Sugar // Marliza

12

tw: abuse & homophobic slurs
also this chapter is very very sad, just a warning. im going to put a summary at the end because it is such an emotional chapter.

- Maria -

"You're pregnant? Is this a goddamn joke, Maria?" James screamed, holding a few of the pregnancy tests I took a couple months ago. I kept them because they seemed important and I couldn't bring myself to throw them away. I never thought he'd see them.

Tears were streaming down my cheeks quickly, the salty drops dripping off my face. Choked sobs escaped my throat every once in a while, and I couldn't catch my breath. I nodded at him quickly, afraid of what he'd say next.

The whole thing started about ten minutes ago, when he was about to... well, you know. I'm finally starting to show and he noticed. Then, he stormed into the bathroom and ripped through the cabinets, and found all the tests I took.

And here we are.

"Why didn't you tell me? Is it even mine? I bet it's not, you slut! Or maybe you didn't want to tell me because you're just a liar! I know your little secret, Maria," he taunted, getting closer and closer to me, snarling in my face. I felt my blood go cold as he said this. He grabbed my wrist, digging his fingernails into it. I winced slightly and braved myself for what I knew was coming.

"Not only are you a slut and a whore and a liar, you're something else. The only reason you date me is because you have to, so your parents won't get mad. Because you like girls, Maria. You're a lesbian, a fag. All you are is a failure." He spat. I cried harder as he began to hit me, repeating it over and over. The words stung, just as much as his punches and kicks.

"Repeat it with me Maria. You know it's the truth. You are a fag, and that's all you'll ever be." I sobbed and held my stomach as he kicked me, feeling myself get lightheaded and woozy.

"Say it!" He yelled, grabbing a plate from the table and hurling it towards me. I curled into a ball as he punched me harder.

"I- I'm a f-fag..." I mumbled, the edges of my vision going dark.

"That's right." James snapped, kicking me hard in the stomach once more. And that's the last thing I remember before passing out.

- time skip to the next morning -

I woke up to the sounds of soft crying and beeping. Immediately, something felt wrong. My eyes shot open and my hands flew to my stomach. I feel empty. Something's wrong.

I look up in a panic, trying to get out of a bed I don't recognize. Someone gently pushes me down and shushes me, kissing my forehead gently. I calmed down slightly before realized that I was in a hospital, and Eliza was the one who kissed my head, and the one who had been crying.

"W-what happened? Something's wrong, I can't feel anything anymore, something happened to the baby, what's going on?" I asked, my voice raspy. Eliza took a deep breath and sat next to me on the bed, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Someone heard James yelling and throwing stuff last night and they called the cops. They found you passed out and him standing there, chugging alcohol. They rushed you here and he's in jail now and he's going on trial early next week. There talking about sending him to jail for ten years, since he hit you, raped you, and was drunk when they found him," she began. I nodded, slightly relieved that he was finally taken away and taken care of.

"They called me since I'm apparently your emergency contact, and I came here immediately. They said when they found you, you had cuts and bruises all over you, and um..." she continued. I furrowed my eyebrows, urging her to continue. I need answers.

"You were bleeding. They did some tests and, oh god. I don't even know how to say this..." she said, her voice cracking and shaking. Tears silently dripped down her face and she stopped talking, just burying her face back in my shoulder and hugging me. It hit me all at once.

"I lost the baby, didn't I?" I whispered. She nodded against my shoulder and I felt the world crash down around me. All of the sudden, I felt so sick.

I ran out of the bed and into the little attached bathroom and threw up, feeling tears prick my eyes. My baby is gone.

I planned so much. The baby shower, the names, the baby's room. Loving him or her with every ounce of love I could give. And now, I can't have that. Because of James. Because he hit my stomach and killed my baby.

Eliza quickly rushed in and held my hair back as I continued to throw up. As much as I knew it was James's fault, I can't help but blame myself. If I would've gotten out of there sooner, left when I had a chance a few weeks ago, my baby would still be alive.

But like usual, I messed it all up and hurt not just myself, but other people.

James is right. All I am is a failure.

summary: James finds out Maria is pregnant. He gets mad and yells at her, calling her lots of horrible and derogatory names. He physically abuses her until she's unconscious.
Maria is taken to the hospital and wakes up the next morning with Eliza by her side. Maria is told that James was arrested, but also found out that she lost her baby.

a/n: this was a very emotional chapter to write, and i just want you all to know that no one deserves to be treated like this. What Maria has to go through in this was an absolute nightmare. Not only was she physically attacked, but she was verbally degraded and had an expecting mother's very worst nightmare come true.