Chapter Eleven 1/2

Marina wakes up in the morning, takes a shower, grooms herself, and goes downstairs for breakfast.

When she gets there, she sees her kitten on her father's lap and he says:

"Good morning daughter. I see you liked the kitten I bought for you. He had disappeared during the night and out of nowhere he appeared here in the living room."

"I saw him during the night meowing, asking to come inside, so I put him inside."

"That's okay, honey. Have you thought of a name for the feline?"

"Not yet, but I'll look into it later, because I have to go to school."

Marina sits down with them and they all snack in silence and before she forgets the same one says:

"Today is going to be my friends' grandmother's birthday, can I go?"

"Yes you can dear and be careful hein and I want you home by 10pm at the latest"-Says Miguel.

"Anything you call me? But do you already know what you're going to buy her as a present?"

"Not yet, I'm going to the mall after school and see something."

"Okay, now finish your breakfast because I'm taking you to school today."

"Okay, Dad."

She finishes eating, picks up her cell phone and heads for the garage getting into her father's car.

The drive is quiet until someone calls her, leaving her worried.

She doesn't answer and her father says:

"What happened? Why didn't you answer your cell phone?"

"Because it was Thiago, my brother, and he doesn't know I was adopted."

"And why don't you tell him that? At some point he will know."

"I don't know what his reaction will be, I just know that he won't believe for long that the orphanage is under renovation no. I don't know what to do."

"But I do know: You text him and tell him you're having a gymkhana at the place and that you can't answer at the moment, but that when possible you'll call him back and anything you call me daughter."

"Okay. Bye dad"- she gives him a kiss on the forehead and gets out of the car heading towards the school.

As she enters the school, she realizes that she is a little late, but she doesn't get a warning, because it is only five minutes late.

She enters the classroom, asks the teacher to excuse her and settles in the back row.

Marina looks around and can't find Diego. Lucas notices her concern and says:

"He's not coming today. He said he's spending the day with his grandmother."

"Got it."

"So, everything is set for today?

"Yeah, I just have to stop by the mall when I get out of school to buy something.*

"Marina and Lucas, quiet!" -says the teacher.

"Talk to you later"-says Marina whispering.

The class ends and they go to PE. Marina doesn't want to play and tells the teacher that her legs hurt and ends up staying out of class. Lucas tells the teacher that he doesn't want to play and stays at the bleachers with Marina talking to her.

Physical Education class ends and his class is released early because there is no water at school.

Lucas offers her a ride to the mall and she accepts.

The two of them listen to music and chat during the whole trip and say goodbye at the entrance of the mall.

Marina goes towards the stores and Lucas goes to his work.

The girl decides to send a message to her friend Jura who says: "Good morning, I wanted to know how you are. I miss you."

"Hi Mari. I'm fine and you? I thought you had forgotten me. I miss you too. Will you come when you visit us?"

"I don't know, all I know is that my brother is about to find out that I was adopted and when he finds out it won't be nice at all, so I need your help, not just yours, but Dayane's too."

At that moment, he calls her and says:

"It's better if we talk on the phone. I will help you with whatever you need."

"Okay. I need you to tell me that if my brother asks one of you if you have any news of me, that I was transferred to an orphanage further away, but that I haven't told you why."

"Okay, but will that work? He'll want to go to the orphanage right away to find out about it."

"Yeah, but when he goes there, he'll find out the truth, but he won't know where I'm living and I'll see if I change my number, while I don't know what to do."

"Okay, we'll help you. Keep in touch huh?"

"I will. Bye, I'll... I mean, I'll let you know."

She ends the call before she ends up saying something that isn't the right moment, but eventually she can't take it and texts him saying:

"I know I said I didn't feel anything for you, but the truth is I love you. I thought I didn't, but I can't stop thinking about you."

She gets no answer and is sad, but decides to leave this matter aside and goes looking in the stores for something that might please the grandmother of her new friends.

She goes into a jewelry store and finds a beautiful pearl necklace and notes the price 40.00 or 4x 10.00.

Marina decides to buy something in cash and goes to a clothing store and buys a simple wine dress with short sleeves that costs 20.00.

She is used to wearing designer clothes, but since she needs to save money, she buys what she needs.

After buying everything she will need, Marina decides to buy a natural sandwich and a juice at the snack bar.

She orders for the trip and goes to the bus stop, heading home. Her mother calls her and picks her up at the bus stop and the two go to the hair salon where she works.

Her mother takes advantage of the fact that she doesn't have any clients and relaxes her daughter's hair, then brushes, straightens, and baby lisses her hair.

Marina leaves the salon all dressed up at 4 pm, after having her nails, hair and make-up done.

Her mother buys her a black heel and she puts it on and sends a message to Lucas that says:

"Lucas, I'm ready now, when you can come and pick me up."

"Hi Mari. I'm going to ask someone to pick you up, because I'm still at work and you're going to stay at my grandmother's, okay? She's not home, but there are people at home.

"Okay."

Marina arrives home after a few minutes and at 4:30, someone arrives in the car and she realizes it's Diego and says:

"Hi."

"Hi. Let's go?"

"Yes."

She gets into the vehicle and the two of them drive in silence to his grandmother's house. As she was about to get out of the car, Diego holds her by the arm and says:

"I'm sorry if I was rude to you, it wasn't my intention. I was just annoyed that you only care about Lucas, being that I met you first."

"It's okay, now let's forget about it."

"But first I want to say something."

"Tell me what..."

Diego pulls her in and gives her a cell phone. Marina gets unhappy and hurries out of the car and says:

"Don't do that anymore, please."

"Oh, but why? You didn't like it?"

"I like someone else."

"Aff, you're not going to tell me it's Lucas?"

"If it is or isn't, it won't be your problem, now let's pretend it never happened."

Diego gets out of the car quite upset and opens the door for her without saying a word.