Marie Celeste

She lived in the house opposite mine, seldom spotted outside. If she had been a stranger, I would have scarcely known her, let alone have narrated this tale. The facts about her love life seemed to convey much about her that any fool could have guessed, but which outsiders still failed to understand. I was the only friend she ever had, the rest simply being sidekicks who hung around her in the hope that some of her charm would rub off on them, but in vain. But she was certainly good, in matchmaking, Marie Celeste.1

She was born in an orphanage, her mother being one of the inmates. Her birth was scandalous, as everyone knew that the father was a very rich and respected man in society. Ol'Grandpa had some doubts about handing over the inheritance to her, but soon he died. Rumours were Marie Celeste hit him with a spade. She laughed about it everytime the topic came up with such vigour, that nobody thought about it twice. Her father went missing after her birth was discovered, though his wardrobe was still intact, and his possesions had not shifted an inch. That is why she was named Marie Celeste-he dissappeared as mysteriously as her namesake had done.2

Marie Celeste had trouble fitting in with the rest of the children in our school. She tried her best, trying to emulate their clothes, their attitude, and their way of speaking. I know that it is rude to say this, but Marie was what many people now call a...loser. She was never herself. Shy and introverted, she quickly took to books, and was the target of our classmates whenever they wanted someone to poke fun at. I tried my best to make Marie stand up for herself, but to no avail. She merely smiled, and said that she did not mind the other children teasing her. Finally God intervened, and one of Marie's biggest obstacles, Emma Nicholson left school for some mysterious reason. When I asked my mother, she said that Emma was pushed down the school staircase while returning home, and her brain was damaged.3

Marie's social life seemed to worsen when we entered high school. She was picked on more than ever, as people were jealous of her good grades. Then in our junior year, she finally managed to find a group for herself, thanks to me. I advised my friends not to say anything that might upset Marie, as she was always trying to change herself. My friend Catrina promptly told Marie that people would always like her for something she was not, to which Marie's eyes would fill up, and she would whisper, "Well, at least they like me."  Marie also became extremely clingy, becoming worried if we did not share even the littlest secret with her, or if we did not invite her to a sleepover. My other friend Sharon openly disliked Marie, and frequently begged me to get rid of her. Marie sensed this, and tried to please us more than ever. She brought special cakes for us, imported from France. Poor Sharon, she got food poisoning, and went into coma. Her parents went to Spain with her to find a treatment, and we never heard from her after that.4

Marie always blamed herself for what happened to Sharon, and said that she should have left our group just then. To be honest, Marie was just a pity-friend, but she was a nice girl, dutiful and studious, and we really wished that she would get what she wanted for once. She never spoke about what happened at her house, but we could always see that sad look in those puppy-brown eyes of hers that she had inherited from her father. We all worried about how to behave with Marie on Parent's Day. Strangely, it was not celebrated, since someone sabotaged the decorations and left behind a note threatening to kill all the students if we tried to hold it in our school. Good Marie, she actually made appeals to not listen to that person, but in vain5

When Marie and me went into college, there came another problem for her-no boyfriend. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it always did to her. Then, she was asked out by a boy called Victor. He was very sweet, and took Marie on a date to the movie theater, along with me and my boyfriend Brendan. Marie pushed herself on Victor from the start, she was obsessed with him. Victor tried his best not to show that he was not enjoying watching the movie with her.  I pulled away Marie from her, and explained that she should relax and make a move only if Victor is interested. She pouted and said I was being a bad friend. The next day in college, she came to me thrilled, and told me that Victor had agreed to date her. I was happy, but there was this voice in my mind that told me, "Get Marie out of this!" Victor certainly may have acted sweet, but he was not averse to cheating on Marie. She discovered him one day in the parking lot, with Kayla Adams. Marie used up all the napkins available in the convenience store that day. Guess who paid for it. Brendan dumped me at the same time, so Marie had someone to share her griefs with.6

