1 Chapter 1

Here we go, five,four...three..two... My door was kicked open by my step dad. And no it doesn't have a lock. Don't ask.

"Anabella!!! I told you not to leave the light in the sitting room turned on it disturbs my sleep"he roared staggering towards the light switch of my room.

Firstly I didn't even come out of my room the whole day so how did I even... Oh forget it.

He always finds a fault anyway.

One time it's because he wants chicken instead of beef another time the food is too hot. I mean common I spent my money to cook his picture perfect meal I thought he'd at least be knocked out by now from how much he ate.

"I took you in and this is what I get. No peace huh" .

Here we go again.

He was now very close to my face. I can smell cheap rum from his breath which is obnoxious. But I swallowed my throw up because that would earn me another round of beatings.

He didn't make it to me though at first, He tripped on his own foot. Don't ask. It's possible with him. And now his whole dead weight was on me.

I didn't know how to react, push him off he'll kill me, don't push him off, I'll probably pass out,

he's not really the fittest man around.

Against all odds. I tried to go for the former. Notice the Tried right there.

Before I could he hit my stomach with his knee.

"You little brat you made me trip huh! "You". Hit. "Think". Hit. "It's funny?." Hit. Followed by series of punches on my abdominal area

. I sucked in the scream. Vanilla ice cream, vanilla cookies, vanilla cake.

I kept thinking about all forms of vanilla. Until I heard his room door close.

He left a bruise on my stomach and neck. I even had a bloody nose. I chuckled bitterly. He must be really mad this time. I hurried to the cabinet to get what to nurse my injury with.

I was running short on cotton wool. I'll fixed that later.

I can't help but think back. When I was happy with mum and Dad. And how it all happened. It's funny how your life can change in a day. Because of one stupid shot.

**************

"Ana!!"

"Yes mummy" "bring your Dollie let's go" I hurriedly stuff My favorite doll into my back pack.

"Honey hurry I got us a flight scheduled to leave in the next fifteen minutes" my dad called out from the sitting room struggling with some suitcases.

Then it dawned on me. " We're moving!? Again?.

Mum you said we wouldn't have to move again" I say folding my arms I'm defiance

" l know honey. But we really have to go." My mum says pulling at my arms.

" But mum what about Jenna I can't leave, I just made friends."

"Honey we don't have time. You'll call Jenna later okay?" . I ignore her turning my head my head the other way.

"Honey do something" she says turning to my dad helplessly

"We really have to go dear" my dad checking the time on his wrist watch and trying picking me up.

"No!!" I struggled and moved from his hold.

"We already moved four times already in just two years. I'll have to make friends again" I scream stumping my feet.

"Honey.." my mum and dad started. "No!" I cut them off.

"I can stay here, I like it here I'm tired of moving".

"Honey we really have to go we don't have much time " My mum was almost in tears.

Why?

"Why? Why? Why do we have to move all the time"

My mum and dad looked at each other. Communicating with their eyes. They looked torn.

My dad checks the time again, and a panicked look crosses his eyes

" Honey... someone wants to hurt mum and dad, now we really have to go" my dad said picking up our bags and plane tickets

" Then report them to the police. You told me not to be afraid to stand up to someone, right dad?"I asked.

"We tried dear but it's not how it works...we really have to.." my mum starts but is interrupted as she is knocked down by door been kicked open. Four hefty men came in armed with big guns and knives

" Going somewhere Nicole" a guy with grey eyes says said smiling toothlessly. .. if that's a word.

He grabbed my mum and I by the waist. I kept kicking and struggling. "Help me dad" I scream very terrified.

" Hey! Let them go" He tried pushing him, but failing due to the guys huge size. He then punches his face drawing blood from his nose.

The grey eyed man grunts in pain, then lets go of my mother and grabs my father by his neck.

He of them punched him in the face. Knocking him out cold.

.

.

And shot him in the head.

I watch as my dad falls limp to the floor his forest green eyes becomes lifeless staring into space.

"Hey man you didn't have to kill him. Boss wanted him alive" The One holding me said. "Oops" he said with no remorse at all.

My mum lets out a blood curling scream tears running down her cheeks.

While I stay just stare helplessly at the pool of blood now forming around my dad's head.

The men start to laugh sadistically.

I don't feel anything.... I just think, maybe this is just a nightmare, I keep willing myself to wake up from.

The men are distracted with their sadistic celebration. While I turn to my mum just in time to see her face change from sadness and grief, to iron determination. She walks up to the man holding me raising her legs, she delivers a forceful kick to the region in between his legs.

He lets go of me falling down, then proceeds to groan in pain covering the assaulted region with both hands.

"Run!!" My mum screams pushing me forward, I did not need a second push.

I took of sprinting occasionally turning to see my mother behind me.

We had barely gone three hundred meters when I heard the men screaming.

"After them, boss will have our heads" followed by a series of gun shots.

I turned back just in time to see my mum drop down.

"Mum!!!" I ran back to her. Her eyes where blinking slowly. Turning, the men where not far behind.

I shake my mum. "Moma get up we have to go" Each blink longer than the other.

"Run" she said.

"Hey there, the little one is still alive" one of the men shouted from a distance. "Run" she said again. Her blue-green eyes, now barely open.

A single Tear dropped from my eyes.

I stood up. And staggered a bit. Before turning back and running. I ran until I felt like I was floating.

Until I came to a stop at a police check point.

I told them all I knew. And all they did was shake their heads.

***********

Long story, in short. I got a lot of pity from people....I didn't even get to attend my parents burial. They said "based on the evidence" it would be too dangerous for me.

I was moved into this foster home. One town away, I haven't been able to visit their grave yard.

I'm stuck here. My personal hell on earth.

