Skank

Chapter 3

Maria's POV

I sat in bed watching some show with yet another sappy ending, romantic ending. I just stared at my screen and cried. I wanted that. I wanted a REAL relationship with someone. Someone who loves me and who I can love. Someone who would hold my hand with pride. Someone who wouldn't hurt me or use me. But, I don't have that, and I never will. I was just an object, fun for the moment, but worthless in the long run. I was to be used and thrown out. I have never felt loved before. None of the men I've been with loved me. All there was to them was lust, and to me, I felt nothing at all. I've become numb to their touch, deaf to their praises, and blind to the look in their eyes. I was not so sure I even liked men at all. Whenever I imagined myself happy in the future, it was with a woman. I guess we'll never know.

My esteem shattered more and more. I knew I shouldn't read what they said about me, I KNEW it would only hurt me further, but I couldn't stop myself. I opened Instagram and scrolled through the comments on my recent post.

"Slut."

"Skank."

"Whore."

"Disgusting."

"Waste of good looks."

I threw my phone against the wall, causing it to crack further, I didn't care. I curled up in a ball and sobbed. I was unlovable. Nobody would ever love me. Ever.

Eliza's POV

I sprawled out on my bed, yawning and lazily scrolling through Netflix on my phone. I avoided doing any work. I should've been practicing my English, but I just couldn't bring myself to. I didn't want to speak the language of people that hate me. I shut my eyes tight and thought of the girls whispering about me, the boys who followed me around, laughing and mocking my accent. Nobody is patient with me, I wish I just had one person to teach me. I wish I just had one person that cared about me, accepted me, and understood me. That would've been enough to make me want to learn more English. But I didn't and who knew if I ever will.

"Eliza?" My mom called, knocking on my door gently. "You've been awfully quiet, is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just studying my English."

"I'm so proud of you." My mom said, pride in her voice.

I waited until she walked away and then I began to softly cry.

Third Person POV

Maria finally had the courage to pick her phone back up again. She cleaned and fixed her previously running mascara, combed out her hair, and reapplied her lipgloss, strawberry this time. She held up her phone and feigned a smile. She took the photo, uploading it to Instagram, this time, turning off her comments. She WASN'T making that mistake again.

Across town, Eliza was scrolling through her recommended accounts. Just in case she found someone she recognized from school. Was this a sad attempt to make friends? Quite possibly. But any attempt counted for something. Out of the dozens of unrecognizable faces, there was one profile who's face she did recognize. Maria.

Maria's POV

I was about to go to sleep when I heard my phone ding to the Instagram tune. Oh boy, I thought to myself, can't wait to read yet another sexually charged message. But it wasn't.

"Hey, it's Eliza, the girl who saw you leaving today." The message read. "I know I'm one of the last people you'd like to talk to right now, but I just want to make sure you're doing okay. I hope you're feeling better."

My heart jumped. Could it be possible? Someone actually... cared... about me?

"Hey," I began. "I'm sorry for how I treated you this morning, as you could tell, I wasn't having the most pleasant morning, haha. I'm feeling a bit better now." That second part was a lie, but I didn't want to pour everything out on her.

She replied almost instantly.

"Sorry... pleasant..? I just moved to America and don't speak English too well."

Oh. "Pleasant means happy or good. For example, if someone says 'I have pleasant news', they mean they have good news." I replied patiently. I would be more than happy to assist her if she wanted to learn.

"Oh, thank you! And I'm glad you're feeling better! I have to go now, but have a great night!"

I sighed as I watched the green circled symbolizing that she was online disappear.

That's when I heard loud, violent coughing coming from the other room.

"Daddy?!" I called, quickly running into his room.

There was my father, coughing up blood as his whole body shook. Tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Daddy, stay calm! I'm going to call and ambulance!!" I squeaked, trying not to cry. I quickly dialed 911 and told them what was happening. My dad heaved and I watched his face go white.

"Stay with me daddy!!" I cried and ran out of the room, just for a moment, to unlock the front door.

It was one second. One second I left the room. I regret that second so much.

I fell to my knees and sobbed as I stared at my father's cold body, pale as can be, his eyes rolled back and his fingers turning purple. "Daddy!!!" I yelled, attempting to take his pulse. "Daddy!!! Say something!!!" I felt my throat go dry.

The paramedics came and took him away. I was offered to go on the ambulance with them, but I couldn't bare to do so.

I just ran back to my room and sobbed, going through my dressers to count my money. Whether he makes it or not was irrelevant, I couldn't afford the hospital. I felt my stomach sink. I needed to get to the streets NOW and find someone to sleep with. I needed the money, and fast.

I didn't care how sad and heartbroken I was over my dad, I needed to swallow my feelings, hide my tears, and change into a seductive outfit.