Part 7

Maria woke up never feeling better. She felt strong arm's around her. She opened her eye's and noticed that she wasn't in the living-room. She was in Michael's bedroom, she turned her body around and came face to face with Michael. She smiled, Michael must have moved her when she was sleeping. Maria placed her hand on Michael's cheek.

"I love you." She whispered. She kissed him and went back to sleep.

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Maria tried to get up but her body couldn't take it. Another blow to the face hit Maria and blood flew from her mouth. She wanted to scream for someone to help her. But her voice was gone. It was lost, along with all of her strength. She looked up at the person who was doing this to her.

But she couldn't see through all the hate and darkness that surrounded him. Maria tried to crawl away from him but he held onto her leg and wouldn't let go. He flipped Maria over on her back and got on top of her. He placed her hands around her neck. Maria felt or life slipping away.

"NO!" Maria screamed as she flew up from the bed. Michael woke up and pulled Maria into his arms.

"It's okay Maria. It was just a dream. A dream." Michael whispered in her ear.

"No, it's real." Maria told him as she got up and ran to the bathroom. Michael tried to follow her but she locked the door behind her. Michael knocked on the door.

"Maria! Come on, please open the door?" Michael asked her.

"Michael, just give me a minute." Maria told him behind the locked door. Michael sighed and walked to the living-room. Maria turned on the water and splashed cold water on her face.

"It's okay. Just breathe." She told herself. Maria looked at her shaking hand and grabbed it. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her left cheek had a big bruise on it and her lip was cut. She hated looking at herself these days.

She remember when covering up a pimple was the worst thing she had to worry about. And now covering up a big bruise was all she worried about. Maria turned towards the door and unlocked it. She walked into the living-room. Michael ran to Maria.

"Maria are you okay?" He asked her. Maria just nodded her head and smiled.

"Ya, I'm fine. No big deal. I just needed to splash some cold water on my face. No big deal. I'm fine." She told him. Michael shook his head.

"No, your not fine. Your scared, your hurt." Michael said to her. Maria walked to the couch and sat down.

"Michael, I'm fine. It's no big deal. You said yourself it's just a dream." Maria told him, trying to convince herself.

"I know, its just that...." Michael paused. "How often do you have these dreams, Maria?" He asked her. Maria shook her head.

"I don't know. Two or three times week." Maria told him. Michael glared at Maria. Maria sighed. "Okay, sometimes four. But that's only sometimes." Maria finally admitted.

"Four times? Maria, you shouldn't be having nightmares that many times a week. I mean.." Michael was interrupted by Maria.

"I'm sure they are going to go away, Michael. It's okay. You don't have to worry about me. It's not like I'm your girl..." Maria stopped herself. Michael sighed and looked into Maria's eye's.

"Yes, I do have to worry about you. I care about you. I'd do anything for you." Michael told her. Maria smiled at him. "Maria, I just want things to be the way they use to be."

"What do you mean?" Maria asked him.

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