I'm pretty sure James is only keeping me because of the cheques he gets to ' take care of me'

Sometimes I just can't help but think....

what if I hadn't thrown my little tantrum...

What if I had just shut my mouth up and followed my parents.

We could have gotten out in time.

It's all my fault.

I should have just died with my mom. At least we would still be together.

All I can do is wait for college. I work very hard on my grades and hopefully apply for a college as far away from here as possible. My parents documents and my inheritance will be released to me after my eighteenth birthday.

Thank heavens my parents had my college fees saved up.

But for now... This is my life....

I guess....

★★★★★★★

‡Ethan‡

My mum and I are moving . We just kept moving and moving after dad's death.

This time though, my mum said we won't have to move... At least for a while.... We are moving in my sports car. And I think even a jogging old lady is faster. Thanks to my mum ..

************

My room is ok. Better than the last one.

But seriously I can literally just stretch and I'd be able to touch the neighbors bedroom window

I can see everything in the room from here. I just hope it's not some old couple, because if they are....one of us is gonna have to move, because no one is stopping my loud music.

Hold up... hold on. A girl just walked in that room. About...my age?

Oh God if you hear me, please don't let her have a crush on me, I can't deal with another one.

*************

"Ethan Brown cuts through the killer curve and he is coming in first with a killer acceleration!" ..."

Ethan"

I look to the crowd of my fans to locate who called me..."Ethan"..... That voice sounds so familiar.

Suddenly cold liquid is all over my face. What the hell? "Ethan get up"

***************

"Ethan get up" my mum screamed. "You'll be late" "Seriously mum" I mentally face palmed. She woke me up from my wonderful dream. For school!?.

My mother can be crazy at times. Don't tell her I said that.

I mean look at me..... Soaked in cool water on this fine morning.

"Are you going to get up,or do I have to get more water"

That got me up. "Okay I'm up mum, now can you leave so I can prepare?"

"That's my baby.... Do you want bacon or pancakes for breakfast" she said with a sweet smile.

.....Okaaaaaaaaaay....is it me or is my mum freakishly bipolar... "Pancakes"

"Okay pancakes it is, hurry up you don't want to be late"

yes. I. Do.

"You have some catching up to do on your school work" she said walking out.

Arrggggh

Yeah that's right I'm not a morning person, especially when woken up with a bowl of water...

That's right it's not the first time.

*************

After I'm done with my morning routine. I could just describe myself in one word. Hot.

Well... I wouldn't call it cockiness. Okay fine I'm a little bit cocky.

I looked into that girls room. She was... dressings an injury? Meh not my problem.

I hurried downstairs before my mum would scream my name.

★★★★★★★★

[Change in pov]

I don't even know why he was so mad. Okay that's not a question, he's mad all the time but come on . I mean, why take it out on innocent little me.

He broke my right arm.

Okay not really broke. He just kinda bruised it.

Deep.

But no biggie. It's not like it hasn't happened before.

But it's unusual. Normally it's just a bruise here and there on my tummy. He didn't like it visible.

But these times are the worst.

He broke my ribs one time.

Once I was done dressing my injury and making James breakfast. He wasn't up yet . Thank God

Don't ask why... You know the reason.

I hurried so I won't miss the bus.

I noticed a blue sports car drive out of the house next door.

Weird. The only neighbor we've ever had was .....

Oh right we've never had a neighbor since I moved in. The house is at the end of the street. Our other neighbor is the street.

Oh the bus is here. I hurriedly walk in and seat on the front seat. And put my bag right next to me. And no.

No one is seating with the.....

'Mute freak'.

Yeah. No I'm not sad.

I'd rather stay friendless than risk James accusing me of getting to close to someone to ' implicate him' , his words not mine.

That's one way of putting it, because, I don't think I can talk to anyone. I haven't had friends since..... Well you know... My other life.

******************

When I got to school. Everyone kept talking about 'the hot new boy.

I hurried to get something for my locker before I leave for my math class.

Guess what happened.

My personal.

Pretty

One and only.

Bully, Melanie Davis. Walked up to me. With her two minions behind her forming a triangle.

And no. She's not a Blondie. She a red head.

Even I can't deny she's pretty.

Head of the cheer leading team.

Fancy huh.

" Hey freak, did you dress in the dark or something" Melanie said with a sadistic smirk.

"Yeah you really got that freak show going" one of her blonde bimbos said. I think her name is Tessa.

Unlike other days. I didn't stand to listen to them rant about how Ugly I am.

I got a math homework due this afternoon.

So I tried to walk away. Notice the try right there?

Before I could walk away. One of her other blonde bimbos Brenda grabbed my right hand and Tessa grabbed my other injured arm.

I cried out in pain. And right then I regretted it. Because Melanie had a victorious sadistic smirk on her face.

"Aww does the nerdy freak's arm hurt" she said bending to they level of my face.

She was wearing six inched heels.

I'm not that short.

"Tessa let go of her left arm " Melanie said with a sadistic smile.

Tessa did so immediately. I sighed in relief.

But my relief was short lived. Madison grabbed the hand almost immediately.

Hard. Squeezing it hard.

I screamed . Everyone in the hallway turned. Some had pity, but no one dared cross Melanie Davis. And the ones who could watched in amusement.

★★★★★★★★★

Ethan ♦

I walked into the school. And everyone did what I expected them to do.

Stare and whisper.

Even the guys checked me out.

I can't blame them though. You can never get enough of this beauty. So I did my usual confident walk. Giving them something nice to look at.

***************

The whispers increased as I went further down the hallway It didn't take a genius to know that the attention was no longer on me. I followed the stares.

There was a red head whose clothes challenged the school's dress code.

She was grabbing on to another crying girls arm. Ah girls Cry babies they are. I thought, Why would she cry just because.....

Wait a second.

Where have I seen her before.

.

.

.

The girl next door.