Marshall & Maxine

Marshall
I was ridden with guilt. Over the Phoebe situation. True, I wouldn’t have felt so guilty had she not been extremely good looking or if she had been a man but nonetheless, I was racked with feelings of guilt. Yet I still had Adriana.

“How are you, you sexy son of a bitch?” Adriana addressed me.

“I’m fine. How are your girls?” She grinned at me.

“They miss you, hon. And I miss your team mates. They bring me good business.” I grinned back.

“I’ll let them know but we’re being driven to the bone by our coach. He’s being such an asshole.” Adriana leaned over the couch that I was sitting on and began to massage my shoulders. “That feels good.” Her fingers pressed deep against my sore shoulder muscles. “In more ways than one.” I added as the warmth of her touch spread further south. Adriana gave a silvery laugh.

“Keep your thoughts PG.”

“They’re never PG around you, darling.” I murmured. My eyes drifted closed but the face that floated in front of me was not Adriana’s but Phoebe’s angered expression.

“Shit!” Adriana’s voice broke me out of my reverie. “I have work. My main working girl quit on me and I don’t trust the others. See you later.” She kissed my cheek and raced out of the apartment. I sighed. Now it was just me and my thoughts and anyone who knew me knew that that resulted badly. The door slammed as my roommate Alden entered.

“Hey, Marshall. That girl you’ve been pining over is in the hall.”

“Really?!?!?” I sprang up from my chair.

“Yeah. She-” I didn’t wait for what else he had to say; I was out of the apartment quicker than a dog with its tail on fire......maybe not the best comparison. But there she was, standing outside her apartment in all her glory.

“PHOEBE!” I called out as she inserted her key into the lock. She turned around with a smile but when she caught sight of me, her face froze and she turned back around, entering her apartment.

“Wait! No!” I held the door open.

“What do you want, Mr. Dale?” She asked coldly.

“I want to apologize for what happened at the party. We like to have a little fun.”

“Well, that little fun cost me and my roommates a lot of money so next time, Mr. Dale, do me a favour and have your ‘little’ fun somewhere that won’t destroy any of my personal property.” Her voice didn’t rise; she just stated her short speech in a cold, impersonal tone. “If you call that little fun, I don’t ever want to be around when you’re having lots of it.” With that, she slammed the door in my face. I gave the door a sad, puppy dog look but unless she was looking through the peep hole which I highly doubt she was, it would have no affect. Yet while she was scolding me, a plan had begun to formulate in my head. Now that I really considered it, it might be crazy enough to work.

Maxine
“You have been gathered here today to discuss the possible induction of another member into our group.” I called out. Celeste, Sasha and Felicia completely ignored me; they were much too engrossed in their Seventeen magazine. “DAMN IT!” I poked their magazine with a poker from the fireplace. “Pay attention. It’s like getting hyper four year olds to sit still.” Celeste rolled her eyes at me.

“I don’t see why this has to be a formal meeting. We all really like Phoebe; just invite her to have dinner with us. No need for a Frivolous Four meeting!”

“We need to decide a new name!” I snapped, frustrated. “W can’t be the Frivolous Four with five members!”

“I’m going to go find Phoebe and bring her here.” Felicia suggested. “You guys can puzzle over it while I’m gone.” Without even waiting for our responses, she was off.

“Great.” I muttered. Sasha laughed.

“It’s okay, Maxie. We can be the...Frivolous Five.” I shot her a withering look.

“That’s SO unoriginal.”

“Whatever. You decide.” Sasha turned back to her magazine.

“How about the Fantabulous Five?” Silence from Celeste and Sasha. Again with the magazine.

“How about a vote?” No nods, no agreement. “Gee, what a great idea, Max! Let’s vote! OKAY! All in favour of renaming ourselves the Fantabulous Five, raise their hands.” I was being ignored so I decided to hold my own meeting with myself. “WONDERFUL! Everyone is in agreement.” I cheered myself on. At this point, Felicia entered with Phoebe in tow.

“Hey, Phoebe!” I greeted her, enthusiastically. I could see she was still a little nervous around me.

“Phoebs!” Celeste said, warmly. Sasha just waved.

“Phoebe, we have decided to honour you by letting you join our private ‘circle’.” I told her, excitedly. Phoebe smiled, tolerantly.

“Why, thank you, Maxie. That’s awfully swell of you.” It took me a second to realize she was mocking me; I knew that mocking tone. In fact, I USED that mocking tone, everyday and on a variety of people. The anger that the tone had been used on me was swamped by the glee I felt that I had found a kindred, sarcastic spirit. Other than Jackson, who was plain boring sometimes.

“I think I love you.” Phoebe laughed.

“What’re you reading?” She placed herself between Celeste and Sasha.

“Seventeen.”

“Don’t you want to know the name of the circle? Or what we do?” I asked, still excited.

“Not really.” Phoebe replied, frankly. “Oooh, I love those shoes.”

“Oh, Maxie! I’d love to! What’s it called?” I began talking to myself once again. “Well, Phoebe. We’re a group of close girlfriends who provide each other with daily laughs, moral support and kick ass protection. And our name is the Fantabulous Five.” Phoebe looked up.

“That’s too....weird. Plus fantabulous isn’t a word. How about the Fabulous Five?”

“The Fab Five......” Celeste grinned. “It’s so corny it’s perfect!”