The Last Story - Chapter 11

Okay guys, before you read, I want to apologize for the theme of this chapter, I guess. I know that it's not what you probably were expecting, but all the same, please keep an open mind while reading, and remember that I have a plan, I promise.
A huge thanks to all of my commenters, especially Ruthie, who did in fact give me the start of one of these ideas! Don't forget to comment! I'm serious! :)

Marissa's POV
"What the hell do you want with me, Ben?" I shrieked. He had no right to drag me from my intimate moment with David. Okay, so it was a hug, but I still hadn't wanted to let go. This had better be good, because if it wasn't, I'm pretty sure I want to kill this guy right about now.

"It's Hannah. She told me that she never wants to see me again. So I told her I was dating Marissa Carming and she didn't believe me. She wants proof. Help me out here Marissa! Just say something publicly! Talk to Hannah! I can give you the address where she works!" His face was so full of hope, desperation, and love that I couldn't just say no. I'd seen that face before. In the mirror.

"I promised you that I was going to make it up to you, so where is she? I just want to get this over with! I have my own life you know! Did you not see me with David?" Okay, so I was a little mad at him, but I had made a promise to let go of the poison in my life, and Ben definitely qualified as poison. I've always been the one who people rely on, but now I can't do anything for myself.

"I'm sorry about you and your real boyfriend, but listen to me! I just need to win her back, and like I said, she wasn't so impressed with me backing up you instead of her. So if I were dating you, then there would be a reason for me to help you!"

"There are so many things wrong with this idea and plan. I'm morally disgusted. Did you ever even consider that cheating on her is even worse than helping out some chick that spilled her coffee on you? It's ridiculous! Plus, if I break up with you, it'll look like you're crawling back, and then she definitely won't want you back! And if you break up with me for her, you'll look stupid because you broke up with her for me! I guess if you told her that it was a mistake and when you realized that I wasn't the girl for her, it might work, but even still she'll hate you for cheating!"

"I know it's wrong, but just hear me out! Neither of us will have to break up! Because if we come up with a better idea, then she'll be the one crawling back to me, asking for me to leave you for her!"

"Ben, that's a fantasy, not reality. No girl is going to go crawling back to a guy who cheated on her."

"But what about all those girls who get beaten up by their boyfriends, but keep going back to them. Obviously, they know that what's going on is wrong, but they love him so much, and believe that he's going to change so much, that they want him back!"
"Ben, those are unhealthy relationships. And I'm fairly sure that you want a healthy, stable, caring relationship with Hannah. Not a controlling, scary one. That can go both ways."
"All right. Here's the deal. We're going to come up with a better plan. I have a perfect idea."

Hannah's POV
"Mom, I'm fine, I don't need that cheating piece of scum anyway. He never treated me as an equal; I'm just surprised that I didn't figure out he was cheating sooner. I'll be fine, you don't need to call every ten minutes," I said for the thousandth time. I'm thinking my mother is slightly deaf, not hearing the heavy exasperation in my voice. Truthfully, I did miss Ben. He was kind to me, and always treated me well. But the fact that he didn't remember that it was our anniversary, and then bought some other chick more coffee when it was her fault was the breaking point.

I had always thought that Ben was "the one." You know, like my own personal Prince Charming, or sappy guy in a bad romance novel. We always were the perfect couple; together since the sixth grade. That was fourteen years of fun, caring, and love. Because when you have something that good, it takes a lot to break it. And I'm sure that this mystery girl was a sign. A sign that he was cheating. A sign that I'd just wasted almost half my life. A sign that I need to rethink my priorities.

After listening to Ben blab on about dating this Marissa Carming, I decided to Google her. It turns out that she's a pretty famous writer. I mean, her seventeenth book is about to come out, and is being made into a movie. I'm actually thinking of trying out for the role of Rebecca. I heard that there were tryouts in town today, and that might be just what I need to get a fresh start. Stardom has never solved anybody's problems, but being in that movie might get me more opportunities in my career. It's hard to get into the film business, but I've been trying to become a director.

Ben always supported my dreams, but I had started doubting him towards the end. It's not like I completely lost all of my emotions just like that, but I had gotten more angry. Now, it was my time to shine, and I knew just the way to stand out. Calling the nearest cab, I made my way to the audition. The wait was frightening, and I was seriously intimidated by the young, beautiful women practically crying because of how much they wanted it. One girl was in the corner, silently reading her lines. I figured she was a safe harbor, so I sat next to her.

"Hey, I'm Hannah!" I greeted her as I sat. She simply looked up, nodded, and smiled. "It's my first audition, I'm super nervous! Are you trying out?" I continued. She shook her head no and held up a whiteboard. It read: "My name is Sarah, I am mute. Please excuse me if it seems I am ignoring you. I can answer you with this board." I was slightly confused. "Then why are you here?" I asked, genuinely curious. She smiled and began writing.

"My sister is trying out. She's slightly irresponsible, so my mother made me drive her. She wants the role of Rebecca, but even without being able to speak, I'm a better actress than her!" A weird gasping noise came out of her throat, but she was smiling, so I'm guessing she was laughing.

"Would you like to come in with me? Just to help me calm my nerves? You seem like a pretty decent person!" I asked with a smile. She nodded quickly with yet another smile. "Which one is your sister, so I can tell her?"

