You Stole My Heart

It had been two days since Marco had gone to the doctor. The first day she had come along to the studio again while yesterday Johnny had dropped Marco off at Matt’s where Kell and Ray had watched her. She was very unhappy with that so today she would be joining them at the studio again. Today she was better, her shivers to a minimum and her puking and headaches were completely gone. She was actually up and sitting in the lounge with everyone, watching Matt through the glass as he worked on his first track.

“How are you feeling today buddy?” Jimmy asked, plopping down next to her on the couch she was currently sitting on.

“I’m good,” Marco replied, smiling up at the tall man next to her. Johnny was currently working in one of the backrooms on a bass line he was having issues on. He had cursed which caused Marco to scowl him which caused him to work in the back to stop any further speeches for cursing in front of the young girl.

“So why didn’t you like being with Kell and Ray yesterday?” Jimmy asked curiously. He had called Johnny yesterday to check up on the girl and had heard an earful in the background from Marco.

“They just wanted to talk about boys and shopping and hair,” Marco complained, her nose scrunching up from distaste. Jimmy chuckled and ruffled her hair.

“I guess you don’t like that stuff?”

“Nu uh. Especially boys. They were being mean to me about Phoenix,” Marco huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. That was kind of Jimmy and Zacky’s fault, telling Kellie about who in turn told the rest of the girls.

“Sorry Markie.” That was a pet name Jimmy had taken up recently. Marco didn’t exactly like it, but she didn’t hate it. Anything was better than 'kid' which Johnny still sometimes referred her to as.

“Can I go sit in front of the knobs and stuff?” Marco asked suddenly, a big smile stretching almost from ear to ear. He looked over to see Brian and Walter in the only available seats. Zacky was missing in action from the room as he was in the small kitchen cooking something. Jimmy had stopped caring anymore. Everything he made was just ‘healthy shit ‘cause he wanted to get skinny again’. Stupid chubby man.

“You can go ask Brian if he’ll be willing to share,” Jimmy replied with a shrug. Marco hopped off the couch and walked behind the men. She was going to be sneaky, but her urge to cough was too great. As she let out a few coughs Brian turned around.

“Hey Marco. You okay?” She let out a ‘mhm’ and nodded. “What’s up?”

“Can I sit on your lap so I can watch Matt better?” Marco asked innocently.

“Sure thing little lady.” Brian picked her up by her waist to sit her on his lap. He turned back to face the room Matt stood in in front of a microphone. Marco’s eyes trailed over the knobs and buttons as Matt continued with his lines. Walter hit a button, cutting off the music and causing Matt to look up.

“Hey Matt, try that last part again. It sounded choppy on the vocals,” Walter said into a microphone on the dash.

“Okay.” Walter pressed play and the same part came up again. “Excuse the obscene, ignore the untrue. Depictions we see, try and get through. Admitting mistakes can hurt. I'm not the last but I sure ain't the first.”

“That’s perfect,” Walter spoke into the microphone.

“I like Matt singing better than screaming,” Marco piped up, the microphone catching it causing the singer to laugh a little.

“Why don’t you like the screaming?” Matt asked.

Marco pouted towards the man behind the glass. “It’s scary.”

“Sorry honey.” Marco shrugged, resting back in Brian’s chest. His arms were wrapped around her waist to make sure Marco wouldn’t fall. Marco had begun to daze off when she felt her shoulder being shaken. She lazily cracked open her eyes to see Johnny knelt in from of her. Well, more specifically Brian who still had her in his lap.

“Wake up Marco. You have to take your medicine and then we’re all going out to lunch,” Johnny informed her. She held out her arms and Johnny picked her up, her head resting on his shoulder.

“And here I was thinking you were finally going to propose Johnny. I am so disappointed,” Brian cried dramatically as Johnny walked away to the kitchen/entrance area to get Marco’s pills. Johnny just rolled his eyes, ignoring Brian’s childish behavior.

“We’re going out to eat and yet you're getting food from the fridge?” Matt scoffed at Zacky as he walked in the room to see Zacky bending over in front of the white appliance.

