And Peggy [Modern Hamilton AU : Complete]

Fifth was Maria.

"Expecting a lecture?" Eliza asked at my expression. "You won't get one."
With that, both my sisters stomped off.

Wow.

One week later...

I didn't think it was possible for my sisters to hate me more. That was before I made friends with the biggest slut in school.

Maria Lewis. Beautiful. Seductive. Also my chemistry partner.

I was in the toilets one lunchtime when I heard sobbing in the end cubicle. These particular toilets were empty at the time, since everyone thought they were out of order. I went here to be alone. So did she.

I knocked gently on the door of her cubicle, and the sobbing stopped forcefully. She obviously didn't know I was in here.

"Hey, who's in there? Are you okay?"

"I-it's m-me."

Useful, since I didn't recognise her voice. Despite her being my chemistry partner, we had never spoken before now.

"Who's me? Come out you don't sound okay." At her doubtful pause, I added, "we're the only ones in here."

The door unlocked and opened, and a girl stumbled out. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, but even then she was very pretty. Her uniform wasn't done up properly, with her skirt sideways and too many shirt buttons undone. She had large brown eyes, and chocolatey hair.

"Marie?"

"M-Maria."

"Oh, sorry." What I really wanted to do was hug her, but I didn't want to make her feel crowded. "What's happened, Maria?" God, I loved the sound of her name.

Maria shook her head, not wanting to say, and that was when I could not hold back any longer, and hugged her. She honestly looked like trouble, but nobody deserved to cry alone, not even my sisters.

As if pulled back, she straightened her uniform and then met my concerned gaze.

"Maria tell me what's wrong, please. I won't tell anyone. I don't have anyone to tell."

"I c-can't s-say. H-he..."

"Who?" Whoever he was, I was going to kill him slowly, and throw his mutilated body off a cliff.

Maria shook her head again, and I decided not to push her. She'd been through enough by the looks of things. I checked my watch, and realised we had one minute to get to chemistry. Without thinking, I grabbed her hand and left, taking her with me.

Whispers already followed me in the corridor, but as I pulled Maria along, other words were said, louder.

"Slut."

"Good for nothing bitches."

When someone leaned close to Maria and asked if her boyfriend wasn't enough to satisfy her, I whirled around. I wanted to punch them in the face, but instead of punching, I memorised it. The guy spoke with an accent I didn't recognise. I narrowed my eyes and kept moving, taking Maria to chemistry.