Love In The Face Of Adversities

Standing by the edge of the bridge, Maria swallowed hard, clutching the bridge's ropes as she gazed down at the vast ocean below. Her heart was racing and she was prepared to end her life.

Flashing back to her parent's death, Maria as a Ten-year-old child, it happened on her birthday she was craving some ice cream while they were driving home from her birthday dinner.

Daddy, I want ice cream! Just stop by for me, Maria said eagerly, pointing to the ice cream store in view. "Ok, my beautiful princess," he said with a loving smile as he glanced at her through the car mirror. Maria giggled with excitement, and her mum looked back at her as her father made a quick stop near the store.

"Don't keep us waiting," Maria exclaimed as she handed her some money and flashed a big smile.

Maria gleefully grabbed the money and dashed out of the car toward the ice cream store. They joyfully watched her go, locking their fingers together.

Out of nowhere, a car somersaulted in the air, sending chills of fear down Maria's parents' spines. With no time to react, the car landed on top of theirs, crushing it beneath the weight.

As Maria emerged from the ice cream shop with a cone in hand, she was suddenly gripped by fear at the harrowing sight before her. With a scream and tears flowing, she made a frantic dash toward her car, only to be restrained by the ice cream store owner.

He had rushed out upon hearing the sound of the crash. Unfortunately, it was a late night and the street was in a secluded area, far from the bustle of the city.

Back to the present.

Maria has been tormented by the weight of responsibility for her parents' tragic demise. She firmly believes that if she hadn't insisted on stopping for ice cream that fateful night, her parents wouldn't have been at the exact spot where the fatal car crash occurred.

It was a bitterly cold and blustery night, the kind that seemed to seep into your bones. Maria stood at the edge of the pier, her long, wavy hair whipping around her face as the wind howled.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before releasing her grip from the railing and plummeting into the icy water below.

As she sank beneath the surface, the weight of her struggles and hardships pressed on her chest, and she found herself unable to muster the strength to fight against the overwhelming urge to simply let go.

She saw all her struggles flash before her eyes.

The evening before taking this decision, Maria had just been through yet another disappointing job interview. It's been a tough six years of job hunting, and she hasn't found success yet.

She was teetering on the edge of despair, ready to give up because no matter how hard she worked, life had never been a bed of roses for her. Losing her parents at a young age had set her on a difficult path, and the struggle has been relentless ever since.

After receiving the rejection letter, Maria decided to handle it differently this time. Instead of succumbing to despair, she gathered her strength and walked over to her closet.

There, she sifted through her clothes until she found the most exquisite and alluring gown she owned. This special garment had been a gift from her dear friend Susan.

Since high school, Susan has been Maria's closest friend. Susan comes from a wealthy family and has never had to worry about financial issues, unlike Maria.

Maria was able to attend the same school as Susan thanks to a scholarship granted by the school owner, who once had a special connection with Maria's parents.

Maria seldom had the opportunity to socialize or enjoy leisure activities with friends, leading her to have very few close companions aside from Susan.

Although she used to confide in Susan, she began to question whether she was burdening her and eventually stopped sharing her struggles, keeping everything bottled up inside.

Maria couldn't take it anymore. She sat in front of her mirror, her stunning gown lying on the bed.

As she glammed up her face, she belted out Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" and sprayed her glammed-up face before standing to get dressed.

The gown hugged her body, revealing her beautiful curves, slender waist, and legs. Her arms looked graceful, and her fingers delicate.

Despite the emptiness in her heart, Maria forced a sad smile and whispered "We only live once" as she slipped into her heels, grabbed her purse, and headed out, her wavy hair bouncing behind her.

Maria, sitting by herself in front of an almost empty bottle of wine worth her life savings, felt quite alone in the bar full of people chit-chatting with their dates, loved ones, and coworkers.

She was so inebriated that she was unable to even think clearly and instead just glanced around in jealousy.

She recalled her ex-boyfriend, whom she saw having sex with a woman; she didn't even stop to look at her face before running out in tears.

She slammed her palm on the table and said out loud, "Asshole didn't even run after me to explain," which attracted some attention.

She then looked around, awkwardly waving and smiling to let them know that they should go on and not bother about her.

Maria decided to take her leave cause she wasn't feeling the fun she needed here in the bar.

she raised her head, staggered a bit, and handed the card to the bartender, who stared at her with an uneasy but concerned look and asked why not call your boyfriend or friends to come to get you?

Maria smiled and said, "I am an officially isolated person."

The barman gave her card back after charging it. She turned to leave, grinning at him, but then she bumped into Andrew causing her to lose balance, He quickly held her up with his powerful, manly hands.

She struggled to stand up, looking up at him, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was, with his neatly cut and styled hair and brown eyes, his smell was captivating.

Maria closed her eyes as she took in his smell before opening her eyes and smiling at him.

"Hello handsome," she said, startled by her response. He grinned back, letting go of her as he realized she was standing firmly already.

He answered, "Hello, beautiful." Breaking eye contact, as if he was shy,

Maria looked down at her legs, her heels were aching, she bent down, as she took off her heels held them in her hands, and walked out barefoot, swinging them in her hands.

Her inebriated walking steps made Andrew smile, finding her to be humorous yet endearing.

Maria continued to stroll along the roadside until she came upon a clubhouse. She stopped as she went inside, taking in the sounds of the music and the commotion.

Thinking, "Yes, this is exactly what I need," she hurried over to the center of the gathering and danced, swaying her waist and waving her hands while shaking her head back and forth and causing her hair to twirl in the air.

Maria took more shots of alcohol, engrossed in the melody.

James watched Maria dance, he found himself captivated by her graceful movements. She exuded beauty and confidence with every sway of her hips and every twirl of her body.

He couldn't help but be drawn to her as she moved to the music, her captivating presence commanding his attention.

He made the decision to approach her, as soon as he got to her presence, and without hesitation, James reached out and grabbed her by the waist.

Maria quickly pushed his hands away, but James was persistent. He attempted to hold her again, this time with more force, and she struggled to break free from his grasp.

James's grip tightened as he pulled her closer to him. Maria, feeling cornered, had no option but to deliver a hard slap across James's face. Startled, James released his hold on her and recoiled from the unexpected strike.

James felt the weight of all eyes on them as Maria stormed out of the clubhouse, leaving him at a loss for words. Maria, still inebriated, utterly exhausted, and seething with anger, felt a profound sense of emptiness envelop her as she made her way onto the street.

Back to Maria drowning.

As Maria prepared to close her eyes, she noticed a dark shape gliding towards her through the water. Instantly, her eyes widened with panic as she realized something was approaching.

She frantically attempted to swim away, refusing to meet her end as prey for some sea creature. But her efforts were in vain, and as the struggle overwhelmed her, she slipped into unconsciousness.