Darlene wiped her tears away and stood up. "That's it, I've had enough of this." She then got a small backpack and started packing it with stuff. She opened her window and used a bed-sheet rope to escape.
She was running away from her home since she couldn't take it anymore with her father abusing her and she was so depressed that she did self-harm to herself in the process. She was happy that she was now set free but she didn't know where she was going.
She had nowhere else to go so she was at the park. She just dropped her backpack on the ground at the grassy area she was at and layed down on top of the grass. Shark happened to be taking a walk alone at the park that same time, and he saw that girl wearing a hoodie.
He saw that she was sad and went to talk to her. "Hello? Are you okay? You seem like you're lost?"
Darlene decided that she should speak to Shark since she had no one else to help her. "I am lost." She said. "I don't have anywhere to go. My dad abuses me at home. He doesn't let me talk with other people..he doesn't want me to have friends. He keeps on calling me stupid and worthless. And it makes me so depressed that I cut myself." She pulled up her sleeve to show her cuts and she showed her open hands. "And so..I ran away."
Shark got Darlene's hands and kissed them. "You should never harm yourself. And I don't think you're stupid and worthless." He hugged Darlene. Darlene's hoodie slipped off, revealing her face. She blushed as she was embarrassed of showing who she was.
"Darlene?" Shark didn't expect for Darlene to be the girl in the hoodie.
"Shark?" Darlene wasn't used to getting love and affection so she was caught by surprise that Shark was hugging her.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that awful pain of getting hurt." He kissed her on the top of her forehead. "I think you're beautiful just the way you are." He said. "And from now on, you don't have to go back to living with your abusive dad. You are going to live with me and Rio...and Rio can sure use some extra company."
Darlene hugged Shark back and kissed him on his cheek. "Thank you so much!"
~~~~~
"Hey.." Shark said, entering his home. "Guess who's coming to live with us, Rio?"
Rio was in the kitchen, wearing a apron. She barely took a cake out of the oven with her oven mittens. "Who is it, Reginald?" She took the mittens off and placed them on the counter and she walked to the front door. Her eyes quickly sparkled when she saw Darlene, "Darlene!" She greeted her with a loving hug. "It's SO good to see you!"
"Hi..Rio." Darlene said, hugging her back. "It's good to see you too."
"This is great." Rio smiled. "You and I can spend time together a lot and we'll be like sisters!"
"Yeah, sisters." Darlene said. She then went upstairs to unpack her things in the room that she was going to be in. Then Shark whispered to Rio on what Darlene had told her about her abusive father and about her self-harm. "Oh my, that's horrible," Rio said. "It's a good thing you found her at the right time. I'm just glad she's safe."
Rio looked at the clock. "Oh...I got to grocery shopping!" She opened the door. "Darla, wanna go with me?"
"No thank you." Darlene had just came downstairs. "I've had enough being outside for one day. I just want to stay safe for today and for now."
"Okay I understand." Rio said. She got her purse. "Bye!" She waved. "Don't forget to tell Reginald... I went grocery shopping."
After Rio left, Darlene went to go sit down on the couch in the living room. Shark then came to join her. "Hey, where did my sister go?"
Darlene picked up a piece of popcorn with her fingers. "She went grocery shopping."
"Oh." Shark said. "So...you're watching a movie?"
"Yeah, I am." Darlene said, "since I have nothing better to do." She continued eating popcorn and staring at the TV screen, not paying attention to what Shark was doing.
Shark scooted closer to Darlene so he can be sitting more closer to her. He then put his arm around her, making her blush. "Sh-Shark..." She was getting nervous. "I--" Shark kissed Darlene on her lips.
"Yes?" Shark stopped kissing her.
"You like me?" Darlene blushed.
"No...I don't just like you," Shark said. "I love you, Dolphin."
"Dolphin?" Darlene said, "Why are you calling me that?"
"Because you're a sweet girl. And you have dolphin-themed cards." Shark looked at Darlene. "You're like a dolphin in a way, since you swam your way into my heart."