Isabella Agosti [Slow Updates]

E I G H T

Elijah stepped away from the reception desk and turned to see his baby sister. Their eyes met for a split second before Rylan looked away. Elijah's eyebrows creased and he glanced at Officer Jess.

She whispered to him, "She hasn't said a word since we first arrived at her house. I asked if she's mute and she nodded so I'm guessing she is. She's got my notepad to write her answers on for the meantime but I was hoping if you could get her to change her mind about not talking. You know, because your her brother and all." Jess sadly smiled up at him.

The second eldest Agosti brother gave a sound of acknowledgement and made his way towards Rylan. He bent down to get a better look at her because she had her head down, hair framing her face.

Elijah reached a hand up to tuck a piece of her brown locks behind her ear when she shuffled away from his touch. Rylan faced the opposite direction to the stranger, hoping he'd go away. The poor teenager had no clue who this was, fearing the worst and squirming in her seat.

Elijah frowned deeply, wondering why his sister was acting like this. "Bella, ...bambina." He said softly. Rylan's head flew up at the incorrect name. That's not her name, Bella? No, he must have the wrong person then. She definitely wasn't Bella and didn't know anyone called that.

She rapidly shook her head, trying to show him he's got the wrong person. 'That's not me...' She wrote and shyly handed the paper to Elijah. He cautiously read it, smiling sadly with a slight grimace. "No Bella, it is you. Your name is Isabella, sweetheart. Didn't you know that?"

'No' She pouted innocently as she wrote. Rylan was so confused as to who this man was. Why'd he call her bambina and Bella. Who the fúck is he? He should stop wasting his time and find the girl he was really meant to talking to.

"Oh, Bella. Pensavo che mamma avrebbe mantenuto il tuo nome così." He mumbled in what Rylan thought to be Italian.

-

Rylan or Bella, she didn't know, was so confused that the overwhemling feeling she got from everything that is happening and has happened, was too much. Her eyes welled up with tears, some leaked down her cheeks. The girl wiped them away before the strange man could see her vulnerability. She didn't need to push down her walls that she forced up over her abusive year and then some.

Mateo was an exception, she felt like she could trust him. He was the only exception.

Elijah tilted her head his way when he heard her sniffles. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Why are you crying, baby?" He questioned. She flinched at the sudden touch. She had no idea who he was, she didn't want anyone touching her.

Rylan quickly shook her head, jumping up and out of his reach. She backed away until she hit someone. Officer Jess caught the teenager before she fell. "Woah, careful," she chuckled- oblivious to the girls solem mood, "Rylan this is your brother, Elijah. He's here to take you home. The paperwork has already been filled out so you can go straight away."

Rylan observed her newly discovered brother closely. He looked well built and healthy, physically and mentally but who was Rylan to judge a book by its cover?

Elijah waved and gave a gooofy smile to his little sister. He wanted to make her see that he wasn't a threat to her, that he genuinely had concern over Bella.

Rylan scrambled for the pad and pen. 'I don't want to go. No please don't make me. He might not be who he says he is, Officer Jess!' She was beyond scared and if Rylan was sent with him, the minute she stepped outside this station she strongly believed she'd get crushed with his muscular arms.

Or get smacked.

Or punched.

Or kicked with his long legs.

Or thrown in the back of a car and taken away, never to be seen again. These things could happen in Rylan's mind and she was terrifed at the simple thought.

"Oh no, honey he is for sure your brother. Trust me, Rylan. It's okay to go with him so off you go." Jess gave Rylan a gentle nudge forward, towards Elijah.

The poor girl had a petrrifed look on her face. She was not ready to walk out that door with him.

"Here, sweetheart. Let's go, huh?" Elijah grabbed her bag and held out his hand for her to take. He waited patiently for Rylan to come to him.

She made slow, steady movements; really not wanting to go. Rylan took one last glance at the police officer and shyly placed her tiny hand in his large one.

Elijah's firm grip on her, had the girl grimace at their skin-to-skin contact. His skin felt tough but warm. She didn't know if it was a good thing or not but after getting used to it while they walked outside, she relaxed a bit.

His kind action of holding the door open for her made Rylan's heart swell the smallest bit. No one had done that- no man had done that for her since her mama died.

Rylan had a question pop into her thoughts, a big question. She fiddled for the notepad, only to realise she left it on the chair inside. She couldn't go back, not now.

She tugged on Elijah's jacket with her free hand, gaining his attention as they stopped just before reaching his car.

His raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, honey?" He faced her fully.

She gestured that she had nothing to write on, him understanding. He said 'here' and gave her his phone.

On the notes app, she typed away. Explaining her question thoroughly. 'I'm confused. So is my dad, your dad? If I lived with my mom and dad, where were you and why weren't you living with us? Or us, you?'

Elijah scanned through the words at speed, sighing and unlocking his car. "I'll explain in the car, sweetheart. Okay?"

Rylan shook her head as a 'yes' and made movement to sit in the back. Her brother grabbed her wrist lightly, "No, Bella. You can sit in the passenger seat, hun."

She blushed slightly, hiding her face by speedily walking to the door.

-

1728 words

Shitting hell that was a long chapter

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EDITED