that was spoken of her wasn't exactly good.  But Arvin had a heart, his grandma hadn't raised him to be clueless, so when Lenora asked he find Marina at a party and get her out of there, he hadn't hesitated for a moment.  Now, stepping into some strangers house, it felt wrong.  No one hardly noticed him, and he liked that no one did.  He was, after all, the quiet kid.

     Marina, however, was not.

     Her laugh was detectable from the moment he heard it, so he began searching through the crowd of people in hopes he could find her, and that she wasn't too drunk.  He also hoped that if he found her in good condition that she'd actually want to leave with him, he knew how much she liked to party.

     The more he looked around the more he realized how mixed the crowd was, it seemed people ages fourteen through twenty were actually there.  Arvin's stomach twisted, knowing Marina's "playing field" was extended.  Walking into the kitchen area, he couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of Marina, who was standing upright and talking to some guy in their grade.  Her tan legs shifted around as she moved her weight to one side of her body, a giggle erupting from her lips before she pressed them to the rim of a cup in her hand.

     He didn't mean to stare for so long, so he made the effort to walk closer to her.  Clearing his throat roughly, looking at her under that run-down cap of his, he watched as she turned in surprise at the young man.  "Arvin? Hey, Arvin!" she smiled once she recognized him.

     Marina had never thrown around a simple "Hey, Arvin" in her ten years of knowing him, and Arvin understood the only reason she was being so nice was because she was drunk.  I mean, that had to be the reason she was coming onto him the last time they clashed, right?

     He reached out for the cup in her hand, which she gave over willingly (probably hoping he'd loosen up a bit himself), but he only stared at the inside of the plastic with distaste.  "How much you had to drink?" he asked, staring down at the little liquid left swimming at the bottom of the cup.

     "Not much, why?" Marina tilted her head, folding her hands together behind her back in a childlike way.

     He took in her appearance, baby hairs clinging to her head from the summer heat, doe eyes sparkling with mischief as she batted her dark eyelashes in hopes he'd fall at her feet.  He gulped, twirling the cup in his hand to feel the liquid sloshing around — hoping it would be enough to ground him.  "I think, you uh, should probably be getting home now, huh?"

     Marina furrowed her eyebrows at his question.  "Why?  I'm having too much fun."

     "Oh yeah?  Doing what, exactly?"

     Before Marina could respond — multiple smart comments running through her head but none able to form in her mouth — a third voice interrupted their conversation.  Arvin didn't recognize the girl, but Marina seemed too, as her smile dropped upon seeing her. He assumed she was someone who went to school with them.  "Arvin, honey, you could do so much better."

     "Ugh," Marina rolled her eyes, swaying slightly.  Why was this always happening lately?  "Shut up, Sharice."

     "Come on," Arvin set down the cup on the nearby counter, completely dismissing the random girl and rushing to help Marina as he was worried she'd fall over.

     "Why do you care?" she turned to him, warm breath fanning his face.  Though her voice seemed she was rejecting him, her arm found a spot over his shoulder — and he welcomed the girl into his arms.

     "Let's just worry about getting you outta here," he mumbled, only Marina able to hear.  The guy she was talking to merely sent him a thumbs up, something that made his stomach turn.  Did everybody treat her like she was only good for sex?  He supposed she'd be better off leaving the party with him than she would be staying and talking to some son of a bitch like the guy in the kitchen.

     "Oof, big muscles..." Marina giggled as he led her out the front doorway, the partygoers barely blinking an eye as she passed them on their way out.  Arvin didn't much fear anything they might have to say about him leaving with her.

     He grunted.  Jesus... you're heavy."

     "I like to eat my body weight in doughnuts sometimes," Marina shrugged.

     He tilted his head, imagining filling a pastime with eating sweets, and it didn't sound half bad.  "Alright, alright," Arvin said in his scratchy voice, sending chills down Marina's spine.  "Work with me here," he said, leading her to the side of his truck.

