Chapter Fourteen

Marina gets up from the couch and with Miguel's help, they help Sandra to lie down on the couch. The girl goes to the kitchen and gets some sugar water, and her adoptive mother wakes up after a few minutes.

The two tell Sandra what happened and after everything is sorted out, the woman says that she has nerves from seeing blood and for this reason she fainted.

Sandra decides to bandage her husband while Marina is hunting for some ice to deflate the bruise.

After all this, which lasts about forty-five long minutes, the woman decides to order a pizza since it's late and she hasn't had time to thaw the meat.

They opt to choose a family size pizza of Mozzarella, Calabresa and Portuguese. The pizza arrives in 30 minutes and they snack in silence.

Then they wash up and the girl goes up to her room, but for security reasons they all decide to sleep in the same room and Marina had to take her mattress and put it in her parents' room.

She takes the opportunity to take a long shower, put on long white pajamas, because the weather has cooled off, and gets her things and goes to her parents' room.

As there are no messages on her cell phone she thinks about listening to the music on her cell phone and falls asleep after a few minutes.

She wakes up early in the morning, takes a long shower and puts on her school uniform.

She would go by bike, but her mother asks her to take the bus and she obeys.

She goes downstairs and has breakfast with her parents, then gives them each a kiss and a hug, and as she is going to the bus stop, she sees a car approaching her and realizes that it is Lucas.

He parks his car and opens the door for Marina and says:

"Good morning Marina. Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning. Yes, I did. Let's go?"

"Yes, let's go."

He speeds up the car and the two arrive at the school in fifteen minutes. As it's still early the two of them are talking at the school entrance.

After a while, Diego shows up and sees the two together and says:

"Don't you two stay apart?"

"Why don't you find something to do," says Lucas."

"I wanted to talk to MY FRIEND, but you stole her attention."

"Look Marina, I'll talk to you later- he kisses her cheek and leaves."

Marina looks at her friend and walks away angry.

Diego follows her and pulls her and says:

"I'm sorry, I just got upset, because since the day you met him you haven't talked to me properly."

"Okay, let's go to the library? I want to borrow a book."

"Ok."

The two go to the school library and she finds a book by Carina Rissi called Perdida (Lost). She decides to rent the book and writes down her name and class.

Her friend to accompany her decides to rent the same book as her so they can have a common subject.

The bell for the first lesson rings, and the two of them go into the classroom.

When they arrive, the teacher is already in the classroom and they are allowed to enter.

Geography class is so boring that she takes advantage of it and starts reading the book.

She forgets that she is in the classroom and starts laughing out loud and everyone looks at her without understanding.

The teacher calls her attention and she excuses herself and tries to pay attention in class without success.

When the first class is over, the girl is relieved, because the next class is Physical Education.

The teacher takes them to the court and they play volleyball, but she doesn't want to play and says that her legs hurt and the teacher lets her stay without participating in the activity.

She takes the book from her backpack and rereads it again.

She is so distracted that she doesn't even notice when Lucas approaches her and hands her a rose.

She watches him and smiles, stops reading her book, and the two of them chat while she admires the flower he brought her.

It's time for recess and they both go to the cafeteria for lunch.

Marina chooses to buy a cereal bar and returns to her reading, but is interrupted when Lucas says:

"What book are you reading?"

"I borrowed it from the library. It's called Lost."

"I've already read that book. Isn't it about a girl who travels back in time through her cell phone and meets a man named Ian Clark?"

"She travels through time? I haven't gotten to that part yet."

"I'm sorry to tell you about the book, I thought you already got to that part."

"Ok, but how about sitting here and reading it with me?"

"That's fine, but eat-he hands her a hamburger and some juice to eat-Please eat, because I don't want you to feel sick."

"That's good."

The two of them read for so long that they forget to go to class and only realize this when the bell for the last class ends and it's time for them to leave. She says goodbye to him and he kisses her on the forehead and leaves.

Marina goes to the bus stop and waits a long twenty minutes for her bus to arrive, but suddenly a strange car appears and rolls down the window.

