Chapter Text
She still remembers how it felt, to say goodbye.
Not just to Amphibia, but to her friends- her normal life and sense of comfort. The plane ride home in deafening silence, her parents already moving away in her absence. When Marcy had finally made it "home", it felt anything but- it was cold and empty, eerily close to how she felt not too long ago. Everything was different now. While trapped in The Core, she may have accepted reality but that doesn't make the feeling of it any easier. She was now without the most important people in her life and had to deal with all that emotional baggage without them. The echoes of what once was, and what could've been.
She went to therapy, and specialists, she had all the necessary conversations with officials. It still never felt easier. The medicine only numbed the memories, only quieted the voices for just a moment. Enough to sleep. Enough to get by. Enough to keep her sane. The Core will always be a part of her, that much was true. But she was in control now, never allowing it to hurt anyone ever again. Never letting Aldrich win.
They had all changed over the past few years after all, apart from the physical scars they all endured, (not that she really remembered getting them). Even though Sasha and Anne hadn't changed their appearances that much, there was always something that seemed far more mature as they got older. Their personalities, the way they spoke to each other. Marcys hair wasn't as short anymore, about shoulder length- although her personality was more or less the same. The only thing different was her deciding to let go and stop clinging to the past, even if so much of her still aches for the normality of it all.
Marcy kept up to date best she can with Anne and Sasha, but it wasn't the same. Being this far away from them just drove a wedge between them, an uncrossable gap keeping them apart. Her greatest fear when she was thirteen was just everyday life now. Coming upstairs after school, Marcys first instinct was to check her phone, logging onto whatever social media was popular at the time. It was in scrolling through her friends' posts that she saw it- prom. Right, prom was coming up. She had ignored it for her school because, honestly binging her favorite podcast sounded far more exciting than partying all night, but this was an advertisement for prom at SJHS. Back in LA. Back where her friends were.
Her mind raced as familiar feelings from years ago began to bubble up again, tears pricking at her eyes. She smothers it long enough to shoot the group a text.
'Hey!! I just saw an ad for prom at SJ's! Are you 2 going? Who knew it would be this soon huh?' A pause. Obviously, they knew it was coming up. What was she thinking, these two were some of the biggest extroverts she's met, what a stupid question! They probably have dates already anyways and must be super busy-
'obviously lol.' Sasha shoots back, 'my friends have been bugging me to ask someone out all week'
Anne followed quickly after Sasha, 'Guess it did come kinda fast? Idk about going tho. it feels kinda weird.' That's... an odd response. 'Why do you ask tho? r u not going to urs?'
Marcy hesitated. If she tells them the truth, they'll just feel sorry for her and the last thing she wants is sympathy. But if she lies, they'd... no. She can't be thinking about that. They're all different now- better, even! They won't judge her for not being interested. 'Oh, nah! Probably not. Nobody to go with anyways.' It's not entirely a lie, she really didn't have anybody. Not anyone she felt strongly enough towards, anyways.
'I feel that haha' Oh. So she doesn't wanna go cause... right. That makes sense. If she had a partner then she probably would be all over it. But something still didn't feel right- something was heavy in her chest at the thought of either of them being alone. It was almost painful.
Sasha was quick on the tails of Annes' nonchalant admission, 'Whhaaaat no way!! u could always hang w me n jules?? why didn't u just say something?' Jules is... Sashas cheer friend, right? She feels like she should remember this. Sasha was always talking about her team, their competitions, and their victories. She always did make a good leader, always corralling and making her team believe in themselves. Leading them to victory. It reminded her so much of what lead Marcy to be her friend in the first place.
'i dunno, didn't wanna like intrude i guess? oh but look at this' Anne sends a photo, of a beautiful dress shop at the mall, the sign detailed in shimmering gold. You can faintly see her reflection in the glass, smiling brightly as she takes the photo.
'Woah! Pretty!' Marcy couldn't help but feel like they were all planning something together.
'mom wants me to at least try some on. i'll send some pics when i do'
'anne, i'd be hurt if u didnt. honestly, i already have mine picked out. i had some ideas' Sasha sent a pic she took the week previous, a suit jacket with a beautiful maroon gown underneath. Face mildly obscured by her phone. 'obvs my hair is gonna be done too but yknow'
'Omg sash you look so pretty?? What the heck!!' Marcy was giddy now, her friends seemed so happy. So full of life getting ready for next weekend.
'awww thanks mars. you'd probs look cute too ;)' She hesitated. 'u should dress up anyways, yknow, just in case.'
Her expression softened. 'Maybe.'
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. 'Message you guys later!! Got a TON of homework to do' Goodbyes were exchanged, complete with playful teasing over her heavy diligence towards education.
"Marcy? You're awfully quiet, are we doing homework?"
She opened her door, "Oh, mom! Nope, was just talking to some friends about prom! All the rage right now haha."
"Ahh, was it the girls from back home? How are they doing by the way?" Her mom seemed nonplussed on the outside, but she knew the deeper meaning behind those words. The looks she would get any time she brought them back up. The sympathy drove her absolutely crazy, but she never let it show. Her mom meant well.
"They're fine. Just out dress shopping and stuff. I... think they're going? Sasha is at least." She shrugged.
"Are you?" Marcy paused. "You've never brought it up until now." Marcy, heads back to her bed, hands in her lap. Of course, she wasn't gonna go to prom here, why should she? Even her local friends wouldn't be going. Sure they could all hang out while everyone else is partying but, it just wouldn't sit right.
"Actually I..." She had an idea, but it would cost time and money and she wasn't sure if her parents would be able to spare either. Sure they've settled in well enough, but could they trust her? To be okay? To not have another one of her "incidents" in public?
"I had an idea." She fiddled with her thumbs. Unable to look away from her hands, brow furrowed.
"Yeah? Let's hear it." Her mom walked over, sitting beside her. Her expression seemed warm. The same expression she had given Marcy years ago whenever she'd ask to go to a sleepover.
"Can I... go to prom? Back in LA, at SJHS?" Her hands shifted, gripping her pants tightly, unsure why such a small question gave her so much anxiety. Practically ripping the air from her lungs, feelings buried deep, deep inside. "I-I don't have to. I just wanted to surprise them since it's such a big deal for everyone and I just-"
"Marcy." Her moms hand gently gripped her own- had she been shaking? She hadn't noticed. Why was she shaking? "Look at me."
Her voice wasn't harsh. It was filled with something deep, something vulnerable and concerned. When Marcy eventually looked up at her, all she saw was her mom smiling gently. "You miss them, don't you?" All she could do was weakly nod. "Yeah." She wiped the encroaching tears away. "Yeah, I do."
Her mom brushed a hair out of her face, "Then we'll see what we can do."