"How'd you get here?!" Jacob managed to blurt out.
Marley was so happy to see Jacob she didn't even answer his question. She hugged him and cried on his shoulder.
"Are you surprised?" She asked briefly.
"I'm shocked! I didn't think I'd see you until this weekend when me and the boys came to visit."
"Well, I'm in town so I thought we could spend the day together."
Jacob let Marley go and smiled at her. Marley could see right through Jacob's white tee.
"Nice 'abs'."
"Hey! I'm working on it.. Don't hate!"
"Why hate Jacob? All of that and more will be mine soon."
Marley winked and Jacob and twirled her hair.
"Let me go put on some clothes and get my keys. I'll be back baby!"
Marley sat back on the couch and waited for Jacob to come back. While she waited, she had small talk with Bella.
"So, you're Jacob's girlfriend?" Bella asked curiously.
"Yes."
"He talks about you a lot. I didn't expect you'd look like this."
"Well, what do you mean by that?" Marley asked nervously.
"Jacob's a punk rock kind of kid. I thought his first girlfriend would have long dark hair and piercings everywhere. But you're normal."
"Is that good?"
"Of course! You're very beautiful, I'm surprised you'd date Jacob."
"Jacob is my everything. He's special to me."
"How come we've never met before? You live in town right?"
"No. Well see, I did. Before they sen-"
"You don't have to explain anything to her Marley. We should go now." Jacob said cutting her off in mid-sentence.
"Uhh, it was so nice meeting you Bella!"
Marley stood up and shook Bella's hand before walking out with Jacob.
Jacob walked to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for Marley.
"So where do you want to spend the day?" Jacob asked leaning on the passenger side door.
"I don't care as long as I'm with you."
"That's what I thought. I also thought we should go out to eat."
"Where at baby?"
"The first place we ever went together."
"Moe's" they both said in unison.
Jacob walked to the drivers side of the car and got in.
He started driving Downtown to go to Moe's.
"Jake, my grandmas dead."
"Baby.. I'm so sorry for your loss."
"Thank you but I don't want to think about that right now. I want to be happy right now, not sad."
"While you're with me, all you'll ever do is smile."
Marley gazed out of the window watching the cars ride by her and Jacob on the busy highway.
"We're here!"
Jacob put the car in park and took the keys out of the ignition.
Marley started to reach for the handle of the door when Jacob stopped her.
"Whoa! I got it Marley, I'll open the door for you."
Marley smiled at Jacob's courtesy and waited for him to open the door.
Jacob walked to Marley's side of the car and opened the door for her.
She stepped out and they both walked inside of Moe's together hand in hand.
They ordered what they ordered the first time they came together.
"Are you having fun?" Jacob asked.
"As long as I'm with you all I'll ever have is fun."
Jacob kissed Marley again and the women across the counter smiled at them both and handed them their food.
They went to the very back of the restaurant and sat down across from each other.
"So how's Youngsville?" Jacob asked trying to start a conversation.
Marley hesitated on whether or not she should tell Jacob about Trevor.
She decided not to and kept the conversation at a minimum.
"It's cool! I have Stormer and Val to keep me company most of the time. I got into a fight with someone, but it was nothing!"
"Whoa, who'd you fight?"
"No one really. We just had a little disagreement and I slapped him."
"Him?"
Jacob started to get a slick look on his face.
"I meant her! Sorry, I was thinking of someone else."
"Well your friend Stormer was pretty cool last time we met her! Ray was talking about her last time we came. I think he wants to talk to her."
"Hm... Oh really? Well, I'll talk to Stormer then."
"Baby, you look really good right now." Jacob said seductively.
"Right now?" Marley said giggling.
"You always look good but right now you look really good!"
"Aww, well thank you baby!"
"Your hair is growing back really good though." Jacob said eating more of his nachos.
"I noticed that the other day in the shower. I think I'm just going to leave it alone and let it grow out before I do something crazy."
Marley chuckled and sighed.
"What's wrong baby?" Jacob asked.
"Nothing! I'm full now."
"You wanna go somewhere else now?"
"Sure, where do you have in mind Jake?"
"I'm not really sure, we can go wherever you want!"
Marley thought back to what she used to do when she was home and smiled.
"I have an idea.. Do you know how to paint?"
"No, why what are you thinking?"
"Jacob, before I left I used to go to the community center and paint with people there. I haven't been there in so long and it would be so fun if me and you could go together!"
"Where is it?"
"It's down the street, you don't even have to drive. We could walk there if you wanted to."
"Well then babe, lets go."
"Yay! Jacob, you're the best boyfriend ever."
Marley and Jacob threw their trash away and walked to the door.
Jacob grabbed Marley's hand and they started walking down King Street.
"I'm glad you went to Youngsville, Marley."
"Why do you say that Jacob?"
"Look at you! You're glowing and you're more open. I couldn't imagine how you'd be if you were still with your mother after all she did to you."
"You don't know the half of it Jacob."
Marley started to look more down than before as she thought back to the many men her mother had her sleeping with.
"What's wrong now babe? Was it something I said?"
"No. It's just what you said brought back a memory.. But it's fine! I'll be fine."
Marley hugged Jacob and they kept walking until they reached the community center.
They both walked inside and signed in and headed to the back where everyone else was.
Marley recognized most of the faces but she saw some new ones.
"I'll take it from here." Marley told the man at the front of the room.
The faces that Marley recognized smiled at her and clapped their hands as they saw their most memorable artist.
"Welcome back, Marley! We missed you!" Mr. Bell yelled aloud.
"Class ain't been the same since you left! We've been painting random things instead of things that have meaning!" Mr. Deas yelled out.
"Everyone, my name is Marley. For those who don't know I used to teach a class here before I went away for a while. I'm visiting and I thought I'd swing by to teach one more class before I left."
"Are you any good kid? You look to young to be an artist!" A person Marley had never seen before yelled out.
"Art doesn't have an age." Marley said back.
"She's better than you'll ever be!" Mr. Bell yelled back defending Marley.
Marley chuckled and went on to teach the class.
"I brought someone with me. This is my boyfriend and my best friend Jacob. He's new to the art world but he's willing to make an attempt for me."
Everyone clapped and welcomed Jacob to the class.
"Today you will paint whatever you want! There are no rules and you're free to do whatever!"
Marley grabbed Jacob's hand and they both started walking towards Mr. Bell.
"Marley, baby girl! It's so good to see you.." Mr. Bell said smiling.
Marley reached down and gave Mr. Bell a hug since he was in a wheelchair.
"I'm just visiting."
"For the funeral?"
"Yeah."
"Baby girl, if Rosalee was here to see how much you've opened up she'd be so proud of you. I think she lived for you, she fought her fight until she couldn't fight anymore."
Marley started to get teary eyed and hugged Mr. Bell once again.
"Thank you, Mr. Bell."
"No Marley... Thank you."