Leaving Here, Not Coming Back

The next morning Marina woke up and went to the bathroom where she showered and got dressed putting on light colored make up for a change. She put on a jacket and smiled at her reflection, feeling pretty for the first time in years. She thought about happy she was already with her temporary home. It was like she had a mom, and a dad who loved her and each other. No abuse of any kind for anyone, no yelling, no fighting. Marina hoped that maybe after court Brian and Michelle would consider adopting her. She already trusted Brian almost completely, and Michelle was the perfect mix between a sister, a best friend and a mom.

Marina headed down stairs to the kitchen where Michelle greeted her. “Good morning Rina! Brian had to meet Matt so its just the two of us for a while. Oh you look good, picture time!” She scampered out of the room and returned with a camera.

“Pose!” She cried before she snapped away. Marina did a different pose after each camera click, smiling then pouting. She enjoyed being in front of the camera lens, and Michelle found that she was very photogenic.

“Group shot!” Michelle ran up to Marina, put her arm around her and took a few pictures of the two of them.

Smiling Michelle put the camera on the counter.

“Lets have a girls day! We can get our hair done, and our nails...”

Marina smiled. “Yay! I can see if my sister Val wants to come, if you're okay with that?” She offered.

Marina shrugged, indifferent. Michelle smiled and took out her cell phone, texting her sister. Pinkly padded into the room and sat at Marina's feet, she pet the small dog.

In fifteen minuets, a woman with a similar face to Michelle showed up at the front door. The sisters hugged and Val turned her attention to Marina, she'd herd all about her.

“Hey there, I'm Michelle's sister Val.” She offered her hand.

“I'm Marina.” they shook hands.

Val put her hands on her hips, “So...to Starbucks for breakfast then to the mall?” She seemed excited.

Michelle nodded, and they followed her out of the house.

–

After breakfast, they pulled up at the mall in Val's car.

“Okay girls, hair first, then shopping then nails.” Michelle declared as they exited the car.

They agreed and all went into the mall, headed to the hair salon. Soon they sat in the chairs looking over magazines.

“I'm gonna go blonde.” Val decided.

“I'm gonna get light brown highlights, what about you Rina?”

She bit her lip “Uh, could I get like..blue?” She looked up at Michelle.

“Of course.”

“Okay then, I want blue and greyish white highlights, just a few.”

“That's fine hun.”

Forty minuets later each had a new hair color and loved it. “Alright, we look good, picture time!” Michelle took posed pictures of Marina and Val before getting in the pictures herself. The shop workers smiled at them as they left the store giggling.

They headed into Hot Topic, where a few people immediately looked at them. Val and Michelle went off to look at the corsets and undergarments leaving Marina to slowly make her way over to the wall of shirts.

A boy Marina's age walked up to her. “Hey I'm Cody.” He greeted, making her jump.

“Hi.” She returned her attention to an Invader Zim shirt, hoping he'd catch the hint that she was uncomfortable.

After a few seconds, Cody grabbed her forearm and spun her around, gritting his teeth.

“No one blows me off.” He growled.

Marina tried to pull her arm out of his grasp but it only tightened.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” A furious Michelle stalked to the back of the store.

“I''ll be around.” Cody let go and disappeared from sight.

It was then Val and Michelle got to Marina who's eyes glistened with unwept tears.

“Honey are you okay?” Val asked, concerned.

Marina nodded, shocked with being handled like that again.

“I'm gonna find that kid and fucking skin him alive!” Michelle hissed, looking around.

A blonde boy with a name tag that read 'SKYLAR' came up to them.

“Is there a problem?” He asked, slightly scared of Michelle.

“Some dickwad grabbed her and now I'm out for blood.” the woman answered.

“Oh.” Skylar bent slightly to be eye level with Marina.

“Are you okay?”

She bit her lip and shrugged, eyes cast down.

“Do you want a hug?”

She looked up at him, noticing how non threating he seemed. Plus if he did do something to her, Michelle was right there to clean his clock and Val was there to console Marina.

She slowly held her arms out, he held his out and she stepped into his chest.

He held her close, not too close. He knew a normal girl would have punched boy for that, he saw how she tensed up and seemed terrified. Just as Skylar was about to step in, Michelle hollered. Skylar could tell this girl had been through something horrible.

Val and Michelle gave him an approving look before Michelle stomped out of the store to find Cody.

When Marina let go, he let go and backed up. She went to Val's side and mumbled something to Skylar.

“What?” he asked.

“You give nice hugs.” She kicked at the ground, seeing him smile from the corner of her eye.

“Thank you.”

Val took Marina over to the other shirts and they picked out a few before they went to the register and Val paid.

“Michelle will meet us in Spencers in about an hour, she texted me.” Val told her as they headed to the nail salon.

Val got a manicure and Marina got her's painted.

They took a total of thirty five minuets then stopped for lunch.

They ate at a pizza place in the food court , then headed off to Spencers. They spotted Michelle looking at necklaces and went up to her.

“I couldn't find him, but word is he works at Journey's on Wensdays, Thursdays and Sundays. So we know where to steer clear.” She said.

“Or send the guys with hatchets...” Val mumbled making her sister crack a smile.

“I see you guys already got your nails done. We can head back home then. Val do you want to stay for dinner?” she asked.

“Nah, not tonight.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Wow did NOT need to hear that!” Michelle clamped her hands over her ears.

Val laughed as they left the store.

--_

Val dropped Marina and Michelle off at the Haner Jr residence and headed home to where she knew it would be an amazing, mind numbing night.

Michelle had been texting Brian what happened at he wanted to talk to Marina about it. He was in the living room when they arrived.

“Marina, I want to talk to you.” Brian said, she looked over at him and sat on the couch. Michelle left the room knowing her presence wasn't needed.

“I know what happened at the Mall to day. About that boy.”

Marina bit her lip.

“What exactly did he do to you?”

“He said hi and told me his name. I said hi and ignored him so he'd see that I didn't want to talk to him. But he got mad that I didn't tell him my name and so he grabbed me roughly by my forearm and yanked me around to face him. He said that 'no one blows him off' and I...I was so scared. He had the same look in his eyes that my...father...did when he beat me.” She bit her lip harder.

Brian stiffened “You know I'd never do that to you right?”

After a seconds hesitation, she nodded.

“Good. I bet Michelle had a few choice words.” He said to lighten the mood.

Marina grinned and nodded.

“I saw you both got your hair highlighted. It looks good. I guess Val finally went blonde like she said she was gonna?”

She nodded again. “Michelle took millions of pictures.”

“Yes I did!” She called from down the hall, coming into the room with her camera in her hand.

Brian smiled at the sight of her, she sat on his lap and showed him the pictures she took that day, mostly of Marina.

Pinkly ran into the room and hopped on Marina's lap and proceeded to lick her face. Marina giggled and pet the dog, Brian and Michelle watched fondly.

--_

After dinner Marina changed into pjs and crawled into bed,thrust into a nightmare at once.