"Well, it took me across the Atlantic Ocean to realize this. Madre, I'm really sorry I caused you and Padre so much pain. I realize I'm such an idiot. You don't deserve to have me as a daughter," she says while the tears continue to flow.
"Maria," Teresa says, "you've made some very poor choices in your young life. But your padre and I still love you. You are our daughter. We love you, and we will love you until the day we die." She pulls a few pieces of tissue out of her purse and hands them to Maria.
Maria blows her nose into the soft material.
"If you really don't want to stay here, we will pay for your flight to Madrid."
Maria can hear the forlorn sigh in her mother's voice.
"I will phone Abuelita tonight and tell her that you have decided to return home."
A smile spreads slowly across Maria's face. She feels better already. Things are beginning to look up.
"But, there is one condition."
Maria jerks her head up. "What?"
"You will complete your education at Holy Mary Catholic School."
Maria's hope deflates. Catholic school? Where's the freedom in that? And where will Anya go to school? Those schools are quite expensive and I highly doubt Abuelita will pay for Anya's tuition as well as mine. "I was hoping to finish my high school diploma at the community college near our old home."
"That’s a great idea, but your padre and I need to know that you're going to take your education seriously. You are quite young, but life goes by quickly. You must think about your future and you must make better choices. And that needs to happen now. Until you prove to us that you can be responsible, we will be keeping our watchful eyes on you."
Maria’s eyes droop. The last place she wants to attend is a Catholic School. The nuns are strict and the uniforms are ugly and confining. But Maria realizes that if she’s going to make any meaningful change in her life, she needs to take that step.
Teresa leans forward in her seat. "Maria, I wouldn’t tell you this if I didn’t love you."
"You're right. I need direction in my life, so maybe it would be best if I went to a Catholic school." It warms her heart to see the smile on her mother's face. A renewed feeling of hope dispels all of the fear inside of her. Maria somehow knows that everything will be alright. She is going to leave this mess of a life behind and she is going to redirect her life on a new path, one that is not traveled on by people like Carly, Alex and Marissa. She is also going to set things right for Anya. The girl deserves a much better life than the one she has right now.
"I believe in you, Maria. You are a strong woman. If you put all of your energy in the right place, you will succeed in life."
Maria smiles back at her. "I know. And…thank you for those words. They mean so much to me."
"Oh dear," Teresa says, glancing down at her watch. "I have to get back to work. If I don't get going now, I'll be late. Will you come home tonight?"
"Yes. I just need to get my things first. And Madre..."
"Yes, honey."
"I'm going to bring Anya with me if you don't mind."
"Oh…okay," Teresa says, looking unsure of what to think of that proposal. She then wraps her arms around Maria's waist. It has been so long since she last felt her mother's embrace that it’s overwhelming. Maria wishes that this moment could last a few seconds longer, but it doesn’t. Her mother has more duties to fulfill at work before she returns home in the evening. For the first time in years, Maria looks forward to her parents' company, especially knowing that, in a day, she will be on a plane heading towards safety. God willing, Anya will be with her.
****
For Carly, these last two weeks have been pure hell. She hasn't regained her mother's support or love. Whenever Carly tries to talk to her, she walks away. At first, it hurt quite bad. But after a while, it angered Carly. There had been a few times when she yelled at her mother. A few days ago, she threw a glass mug at Angela's head after Angela purposely ignored her question. Fortunately, Angela ducked before the cup struck her, but it hadn’t been so fortunate for Carly. Carly has always known Angela to be a fighter; she fought back. It escalated into screaming, hitting and more object throwing, then ended with Carly storming up to her room, sobbing loudly.
To add insult to injury, Shondra's mother phoned just to tell Carly that she's an evil girl who’s been a terrible influence on her daughter. When Carly raised her voice, Mrs. Kreviak warned her, in an equally thunderous voice, that if she sets so much as her big toe on the Kreviak property, she will call the police.
