Marina retired into the backyard’s upper porch to stare out into the ocean after returning home from work and skipped dinner for the evening. The aquarium where she worked was opened from 9am – 5pm, but some of the workers stayed after closing hour for cleaning and feeding hours for the fish living inside. Basically, maintenance. Marina was one of those workers, though to be fair, she was also a college student. The aquarium gave her flexible work hours until her schedule would conflict with school or a doctor’s note that would object to working. It all depends.<br/><br/>Admittedly, Marina wasn’t one to speak against her schedule and would go with the flow as her fellow co-workers would describe her in a positive light. Of course, it was more or less because she felt numb for this past year. She found less time to express herself like she did before her parents’ sudden passing. Growing up under their roof she was never a disobedient child and always had an easy going personality. When that carefree environment was torn away from her it would seem there’s a hollowness looming inside of her. Cheerful familiar voices that always gave her the opportunity of choice was now gone. Now she had a lack of guidance in her adulthood where she would need it the most.<br/><br/>Now holding a pen in between her fingers hovering over the blanket piece of paper that was being held down by her wrist. The salty gust of wind effortlessly breezing through the evening sky that caused the paper to swing back and forth. Attempting to write down how she feels according to the therapist. “Just jot the date down and how you feel for that day.” Dr. Smith’s voice ringed in her memory as her mind retrospect her daily assignment and yet was drawing a blank. It was daily hardship she had to endure every day, just like eating and keeping down the food, that she dared not speak about. Why would she? Displeasing others and pushing people away from her as a solution? No or that is what she simply thought of.<br/><br/>With a heavy sigh and her gaze glued to the ocean Marina gently placed the pen in between the pages then closed the diary. She leaned back in her lounge chair she currently sitting in and continued the silence. Her mind frustrated and yet being forgiving in herself. If this was the smallest thing she couldn’t fulfil then so be it. This was a small emotional baby step that was achieving upon herself and secretly felt relief from it. Not that she would tell anyone nor be writing it down in her diary. That seemed pointless, right?<br/>While giving herself time to relax, her hands fidget with the ring on her left hand. Lightly, twisting it back and forth. An aquamarine small diamond that was shaped like a tear drop and the ring itself was sliver. Granted she wasn’t one of those girls who loved wearing jewelry, but it was one of the last items her parents gave to her. A reward for attending college and giving those boys the impression she was ‘taken’ or engaged. At least that was her parents idea and from then forth Marina worn it as a prized possession.<br/><br/>Hiding within darkness of the upper porch where no one else would know she there her iPhone lite up indicating that there was an incoming call. No ring or vibration to it. This slightly irritated her as she torn her eyes area from the peaceful, yet torturous solitude and glanced down at her screen that glowed from her pocket. She used the tip of her fingers to pull the phone out of her shorts’ pocket and checked the caller. Her brows pinched together in wonder. One of her mom’s fellow marine biologist Dr. Yates was calling. With little to no hesitance Marina pulled the rest of the phone out of her pocket and answered the call. She couldn’t be rude after all. On the other line was robust cheerful tone behind Dr. Yates’ hello and the conversation started from there; which lasted for thirty minutes long. The marine biologist profusely apologized for calling at this hour and asking for a ‘favor’, but Marina obeyed once again. Not wanting to disappoint especially one of her mother’s closest friends, so she left her lounge chair with the diary and got ready for the evening errand.<br/><br/>Marina prepared herself quickly and quietly. Only telling one family member in the house her boss needed her, for safety reasons, and left from there. Once she stepped out of the house and hopped on her bike, a five minute distance from her work place, she noticed something that caught her eye that didn’t earlier. A pale sliver lighting that both brighten the darken sky and her mood. “Hmm, I forgotten it’s a full moon tonight.” She said mostly to herself as she hurried pedaled to work.