STARTING OVER

LIA'S POV

"The Bon Aires VIP Charter flight carrying twenty Long Island business elites, including six politicians and a former US Air Marshall has crashed."

Life had thrown dust in my face for the one hundredth time and this time, it had taken everything from me.

"It is with a broken heart that we commit the souls of these two loving people to the heavens. May their souls rest in perfect peace."

The hot summer sun burnt onto my skin as tears rolled down my face. My parents were gone. The news of the crash had sent my mother into immediate shock and that was it.

I stared with stranger's eyes at the whole procession, nothing seemed to make sense to me, not even the people who showed up to the funeral.

I could barely recognise anyone, other than the reverend and the nurse who had been my mother's friend. But what hurt me most was the Dunst family, and this time, I was furious.

A couple of days after the funeral, no word had come from them, not even a single condolence message.

My mother had served them for seven years, I was Elian's supposed best friend - scratch that - my father died protecting a flight they sent him on.

Yet, they could not even show up to the funeral??

As I approached the front door of their luxurious mansion, I rehearsed everything I planned on saying.

But the minute I knocked on the door and Mrs Lauretta Dunst opened it, I lost my speech -- they were having a party!

"Lia! Lia, right? How are you?" Lauretta asked, with a smile on her face.

I looked around, just noticing the extra number of cars parked in their garage.

"How am i? My parents are dead! None of you even bothered to show up to the funeral. My mother ---" my voice broke.

I struggled to keep my composure in front of her. I had sworn that I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me break -- but how could i not? Everything i loved and had was gone.

"About that, i am so sorry for your loss, Lia. What happened was really unforunate." Mrs Dunst said, barely showing remorse, as she smiled at one guest and waved at another.

I scoffed in disbelief -- my mother was right. They were really monsters who smiled at us but never gave a shit about us.

"UNFORTUNATE??" I repeated emphatically.

Mrs Dunst looked around uneasily and then rolled her eyes at me. "Look, right now is not a good time. Elian is having his engagement and send off party, and he is getting married in a few days."

"Take this..." she took out her purse and selected a few hundred dollar notes.

"Get something for yourself, and leave Elian alone. I don't want him bothered by things like this. Not while he has his whole life ahead of him."

"Do not call or contact us again." She said nonchalantly and moved to shut the door, just as Elian was passing by.

He caught sight of me, and rushed to the door.

"Lia! Hey, we missed you at the graduation ceremony." he said, staring at my washed down, malnourished frame. His mother merely hissed and walked away.

I squeezed the money in my hand angrily, hot tears falling from my eyes.

"Lia, what happened?" He asked again, coming towards me. And that was all it took for my feet to move.

I turned around and walked away from there, dumping the money on the steps before leaving.

"Lia!" Elian called after me, but I was running now and he didn't stop me.

My pain knew no bounds and the days that followed were tormenting for me.

But eventually, I gathered up my strength and decided to sell everything. All my parents things, including some of my father's medals.

When i was sure I had enough money, I packed up and moved to New York, Manhattan.

It was only after I had left, that Elian managed to show up looking for me, the reverend told me. He called severally but I didn't answer, and before I left, I blocked his number and got a new phone.

***

Nine months later, now in manhattan, I had still been unable to get rid of the pregnancy due to financial struggles and the later risks involved.

I had, however, put on enough weight to cover for my lack of proper feeding, and anyone would have thought I was feeding just fine.

It was winter already, everyone was in the christmas spirit. A tradition that now irritated me to no end, but at the same time, I felt grateful for.

I stood at the side of the road on my way to the smoothie stand, to get probably my last cup of avocado and apple smoothie mix.

It was a busy day and traffic was high. The road finally cleared, but as I was about to cross, all I heard was the sound of the speeding car swerving right next to me and I froze.

One hand on my stomach and the other on my waist, head bowed low and eyes shut, I was certain I had died.

Just then, the car door opened, and someone stepped down. He was handsome, dressed in a neatly ironed, clean cut suit, two bodyguards beside him.

Suddenly, i began heaving heavily. I was panicking, all Hell was about to break loose.

"Miss, are you alright?" A masculine, deep, silky, baritone voice asked.

"Am I alright?! Are you crazy? can't you read signs??" i mouthed off before he even got to me.

"Just because you own a car doesn't mean you forget traffic rules!" I yelled angrily for the life of my baby. Pregnancy had certainly given me its perks of courage.

His bodyguard moved threateningly towards me, but the man raised his hand, stopping him, and that was when it happened.

Plop! Silence ensued and all that was heard was my angry, heavy breathing.

The air sizzled with caution and my labored breathing increased. The man took one step forward, almost cautiously.

"Miss, are you okay?"

Furious, I reached up and grabbed his shirt threateningly, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the coming pain.

"YOU UNEVEN, SON OF THE DEVIL, MOTHER FUCKER! MY WATER JUST BROKE!" I yelled out angrily and then the pain kicked in.