You Stole My Heart

“Are we going back to the studio?” Marco asked once they got outside of the restaurant. Johnny smirked down at the girl.

“Maybe. Why?” Marco groaned, stomping a foot on the ground.

“It's so boring there!”

“Well you could of stayed home with Kell and Ray again,” Jimmy pointed out as he skipped pass them to head to Johnny's truck. Marco shook her head violently.

“Well you can't have it both ways,” Johnny laughed.

“Can we at least go do something else before we go back?” Marco begged. Johnny fake thought about it and cracked when Marco gave a defeated look.

“Fine. Brian, you know where we're going.” Brian did in fact. It was his idea. He climbed into Matt's SUV with Matt and Zacky while the other three climbed into Johnny's truck.

“So where are we going?” Marco piped up from the backseat.

“You'll find out when we get there,” Johnny replied. Marco let out another groaned, crossing her arms over her chest and sinking into her seat.

“But I wanna know now!”

“Me too!” Jimmy exclaimed. Johnny rolled his eyes, taking a left to follow the black SUV.

“You already know Jimmy.” Jimmy's face went blank before realization hit him.

“Oh yeah,” Jimmy droned, dragging out the 'yeah'. Marco huffed from her place in the backseat, her eyes narrowing.

“Everyone knows but me? Totally unfair,” Marco grumbled.

“Spoken like a true teenager,” Jimmy laughed.

“Shut up Jimmy. She still has three years. Let her live them peacefully,” Johnny sighed as he pulled to a stop at the light that was currently red.

“Actually two.” Marco let out an 'eep' as she quickly covered her mouth with both hands. Johnny and Jimmy whipped around to stare at the girl who now resembled a deer caught in headlights.

“What was that?” Johnny asked slowly. Marco removed her hands and chuckled nervously.

“Well, it was kind of my birthday yesterday.” She gave a weak smile which caused the two men to go blank. Suddenly a honking car behind them brought the men out of their trance. Johnny floored on the gas when he saw the light was now green and Matt was far from him.

“Why didn't you tell us?!” Jimmy demanded as Johnny quickly caught up.

“Well I didn't want to bother you guys with you working on the album and all. Besides, it's not important. It's just a birthday,” Marco replied, trying to wave it off with her hand. Jimmy wasn't dropping it.

“Just a birthday? Are you nuts? You should be getting cake and presents and balloons and rolling pin juggling clowns!” Jimmy exclaimed, his arms waving over his hands for extra effect.

“I can't have too many desserts or I get sick, I've had enough stuff I got from you guys to count as presents, I just like to pop balloons, and clowns are stupid.” Jimmy's jaw fell open as Marco glared at him, almost challenging him to list off more things.

“You have successfully eliminated everything that makes an eleven year old's birthday the shit. I am disappointed in you,” Jimmy stated in a 'fatherly' tone, turning back around in his seat with his nose in the air. Marco and Johnny chuckled a little as the two vehicles pulled to a stop in front of a nice looking, two-story home. Marco scoffed.

“A two-story, huh? Why am I not surprised?” Marco mocked as Johnny turned off the truck that was parked next to the curb.

“Hey, this time they have a reason. Three people and lots of visitors live here,” Johnny defended. Johnny climbed out as Jimmy helped out Marco since he sat on the same side as her. Once she was on the grass she grabbed Johnny's hand who followed everyone else up the walkway. Brian knocked three times before stepping into the house.

“Dad, Suzy, McKenna, we're here!” Brian called as everyone flooded into the entrance hall, Johnny shutting it behind himself. The sound of a stampede was heard throughout the home. Down the stairs came a woman, man, and teenage girl.

“Hello boys. And who is this?” The woman automatically asked as she walked down the stairs. The guys all rolled their eyes at the easy attraction Brian's step mom had towards Marco.

“This is Marco Suzy. Marco, that is Brian's step mom Suzy,” Johnny introduced. Suzy knelt down, smoothing over her skirt so it covered her legs neatly. Marco studied her as she did all people she met. The woman had dark red hair - probably dyed - and pretty blue eyes.

“Hello Marco. It's a pleasure to meet you,” Suzy chirped, happy to see another girl instead of boys. She let out an 'oh' and quickly stood again. “I almost forgot about the cookies. If you'll excuse me.”

A moment after she left, the man stepped forward. He had brown hair with very few strands of grey. What surprised Marco the most was the mirrored eyes of Brian's. He took Brian into a quick hug along with all the other guys. When he got to Marco he also knelt down, smiling at her. “Hello. I'm Brian's father, but you can just call me Papa Gates. Everyone else they know calls me that.”

“I’m Marco,” she chirped. He smiled softly at her.

“Well Marco I’d like you to meet my daughter McKenna.” Papa Gates motioned the fifteen year old forward. She complied, smiling down at the little girl as her father returned to his normal height. She had long, brown hair pulled into a ponytail and the Haner eyes.

