A Dark Secret

Chapter 5 | Lies.

Hello everyone! I know I haven't been writing here for a long period of time and I am really sorry about that. I am in the last year of my college and the assignments have been overloading me constantly. Also, I hope that everyone is well during this hard time... Please be careful... If you are from the UK and you have any symptoms of COVID-19, please contact 111. Listen to the government and please isolate yourself.

Marina and Valerie were finally in the car, waving at their family members they were going to leave behind. It was hard to look at James and Marina’s father. It was hard to just leave them behind. Alone... With all the loss and grief. Marina felt selfish for leaving. It almost felt like she was getting an excuse to do so. Was it right? She didn’t know... 

"Marina, are you okay?" She heard Valerie ask. Marina looked up and gave her a small smile whilst she nodded her head. No matter how bored Valerie was at her house, she was going to miss her parents. Her fathers were truly amazing and gave her everything she wanted.

Marina thought that Valerie was spoiled but she didn't like it... Marina didn’t think that Valerie felt like she was a normal child just like the others... Just like Marina... 

"We will always call you." She heard Valerie say to her parents and Marina’s brother and father. All of them returned smiles to the girls. Marina saw her father coming closer towards her. 

"Please be careful out there." Her father said softly. Marina gave him a small smile and nodded her head. He came closer and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Call me whenever." He quickly added before stepping away from the car. 

"I will." Marina replied. She had already said her goodbye to James. She knew that he wasn't happy about the fact that she was leaving. She didn’t  know if it was because he was scared to lose her  to something or if he found it selfish that Marina was leaving them behind like this. Maybe she was selfish and maybe this wasn't a good idea...

"I will call you when we get there." Marina said to everyone. She wanted to say home but it felt like they were escaping home to get somewhere else. It didn't feel right to say that... Everyone nodded and they waved one more time before Valerie started to drive away from the porch of Marina’s house.

Marina looked behind, looking at her brother and her father who were still waving... She smiled and sighed, hoping that she wouldn't break out in tears. The last thing Marina wanted to do was to cry. Valerie looked beside her so she could look at Marina. She put her hand on Marina’s leg.

"It is fine. We will come back in the holidays and we will always call them." Valerie said,  trying to reassure Marina. Marine nodded and smiled at her. She was right. One way or another, she had to leave home behind and create a new home for herself and her possible family in the future...

One way or another this was going to happen... 

"Is it too far?" Marina asked and Valerie nodded. She sighed as she looked at the time they would reach at their new house in Los Angeles. 

"It will take us approximately nine hours before we reach there but we will stop in between. To get food or go to the toilet." Valerie said and Marina nodded. They had a long way ahead of them and she was honestly glad that she was wearing something comfortable. 

"What is the first thing you will do when you reach there?" Marina asked so they didn't stay too quiet. She didn't wanted it to be quiet. She would be left alone with her thoughts and they were truly eating Marina up inside out. She needed a distraction from it...

"I will take selfies with you and the house. We need to make sure we can photograph our memories." Valerie said with a smile and Marina smiled. They started to drive away from the border of the town and Marina looked at it as they passed by. 

"We are officially out from Mooresville." Valerie said as she smiled. She was truly excited to leave this town behind and Marina knew that deep inside of her heart, she was glad too. This town had brought her so much pain lately and she knew if she stayed here, she wouldn't be able to make something off herself...

This town was a daily reminder that her mother was taken away from her and she knew that she needed an excuse to just leave it... Again... Selfish... Marina couldn’t help but to feel awful. 

"Are you okay?" Valerie asked, probably the second time today. Marina sighed.

"I think so. A part of me wants to leave and a part of me doesn't. I don't know how to explain it." Marina said honestly. Valerie nodded. She was surprised that Marina easily spoke to her about how she felt. She hadn’t done that for a while since her mother’s death. 

"The same goes to me. I love this town. I mean we grew up here. Our family and the memories will always stay with us but we needed this change. Now more than ever."  Valerie said with a sigh and Marina nodded.

"I know. It is a good change." Marina said and looked over at Valerie who chuckled softly.

"Are you still talking to that guy?" Marina asked out of curiosity. She could see that Valerie was focusing on the road but even when she was concentrating on the road, Marina could see her face light up when she asked her about this person with who she was speaking too. She smiled.

"Yes. Noah... That's his name." Valerie said with a smile. Marina totally forgot his name... She wasn't paying attention to it much. As long as he didn't hurt her or made her cry, Marina would be okay with it. The only thing that worries her was that Valerie had never seen this guy.... She doesn't even know what he looks like... Just his words.

"He is really nice you know and he will come an visit us in Los Angeles." Valerie said and Marina looked at her. Now the words of James roamed around in her mind. She shouldn't be inviting any strangers in... But Noah couldn't be any harm. Marina hoped... She needed to stop being so paranoid...

"That's good." Marina replied with a soft smile. 

"How about you? Any guy?" Valerie asked and Marina just shrugged her shoulders. There wasn't anyone that she felt a connection with... No one to be honest.

"There is no one." Marina said nonchalantly and Valerie sighed.

"There are plenty of boys in LA." She said and Marina laughed softly. Plenty of boys... Sure.

"With who were you talking yesterday? In the park?" Valerie asked all of the sudden. She knew that Marina already told her but she wanted to check again. Marina looked at her a bit startled. She thought that Valerie had heard her but her asking again, made her question that. 

"No one." Marina lied. Marina knew that Valerie was aware that she was lying but it would sound crazy if she told her that she was speaking to a guy that disappeared in a second... Like he never existed at first...