Chapter 11:

The party was in full swing when Alex drove up to the mansion. She had her Jeep valet parked and cautiously walked up to the door. Julie was there greeting her guests.

Alex. You clean up nice, Julie smirked as she eyed Alexs light blue, strapless, formal gown, a certain change from her usual punk rocker look.

Thank you. Marissa helped me pick it out when we were in LA.

Yes, well, Marissa has good taste when it comes to clothing. She takes after me. How was LA? Marissa wont talk to me at all.

It was great. Marissa really fit in with my friends.

She did? Julie asked, a worried tone in her voice.

Alex turned back to her, Hmm? Yeah, she did. They totally loved her. This looks like a great party Julie.

Julie raised her eyebrows when Alex called her Julie. She thought, Julie? Who does she think she is calling me Julie? She put on her best polite smile, Id prefer if youd call me Mrs. Cooper-Nichol.

How bout if I call you Mom?

Julie thought about that predicament for a moment, Mom? Um, Julie might be better than that word. She cleared her throat, Uh, Julies fine. Marissas upstairs in her room.

Thanks. Alex smirked at Julie before ascending the stares up to Marissas bedroom.

Alex opened the door to Marissas bedroom, a room she knew all to well, in the dark. In the room, 5 formally dressed teenagers sat on the bed. There she saw the closest things she had to friends in Newport all in one room. What a depressing town. Seth, her ex boyfriend, a geeky, out of place, Jewish, scrawny, sarcastic guy, sat with his really hot girlfriend, Summer, cuddling next to him at the foot of the bed. At the head of the bed sat Ryan, a tough but loveable, man-version of Shane, without all the girls, and cuddled next to him was Lindsay, a cute, kind of geeky, red head. Marissa sat in the middle of the couples on the edge of the bed. The guys were in tuxes and the girls were in amazingly beautiful dresses. Alex couldnt believe that these kids actually bought new dresses for each of their lavish parties.