I can´t believe it´s already Sunday again. Thanks for your feedback, I looooove it
quelbebek:
Michael won´t give up so soone And Maria, yeah, she got hurt so often by now, it´s hard for her to trust anyone.that was a wonderful part, i can understrand what michael did, but maybe he should try the truth.
i also understand maria..because she is left by her mother and has nobody in her life who she can really really trust...its hard to believe someone if you were disappointed like she was.
April:
You might find the answer in the next part And I hope you will find a new apartment soon...Oh my goodness, I can completely relate to what Maria is going through right now with this apartment situation! I've been stressed out about finding an apartment myself lately. Except that I have a mother who loves me and doesn't abandon me and helps me pay for things. Maria's got it really hard here. Really hard. What's she going to do? Where is she going to go? I'm worried.
lol, well... I like it. And you have that little icon again, which says it very simply: SEX. I love it.Oh my god, that's right! I did, I so totally did. I can be such a pervert sometimes!
Starcrazed:
You´re maybe right here M&M will find their way back together... it´s a Candy storyLiz's phone call was probably trying to warn them.
___________________________________________________________________________
This part is dedicated to my wounderful beta-reader Angel
Part 19
A lucky hit Novemerber 30th, 2007 – Friday – 2:30 pm
School is over and I head for the supermarket near my apartment. I have to buy some food for the weekend. I don´t need to work today since Kate told me to come by tomorrow morning.
“DeLuca.” Someone calls after me. I don’t have to turn around; I already know this voice - Billy. He catches up to me and forces me to stand still with his hand on my arm.
I try to look surprised. “Oh, Billy, hey.”
“Where’re you goin’?“ he asks gruffly.
“To the supermarket.” No need to lie here.
“After that?”
“Um...”
Think of something, Maria.
“Good. You´ll come to Election with us today,” he says without a second thought.
“But, I have to work tomorrow morning.”
“Too bad. You’re comin’ anyway. I´ll pick you up at eleven o`clock. And put on some nice clothes, too.”
I look at him, puzzled, but he leaves before I can say another word.
Great.
***
I put the food that I bought a minute ago in the cart in front of me and grab one of the paper bags. Just as I start to pack it, the corkboard above me catches my attention.
‘Roomate wanted’ – is the title of a handwritten note pinned there.
I set the bag down in the cart and read further.
“Are you young, independent and reasonable? Good, I´m searching for a new roomate. $100 a month. Interested? Then call me for more information.’
My heartbeat rises. Could that be my chance?
I don’t have the cell phone or a pencil with me, so I tear the whole sheet of paper off of the corkboard and shove it into my bag.
***
I run home, put the bags down in the kitchen and hurry into my room. I get on my knees and search for the cell phone I threw under my bed after the fight with Michael.
Michael – the memory of him makes me wince. But I don´t have time to pity myself. Not now. With shaking hands I dial the number from the flyer.
“Hello?” A young, female voice greets me.
“Hi… um. My name is Maria. I’m calling you because I just saw your flyer in a supermarket. Are you still looking for a roommate?”
Please, say yes.
“Oh, hey, Maria. My name’s Angel. I had almost lost faith that anyone would read this, so yeah, I´m definitely still looking for someone.”
That takes a load off my mind. “Cool. Where’s the apartment?”
“Oh, it’s not far from that supermarket, the one where you found my flyer.”
Okay, now I´ll ask her the most important question. “Are you gonna need permission from my parents or anything? Because I can’t get it, but I’ll be turning 18 next week.”
She laughs. “No, I don’t need that. You’ll just be my roomy, so no one will ask questions about your age or anything. And I’m only 19, so we’re not that far apart. What do you say? You wanna come over and have a look at the room I’ve got to offer?”
“Yeah, wow. That would be cool. Can you give me the adress? Then I’ll be on my way.”
***
I’m kind of nervous when I knock on Angel’s front door. What if she doesn´t like me?
“Hey, Maria, right?” She greets me with a wide smile on her lips.
“Yeah.”
“C’mon in.” She steps aside and leads me inside. We stand in a small living room/kitchen combination.
“As you can see, this is the room where we could cook or just hang out together.”
“Wow, it’s comfy.”
“And this…” she walks ahead to a door and opens it, “is the bathroom. Not very big, but we do have a wide shower here. There’s a small shelf, where you can put your stuff. Okay, follow me, and I’ll show you the room that’d be yours.”
I follow her, practically vibrating with excitement. She lays her hand on the doorknob, but doesn´t open it yet. She sighs and turns around. “Look, Maria, I wanna be honest with you. I’ve lived on my own in this apartment for over a year now. But the rent got to be too much for me to afford on my own. I asked my landlord if I could look for a roommate so that I don’t have to pay the whole thing alone every month. Luckily, he’s a pretty cool guy and just gave me permission. Anyway, okay, what I actually wanted to say is, this room isn’t very big or anything. I’ve just been using it as a storeroom.”
“Oh, it´s okay. Let me just see it.”
She nods and opens the door.
