Chapter 18: Maria or Alan
The morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling across Maria's face. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes. No, she should be called Alan now.
Alan felt the warmth of this body, the real sensation of blood flowing through her veins, and the powerful beat of her heart with each pulse. A satisfied smile unconsciously curved her lips. She walked barefoot off the bed and went straight to the bathroom sink.
In the mirror, a terrified and desperate face looked back at her—that was the real Maria.
"Good morning, dear sister." Alan reached out a finger and gently touched the cold mirror surface, her fingertip tracing Maria's cheek in the reflection. "From today on, I'll 'live' well for you, enjoying everything you never dared to dream of."
Maria in the mirror shook her head frantically, her mouth opening and closing, but no sound came out. Tears silently streamed down her face.
"Don't cry, you should be happy." Alan's smile grew even brighter. "I'll make everyone who bullied you pay the price. You just stay here and watch."
After speaking, she no longer paid attention to the desperate soul in the mirror. She turned and began to choose her outfit for the day. She tossed aside the plain, conservative dresses in Maria's closet, opting for a fitted black T-shirt and ripped jeans. This outfit perfectly showed off her figure, which had previously been hidden by baggy clothing.
At the breakfast table, her father, Dan, looked her over with his usual critical eye, frowning, "Maria, what are you wearing? That's inappropriate. And your hair's a mess—not ladylike at all."
Normally, Maria would have looked down and stayed quiet. But today, Alan looked up, met Dan's gaze, and a faint smile played on her lips: "I think this looks great, Dad. I'd rather please myself than others."
"You..." Dan was caught off guard by this sudden defiance, and his face instantly darkened. Amy, beside him, gasped in surprise, unable to believe these words came from her usually timid daughter.
Alan casually picked up a piece of toast and slowly took a bite, as if nothing had happened. Dan eventually just snorted and said nothing more. The atmosphere at the breakfast table fell into an eerie silence.
Upon arriving at school, the hallway was still filled with various stares and whispers. But Alan didn't care. She walked with her head held high, her heeled boots clicking "tap, tap, tap" on the linoleum floor, each step filled with undeniable confidence.
"Oh, isn't this our scared little Maria? How dare you show your face today?" A mocking voice came from ahead.
It was Mark, a tall linebacker and one of Maria's most enthusiastic bullies. He stood with two buddies, lazily blocking Alan's path, a nasty grin on his face.
Alan stopped, her eyes narrowing slightly, like a cat eyeing its prey.
Seeing her silence, Mark assumed she was scared again. He got bolder, reaching out to shove her shoulder like he usually did. "What, cat got your tongue?"
Just as his hand was about to touch Alan, she moved. Her movements were lightning-fast; her right hand shot out, precisely gripping Mark's wrist. Mark felt a sudden numbness, followed by a sharp pain that made him cry out.
"Ah—!"
Alan applied slight pressure, and Mark's solid, six-foot-plus frame was easily forced to bend forward. She slowly leaned into Mark's ear, whispering in a voice only they could hear, "I hate being touched. Next time, you won't need this hand."
Her voice was soft and light, yet it carried a bone-chilling coldness that instantly brought cold sweat to Mark's forehead. He could feel that she wasn't joking. The coldness and craziness in her eyes were unlike anything he'd ever seen.
"You... you're not Maria... who the hell are you?" Mark asked, his voice trembling.
Alan released her grip and glanced at him with disdain, as if looking at an insect. "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that from today on, you'd better stay the hell away from me."
With that, she adjusted her sleeve, didn't even glance at the hunched-over Mark and his two stunned buddies, and walked straight past them. The entire hallway was silent, everyone too shocked by the sudden scene to speak.
The Maria who had once been easily bullied seemed to have become a completely different person overnight.
Alan's goal was clear. She walked through the crowd and arrived at Edward's locker.
Edward was currently surrounded by a group of people. Ever since he took down the Ghostface Killer, he'd become the most popular guy at school, always surrounded by admirers.
"Edward, you're so badass! I heard you took down that psycho with one shot?"
Edward handled the attention with an easy smile. Just then, he felt the crowd automatically part, and a figure walked confidently toward him.
It was Maria.
Edward was a little surprised. Today's Maria looked... very different. No longer timid, her eyes were full of confidence, even a hint of danger. Her fitted clothing perfectly showcased her curves, giving off a wild and edgy vibe.
"Something I can help you with, Maria?" Edward raised an eyebrow.
Alan ignored all the surrounding stares and walked directly up to Edward. The distance between them was so close they could almost feel each other's breath. She tilted her head back, looking directly into Edward's eyes, her red lips parting as she spoke clearly and boldly:
"Edward Connor."
She paused, enjoying everyone's attention, then said, word by word:
"This weekend, we're going on a date."
This wasn't a question, but an undeniable statement.
The entire hallway fell into dead silence again, as if the air itself had frozen. Everyone looked at "Maria" like she was from another planet, then at Edward, wondering how he'd react.
Edward looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face before him, his mind full of confusion. Was this still the Maria who would blush for ages just from seeing him? This huge contrast gave him a weird feeling, but more than that, it sparked unprecedented curiosity and interest.
His lips curved slightly upward, revealing a playful smile. He leaned forward, lowering his voice to respond, "Alright. But, may I ask why? You've definitely surprised me today."
"You don't need to know why." A hint of mischief flashed in Alan's eyes. "Saturday, ten AM, in front of the Regal Cinema downtown. I'll be waiting for you."
With that, she turned and walked away gracefully, leaving behind a confident silhouette and a group of people exchanging bewildered glances.
Edward watched her retreating figure, stroked his chin, and his smile deepened.
"Interesting. Very interesting."
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