"Help!" Maria whimpered as James' foot rammed into her side.

"No one's going to help you," James snarled. "You're all alone."

A tear slid down her face when he said that. He was right; there was no one to help her. She felt his foot hit her cheekbone.

"No crying! Wimp."

Maria closed her eyes as tightly as she could, trying to block the tears. "Stop it, James! Please!"

"It's your own fault, Maria."

Suddenly she flashed back on the second time he'd beaten her. After the first time, he'd promised that he wouldn't do it again. He was lying.

"I trusted you!" Tears were pouring down her face.

"That's your own fault, Maria." He smirked, then kicked her temple, and everything went black.

When she woke up, he told her that he was glad to see her awake and gave her an evil smile. After that, everything happened so fast and so slow at the same time. She couldn't distinctively remember anything, though. Honestly, that was probably a blessing.

Maria tried to shove the haunting memories out of her head. But she couldn't. With each blow, another memory surfaced. Soon, tears were squeezing out of her tightly closed eyes.

Why did the world hate her so much? What had she done wrong?!

"Stop crying!" James snapped.

"I-I can't!"

"Yes, you can, you pathetic-"

"Stop hurting me, please!"

"You can't really blame me. You can only blame yourself. After all, who could love a girl like you?" He laughed.

"Stop laughing!"

"Why shouldn't I? You're so pathetic it's funny."

"I never stood a chance, did I?"

"That's the sad part. You did once."

Maria glanced up, catching her reflection in a floor-to-ceiling mirror. Why couldn't she be like she used to be? Why was her sassiness and confidence just a façade now? She knew why. James. He had come into her life, and now here she was, laying in the ashes of who she once was. All because of him. 

Everything went black.

—•—

A week later, she stood in front of her vanity, pulling out a box. She glanced into the mirror, a smile flickering on her face. She opened the box.

Inside were journals filled with songs, or snippets of music or lyrics. Maria secretly loved writing songs and singing. But James hated it when she did, as he hated seeing her happy. He had told her to get rid of the stuff, but instead she hid it.

She pulled out her journal for her completed songs, and opened it to the middle. The song that she had turned to was one she'd tilted "Jar of Hearts". It had been written the first time that James had cheated on her. Of course, the lyrics were far more wish than reality...

She heard Susan call for her. She hurried to her room, sliding the box back into the vanity.

"Mommy, I want a song," Susan said when Maria arrived. Susan was in her crib for bedtime.

Maria thought about the song she had been looking at. She pulled Susan out of her crib, and sat down on the floor, cradling the toddler. (A/N Don't own the song, duh)

"I know I can't take one more step towards you. 'Cause all that's waiting is regret. Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore. You lost the love I loved the most. I learned to live, half alive. And now you want me one more time.

Who do you think you are? Runnin' 'round leaving scars. Collecting your jar of hearts and tearing love apart. You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul. So don't come back for me. Who do you think you are?

I hear you're asking all around. If I am anywhere to be found. But I have grown too strong. To ever fall back in your arms. I've learned to live, half alive. And now you want me one more time.

Who do you think you are? Runnin' 'round leaving scars. Collecting your jar of hearts and tearing love apart. You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul. So don't come back for me. Who do you think you are?

It took so long just to feel alright. Remember how to put back the light in my eyes. I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed. 'Cause you broke all your promises. And now you're back. You don't get to get me back.

Who do you think you are? Runnin' 'round leaving scars. Collecting your jar of hearts and tearing love apart. You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul. Don't come back for me. Don't come back at all.

Who do you think you are? Runnin' 'round leaving scars. Collecting your jar of hearts. Tearing love apart. You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul. Don't come back for me. Don't come back at all.

Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are?"

Susan had fallen asleep. Maria smiled an set the girl back in her crib. Then she left, gently closing the door behind her. She was hungry. She walked towards the kitchen. She was pretty sure that there were some Lucky Charms in the cabinet.