You Stole My Heart

The next morning was awkward to say the least. Marco refused to talk and to come down for breakfast. She forged sick, giving a few pathetic coughs. Instead of telling her to just come down Johnny left her alone. He doubted anything he could say would make her leave her room anyways. Johnny was currently perched on a stool at his island, a beer can in hand. It sat unopened, his other hand covering his eyes.

“Honey, I’m home!” Jimmy’s voice called loudly.

“Stop picking my lock Sullivan,” Johnny sighed. He heard multiple sets of feet walk into the kitchen. When Johnny lifted his head Jimmy, Matt, Brian, and Zacky stood in his hallway. “Why is it you guys have been coming all at the same time?”

“Well we moved the party to Matt’s last night,” Brian shrugged. “Look dude, we’re sorry about last night.”

“I honestly don’t care about it at this point,” Johnny informed, standing to place his beer back into the fridge. “Where’s Frank and everyone?”

“Their manager called them back for some urgent business,” Matt replied with a shrug.

“Where’s Marco?” Zacky asked curiously. About this time the young girl was usually attached to Johnny’s side. It was odd to be put lightly.

Johnny sighed, rubbing his hands up and down his face. “She thinks I don’t like her.”

“Now why would she think that?” Matt asked curiously.

“Yeah, what did you do to my best friend?” Jimmy demanded, arms crossed over his chest. Everyone rolled their eyes, ignoring the tall friend of theirs.

“I told her last night I was angry about what you all did. She took it a little too personal and thinks I hate her. I told her I don’t, but she’s dead set.”

“Well she’s a kid, you know how they love to overreact,” Brian remarked with a shrug.

“By the way, have you checked into missing child reports? Tomorrow will make a week,” Zacky reminded. Everyone fell silent, sharing a look at each other.

“Man we really let her wrap us around her finger,” Jimmy said with an empty chuckle.

“And we were dumb enough to give her a room at day five,” Matt sighed.

“We are stupid,” Johnny muttered.

“Well apparently you’re stupidest,” Zacky joked. Johnny flipped him the bird just as Marco walked into the room. She was dressed in obnoxious yellow jeans, a Spongebob shirt, a Spongebob hat, and Converse. She looked between everyone and offered a small smile before concentrating on the floor again. As she walked over to the fridge everyone shared another look.

“Hey Marco,” Jimmy said suddenly. “Do you want to go see ducks?”

Marco automatically peered around the open fridge door to stare at Jimmy with wide, innocent eyes. “Really?”

“Definitely,” Jimmy exclaimed. She grinned, nodding excitedly. Then realization hit her and she shyly turned to look at Johnny with a slight frown on her face.

“I mean - is it okay if I go Johnny?” Johnny just rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Marco, can I have a word?” Marco’s frown deepened, but she nodded. She shut the fridge and followed Johnny out onto the back porch. They sat on the porch swing, silent as they watched the beach Johnny’s home literally sat on. His ex-girlfriend always wanted to live on the beach. It was a wish he granted just to have her leave him.

“So what did you want to talk about?” Marco asked timidly. Johnny turned to stared at the ten year old who was concentrating on her lap. Johnny ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit that Marco found obvious within the last week she knew him.

“It’s about - well I don’t know how to say this nicely Marco,” Johnny muttered.

“So say it bluntly.”

“I’m not -” Johnny took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart rate that was slowly rising. It was another habit whenever he had to say something he didn’t want to say. Like when he broke up with Lacey. “Marco, I’m not trying to -” Johnny let out a groan, not able to finish his sentence.

“Not trying to replace my father?” Johnny looked shocked, turning to look at the young girl again. Her hazel eyes were trained on the waves coming in, crashing on the sand, then going back. “I know you’re not. It’s not your job anyways, this is all just temporary, right?”

“Well, how are you feeling? You know, about…it?”

“I mean, every kid likes the feeling of having someone who acts like a real parent, but some people just have to deal without.”

“Well, I’d love to be a close friend,” Johnny said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“I’d like that.”

“Now we’re going to go to the park, see some ducks, and hopefully bring you down to a normal ten year old level. ‘Cause dang girl, that thinking is for teenage years. Live as a child for now, deal?”

Marco grinned up at Johnny. “Deal.”

“Do I see a new tooth coming in?” Johnny teased as the two walked into the kitchen again where the adults were now missing from.

“Yeah, yeah.” They walked into the living room to see the guys playing Super Mario Brothers on the Super Nintendo. Jimmy was currently playing Luigi, his tongue sticking out the left side with his eyes squinted as he jumped over a turtle. He then accidentally ran into a different kind of turtle with the boomerang. He let out a scream of frustration, throwing his controller at the television screen as he died.

“Jimbo, back away from the TV,” Matt warned as Brian, the person Jimmy had been playing against, turned off the game station. Jimmy grumbled some things under his breath as he crossed his arms over his chest. He still sat glaring at the blank television screen.

“Are we going to see the ducks or what?” Marco demanded with her hands on her hips. Everyone turned around to notice Marco and Johnny in the doorway. Jimmy hopped up and jumped over the couch to run out the front door.

“To the park!”