"Susan"^^^ I'm sure some of y'all in particular wanted a picture of her, so I found a random picture off Pinterest.

For AnimatedNydia and ––thatONEperson. Thanks for reading and voting! And Sunday, Kyla, and Gita, too.

Maria was on the couch, playing with her phone. She had just put Susan to bed, and had taken some time to relax. The door flew open. James looked angry.

"You didn't get a job?" Maria asked.

"I did, actually!"

"Then why are you mad?"

"It's not enough! Because I had to push back the rent, we'll still be five hundred dollars short!"

Maria felt her face go pale. "Then what are we going to do?"

Suddenly, James slammed her into the wall. He was breathing in her face, and she had expected him to reek of alcohol, but he didn't. "Not we, YOU."

"What do you-"

"That Hamilton kid. You have a crush on him, don't you?" He slapped her.

"No!" Maria answered, panicked.

"Don't you?!" He slammed her into the wall again.

"No!"

"Stop lying! Answer me!" Another hit.

"I did!"

"I meant honestly, you little b****! DO YOU LIKE HIM!" Slap.

Maria realized that there was no way out until he heard what he wanted to hear. "Ok, yes! Just stop hitting me!"

He slapped her one last time. "Sl**. But we're gonna use it to our advantage." Maria was confused, and James noticed. "Hamilton's foster family is rich. And he's so overwhelmed right now, we can probably get away with this."

"With wha-"

"I want you to sleep with him. Then I'll blackmail him."

Maria almost died on the spot. "No! That's not fair to Eliza! That's not-"

James slapped her and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing a knife. Maria tensed, waiting for him to attack her with it. Instead, he left the room. Confusion filled Maria. 'Where is he going?' She thought. Suddenly the answer hit her over the head. She took off towards Susan's room.

When she got there, she almost screamed. James was holding Susan, who was fast asleep. He had brushed her long hair to the side and was holding a knife to her back.

"James, no!" Maria shrieked. "Don't hurt her! She's a baby!"

"Well, Babe I won't as long as you agree to . me. And don't even think about going to the police, I'll make sure both you and her are dead by the time they get here, got it?"

Maria nodded vigorously. "When do you want me to-"

"Now. His family is staying at a hotel for the night from a trip they took out of town. Alexander didn't go. So tonight is prime time to reel him in. You say a little sob story, get him help you, and then you know." He smirked.

Maria nodded numbly. She reached to take Susan and put her back in bed.

"Uh, uh, uh, Ria. You don't get her until you hold your side of the bargain. You know where Hamilton lives. Now, go!"

Maria nodded again, tears sliding down her cheeks. She really didn't want to do this. But, that's what happens when you're responsible for lives other than your own. You do what you have to do. She changed and steeled herself before walking out of the door, her stomach churning.