Rachel and Maria ran as fast as they could to the lake
"You think he'll be able to find us here?" Maria asked after she caught her breath.
"No doubt it we're at least a mile from town out here." Rachel replied
They both looked at the rundown house that a couple the windows were knocked out of. The sides were covered with moss and grass that had overgrown over time.
"How long you think it's been since someone live here?" Rachel finally asked.
"Probably 5..6 years." Maria replied
"Well i guess this will have to be home for now".
The inside was worse than the outside. Floorboards we're broken and there was holes all over the floor. The lights didn't work and it was cold but a kind of old creepy house feeling, it felt completely abandoned like it had never seen love. The kitchen sink had mold and just looked liked you get all kinds of diseases from it. They went upstairs to the bedroom. The bedroom was the worst of all with a rundown mattress where you could see the springs poking out the nightstand was dusty like it had never been clean.
"This is going to be a long night." Rachel said
"Yea but let's try to get some sleep you've had a long day." Maria replied
"Yea you're right."
They both got on the beaten up mattress and wiggled around until they were a little bit comfy at least as much as they can be.
The next day was pretty boring the girls just tried to explore the land around them to get a better understanding of where they were. They found an old well out back and a abandoned disney land park in the yard which they swore was haunted.
"So is this home?" Maria asked.
"For now I guess so." Rachel said letting go of the breath she was holding in.
They were sat on the porch chairs feeling the chilly almost autumn breeze coming in.
"What you thinking about?" Rachel finally asked after swaying with the wind for a little.
"Honestly nothing." Maria replied.
"After all we've been through i don't think i'll ever be able to think right again."
"Heard that.. does this count as trauma?". Rachel asked
"Yea I think, but you know for someone who just went through a traumatic day you still look beautiful."
"Well not as beautiful as you I mean come on look at you."
"Well thank you Rachel."
"Of course."
They sat there taking in the view of the lake which actually was quite beautiful. The grass was filled with bright colourful flowers that were still blooming even though it's nearly fall, and the water that shined in the sun it felt almost comfortable to sit and stare at it in each other's company.
"Do you really think marrying Ray was the right thing to do?"
"You know I thought it was but.."
"But..?"
"Well I guess I could have thought it out more."
"You think?"
"Ok fine it was a bad idea but I really thought it was gas. Turns out it was just my taco bell from the day before."
"Well your heart was in the right place."
"Yea the taco bell drive through now we're stuck here and i dragged you into it." Rachel said throwing her hands to her face.
"Well it's not all bad." Maria scooted closer to Rachel almost to comfort her.
"It's not?" Rachel looked up slowly.
"I don't think so I wouldn't want to be stuck in a lake house with anyone else." Maria put her hand on Rachel's shoulder.
"We should go to bed it's getting late" She said trying to comfort her.
"Yea you're right." Then they went back to the uncomfortable bed and went to sleep.
Rachel woke up the next day and saw Maria not there, she shot out of bed thinking something happened to her. Rachel ran to the kitchen just to find her making some eggs.
"Oh hey did i wake you?" Maria said.
"Huh? Oh no just scarred me." Rachel replied a little out of breath.
"Well i didn't mean to scare you here i couldn't sleep so i made us some breakfast."
"Thanks, you didn't have to do that though."
"Don't worry about it Rach just trying to help you've been through enough."
They spent the next hour eating and reading old magazines about about Brittany Spears and Justin Bieber and laughing at the bad outfits.
"Remember when we thought they were the best outfits." Maria asked.
"Oh yea what we're we thinking these are ugly." Rachel tried to get out mid laugh.
"Well i'm glad we dress better now." Maria said.
"Do you think people in 10 years will think our outfits are ugly?"
"Probably, that's how tome works y'a know."
"Yea i guess you're right, the future is scary though."
Maria just looked down and stayed quiet.
"Are you scared for the future still?" She finally asked.
"I mean yea i still have a runaway murdering almost husband out there."
"Yea maybe this isn't your best moment."
"Oh definitely not."
Rachel laughed at that comment, something about seeing Rachel still laughing and cracking jokes during all this comforted Maria about the whole situation.
"Well what do you want to do today? Visit the park outside? Explore the woods? Just chill inside?" Maria asked after snapping back into it.
"I'm not too sure maybe the woods let's save the park for tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan !"
They washed their dirty dishes and got ready, Rachel only had her heels from the wedding so she looked in the closet and found some old boots that had holes all over them. They were damaged but just her size so she put them on.
"Don't remember you having those." Maria asked as she walked by to check on Rachel.
"These? Yea found them in the closet turns out whoever lived here was just my size."
"Well that's convenient well if you're ready let's get going before all the bugs come out."