The only person who is allowed to hang out with Carly is Kirsten. She knows that, with Kirsten, it’s not a matter of allowance; it’s a matter of choice. Carly is not satisfied with that arrangement. Kirsten is her least favorite friend: she is slow and just plain stupid. When Carly talks about one thing, Kirsten always changes the subject and then she repeats everything Carly says word by word. Even her parents must think she's annoying: that’s why they don't have much to do with her, Carly always wonders. In the past, people have always asked Carly why she bothers with Kirsten. She could never give them a direct answer except to remark about the clothes Kirsten wears or about the way she styles her short hair. Carly will give Kirsten credit for two things: she is knock-out gorgeous and she does know how to look sexy. Every outfit she wears gracefully outlines her perfectly shaped, hourglass figure. Kirsten belongs on the front cover of a Cover Girl magazine and Carly knows it. Although Carly would never admit that to her.
Kirsten is the only person who wants her friendship, so Carly must choose between loneliness and Kirsten. She doesn't want to be lonely, so she has decided to keep Kirsten as a friend. For now. Once she makes new friends after boot camp, she’s going to ditch Kirsten.
****
The phone beside Carly's bed rings, its high-pitched sound startling her. She drops her book on the bed and reaches for the phone. The alarm clock reads 1:25pm. Carly groans. Man, can this day go by even slower? She presses the talk button just before it goes to answering service. "Hello?"
"Hey, Carly."
"Kirsten." Of course. Who else would it be? No one else calls for me anymore.
"Wanna go to the mall?"
Carly grunts. "How can I? I'm, like, grounded until I leave for boot camp."
"That totally sucks that you have to go to boot camp."
"Yeah, but it'll be better than living here." It'll be better than having you as my only friend.
"So, do you know when you're going?"
"In the middle of April."
"How are your parents dealing with this situation?"
Carly tugs on a strand of hair. "My mom's not talking to me. We fight a lot. The only person who's actually nice to me is my dad."
"This is all Maria's fault." Kirsten's voice is full of venom.
Carly's face becomes inflamed. "Yeah. If she hadn't rattled on us, none of this would have happened. I hope the stupid bitch gets everything she deserves. I wouldn't even care if she died today. In fact, I'd laugh. I hate her, Kirsten." She pounds her fist on the soft mattress. "I hate her guts!"
Kirsten chuckles. "Screw her. Let's go shopping."
"Alright, let's go. But you'll have to pick me up. If my parents come back and sees that my car’s gone, I'll be in deep shit."
"Okay, I'll be over soon. Bye."
CHAPTER 34
Carly fingers the soft cashmere of a mauve cardigan on the rack full of sweaters in Zaras, her favorite store. Even though her closet is bursting with outfits, she could still use another new item of clothing. And she loves the style of this cardigan. She traces her fingers over the small buttons. This one sweater instantly takes her mind off her tumultuous life at home. Her hand searches for the price tag. It reads $200.00. Carly shrugs. Two hundred dollars is nothing. Most of my other clothes cost way more than this. I can afford this cardigan, no problem. But her face clouds over when she remembers the furious look on her mother's face. How am I going to wear this without my mom seeing it on me? Deflated
, she shoves the cardigan back in its place.
"Let's get out of here," she says.
Kirsten gives her a thunderstruck look. "But I haven't finished looking, and I want to buy a top."
Carly glowers at her. "Forget it, Kirsten. You can't even afford one item of clothing in this store, so how are you gonna pay for it?" She watches her friend's face turn from its natural pale beige to bright red. A couple of women, including a sales clerk, turn and stare at them.
"I was…kinda hoping…you'd pay for it," she says, her voice not much louder than a whisper. She twists one of the large buttons on her coat.
Carly should feel remorse for berating her only friend in public, but Kirsten's remark only fuels her anger. "Like hell I'm gonna pay for your clothes. Get a job."
Kirsten’s eyes glaze over. "But you paid for Anya's clothes.”
