Truly alone?

Maya huffed as she glanced upwards, squinting at the intense sunshine. It was near unbearable. The heat causing her clothes to stick to her back uncomfortably and her curls to become slick with sweat.

Disgusting.

She didn’t even realize you could sweat in your hair. The sun seemed to sap at her energy with every step she took but she trudged on.

She shrugged, there was nothing she could do about it anyway.

It was a Thursday afternoon and she was done with school, some of her friends had decided to go straight to the mall afterwards but she just wanted to go home. The adventures they sought at the mall held no interest for her.

She just wanted to be with her sister and talk to her about her day. She was really appreciative of all Juanita Flint had done to single-handedly raise her.

Despite everything that happened she had never felt completely alone, she missed her parents terribly but she always knew she had Juanita and Juanita had her. The Flint sisters together forever.

After the death of their parents, life had taken an unpleasant 180 degree turn and during this turn, her sister had fallen on drugs.

She tried to pretend as if she didn’t know but Maya was extremely worried about her. Maybe the pressure was too much for Juanita to handle. Maya would drop out of school or take on a job if she had to, but unfortunately there weren't any employers willing to hire a 14 year old.

She was in their neighborhood now and as she passed by the Miller house, she cringed and increased her speed. She hated that house more than anything now. She hated that she couldn’t tell anyone what she had seen the day Joshua Miller broke his arm. She brushed off the feeling of indignation and helplessness that had swept through her and rushed for her house, where comfort awaited.

In some minutes she reached the house, walked up the little pathway and held the handle of the door. She hesitated. Something didn’t feel too right. She dismissed the feeling, it was probably all the Thursday afternoon heat.

Right in the living room, seated on the couch was someone who looked exactly like Maya but taller and bigger, with straight hair instead of curls. Her usually glazed eyes were bright and she jumped off the couch when she noticed her baby sister had walked in.

“Hi Juanita, how was home?“

This was the part where usually, Juanita would look up tiredly from the couch and say “It was fine baby sis, how was your day? How was school?” then turn before Maya could answer and continue taking heavy, life-changing drags from her seventh or eight cigarette.

But this time everything was different “Forget about home, Maya. I have something to tell you!”

Juanita was breathing heavily with excitement and for a few seconds Maya wondered if she had overdosed on something, she was about to ask when someone knocked on the front door.

“Come in!” Juanita called out brightly.

The scent hit Maya before she could even look. Heavy, masculine, cigarettes, and cinnamon.

She stared up in horror. It was Mr. Harry Miller. Joshua’s father.

His tall and huge frame was in their home. She started to shiver as she sent frantic looks to Juanita. What was that man doing in their house?

Juanita didn’t catch any of the looks Maya sent her, she was looking at Miller as if he were a thousand bucks.

“Harry, why don’t you go to the kitchen while I talk to Maya.” Mr. Miller went to the kitchen.

Maya was aghast. What was going on?

Juanita turned to her with a strange look in her eye and sat down on the couch, she motioned for Maya to join her but she was too anxious and keyed up to sit down. She shook her head.

“Juanita stop playing games and tell me what’s happening!”

Her big sister looked up in shock.

Maya had never raised her voice at her before; she was every parents dream. The proverbial good kid: studied hard, did extra curricular activities but didn't let them interfere with her housework, ate her veggies and didn’t yell at authority.

Right now though, Maya wanted to wring her sister’s neck, as she guessed at why that vile man was currently in their kitchen and she shivered at the dark thoughts that were passing through her mind.

“Harry Miller and I are getting married in about two months.”

Ohhhhh, Juanita was joking.

“Very funny, Juanita.” Maya calmed down a bit “You almost had me there.”

“I’m not joking Maya.”

Maya’s heart started beating faster.

She looked up at her sister. “How could you? You promised me that we would avoid the Miller’s ever since that incident!”

Juanita rolled her eyes “Oh come on Maya, you can’t seriously still be talking about this.

“Joshua was clumsy, he got injured a lot and on that day he slipped and fell from that tree and broke his arm. How could that have been Mr. Miller’s fault? Your fear is completely irrational, Harry would never hurt anybody. And besides….” Juanita lowered her voice considerably and squinted her eyes “I’m running out of money to buy more… things. I need more money. I can’t take care of you with the jobs I’m doing. He’s wealthy and he’s a widower and his son has run away. This is a perfect situation. He thinks I’m beautiful, he’s willing to tolerate you. It’s a win – win situation.”

Maya felt like throwing up as she watched Mr. Miller walk towards them. He placed his hand around her sister’s waist and gave Maya a big grin. His mustache looking as comical as the one on the Pringles can.

“Juanita you can’t marry him! He’s a dangerous man! He’ll kill us. You don’t need his money to buy drugs!" Maya was close to tears now “I’ll… I’ll stop school. I’ll get a job. Please just…”

Juanita disentangled herself from the beefy Mr. Miller and slapped Maya.

Maya stopped blabbering, she stopped crying.

She turned and then walked out of the house.

“Maya get back here!” she heard.

Then another voice, deeper, “Don’t worry baby girl, she’ll be back. Now how about you make me some lunch.”

She gagged.

She couldn’t breathe.

Her shoulders shook with the pressure of trying to subdue her tears.

She made her way to the closest bench she could find and she sat down holding her chest.

Joshua Miller hadn’t fallen from the tree that day. It was his own father who had pushed him.

She couldn’t believe Juanita hadn’t told her anything about this. They were supposed to be the Flint sisters forever. When had all this changed?

How long had she been seeing Mr. Miller behind Maya’s back?

She had never felt so afraid for the future, never felt so betrayed, so alone.

The sun continued to shine on Maya as she sat alone on the bench. Sweat trickled down her back as tears found their way down her face.

She had forgotten about the heat and discomfort she was so concerned about earlier.

She had no one now. She was truly alone, and that thought was enough to send fresh tears careening down her face and for the harrowing ache in her chest to grow. She had never felt so desolate, not even at her parents’ funeral, Juanita had been there to hold her when she'd cried. Now, however, there was no one to hold her as sobs racked her body. She crossed her arms and hugged herself, her mind reeling from the bitterness at her sisters betrayal that she couldn't see clearly for a minute. "So this is my life now", was the last thought that claimed her before she fell to mindless keening.