     "I don't know how I feel about all these men coming on to me," Marina blurted.  "I mean, I'm not dumb, I can see it!" she said in a whispered shout.

     "Uh-huh," Arvin paid no attention to the words coming out of her mouth as his focus was keeping her body upright.

     "Maybe I oughta keep some sort of weapon for protection," Marina nodded like a lightbulb had gone off in her head. "Mhm, like a knife."

     Arvin wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but he figured it was the alcohol in her system.  "Mhm.  Sure."

     Her lanky tan fingers tapped her thigh.  "I could keep one strapped to me, like a badass," she slurred.

     Arvin grunted, trying to manage to hold Marina upright while also opening the door to his pickup truck.  "Marina..." he began, unsure of where this conversation was taking him.  "Just... just please help me get you in the truck.  Swear we're gonna take you home."

     Marina rolled her eyes, turning away from the boy as she swayed.  Why was she proving herself to be more and more difficult?  This would surely be the last time he'd listen when Marina's name came pouring out Lenora's mouth — no matter how much of a soft spot his sister seemed to have for the girl.  "I don't wanna go home.  I want a knife."

     "That's nice," he said, Marina leaning her back against the truck while Arvin cleaned off the passenger seat for her.

     Marina turned to face him, hands dragging to the bottom of her skirt.  Arvin didn't quite catch onto the fact that she was lifting it up until it was too late.

     He sighed, turning to face him, though his face quickly fell pale.  "I—!" his hands ran to the sides of his head, eyes widening and staring at her like she was out of her mind.  "Marina!" he looked around while she giggled, thankfully no one was in sight.  His hands fell to hers, forcing her to pull her skirt back down while doing his best not to look.  "Jesus Christ!  What's the matter with you?!"

     Marina bit her lip, staring him down with a fire in her dark eyes.  It was then in that moment, drunk or not, she realized she wanted Arvin Russell.  She wanted him in any way she could have him, any way that would satisfy her, in all the ways that would make you blush, and in all the ways that the Church would definitely look down upon.  Because despite the fact that he was staring right back at her with shock, it also had shown that he cared.

     And from sharing an embarrassing night for the both of them, it would sprout an unmatchable and unbreakable bond later.

     Marina giggled some more.  "Sorry.  Just wanted to show you where I would keep my knife."

     Arvin sighed, gently placing his hand on her waist.  "C'mon Marina, let's get you home.  You're out your mind.  Need some rest, yeah?"

     Marina looked up at Arvin, stumbling into him with her large doe eyes.  "I don't wanna go home, Arvin.  I don't want my momma to see me coming home," she placed her palm on his chest, drawing circles through his tee-shirt.

     He titled his head, gulping.  Though this feeling was new, it wasn't exactly uncomfortable to him.  It was interesting, but he sure didn't have the time to explore this tonight.  He pulled her hand away, yet his other never left her waist.  "How 'bout this, I help you sneak back in.  Then after that, we never speak on this again."

     Marina sighed.  "Fine, sure, Arvin," she said, the alcohol getting to her as she was getting more and more tired every minute.  With a couple of not-so-swift movements, he gathered her into the truck, managed to drive her home (which thankfully, wasn't too far from his own home), and help sneak her back through her bedroom window.

     He stood there, the moon was lighting up his features.  He had long ditched the baseball cap and was watching her intently as best as he could from outside her window.  "You alright?" he said in the most hushed voice he could muster.

     Marina nodded.  "Thanks much, Arv.  I owe you one."

     "Don't mention it," he said, though his eyebrows instinctively raised once she grinned at him.  "No, no, I mean it, Marina."

     Marina bit her lip before pulling her shirt over her head, revealing another shirt underneath that showed more of her chest.  He did his best not to look.  "Yeah, okay... goodnight then, Arvin."

     "Goodnight, Marina," he said gently before walking away from the girl, the girl who was slowly closing the window on him and watching with childlike eyes as she watched him get back into his truck.  "Goodnight," he whispered to himself as he drove away.

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