our ride through life

CHAPTER 18

--TORI--
"Anthurium?!" A high-pitched voice interrupted my slumber.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes. I turned my head and saw my cousin.

"Hey, Maria." I greeted, still unaware of my surroundings.

3 minutes passed and I jolted up.

"Maria?" I yelled, jumped up and hugged her.

"Took you long enough." She laughed.

I pulled away from her and looked at her. Her hair was shorter now, shoulder-length and it was dyed blue- getting lighter at the tips. She still had that hourglass figure, but her hips were wider, and she was still wearing a crop top and jeans- her usual outfit but she was wearing a tank top inside to cover her stomach. Maria is 2 years older than me.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Its a long story actually." I rubbed my neck and laughed nervously.

"I've got all day." She sat down on the bed with me.

*****
She was staring agape at me.

"They did not choose to let you have the therapy again?" She asked.

"Dad said that it almost killed me from receiving the therapy again. The psychiatrist informed them that if I would receive the therapy for the third time, there is a 90% chance that I would die." I told her.

"The third time?" Her eyebrows were furrowed with confusion.

"You don't know?" She shook her head no.

I sighed and smiled at her as if it didn't affect me anymore.

*****
"Tori, Angelo is 4 years older than you." I nodded but I was confused.

I didn't tell her how old Angelo was.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Tori, Angelo lived here for a year. He tried courting me during that time. I kept saying no because people said that he had an ex-wife and they had a divorce because he was abusing her." She said it slowly as if contemplating her next words.

"Did.... did he..." She didn't have to continue because I already knew what she was trying to ask.

I gave her a sad smile and nodded.

"What else did he do? You know what he did to me right?" I nodded.

"Every weekend I stay at his house. Maria, you know that I would not stay in an abusive relationship right?" She immediately nodded.

"Turns out, one of the triggers is when I get hit. He hits me everytime I stay at his house. Flashes of memories with Rose would show up in my mind everytime he would hit me. I stayed with him longer because of the longing I felt everytime I saw that little girl that I now know as Rose."

"How long?" She quietly said.

"A year." Her eyes grew wide with shock and she clasped her hands on her mouth.

"You endured that long? Does Uncle Ace and Aunt Mia know?" I shook my head no.

"What about the girls? Aku? Luke?"

"None of them know. I never told them. I covered up all my bruises with concealer. None of them noticed, I think."

She hugged me tightly.

"What do you plan to do now? You said you would come back in 7 months."

"I don't know if I will come back anymore." I told her.