Leaving Here, Not Coming Back

Marina went into the living room to see Brian and Michelle in mid make out, they didn't notice her so she slipped by them into the kitchen where she got a drink of water before slipping past them again.

She went to the balcony to see Ronnie gone, she sighed in relief. She loaded her laundry basket with her new clothes and took them to the laundry room where she started her laundry, figuring she could get two loads done before she went to bed.

When she returned to the room she noticed an accoustic guitar in the corner on stand. A pick was placed under the strings.

She wandered over to it and picked it up, taking the pick into her hands. She sat on the bed and began to strum Barracuda by Heart. It sounded okay on acoustic, and it was a pretty good song. She hummed the words quietly as she played.

When she finished she began Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) by Green Day, her favorite song by them out of the ones she knew; Minority, American Idiot, I Wanna Be On TV and All The Time.

She allowed herself to sing quietly, unable to resist. Unknowingly to her, Brian and Michelle had finished their make out session and were listening outside her door proudly. Brian recorded it on his cell phone.

He grinned to his wife who smiled back. Her voice was perfect for the song, heartbreaking and sincere. Brian was sure she had more singing capability but for this song it was just perfect. He only knew the song because it was on the radio a few times.

When Marina finished she smiled, she'd forgotten how much she loved to play the guitar. She couldn't do anything fancy but that was because she taught herself in her rare free time in Guitar Center. She couldn't afford lessons but a girl was nice enough to teach her the basics for free.

Marina tried to figure out Never Too Late by Three Day's Grace but couldn't get it. She poked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth and concentrated.

Her eye brows knit together as she worked.

She felt the bed dip down, and looked up quickly to see Brian with an acoustic guitar in his hand. She instinctively scooted a bit away from him, he frowned but shook it off.

“Try it this way.” He showed her the notes and patiently let her practice them, and answered her questions.

Within ten minuets she could nail the intro, embarrassed that it took her so long.

“Hey, you did good.” He grinned, tipping her chin up lightly with his finger. She flinched at the contact but allowed it, trusting him.

She grinned a little, and he dropped his finger having successfully cheered her up.

Brian taught her a few more chords and simple songs, over the next hour. By dinner time she felt like she learned more than she could have taught herself in four months.

“Dinner!” Michelle called.

“Lets eat!” Brian put his guitar on the bed and put Marina's on it's stand, heading down stairs.

Marina was frozen. She'd always wanted to hear a woman call 'dinner' to her that wasn't a nun, she always wanted a father figure she could bond with. For the first time in her life, she was beginning to feel like a member of a real, family.

She bit back tears of happiness as she went down the stairs. A little white dog came scampering in, Michelle bent to pet it.

“Who's that?” Marina asked.

“That is my baby Pinkly.” Brian proudly proclaimed.

“She's so cute!” Marina dropped to the floor to play with the dog who trotted up and licked her face, wagging her tail.

“You can play with the dog after dinner.” Michelle said.

“Okay.” Marina stood and went to the kitchen.

They ate dinner together making small talk. Marina looked from Brian to Michelle, then to her dinner and all around again.

Her tears slipped out.

Michelle noticed first. “Honey whats wrong?”
Marina shook her head and wiped her cheeks.

Brian looked at the teen “Are you okay?” He asked.

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

“Then why are you crying?” Michelle asked, leaning forward a bit in interest.

“I...I'm so h-happy.” Marina's voice cracked.

“Why?” Brian inquired, with a soft voice.

“Thats why. I h-haven't been yelled at or...touched...or beaten...in a long time. And I...I feel l-like I...”

“Like you what?” Michelle asked.

“Like I have a family.” She said quietly.

Tears brimmed in Michelle's eyes, Brian refused to allow his to show at all but he felt them in the back of his eyes.

“You do honey!” Michelle threw her arms around the teen and cried with her.

“Eh, what the hell?” Brian threw his arms around both of the females and held them as they cried in happiness.