(no subject)
Roswell, New Mexico
"Be strong, Maria."
"I don't want to be strong, Liz," Maria said after throwing herself down on her bed. "I want to scream and cry and throw things."
"I'm pretty sure that you already did some of that," Alex said helpfully from the sleeping bag on the floor.
"Boarding school. She's sending me to boarding school all the way across the country."
"It sounds like a really fun one, though," Liz pointed out. "I mean, there's a class called Adulting With Cars! I wish I could come with you, but Mom and Dad need me here."
Maria buried her face in her pillow for a few moments. "But I don't want to go away to some island off the coast of Maryland. You guys are here and I want to stay here."
"We're here, yes," Alex said, sitting up. "But Michael is also here and it's making you miserable." Maria didn't answer him and he continued. "He's treating you badly, Maria. You don't deserve that -- especially after everything that you've done for him."
"How can he say he loves me and then just toss me aside like a bag of garabage like that?"
"Because he's a jerk."
Maria gave Liz a tear-filled smile.
"You're going to go to this fun and sophisticated boarding school, Maria DeLuca," Liz declared firmly. "You are going to enjoy yourself and maybe you will even meet a new guy who is worthy of you."
"And if by Christmas, you still hate it, then Liz and I will come break you out of there and bring you home."
"Halloween."
"Okay. If you still are this unhappy by Halloween, we'll come get you and do whatever we have to do to convince your mom to let you stay home where you belong."
"Promise?"
Liz lay down on the bed next to Maria. "We promise."
"I love you guys," Maria sniffled.
"We know."
PROFILE