Skank

Chapter 18

Eliza's POV

Those secret sessions with Alexander have been going on for a week now. I went to his house when Maria was sleeping, practicing her Hebrew, hanging out with my cousins.

I knew it was wrong, I knew cheating on the love of my life was disgusting, but I couldn't stop myself. Hell, I didn't WANT to stop myself.

He was not Maria, I would never love him the way I loved Maria, but I needed him. I craved the way he made me feel.

Angelica was starting to suspect me, asking where I've been disappearing to. I never answered. Maria had been noticing me distancing myself too, she'd never say anything. But, whenever I was with Alex, all I could see were her sparkling eyes, her enchanted smile, but that didn't stop me.

Though Alexander knew about Maria, it didn't stop him either. I guess knowing that he knew made me feel less guilty, knowing both of us are the bad guys, both of us are evil.

I laid in bed next to Alex as I ran my hand down his back, feeling his bones and muscles, feeling that he was right here with me.

"[Alex...]" I cooed.

"[Mmm... Five more minutes...]" He wrapped his arms around me.

I looked at him and fell in love all over again. What Maria doesn't know can't hurt her.

Third Person POV

"[The brown dog chewed the juicy bone]" Maria rehearsed in Hebrew. Peggy clapped and cheered, Angelica whistled. Maria beamed with pride and tried another sentence, "[My name is Maria Lewis from New York, United States. It is very nice to meet you.]"

"[Perfect!]" Angelica chimed as Peggy gave Maria a high five. Maria gushed with joy and looked fondly at the Schuyler cousins.

"[I'm home!]" Eliza called, walking into the room.

"[Where are the groceries you claimed to be getting...?" Angelica questioned accusingly, crossing her arms.

"[I couldn't find what I wanted]" Eliza dismissed, sitting down on the couch next to Maria.

"I missed you baby" Maria cooed, wrapping her arms around Eliza, feeling her relax into her grasp.

Angelica, however, didn't look too pleased. "[Eliza, we need to talk.]" She said coldly.

Eliza hesitantly and slowly got up off the couch and walked out with her eldest cousin.

Peggy soon filled the void, sitting next to Maria with a goofy smile on her face. Maria looked over at her gratefully.

"[You're hiding something...]" Angelica accused, interrogating Eliza in the other room.

"[N-No I'm not! What makes y-you say that..??]" She stuttered nervously.

Angelica gave her a stank eye. "[I'll be keeping a close eye on you..]" She warned, leaving to cook lunch. Eliza gulped and went to her room to collect herself, probably not helping her case.

Meanwhile, Maria decided to practice her communication skills on Peggy, "[You look pretty today.]"

Peggy's eyes lit up like she'd just been gifted a puppy. Instead of replying, she simply wrapped her arms around Maria and hugged her tightly, showing emotions Maria didn't even know she had. Maria hugged back with equal affection, though she didn't quite understand what was going on.

That was when Eliza made her way into the room, an apologetic expression painted on her face. What she was about to confess would either bring them closer, or tear them apart, and it was looking towards the second thing.

Charles' POV

"So," I leaned forward in my seat. "You're telling me your daughter ran away unprovoked?"

"Y-Yes..." The mother nodded. I could tell she was lying, her eyes were darting and she was stuttering frequently. Her father sat next to her silently, looking almost ashamed.

It was hard not to feel bad for them, even though it was becoming increasingly clear they played a huge role.

"Water?" I offered, pouring a pitcher of ice water into plastic cups.

"Thank you," Mrs. Schuyler muttered, taking the cold cup and sipping it cautiously.

"So," I began once again. "Do you have any clue of your daughter's current whereabouts?"

Mrs. Schuyler shook her head, but her husband cut in for the first time.

"With Maria.." He nodded as if he'd just thought of something brilliant.

"Yes- Yes..." I replied, scribbling random doodles in my notebook and pretending this was a new discovery, to spare his pride.

"She ruined our daughter's life..." He continued in a much angrier tone.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" I questioned, cocking my head slightly.

"Oh we don't..." Mrs. Schuyler started, resting her hand on her husband's thigh, signifying for him to stop.

I slid my chair forward, turning all my attention to Mr. Schuyler. "Please, continue. To presume my investigation I need you to tell me everything you know."

Eliza's POV

"Maria please..." I begged tearfully. "Talk to me..." She faced away from me, staring at the wall, not saying a word. She shook slightly as we sat in the deafening silence. "Maria, I fucked up, okay?! I know I fucked up..." I cried out, grasping onto any gesture from her I could make out.

"Fuck you." She said in a cold, monotone voice as she stared at the wall.

I began to sob, "Maria! You're the only one I want to be with, okay?? Only you! Please!" I watched shakily as she reluctantly turned around. Her mascara was running down her cheeks and her eyes were red and wet. She opened her mouth as if she were trying to form her words, but then closed her mouth and turned back around instead.

Before any more words could be exchanged, Angelica and Peggy slowly opened the door and made their way into the room. Peggy went straight over to Maria, sitting next to her and gently comforting her. Angelica, however, cautiously walked over to me.

"[I spoke with Alexander,]" She said to me in a near whisper, "[You will be staying with him after tonight, you have tonight and tomorrow to pack up.]" She spoke sternly and cold, and it was clear to me how serious she was.

"[You would kick out your own flesh and blood?!]" I refuted angrily.

Angelica shook her head as if that was a ridiculous question. "[You will be sleeping here tonight, Maria will stay with Peggy to give her time to cool off.]"

I shook my head rapidly in response. I was not about to let them take my girlfriend away from me after all this.

"No!" I sobbed, reaching uselessly for Maria.

Needless to say, I didn't sleep much that night.