She’s right. It’s not a big room, maybe three meters wide and four meters long. But, there is a huge window and I can see the sky outside. There are no high buildings or anything that would hinder the view, just the sky.
That´s all I need.
My eyes fill with tears ‘cause I can´t believe that I’ve finally found a place where I can live.
“You don’t like it, right?” Angel says, her expression a little downcast. “I thought so. I wouldn’t like it, either.”
“No, no.” I shake my head. “I LOVE it.”
She looks at me, surprised. “Are you serious?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“But, why? It’s not that impressive.”
I laugh. “It’s a castle in comparison to my current situation.”
She looks at me, puzzled.
Now it’s my turn to be honest. “My parents left me in our apartment without paying the rent. They shut off our gas, so it´s freezing cold there, but I can´t pay the debts my mother left behind. So, I really, really need a new place to stay soon.”
She smiles. “Wanna cup of tea or something? We could discuss the details, if you have time.”
I nod. “Sounds great.”
“Have a seat.” She goes into the kitchen.
“When can I move in?”
“Um, I’ve only gotta move my stuff out of this room and into my room. And I’ll have to inform my landlord. What do you think about Monday?”
“Really? That’s cool. But, um… I won’t be able to give you the full $100 then. I just started my job.”
“That’s totally fine. The rent is payable at the middle of each month, so it’d be enough if you give me the money then. I just ask that you chip in for food, drinks, bathroom tissue, and stuff like that.”
“Of course! This is getting better and better,” I say with a grin.
“I’ll have to trust you, with the payment I mean. Cause you won’t appear on the rental contract or anything.”
“Don’t worry. I will pay you. That’s the only chance for me to get a new home. I can’t afford an apartment all by myself.”
***
I can’t believe that I just found a new place to stay. I arrive at my “current home” with a big smile on my lips and drop down to my bed.
My cell phone starts to ring the moment I relax.
Michael! I think and grab the phone.
I can´t stop my disappointment. It’s Liz. What the hell could she want? I consider just powering off the cell phone again. But, of course, I won’t.
“Hello.”
“Maria, it’s Liz. Can you come outside?”
“Outside?” I ask, surprised. “Where outside?”
“I’m almost at your apartment. You’ll see me. Please, we need to talk.”
“What? What are you doing here? Are you out of your mind or something?”
***
I can see her behind a corner next to the entrance of our building. She waves me closer.
I roll my eyes and walk towards her. Without saying a word, she grabs my hand and leads me to a car.
“Get in,” she hisses.
“What?” I shake her off. “No, I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“We won’t go anywhere. We’ll just sit in the car to hide, okay?” She looks desperate and kind of ridiculous with her beanie.
I cross my arms. “No, I don´t trust you.”
She sighs and opens the drivers’ side door. A second later she throws the keys to me. “Are you satisfied now?”
I shrug and get in the car unwillingly.
“What do you want?” I ask harshly. It hurts to be so rude to her ‘cause she was always so nice to me. But maybe it was all an act, just like it was with Michael.
“I need to talk to you!”
“About what?”
“Don’t pretend to be so clueless,” she replies sounding a little pissed now, too.
“Fine. You have one minute.” I glance at my watch.
“Um....”
“Time’s running out, Liz,” I tease her.
She looks at me, puzzled. “God, Maria. Can you be a little less bitchy?” She calms herself down. “Listen. Michael told me that you overheard some stuff when he was talking to Max – “
I snort, angry. “He did, huh?”
“The things he told Max weren´t true. Why don´t you believe him?”
“Did he send you to talk to me, Liz? Why don´t you leave me alone?”
“He doesn´t know that I’m with you now, okay? What do you think Michael should have told Max?” She asks provocatively.
“Well,” I stumble, “maybe the truth.”
“Oh come on, Maria. He was shocked when Max came in and he made up that story to protect YOU. Both of you.”
“It didn’t sound like a story he just made up off the top of his head.”
“Max and Michael have been best friends their entire lives. They’re like brothers; you can’t expect Michael to just forget about that fact. He just didn´t want Max to hate him.”
“Yeah, that´s the most important thing, isn’t it? Why should he have told me the truth and fooled Max the whole time? That just doesn’t make sense, does it?”
Liz grunts in frustration. “I really can’t imagine why Michael still wants to protect you. He helped you all that time and you´re too much of a coward to trust him.”
Her words hit me hard and I stay silent.
“He lied to his best friends because of you, Maria; he let you sleep at his place. I deceived Max for you. Did it never occur to you that he did that not because of some stupid revenge plans, but because of the fact that he likes you?”
“Stop it!” I scream at her, and tears are running down my cheeks. “I ask myself everyday over and over again: Did I make the right decision? But, I don’t know. I want to believe him, Liz. I really want to, but I just can´t stand another rejection.”
I open the door and get out of the car. Liz holds me back for one last moment. “I wish I could offer you proof that Michael really meant what he said to you, but I can´t.” She speaks in a soft tone now. “There is nothing I can show or tell you that will destroy all your doubts, Maria. But if you knew Michael the way I know him, you would realize that he’s done more for you than for anyone else.”
TBC