As they walked out the door the morning cold air hit them like a bus it was the kind of cold that made your nose burn.
"Wish i had a bigger jacket." Maria said blowing her breath so you could see it.
"Yea me too this one is old probably because i took it from that ladies closet."
The more they walked into the woods the darker it got as the trees covered the sun. They knew it was probably around 8:30 but it looked like it was 5.
Rachel walked in a almost dance like way throwing her foot in front of the other and swaying with the wind. Maria was busy jumping on every crunchy leaf she could find. It was nice out there so nice that they practically forgot they were hiding out to avoid getting murdered they were just running and jumping with no cares.
"Bet you can't climb that tree!" Rachel told Maria. She pointed at a tree about 12 ft tall with branches that barley looked like they could hold a bird let alone a person.
Maria looked up at the tree and her smile almost went away then she looked at Rachel's face, it was happy Maria didn't want to take that away from her.
"I bet i could!" She finally replied and quickly got up and began to climb. She got halfway up and looked down to look for Rachel.
"See! i told you i coul-" before she could finish her sentence her foot slipped.
"Maria! Watch out!" Rachel screamed at her that smile was no where to be found now.
"I'm ok!" Maria said catching her breath. She was now barley hanging on a thin branch that would probably break any second.
"Don't look down!" Rachel screamed from the comfort of the ground.
Maria didn't listen obviously and immediately looked down to see she was about 8 ft in the air hanging for dear life.
"I told you not to look down." Rachel said rolling her eyes and slapping her hand to her face.
"You know when someone says don't look down it normally makes you want to look down." Maria said.
"Well yes you got a point, look i'll get you down just try to get a little lower."
"O-ok i'll try."
She stepped her foot back on the tree and it just slipped right off.
-SNAP-
The tree brach Maria was holding onto broke.
"MARIA!" Rachel ran to her to make sure she was ok. "Are you hurt?"
Maria was out of breath and could barley look up, she tried to sit up but her hands rushed to her leg.
"Shit." She said
"Did you break it?" Rachel asked.
"I dont think so probably just sprained it."
"Here i'll help you back to the house."
Rachel then picked her up and put her on her back careful not to hurt her leg anymore.
"You ok?"
"Up just fine thank you, you really don't have to carry me though."
"It's the least i could do i'm the reason you're even hurt."
"Well thank you."
"Anything for you."
Maria then layer her head on Rachel's shoulder and nearly fell asleep the whole way back to the house. When they finally got there Rachel sat her down on the couch in the living room. It was a brown stained couch with many holes and it was so warned out it wasn't very comfortable but it was all they had.
"That's the best i can do for now will this be ok?"
"Yea thank you sorry about getting hurt kinda ruined the trip didn't it."
"You didn't ruin anything."
Maria smiled at that comment and it looked as she believed her.
"I'm going to try to find something for your leg i'll be right back."
Rachel began to go through every cabinet and closet they haven't yet looked in. She found one that had some old wraps for wombs and decided that was the best they had. Rachel then went outside and tried to find some sticks to use to keep her leg straight and then went back to the couch to find Maria passed out. She tried to fix her leg slowly so she wouldn't wake up up but Maria woke up anyway.
"Oh sorry didn't mean to wake you."
"It's ok don't worry."
Rachel tried the last bit of bandage on her leg.
"Here see if that works."
Maria slowly tried to get up and she fell again and swayed back and worth before trying again almost to prepare herself. When she finally got up she couldn't take many steps at first but eventually got the hang of it.
"Yea i think it works! Thank you."
"No problem!" Rachel looked at Maria and just kinda got lost she zoned out for what felt like an hour before snapping back in and feeling embarrassed.
"Oh uh do you still want to go the park tomorrow?" She asked frantically.
"I don't know depends how i'm feeling."
"Yea yea of course." Rachel scratched her head trying to think of another question so this wouldn't be awkward.
"Are you hungry? I can make us something."
"Yea that wouldn't be bad."
Rachel then had a sigh of relief and walked to the kitchen to get her thoughts together, making food should help her clear her mind.
"I cant possible like her.. can i?" Rachel asked herself before quickly shaking off the thought. Before she had time to think anymore she managed to make some mac and cheese for the both of them and went to give it to Maria.
"Here it's not fancy but it works." Rachel said giving Maria the bowl.
"It's perfect thanks." She replied with a smile. "Here sit next to me the tv works. Rachel sat next to her and they spent the rest of the day watching hallmark movies and making fun of how cringy they were. Maria randomly looked out the window to see it was completely dark.
"Woah time really goes by fast doesn't it."
"Yes i guess it does especially when i'm with you." Rachel replied.
Maria then layer her head on Rachel.
"Let's just sleep here tonight." She said mid yawn.