Carly shoots Kirsten a piercing look. She wants to punch her in the face. On any other occasion, she would have, but not here when people's watchful eyes are on her. Instead, she turns her back on Kirsten and storms out of the store.
"Carly. Wait. Don't leave me," Kirsten yells from behind.
Carly quickens her pace. God, I wish I could lose this annoying bitch. Right now, she wants to be alone. Perhaps loneliness is better than Kirsten's company.
"Carly, are you mad at me?" Kirsten says once she catches up to her. A worried look inhabits her dumb face.
Carly purses her lips. Yes. You're a stupid, annoying brat. Get out of my sight, she wants to say.
"I can't wait until graduation."
Carly chuckles bitterly. "Yeah, if you do graduate. You were expelled, remember?" And with your level of intelligence, I don't think anyone will admit you into their school. She keeps her eyes peeled on the corridor ahead. For a Saturday afternoon, the mall is not busy. Only a handful of people inhabit the space around her. Two of those people are vicious looking young men. She finds their appearance attractive in a dark kind of way. One of them is dressed in a long, grey trench coat and his head is shaved almost bald. Carly can see that he has a deep red tattoo on the side of his neck, but she can’t make out what it is. The other man is slightly short and husky in stature. His brown hair is slicked back and his chin boasts a thick, but small, patch of hair. He is clad in a black, Addidas track suit with a thick, black coat overtop.
Carly's eyes shift back to the man in the trench coat. He looks oddly familiar, like she has seen him before. But where? That is when the name Adrik Preschnikov pops into her mind. Carly never knew him personally, but her older brother did. He considers Adrik a freak, a total waste of humanity. That’s exactly what Anya is. The only thing that sets the two siblings apart is Anya's determination to break into the film industry. Regardless of that difference, Carly believes Anya is incapable of achieving anything great in her life.
Carly should feel remorse for what she did to Anya, but she doesn't. Every time she thinks about Anya, she vibrates.
"Who was that tall, dark-haired guy who was with Maria?" Kirsten says.
The memory of that terrible moment plays over in Carly's mind. She shudders when she thinks about that man, the way he held Matt by his throat. She can still recall his words; I'll hunt you down and make your life so miserable, you'll want to kill yourself. It's as if she just heard them a second ago. They chill her to the bone. "You mean, that man with the dark, wavy, shoulder-length hair?" Carly realizes that she is the dumb one the moment that question slips out of her mouth. She also realizes that she has gained the attention of the two young men. They stare at her, their expressions filled with hatred. She suddenly feels alone and afraid. Even Kirsten's presence cannot comfort her.
****
Maria is met by Alex the second she steps outside the door. Her hope is dashed the moment she sees him. He tries to look nonchalant, standing on the sidewalk with his hands tucked in the pockets of his coat. Maria, though, can easily detect the anxiety in his eyes. She can feel the tension emanate from his body. In a normal situation, she would feel badly for him, but all she can feel is hatred and fear.
"You done?" His voice is brusque.
"Yes, I'm done." I wish you would go to hell.
"Your mother left?"
Maria grits her teeth. "Yes." What concern is that of yours?
"Maria," he says, his voice suddenly much softer, "I know you're angry with me, and I can understand why," he whispers into her ear while he slips his arm around hers.
She jerks herself out of his embrace. "Then, why are you doing this to us?"
For a moment, he stares at her, thunderstruck. But soon enough, he regains his composure. "I have to fill my truck up with gas."
"That doesn't answer my question, Alex," she says, struggling to keep her voice at a normal pitch.
"Forget it," he yells. He jerks open the rear door of his vehicle. "Get in."
She looks from him to Anya, who is seated behind the passenger seat. She is so still that she looks like a statue, and her face is as pale as one. Come on, Anya. Get out of the truck. We have to get out of here. It's now or never.
"Maria. Get in the truck," Alex says through clenched teeth.
She steps up into the cab hesitantly. Marissa, who is seated in the passenger seat, turns around and gives her a cold look. "How did it go?"
Maria's heartbeat starts to quicken. None of your damn business. "Good."