“I’m just getting a water, thank-you very much,” Zacky replied, sticking out his tongue as he came out with a water bottle in hand.

“Can you get Marco one too? It’s that time,” Johnny explained, shaking the orange medication bottle.

“She can just have this one. I just want a sip,” Zacky replied, cracking open the twist cap. He held it over his mouth so his lips didn’t touch it at all, tilting it so the water would fall into his mouth. Brian ran by, smacked his back, and ran out the building. Zacky spit out the water causing it to fly onto the ground.

“Ew. Gross!” Jimmy shouted, hopping over the puddle and running after the lead guitarist.

“Gates!” Zacky shouted, placing the bottle down next to Marco - who Johnny had placed on the table - and ran outside after the two. Johnny rolled his eyes and placed the white pill in Marco’s hand. She swallowed it with a sip of water and screwed back on the cap.

“Are they always like that?” Marco asked as Johnny helped her off the table.

“Yes, but usually it’s worse after a day in the studio,” Matt replied. Marco sighed and walked outside with Johnny who held one of her hands. As they got outside Zacky was chasing Brian around his own Charger. Jimmy sat on the roof of it, laughing crazily at the two.

“Would you three knock it off so we can go?” Johnny asked. They all looked at him and nodded. Zacky hit Brian in the stomach before running off to Matt’s vehicle, climbing in the front seat and locking the door. Brian flipped him off and walked in the opposite direction to Johnny’s truck.

“Great. They’re having a lover’s quarrel,” Jimmy laughed, heading over to Matt’s SUV with Walter. Matt and Johnny checked to make sure they knew where to go as Marco walked over to the truck where Brian leaned against it with a Marlboro in his mouth.

“Can you help me up?” Marco asked, yanking at Brian’s wrist. He looked down and smiled.

“Sure thing Marco.” He opened the backdoor and helped Marco into the backseat. Once she was securely in place with her seatbelt Brian shut the door. He put out the cigarette with the ball of his foot before climbing in the passenger seat. Johnny was in the front moments later and started the engine. He followed Matt out of the parking lot and down the street. Brian turned up the radio which was playing Papa Roach. After a few moments Marco sighed.

“It’s too quiet!” She exclaimed. Brian turned around in his seat to face her.

“Then what do you want to talk about?” Brian asked.

“I dunno.”

“Then it stays quiet.” He turned back around and watched the scenery pass by. Marco sighed again and let her head fall back so she could stare at the ceiling.

“Jimmy should have come with us. Brian’s boring,” Marco whined to Johnny. Johnny couldn’t help the smirk that came to his face as Brian looked horrified at the little girl.

“I’m hurt Marco,” Brian exclaimed with a hand over his heart.

“What? It’s true. You don’t talk at all,” Marco remarked, her arms crossed over her chest.

“I’m talking now.”

“After I insulted you. Jimmy doesn’t have to get insulted to talk.”

“Well if you love Jimmy so much go marry him!”

“He’d be a better husband than you!”

“How do you know how a husband is suppose to act?”

“Movies.” Brian paused, nodding his head.

“I’ll give you that one. But how do you know I’d be a bad husband?”

“Husbands are suppose to make wives happy. You don’t make people happy by getting into arguments with them or being mean to your friends or not talking at all,” Marco informed. Brian’s eyes grew wide and he turned around, crossing his arms over his chest and slumping down in his seat in defeat. Just then the truck came to a stop in the parking lot of Chili’s. Brian jumped out of the truck, running to the group in Matt’s SUV as he shouted about how mean Marco was.

“What a baby,” Johnny muttered as he climbed out and helped Marco out of the truck. He locked it before taking her hand and leading her to the entrance where the rest waited.

“It’s okay Johnny. He’ll grow up one day,” Marco told him. He chuckled, looking at Brian who was talking with Jimmy and Zacky like nothing had happened.

“I hope so Marco.”

“I heard that!” Brian exclaimed. The two just laughed at him.