Her eyes widened. "Oh, she won't mind! Let's just go!" she wrote. That was a little weird, but I went through the wooden, generic door to meet my judges. Behind the table was a pretty woman, probably in her thirties, and a seriously hot guy who looked mildly depressed. When we walked in, a loud voice yelled, "Next is Hannah Benson, trying out for the role of Rebecca. Action!"

"Max, will you shut up! We don't need the action! Hello Hannah," the grumpy man grunted. Just when I thought that I didn't stand a chance, he looked up, and his eyes grew warm. "Oh my god! You came back! What did he do to you?" he asked, getting more worked up and worried as he spoke. At first I thought he was talking to me, but then Sarah ran to hug him.

"Nothing, he just wanted her back. We came up with a brilliant plan too!" Sarah whispered, pointing to me. What? I thought she couldn't talk! "I'm sorry I had to leave earlier!"

"It's okay Marissa. It wasn't even your fault! It was that creeper, Ben!" the hot guy mumbled into her hair. It really was a sweet moment, but I hated the fact that I had trusted this person who obviously was just a part of my bitter ex's plan to win me back. He had called her Marissa; as in Marissa Carming?

"Look, I'm still here. I'm not sure I even want the part back, but what the hell is going on? Are you Marissa Carming? You said your name was Sarah! What does Ben have to do with any of this? I'm so confused!"

"Look, it's nothing. All you need to know at the moment is that Ben loves you, and everything you see in the future is all a plan to win you back. All of it," she reassured me. It was intimidating being reassured by a person you hated, and still kind of did.

"What the...David come look at these photos!" the woman murmured. I walked around the table as well, just to get a glimpse of what was happening. The pictures that stared up at me made me gag, I was disgusted. Marissa just stared at all of us with knowing, sorry eyes. She had said everything was a plot to win me back, and she was obviously in love with David.

"Marissa, leave. Now." Apparently the love wasn't mutual.
"But David, I can explain," she said, her voice getting hyper, and stressed. That was understandable. If she knew what the pictures were (and I'm sure she did) then I would be stressed out too. There were now nude pictures of her with Ben all over the internet and news; pictures of them kissing, pictures of them clothed, but walking down the street holding hands, and making out. I was feeling humiliated just looking at them; forget being the star of them!

By then Marissa had run out of the room, tears brimming from her eyes, threatening to fall, but not quite making it. In that moment of time, emotions flooded through my body. Marissa had ruined her own relationship and life to help me. This girl, no matter how much I wanted to hate her, was pure gold; a special kind of person that just wanted to make the world a better place. Feeling guilty, I decided to call Ben, he owed me an explanation.

"Ben, what's wrong with you? That poor girl ruined her life to help me, and you were the one who caused it. This is so classically you Ben! I'm never dating you. How could you just do that to a person? Just ruin their life like that?" I screamed into the small phone.

"I did it for you! For us! Turn on the T.V. and you'll see!" So, I did. And what I saw will stay with me for the rest of my life. The pictures were on the screen, blacked out this time, but still there. A reporter was covering the story completely, getting behind the scenes with interviews.

"Here today we see what we never thought we'd see. Marissa Carming. We all know the name, and have memorized ever moment she's given us in her world famous horror books. However, she's been the purest, cleanest girl in all of New York, and here she is today with these horrific photos of her and her new boyfriend. She refused to comment on anything as she exited the building where auditions for her new movie were taking place today. Wait, we have an interviewer available. Now to Richard with Ben Sanchez, alleged boyfriend."

"Thank you Kristine! I'm here with Ben Sanchez. Now Ben, you say that you are the man in these pictures? What made you decide to take such graphic photos, and the question we've all been wondering, how did you get Marissa Carming to join you?"

"Well, here's the thing. I've read Marissa's novels my whole life, so I've always felt close to her, as many people do. I ran into her a few weeks ago on my anniversary. When she spilled coffee on me, I purchased her a new one out of respect and awe, I suppose. Hannah, my girlfriend, was mad at me, and we broke up, but I want her back. I want her back so badly. And the reason that I've convinced Marissa to take these photos today was to do this-" He bent on one knee and pulled out a gorgeous ring. "Hannah Benson, I love you more than the world, and I'm so sorry. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so please forgive me and be my wife!"

I was on the phone is seconds calling him. He answered the phone on camera, with the reporter commenting on how he hoped it was me. "Ben, you are a disgrace to mankind. If you could have seen the look on her face as she walked away from her horrified real boyfriend, you would say the same thing. The act you have performed today is unforgivable. You ruined a person's life just so you could get your way in life, and that makes you a horrible human being. Do me a favor, and never talk to me again. No, I am not going to marry you," I hissed at him over live television. The best part: his phone was on speaker, with him waiting for me to call crying saying yes, and how sweet he is.

"Well, Ben, that was quite a stunt you pulled there. Wait, we have another interview. This is James Kent, Marissa's right hand man. He plans everything for her and accompanies her to all of her major events. How do you feel about your partner going through this?"

"Well, honestly, I've been in love with Marissa ever since I've started working with her! I loved the pictures, and I would like her to marry me! I-I-I'm sorry, but I needed to say something. Marissa, if you're watching, just know that I'm here for you, supporting you one hundred percent! This guy Ben, he didn't care for you, he used you, but I will always be your number one fan!"

I had no idea things could get this bad for one girl. My heart went out to her, and I knew what I had to do. "Hello, operator? Yes, could you please tell me the exact address of Marissa Carming?"