She is startled to realize that it is her brother Thiago and he says:

"Marina! -he gets out of the car and hugs her tightly- I miss you. What are you doing here?"

"I'm the one who asks."

"Come on, let's go somewhere and talk."

"That's good."

She gets into the car and they take a different route from her house.

Marina notices this and says:

"Where are we going?"

"We're going home."

"Thiago, stop this car, we can't leave town"- says Marina trying to calm down.

"Why can't we go?" -says her brother without understanding.

"I'm adopted, have you forgotten? They will go crazy when they don't see me anywhere."

"Yes, you are right, but I promised our father that I would take care of you and I don't want to be away from my little sister."

"I understand you, but take me to the house I'm living in, please, you talk to them and make a deal to visit me and...-he interrupts her."

"I don't like the idea of you living with other people, but I don't have a choice and I will fight to win your custody. I got a steady job and bought a house. It's not much, but it's enough to support you and"...-This time she stops him from saying it.

"I don't want to move again. I like where I am."

"But I'm your brother," he shouts, but then regrets it and says, "I'm sorry, little sister, but I don't want you to be mad at me. I'll take you home."

They remain silent during the entire trip and when Marina arrives home it is 3:30 pm and she sees that the lights are still off. Thiago parks his car and the two enter the house.

He admires the house for a while while while the girl goes to the kitchen to prepare some snacks.

***

A few hours pass and Marina realizes that her foster mother has arrived.

She sees a boy sitting in the living room and says:

"Marina, who is this boy here with you? I don't want you to be alone with a stranger and"...-Thiago interrupts.

"Nice to meet you, but I'm Marina's brother."

"I'm sorry, but how did you find her?"

"Long story mom, but he wants to talk to you."

"All right. Can I get you anything, water, coffee?"

"No thanks. I just want to settle this matter once and for all and get my sister out of here."

"She's not going anywhere with you. I adopted her and I won't let you take her away."

"What's going on here?-Miguel arrives, seeing the situation and positioning himself next to his wife, placing a kiss on her lips- Our boy, you look a lot like our little girl."

"He's my brother, dad-responds Marina can't stand to talk about it anymore-Can we talk about it now? I'm not leaving with anyone, but I also have the right to spend a few days with my brother."

"Let's take it easy, guys" -Miguel says- "This way we won't solve anything."

After talking so much, they reach a conclusion that when there is a holiday, Marina will spend a few days with her brother in Sete Lagoas.

She is very happy about this, because she will be able to see her friend Dayane and her sisters at the orphanage again.

Thiago ends up staying there for dinner and the girl is even happier for being able to spend some more time with her brother. Marina's adoptive parents notice the joy in their daughter's eyes and one of them says:

"Thiago, I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I was just afraid to take her away from me. I got very attached to her and I know that you also have the right to visit her, so whenever you want you can come here-Sandra says."

"That's fine. I understand you and I am sorry for the way I treated you. The important thing is that everything has been clarified," says Thiago smiling at his sister.

"Ok brother"- Marina hugs her brother again and tries to hold back tears in vain-I hope to see you soon.

"Me too, Mari. I hope you all have a good night."

He says goodbye to everyone and goes to his car, starting it immediately.

The girl helps them wash the dishes and then she goes upstairs, takes a shower, puts on a lilac nightgown and lies down on her bed.

Then she texts Lucas saying:

"I saw my brother again. I am so happy. When I have a long holiday I will spend a few days in Sete Lagoas-22:01"

"I am happy for you beautiful. I miss you. Are you home?-22:02"

"Yes, why?-22:04"

"Can I come visit you? I know it's kind of late, but I miss you so much-22:07"

"I'd better not. I'll see you tomorrow and today was a very busy day here at home-22:08"

"All right, I understand, but tomorrow I'll pick you up so we can go to school together. Have a good night ♡-22:08"

"Good night :-) -22:09"

He stops responding and she ends up sleeping after a few minutes.