“Hiya, I’m Kenna.” Marco simply smiled up at the girl, showing her teeth. Her missing front tooth was already half way in.

“Hi Kenna.” At this time McKenna excused herself to go help her mother. The adults walked to the living room, all off in their own conversations. Marco stood in the hallway looking between the kitchen and living room. She rolled her eyes before walking into the kitchen. Suzy was pulling the cookies out of the oven while McKenna was plopped on the counter, sipping from an apple juice box.

“Honestly McKenna, I’d think you were as young as Marco,” Suzy scoffed, taking the oven mitt off of her hand. McKenna rolled her eyes at her mom.

“Geeze Mom, I was her age like, what? Four years ago, maybe five? You act like it’s been a lifetime,” McKenna scoffed.

“Well it feels like it has been. I remember you when you were ten. Always wanting to play with your father’s guitar. Pretending to be a big rock star like him and Brian. I distinctly remembering you yelling about being baby Gates,” Suzy giggled as McKenna groaned.

“Mooom! Don’t bring that up!” She whined, covering her face with her hands since she had placed the box on the counter. Marco cleared her throat causing the two older females to look at the doorway.

“Oh hello Marco. Did you need something?” Suzy asked politely.

“I just kind of didn’t want to be stuck with the guys talking about boy things. I hope I’m not intruding,” Marco added quickly.

“Oh nonsense.” Just then McKenna’s phone began to ring with a song unfamiliar to Marco. She slid it open sideways, clicking a button. After her eyes trailed over the message she looked back at her mother.

“Hey Mom, Lilly’s mom said I could stay the night. Could I go now so me and her can hangout at the mall?” Suzy’s mouth twisted into a small frown.

“I guess that’s alright, go ask your father though.” McKenna nodded, hopping off the counter and walking from the room. As she left Marco felt a weird almost tightening in her stomach. She frowned as she grabbed her waist, also catching Suzy’s attention. “Are you okay Marco?”

“Yeah. I think I just need to use the bathroom…” Marco trailed off and Suzy smiled.

“Of course, just come this way.” Suzy led her out of the kitchen and down the hall. She leaned into a room, flickering on the light. The small bathroom bathed in light and Suzy stepped back to let Marco in.

“Thank-you.” Suzy nodded, walking back to the kitchen so she could place the cookies onto a plate. On the way she ran into her daughter who had a backpack over her shoulder. She kissed her goodbye on the cheek, calling a goodbye to the boys, and leaving the house. She walked into the kitchen and fake gasped.

“Brian, Brian, Matthew, Jonathon, James, and Zachary, what do you think you’re doing?” All five men turned to her with deer caught in headlights look. Each had a cookie in hand, Jimmy two.

“It’s not what it looks like?” Brian Sr. said with a mouthful of cookie. Suzy rolled her eyes, pushing her step son and husband - who were closest to the plate - away.

“I can’t even trust you six alone with cookies even for a moment.” They all begun to talk about how the album was coming along so far. After five minutes Johnny realized that Marco was still missing. He excused himself, no one really noticing his absence as the conversation still easily flowed. He walked to the bathroom door, knocking on it gently.

“Marco?” He called through the door.

“Go away!” Marco sniffled. He was instantly concerned, jiggling the door to see if it would open. Shockingly it opened. He stepped inside to see Marco hiding something behind her back, her pants pulled up crookedly.

“What’s up Marco?” Johnny asked, shutting the door behind him. Her eyes were slightly red as if she had been crying a bit. “Marco, what’s wrong?”

“I - I don’t know. I went to the bathroom and they were just - ” Marco slowly brought her arm forward to show her panties with a blood stain on it. It was very faint showing that she had manage to get some out with the bloody tissues in the toilet. Johnny’s face turned bright red and awkwardly patted her shoulders.

“It’s okay Marco, it’s normal for girls. Uhm, you know what? Let me go get Suzy. She’ll be able to explain it.” Marco nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Johnny all but ran from the room, slamming the door behind himself. He dashed to the kitchen and dragged Suzy, not answering her questioning pleads.

“What the heck Johnny?” Suzy huffed when he finally let go of her arm.

“Marco got her ‘gift’,” Johnny explained using his fingers as air quotations. “Explain to her?”

Suzy laughed at Johnny’s tomato red face. “Okay, you just go back to the boys and I’ll talk to her.”

“Thank-you,” Johnny breathed out of relief, walking back to the kitchen. He plopped his head down on the counter as the guys and Papa Gates bombed him with questions.

“What is going on?” Matt demanded.

“Marco’s ‘becoming a woman’ already,” Johnny sighed with the same actions he used a minute ago. Everyone in the room groaned.

“I wish you the best of luck. It’s hell,” Papa Gates joked.

“Thanks,” Johnny muttered.