"Rose, " she asked, sniffing, "are all boys like that?" I laughed. "Of course not Marie, that's just what you think." Marie quietly sobbed, and I held her tight. Poor Marie Celeste, she didn't try to take any revenge on Victor. However, his father mysteriously died in a car accident. Someone had fiddled with the brakes. Everyone who knew Victor attended the funeral. There was an air of misery around, as everyone knew that with the family's only source of income gone, Victor would have to drop out of college to support his mother and siblings. Victor had always wanted a job, and I was secretly pleased with the timely payback he had got. But Marie, as usual was filled with sympathy for him. She used her money to get him back into college. Really, Marie could be so brain-addled at times. But at the same time, it increased my respect for her.7

Marie blossomed into the creme de la creme of society in those post-graduation years. She increased, both in size, as well as in bust, and her hair grew blonder. She also finally recieved the complete inheritance her grandfather had left her. I was jealous of Marie, but she simply laughed, saying that the parties weren't as good as they seemed. I never understood what they meant, but when my husband would later take me to such places, I knew what Marie felt. They were suffocating, and filled full of people who seemed to intimidate you, even if you happened to be of a higher status than them. Elegant and well-mannered, these were the very people Marie wanted to shun, but could not. It was also over there, that Marie introduced me to my husband Aidan, and met her first husband Matthew. Marie married Matthew barely two months after they had met. I did not see much of her after my own wedding a year later.8

One day, seeing that the kids were asleep, and Aidan was out with his friends, I decided to visit Marie in a spontaneous decision, though whether it was taken out of boredom, or because I missed Marie, I don't know. I got a shock when I saw her-she was bruised, her hair torn out, and face scarred. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a dark sweater that covered her arms, though the marks on her hands and neck were evident. I quizzed Marie about it, she nervously replied that it wasn't 'Matty's' fault, it was hers for hanging around unscrupulous men, and being unfaithful. I wanted to drag her away right then and then, but she refused.9

"He said that nobody would ever love me after...this." she whispered quietly gazing at her shoes. I kneeled down and looked up into her eyes, they were filled with fear. She was also afraid that he would track her down. Knowing her fragile state, I fought my urge to give her an admonishing, but I was shocked all the same. Couldn't Marie learn self-defence for once and for all? She implored me to not tell anyone, and I, seeing that she genuinely wanted this matter to be hidden, shamelessly agreed. Marie sat up happily, and we spent our time happily chatting, though I could not help staring at the dark marks on her pale skin. And then came a real shock: she was pregnant. 10

A week after her child, Edna, was born, Matthew died. No one knew why he died-he just grew significantly paler and paler, and writhed around in bed. I was afraid Marie would follow him, but she suprisingly pulled through, only for the sake of her daughter. "He got what he deserved," I said viciously, thinking of the injuries he inflicted on Marie. "Oh don't say that," said Marie, saking her head, "he really suffered during his illness, I know he did. God bless Matthew!" I stared at her incredously. Sometimes, I wondered why this woman always had to be so angelic and forgiving to others.11

Marie became very charismatic in her later years, becoming the poster girl for every socialite. She also became a perfectionist, not even sparing Edna. Poor child, she wanted to pursue arts, but Marie made her go for a degree in business. I tried to interfere, then stepped back, for Marie was the mother, and I thought she had full rights. Marie now began smoking too. Differences cropped up between us-I felt Marie was forgetting me, Marie felt I thought of her as a snob. Marie started to gain admirers, each who followed her around just the way...Marie followed me in school! I chided myself, Marie was certainly getting what she wanted, she wasn't like the old Marie anymore. But when I glanced into her eyes, I saw that same flicker of loneliness that engulfed her in her youth.12

In our later years, both me and Marie slowed down-me because Aidan died and our children went to foreign countries, Marie because Edna now had a family of her own, and was estranged from her mother. Marie sold her house, and moved into her old mansion. It was just like the childhood days, we chatted, drank tea together, and did gardening. We were talking about how we had changed, when suddenly, Marie asked, "Rose, have you never considered it odd that whomever you told me to take revenge suffered anyways, even though I said that I didn't want to take any?" I stared at her, but she quietly sipped her tea, and did not say anything else. The next day, Marie died, asking God to forgive her for her sins.13