Strong

Chapter Three

"So what are you saying? You have a crush on this guy?" Wendy asks laughing.

Maria sits at the lunch table with her friends listening to their conversations with a smile on her face.

"Maybe..." Amy says shyly.

"Well girl! You talk about him all the time!" Wendy exclaims.

"I can't help myself!"

"You two will be so cute together!"

Amy blushes.

Maria and Lexi's two other friends were speaking of a boy in their class named James.

Personally, Maria isn't interested in dating anyone. She's only dated once, and that ended badly. Of course she found some of the boys in her class attractive, but she didn't want to date right then.

"Maria, do you have your eye on anyone?" Lexi asks curiously.

She laughs and says, "Mm you know I don't, Lexi."

She smiles and says mischievously, "Well, I did hear about a new transfer student."

Maria rolls her eyes when the three girls laugh.

"Yea, we really need to hook you up with him," Wendy says winking.

"Well, IF he's cute," Amy giggles.

Lexi laughs.

"Guys," Maria groans.

Laughter fills the table.

Soon, lunch is over and the four girls throw their trash away.

"See you guys later," Amy calls back to Maria and Lexi, her short blonde hair swishing to the side.

"Yea, have fun!" Wendy says heading off with Amy, her green eyes twinkling.

"Bye," Maria and Lexi say in unison.

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"Is your jacket new? They go really well with your shirt and jeans," Lexi compliments Maria on their way to class. She points to Maria's white skinny jeans and green shirt with her black leather jacket.

"Oh this? I got the jacket from my mom a couple weeks ago, I really like it," Maria responds.

"Yea it's cute!" Lexi says smiling.

"Thanks!" Maria replies happily.

The two girls walk into their class and take their seats.

As the professor begins, Maria isn't listening. She is thinking about how her mother doesn't have work today and how she wants to cook dinner for her family tonight.

Nothing could get in the way of that.

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My family is the favorite part of my life. Maria writes into her diary in writing class. Especially my mom, she works her hardest and takes care of my family. She loves me and I love her. I love my father too but my mom has a special place in my heart.

Maria's mom taught her how to keep a diary. She once told her she should write short sentences because they become more meaningful that way. So that's what Maria does.

The bell rings and school is out. Maria and Lexi go to their lockers and get their books they need for homework that night.

They walk outside and into the parking lot then wave goodbye to each other and head their separate ways.

The only day Lexi doesn't walk Maria home is on Wednesdays when Lexi has soccer practice right after school.

Before Maria starts walking, she takes out her phone and plugs her earbuds in. She sticks them in her ear and starts playing music.

Maria's absolute favorite type of music is rock or slow music from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.

She turns on her playlist and Carry On Your Wayward Son by Kansas starts playing.

She sticks her phone in her pocket and starts walking.

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Maria enters her neighborhood and takes s left. She walks up her driveway just as the tune to Silent Lucidity by Queensrÿche starts playing.

The guitar continues to strum as she opens her front door and closes it behind her.

"Mom?" Maria calls out.

"She should be home she didn't have work today," Maria thinks.

She walks around he downstairs then goes up to her mom's bedroom.

Maria knocks on the door.

No answer.

"Mom?" Maria calls out as she slowly opens the door.

Still nothing.

Wait, there was one noise. A slight thumping noise echoes off the walls.

Maria's blue eyes widen. She ever so slowly looks to her left.

"NO!" She screams.

Her mother hangs from the ceiling fan by her neck. The thumping noise was her body swaying back and forth and hitting the wall.

"MOM!!!" Maria screams again.

The first words start playing.

Hush now, don't you cry.

Maria stares in terror at her mom's lifeless form.

Just hanging there.

Dead.

Tears stream down Maria's face.

Wipe away the teardrop from your eye.

"PLEASE NO!" Maria cries out as she sinks onto her knees.

Sobs escape Maria's pink lips as she says, "Pl-e-ase..."

You're lying safe in bed.

Maria sits and stares at the noose that is attached to the ceiling fan.

"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!" Maria suddenly screams.

It was all a bad dream.

Maria's sobs grow louder with each thump that echoes off the walls.

Spinning in your head.

"SAY SOMETHING! DON'T JUST HANG THERE!" Maria continues to shout.

Silence.

Your mind tricked you to feel the pain

Maria covers her face with her hands and continues to cry.

"Why would y-ou kill yo-urself," she chokes out through the tears.

Of someone close to you leaving the game of life...

The only sound that could be heard was Maria's sobs, and the thumps of her mother's lifeless body hanging from the fan.