Chapter 9: Maria's Silent Fight

"WHAT?!" Sarkon jumped from his seat, ready to tear someone's head off his neck. "Names!" He roared and was about to head for the door when Karl stepped forward. "Sarkon." Those deep blue eyes shot at the older man in full rage. "I think we should wait for Maria to call." The same navy eyes widened with realization. He wanted Karl to be wrong, but he knew better. If they made a move, Maria would know about the eye and be upset. She wouldn't understand his need to keep a close watch on her. With sheer reluctance, the beast turned away from the door. He slammed a fist into the wall. Wasn't that supposed to be a good school? Sanders was never wrong. Just thinking about Maria being splashed with juice and sewage water made his blood boiled. He couldn't keep those horrid images off his mind. They kept coming and coming. He needed to get to Maria. He wanted to– "Sarkon, they are kids. They won't hurt her." Karl exhaled quietly. Damn it! Sarkon shouted silently, gripping his bloody fist tightly. He felt like a f*cking bystander, helpless and useless. He hated to feel like this, especially when it came to Maria. You promised Alfred you'd keep her safe. You can't even keep one promise! Karl's words rang in his ears, and they made sense. Maria had to fight her own fight. Didn't she promise to call if she was in danger? Just wait for her. Seeing the young man's struggle, the older and wiser one advised, "She said she'll call if she's in danger. She'd expect us to trust her." Sarkon lifted his gaze from the ground and turned slowly to face his large bodyguard. His eyes were like two daggers shooting a threatening glare as he snarled, "So now you know her better than I do?" The scarred brow raised in a genuine surprise and then relaxed again as a gruff voice spoke mechanically, "My apologies. I've overstepped." At that response, the gallant giant broadened his gaze in realization again. He had overreacted. Cursing in silence, he clutched his forehead and kneaded it harshly. For a long while, they stood rooted to the ground, speechless. Sarkon was eyeing the wall while Karl stared at the carpeted floor. Sarkon cleared his throat and ordered in his normal voice, "Tell the eye to watch over her. Move in only when it's life-threatening." "I'll get to it," Karl replied earnestly. "Karl." Sarkon turned to the wall so his back was facing the retired biker guy. His hand was gripping the table's edge tightly until his knuckles whitened. The words were at his lips, ready to spill, but he couldn't find his voice. He dropped his head in silence instead. Karl immediately understood. He had seen how the young man was trained since youth by his parents. He knew. With a sharp inhale, he replied with a tiny smile, "1921 vintage." He was referring to one of Sarkon's stellar wines. "I'll get Albert to pass to you." Sarkon stared at the ground with his guilt melting away. In seconds, the door clicked close behind him. ***** "Oh gosh, what's wrong, country girl? Is your phone dead?" Julie's mocking voice sounded from behind her. Maria didn't respond. Any utterance from her end would incite more reaction from the other person. It was best to stay as still and quiet as possible. She was determined to stay out of trouble. Just bear with it for a little while more. It will soon end. "Hey, I'm talking to you." "Yes, it's dead," Maria answered carefully, trying hard not to betray any emotions and trigger unwanted responses. You've seen how Sarkon did it, so you can do it too. Yes, she would try. It was the only way to survive. "Ah well, phones come and go anyway. You can always get a new one." Julie paused and then added in a pitch higher than before, "Oh no, wait. You can't afford a new one I suppose. Oops! I'm sorry." She cackled with laughter. But Maria was still and quiet. A wave of unfamiliar awkwardness washed over the popular girl. The long silence was unnerving. Unused to the situation and succumbing to a rising fear, Julie leaned forward like a mouse looking out for any signs of danger. She felt greatly annoyed and screamed out in anger. She stomped over to Maria's table and pushed her books, bag, and cellphone to the floor. Maria remained unmoved. Annoyed and frustrated beyond comprehension, Julie screamed a long and glass-shattering shrill into Maria's ears. Maria merely squinted. Unsatisfied but not able to get the response she wanted, the popular girl spun around and stormed out of the room. The graceful winner was finally left alone with her well-earned peace. Maria continued to sit for a long while, savoring her hard-earned prize. She then looked around her. Her things were strewn all over the floor like the debris of an explosion. With a heavy sigh, Maria picked them up one by one until she held the phone in her hand. The spiderwebs of cracks on the screen broke her heart. Unable to hold in the enormous surge of mixed emotions, she finally slumped into her chair and cried. Reels and reels of images of her memories with the people back in the villa surfaced in her mind. Sophie, Uncle Karl, Albert, and… Sarkon. Sarkon… Her heart called out his name in silence. She missed him the most. It's tough here, she conceded silently, but I'll hang on. You've given me so much. I won't let you down. I'll not create more trouble than I already am. At the thought, Maria sobbed. Her face crumpled again with another wave of pent-up frustration from weeks of duress. When she finally calmed a little, it was already midnight. Julie would be back soon. Sniffing back her tears, Maria hastily put the phone away and cleared her desk. Julie seemed to know her limits—nothing illegal or against the school's rules so far. Maria decided it was best to keep everything under lock and key. When the pretty and popular athlete returned to the room, the sickening country girl was already in bed, tucked under her covers. Julie cast a look of contempt and then stalked to her side of the room. Maria heard the intentional stamping of feet, shuffling of things, and slamming of drawers and closet doors to disrupt her sleep. She squeezed her eyes tight to ignore the rising annoyance in her chest and stayed perfectly still. At two a.m., Julie finally slept. Maria removed the covers from her head and stared at the glowing ceiling in the darkness. ***** Three weeks of the semester had passed in Walden, and it was the second week of Julie's pranks. The emerald-eyed brunette entered the cafeteria. There was deafening silence. All eyes were on her. Some were hostile and threatening; some were grinning with anticipation like front row spectators of a football match. A mixture of fear and anxiety seized her. Maria breathed in carefully, clutched her books tightly, and walked on, maintaining a neutral look and ignoring the impending terror as much as she could. Get a sandwich and go. That was the plan. Her main goal was to stay out of Julie's sight, so Maria had checked her roommate's schedule and noted her lecture times earlier. She would get a sandwich from the cafeteria while Julie wouldn't be there. Such as now. Julie and her clique should be at the Global Communications lecture now, she assured herself silently. But worry still gnawed at the back of her mind. Like a ghost on her back, it strained her shoulders and spread an uncomfortable chill throughout her body. She quickened her footsteps to the counter and gave her order to the lady. "We're out of sandwiches." The lady looked at her apologetically. Maria glanced around. There was a heap of sandwiches not far from her. Her gaze widened in surprise as she pointed at it. "Isn't that–" The lady quickly clarified, "Someone came in earlier and bought them all." One of Julie's friends appeared with a smug smile and thrust a piece of folded paper at Maria. "Read it out loudly," the girl ordered. Maria stared at the paper. It felt like dry ice, sucking away her warmth and happiness. A huge lump of bitterness clogged her throat. She swallowed it down and opened the slip. Her cheeks fell in dismay. The girl crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, "We haven't got all day, country girl," Someone shouted a tune, "Why are we waiting?" At that cue, the entire cafeteria chorused, "Why are we waiting? Why are we waiting?" Maria inhaled her tears and the warmth exploding behind her nose. She hoped they didn't catch her trembling fingers and muttered, "Don't go snooping about. This is just a warning." The crowd gasped in surprise. The murmurs followed. The country girl squeezed her eyes as tight as she could to fight the explosion of disappointment and weariness inside her.