More to You ✔

Chapter 20 - Pain (Maria)

After ignoring Maria on Saturday and Sunday, then speaking to her minimally at work, Mitch took off in the evening too. No apology or explanation for the weirdness nor a chance for her to explain herself. He was probably out drinking with Shawn, which was what Emma heard Mitch did after shutting Maria down. As if he could celebrate it while she'd cried so hard her heart could have flown out her throat.

Her phone pinged with a text, but it wasn't from the man she missed more than she thought imaginable.

Sunshine: Hey sweetie! I haven't heard from you in a while. Are you okay?

Tears clung to the edges of Maria's eyes. She could hardly conceal her pain at work, so her cousin would find out soon.

Maria: Not really, I'm trying to be.

Sunshine: What happened?

Did she want to type out her misery? That would only make it more real.

Maria: It's nothing. I'll get over it.

Sunshine: Video call in 5?

Maria: Okay, thanks Sunny :)

After exiting the chat, Maria couldn't help but check the messages from Mitch on the odd chance her phone had malfunctioned and had missed sending her a notification for one of his messages. The last message was the one she'd sent him on Sunday, asking if he still wanted to hang out as they had planned. The icon indicated that he'd read it, but he hadn't responded, probably because he saw her as sad and clingy like every other woman he'd cast aside.

Maria opened a bag of prawn chips and sat crossed-legged on the bed, letting their saltiness soothe her. She opened her laptop and a few minutes later accepted Sunshine's call. Her cousin sat on an immaculate white sofa with a coffee in hand like she wanted to tempt fate.

"Hey Ria!"

"Hey Sunshine," Maria couldn't match her cousin's cheerfulness.

"You okay?"

When Maria opened her mouth to speak, her eyes filled with tears and no words would leave her lips. Since Friday night, Mitch had blown her off completely, from ditching their usual post-church plans, to never stopping by in the evening and avoiding her at work. It was like losing her best friend again.

Sunshine scooted closer. "Sweetie, what happened?"

"My stupid judgment and terrible decisions," Maria muttered.

"What decision?"

"It doesn't matter."

Sunshine set her coffee down and stared at Maria. "Ria, clearly it matters to you, which means it matters twice as much to me since I can't be there to hug you in person. Is it Adrian?"

Maria shook her head, and her cousin smiled.

"A man?"

Maria cringed. "Am I that predictable?"

"You want what you want, and there's nothing wrong with that."

With a sniffle, Maria drew her knees to her chest.

"Was it Mitch?"

The word 'yes' was too heavy to utter. Everyone had been right: Becca, Tom, Prae, and Emma to an extent. Even Mitch had warned her he wanted nothing serious, but women twisted his intentions. She'd fallen into the trap only to be shredded into pieces.

"What happened?" Sunshine asked.

"I... I'm a delusional idiot, just like in my last relationship."