Rachel couldn't do anything but stare her head began racing and so did her heartbeat. Rachel managed to get her thoughts to quiet down and fell asleep next to Maria. Rachel woke up the next day to find Maria had fallen into her lap. She looked so peaceful, so cute. No not cute she shook her head to get rid of the thought. The shaking of her head must have woken her up because Maria got up and started rubbing her eyes.
"Good morning sorry i didn't mean to sleep on you." She said sleepily.
"Oh don't worry about it it's fine."
Suddenly Maria shot up.
"Omg!"
"What?"
"Do you know what tomorrow is?" Maria said grabbing Rachel's hands in excitement.
"Oh yea it's my birthday!"
"We have to do something you'll be 18!"
"Oh it's not a big deal don't worry about it."
"Please please can we do something i'll make a cake anything."
"It's fine I promise."
"Please!" She looked up at Rachel like a little puppy Rachel couldn't say no.
"Ok ok fine we can."
"Yay!" Maria immediately tried to plan things to do for Rachel's 18th birthday. Maria limbed out of bed to find any kind of colourful decorations she could.
"You really don't have to do all this." Rachel said helping her get a box of party hats down from a shelf.
"But i want to." She wiped her head back to tell her. The rest of the day was filled with decorating the rundown house and turning into a party house. After hours of work the house didn't seem so lonely anymore the bright streamers made it look almost homely.
"It's looks amazing. Thank you Maria."
"Of course anything for you."
They eventually went to sleep after a long day of decorating and Rachel woke up to Maria jumping on her.
"Rachel! Rachel! Rachel! Wake up it's your birthday!"
"It's my birthday." She thought. "It's my birthday and i'm spending it in a rundown lake house." But she couldn't help but laugh and smile at how excited Maria was to spend the day with her and quickly got up and got ready to meet her in the kitchen.
"Surprise!" Maria shouted as she walked in. The table that the day before had been covered in dirt was now not only spotless but had a cake on it that read "happy 18". Rachel looked at the cake then back at Maria.
"Woah Maria you didn't have to do this for me."
"But i wanted to! Here you cut the first piece." Maria handed Rachel a knife. She then put a slice of cake on 2 plates for the both of them and then of course Maria started singing.
"Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Rachel
Happy birthday to you!"
She held up a lighter she found in the cabinet to use as a candle since they didn't have any.
"Make a wish!" Maria said
Rachel paused for a moment to think about what she could possibly wish for. A better wedding? No that doesn't seem right she didn't want Ray anymore all she had was right here. Before Maria got suspicious of her taking to long she went to the lighter and blew it out.
"So? What you wish for?" Maria asked putting her hands under her chin to show she was fully listening.
"Well i can't tell you then it won't come true."
"Well yea I guess you're right."
After eating nearly half the cake they turned on the tv to see that Titanic was on and it was at the scene Rose and Jack are dancing.
"Take my hand m'lady." Maria said holding out her hand which Rachel took. They spent the next few minutes dancing around the living room and laughing so hard that their stomachs hurt and plopped down on the couch.
After about an hour of crying to
"I'll never let go Jack." They decided to clean up the kitchen that they had left a mess. As they were washing the dishes Maria sprayed Rachel in the face with the faucet.
"Oh you little-" This quickly broke out a water war and by the end of it they were soaking wet and had even more of a mess to clean which they didn't mind they were having fun.
"Hey Rach you go change ill clean this."
"Aw thank you."
Rachel came back a few minutes later to find the kitchen all cleaning and Maria going to change into some dry clothes.
"Woah look it's almost dark out." Rachel said once Maria came back.
"Yea it is isn't time really does go by fast when you're having fun."
"Yea we should go to bed soon shouldn't we?"
"Wait! There's something we need to do before we go to sleep." Maria said.
"What's that?"
"Follow me there's one more thing i have to show you." Maria said.
They found themselves going outside after sunset maybe to sit and think about what all has happened maybe to just have some time together to breathe.
"Happy birthday Rachel." Maria said with a smile.
"Thank you Maria." She replied.
"Rachel?"
"Yea?"
"What did you wish for?"
Rachel paused at that comment.
"Well what i really wanted was already here.
"And what's that?" Maria turned over to look at her.
Rachel didn't answer she didn't know weather to tell Maria the truth or not.
"You." She said finally letting out a deep breathe.
Maria scooted closer to Rachel and laid down. They sat down cuddled up together to fight to cold and just staring up at the stars which seemed to be brighter than normal.
"You know the stars really are beautiful." Maria finally said.
"Not as beautiful as you." Rachel replied.
"You really think so?" Maria rolled over to look at Rachel.
"Of course." Rachel sat up to meet her eyes.
Maria leaned in to kiss Rachel and then they heard something from the bushes.