"Well, what did you tell her?" Her accusing glare bears down on Maria like a hawk.
A cold sweat breaks out under Maria's armpits and all over her torso. "Nothing."
The reproving look on Marissa's face deepens.
"We were talking about school."
"Really? I thought you dropped out."
Maria's face flushes red. Crap! What do I tell her now? "Uh...I couldn't tell her that."
"So, you made something up, didn't you?" Alex says while he steers the truck onto the street.
"Yes I did. And that’s the honest truth." She can feel the palm of Anya's hand over her right hand. It is warm and clammy. Maria turns to face her. She wants so much to tell Anya that everything will be okay, that they will escape to Spain and live a much better life. But she knows that if she does, they will both be in much more trouble than they already are.
****
Anya is just as frightened as Maria is. She has felt this way all morning, especially during Maria's absence. Alex and Maria have showered her with kindness, but it’s all superficial. Deep down inside, she knows that they don't care about her. They only care about their own safety. If she had tried to leave, they would have forced her back into the kitchen, just like Alex had done to Maria earlier on. This realization is terrifying, but also incredibly painful. Anya feels betrayed. She honestly thought that Alex and Marissa were her friends. She has envisioned herself with them and Maria, having as much fun as they did over the past two weeks. She often daydreams of the four of them sitting around a campfire at the beach in the summer, telling stories to each other. She never anticipated this: being forced into a gang against her will. Anya can’t live with them and she certainly doesn't want to stay friends with them; not after what they did to her and Maria.
The two girls can't even stay in this city. But where will they go? She searches Maria for an answer, longing to know how her time with her mother went, but all that Maria gives her is an equally frightened look.
Anya turns to stare out of the window. The buildings seem to fly by as the truck speeds down the street. The thought that she is stuck in a vehicle with two very dangerous people and not knowing where they are going, makes her heart gallop. "W-Where are we going? she says. "To the gas station," Alex says.
****
They pull into a Shell station in a suburb in the city's east end. Alex jumps out of the vehicle, then walks over to the gas pump. Anya looks at Maria, wishing desperately that she would say something. Anything. She knows that Maria can read her thoughts because, the moment she looks at Anya, she digs her hands into her purse. Anya can only guess that she's looking fo
r a pen and a small pad of paper.
Her attention shifts from Maria to Alex. He's no longer at the gas pumps. He must have gone inside the building to pay for the gas. She then, for no reason, looks at her seat belt: it’s confining and it sits uncomfortably over her chest and waist. Slowly, Anya lowers her hand to her left hip. She presses the edge of her thumb down on the buckle's release button. The belt slides out with a faint click. Unfortunately, it’s loud enough for Marissa to hear.
"What are you doing, Anya?"
Her heart races. "I…uh…just undid my seatbelt."
"Why? Alex is gonna be back here any second."
"I just…need some more room to stretch." She shifts her gaze back to Maria, but out of the corner of her left eye, she spots a new, black car crawling along the street parallel to where they are parked. Anya scrutinizes it. Why is that car moving so slowly? This entire area is a fifty zone. What? It stopped? She sees the passenger and side windows roll down all the way, exposing two young men whose faces are hidden behind sunglasses and hooded coats. For no reason, they each pull out a gun, pointing them directly at the truck.
Anya's eyes bulge open. Her heart feels like it has leapt into her throat. In haste, she flings open the door with one hand, grabs Maria's shoulder with her spare hand and tries to pull her down.
"Ouch. Anya, what the--" The blast of the guns fill the air around them.
Anya slides out of the truck and away from the open door just before the bullets shatter the windows and penetrate the truck's interior. The noise is deafening. Anya lays on the cold cement between the truck and the gas pump, curled into a ball, her body pressed against the tire. She can hear a woman from inside of the gas station scream at the top of her lungs. The next thing she hears is Alex's voice. It’s loud and frantic.
"Marissa. Maria. Anya. Oh my God! Oh my God!"
To be Maria Page 19
