Who Are You?

"What are you saying, Mom?" Aria questioned, her brow furrowed as they remained fixed on her mother.

"You heard me right, Aria. I mean, why are you taking this like it's something? I mean, don't I have my life also?"

"Your life? Dad just died, Mom. Dad just died a month ago, and now you're already hooking up with some new daddy, telling me all this shit!" she spat. But Sandra couldn't take it anymore; in a blink, her hand slapped, slamming on Aria's cheek.

"Watch your mouth, Aria!" she sputtered.

"Y-you just slapped me?" Aria questioned in a whisper, her eyes widening as her face paled, taking in the fact that her mother had just slapped her—the same mother who had never raised her hand to her before. And now, here she was slapping her, all for a man she had just met a week ago.

But she couldn't take it. No. Why? Why? Her father had just been in an accident that claimed his life a month ago, and now her mother didn't even show any sign of remorse. After just a few days of the mourning charade, here she was, already hooking up with many men, and now she was spitting rubbish, telling Aria she wants to get engaged?

"I am doing this for both of our good, Aria," Sandra said, her tone soothing, hoping to calm the situation, regretting her action. But yet, Aria's gaze was one that left no pleasant response.

"To hell with him, Mother! To hell with this so-called man and you! I hate you, Mother! I hate you!" Aria yelled, making her way out of the house, paying deaf ears to her mother's pleas, walking alongside the streets.

"Ah!" she yelled, letting out a scream. She couldn't take it. She just couldn't. Why? Why was this all happening to her?

Aria stumbled, crumbling to the ground as she burst into tears, reeling in the whole incident. First, she had one of the childhoods no child would call to remember. She was looked down upon, seen as nothing more than trash—kicked, punched, the same thing each day. But at least her father was there; her mother—well, that she had no idea of. Aria's mother, Sandra, was a model and fashion designer, receiving contracts and deals around; she hardly paid any attention to Aria. I mean, money was one thing not to be left to slide off, and so it was time—a time meant to be weighed on slight chatty chat.

Aria never minded; it was a feeling she had herself used to. At least she had her father, who had always found time to make things right. But now he was gone, leaving her to suffer alone. Her mother came back, hearing the death news, mourning for a day or two. Well, in those periods, Aria felt those love sparks returning, but yeah, she guessed wrong. Her mother was always who she was.

"Now she wants to get remarried. Really?" Aria scoffed. "My stepfather? Yeah, that won't be happening." But as she hoped to return to the house, she received a call from her mobile. It was Mia.

As she picked up the call, "Hey girl, come on! Where the hell are you, man?" Mia's voice came through, as her words seemed to leave a slight chuckle on Aria's lips.

"Don't tell me you're still on with the stuff now. I told you, Mia, Carl is hooked up already, and I am better alone for a while. Don't wanna get myself all messed up with the whole stuff." Aria said.

"Please, alright, just come over, just one night, and I promise that's all. You just got to lighten up and hook up with someone new. I mean, don't tell me you're still all over insane with your high school crush, Marc." Mia gestured.

"Enough with that now, Mia. That's all gone, and I just want to let it all go, alright? I will be done in a sec."

"That's it, girl! Can't wait to have you here." Aria hung up the call after releasing a sigh.

Maybe this was for the better anyway, a moment for her to escape her world, to escape everything that laid right before her—just a side of solace.

Taking a cab to the club, she entered, welcoming the loud buzz of music that echoed through the room after almost deafening her ears as her hands covered them.

Her gaze rose only to catch sight of Mia, as their gaze met.

Mia's hand came wrapped around Aria in a hug, as Aria left no retort, her hands wrapped around Mia's.

Mia was at least someone who Aria could call somebody, maybe a friend. They weren't much of friends back in high school, but after leaving high school, they became friends in college. It was weird, but Aria took it in and saw a side of someone who at least understood who she truly was and wasn't just out there to use her.

"How was the flight, Mia?" Aria asked, curious.

"Well, I got many complaints, but don't let me get started about them now, girl. Tonight isn't meant for that. We are here to have some fun, get drunk, and..." Her voice trailed off to a whisper, pressing on Aria's ear, "and have sex," winking. Mia grasped Aria's wrist, leading her to the bartender's side, where two guys and one girl awaited them. From the greeting, Aria could tell Mia knew them, but yet she didn't, and it seemed Mia wasn't bothered about introducing them.

"Take it, I'm sure you're gonna like this; it's the new flavor." Mia said, handing Aria a glass of wine—or was it alcohol? Aria had little idea, but yet she cared less. As long as it helped her escape her thoughts for the moment, she gulped the drink in swift mode. A sharp shock shot through her head, her vision blurring out in the moment.

"Woo, go, girl!" Mia cheered.

As Aria downed another glass, laughter echoed around the place.

The late night found the group walking through the streets, with Aria almost stumbling as she managed a few steps further.

"Be careful, girl," Mia said, helping Aria. Aria wasn't accustomed to drinking much, though she smoked back in school, lighting up some cigarettes just to ease her mind a little. But she gave them up a year ago. However, after her father's death, she picked them back up. They seemed like the only thing that welcomed her.

"So tell me, Aria, any plans on hooking back up with Adrian..." Mia blurted.

"What?"

"Well, I learned he's now back in the city with his father. Why don't you try..." Mia was saying, only for her voice to get caught in her throat, her tummy rumbling as she started vomiting.

"Oh, silly you, Mia. You should have..." Aria hope to say, only to find herself crouching out also.

"Now see who's silly," Mia crackled, getting up.

"Hey, babe, no one's looking. Want to go have some sex?" One of the guys' hands came wrapped around Aria's neck. But really, she felt maybe she should just allow herself to be free for once, instead of staying locked up in a cage. Maybe just this night and moment, if she could have all her wishes fulfilled in a night. Before she could even break out a word, the guy's lips pressed on hers as she left no retort, giving in to her intoxicated state.

But in that moment, Aria's ears grasped a sound that almost caused her to jolt.

"Ah! Run!" The voice echoed around.

"W-what's that?" Aria wondered, her eyes fixed on the showdown area where the sound had echoed from.

"Are you alright, Aria?" Mia questioned, staggering a bit as she almost crumbled, with Aria helping her. But Aria also found it hard to manage her steps.

"Let's go back to your home, Mia. Do you have the key?" Aria questioned, leading Mia through the road, hoping to sleep at Mia's place for the night. She just didn't want to set eyes on her mother.

"Come on, baby," a voice drew back her attention to the same guy. "Where are you going. We still have so much to do..." he started to say, but his words were cut short by a loud, deafening gunshot.

In an instant, the guy's head jerked back, his brain matter splattering everywhere as blood gushed out, mixing with tiny fragments of his skull.