Just Me Again.

50: Everything Will Be Okay

MARIA WAYNE

I could hear Marcus and Charlie arguing from the other room while I was in Charlie's room – still in shock by what she said to me. My eyes were on the floor while my mind was still trying to process. It was hard for me to believe that Charlie said those things to me. I thought she would understand – she is my best friend after all. A tear escaped my eye and I tightly closed my eye when I heard Marcus raising his voice on Charlie – that might be the first time I have heard Marcus yelling at Charlie. I heard Silas and Elizabeth as well – asking Marcus to calm down, "Why are you taking her side?! Do you still love her?!" Her words were like a knife straight to my heart. How can she say that? What happened to Charlie I know? I closed my ear with my palms and let out a loud sob. I didn't want to hear what she was saying – I am hurt enough. Maybe I deserve it – Charlie is right – I should have kept my mouth shut.

"Charlie, come back!" I could hear Marcus yelling following Silas's concerned voice, "Leave it, Marcus. Let her go – she needs some time alone." I heard him say. I didn't dare to turn back to see them. I know they can see me as the door was wide open, but I was too embarrassed to make eye contact with anyone. I heard footsteps before the door of the room closed – silencing all the chaos outside. I gulped and fisted my hands – I could feel his presence in the room.

"Maria –" He said – I could hear pity in his voice. I sniffed, "You don't have to say anything, Silas." I said while looking down at my hand. I sighed, "I want to be left alone." I spoke softly. I heard him sighed before he spoke, "I will leave you alone, Maria." He said before I heard his footsteps as he walked out and closed the door behind him. I let out a shaky breath as soon as the door closed and cried till my tears were left to shed. I don't know how long I sat in the room alone while thinking about what Charlie has said to me. Nothing hurts more than the hate received by the one person I always thought of like my sister. I was losing myself in the cloud of glum thoughts when I heard a knock on the door. I mashed my lips together and wiped the moist off my cheeks. I gulped and called out, "Yes," no matter how hard I tried to control my voice it came out shaky. I know I must look horrible, but honestly, I didn't care. I heard the door opened and closed before the person spoke. "Maria, can I please talk to you?" I jerked my head to looked Paige standing with her eyebrows drawn together and eyes filled with tears.

I narrowed, "What do you want? Did you do enough damage? Go tell your boyfriend that he succeeded. You both can go and celebrate." I spoke sourly. I didn't want to speak to her. I thought she was my friend – she betrayed me. "Maria, please – just listen to me." She cried and walked nearer. "I didn't know he would write such rubbish until yesterday. I just thought he was writing a book inspired by your life – I didn't know he would write it all of your names." She spoke.

I gritted my teeth and looked away as she continued, "Please give me a chance to explain and after that, you can do whatever you want. Just listen to me, please?" She asked as she sat on the chair right in front of me. I lifted my gaze to glance at her. Her eyes were red, so must be mine. She put her hand on my knee, I didn't remove it nor did I look back into her eyes. My silence was enough for her to continue. "I was blindfolded in his love." She started. I had an urge to roll my eyes, but I didn't. She removed her hand from my knee and sighed, "When you were still in Chicago," she continued, "He would ask me about you and Silas. He told me that he saw you in news and was curious about what happened to you and him. I told him that I didn't know either – he didn't press me to ask you, instead he befriended with me and slowly got himself into my life and through me into yours and Rene's. I stupidly fell for him. Maria, I somehow had an idea that he was just using me to get information about you, but I let him. At least, that way he was close to me." She paused and sniggered, "I am too desperate. I know you must be thinking that." She shrugged, "You are right, I was desperate for him to love me back." She said.