Forbidden ✔

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

(Lola's Pov)

One week.

It had been exactly seven days, since everything changed. 168 hours, since Justin and I's truth was revealed. 10080 minutes, since Luca was forced to leave, or he'd be taken under arrest, for whatever sick reason my father would come up with. And it's been exactly 604800 seconds, since I was beaten, called a whore, forced to beg for forgiveness from Melissa, and lastly sent to my room.

One week later, and I was still in my bedroom. Alone, cold, hungry and hopeless. I hadn't come out of here - not once. I had spent the entire past week; crying. Afraid, betrayed, frustrated, sad - all emotions I feel as I think back to that moment my world came crashing down.

"Will you marry me, Lola Jennifer Reid?" 

Every single sentence, movement - it was all clear in my mind. But that one question, Luca had asked me when he got down on one knee, gazing up at me with love and sincerity - stuck out to me. 

He risked everything. I risked everything. We risked everything; to be together. Our love, it was forbidden in this town. It wouldn't even take two days, before the entire town would know, and they wouldn't hesitate to shame us. 

They lived for this.

Right now, as I blankly stared at my sketch book, I was sure that the news was spreading like fire. It could have started by anything. My father could have possibly leaked it out in accident to one of his friends. Or a neighbor could have overheard everything and put pieces together.

But it didn't matter how it got out there. 

What Luca and I were doing, have done; mattered to them.

A low sigh left my lips as I bit down on my bottom lip. I was hungry - starving. My eyes wandered over to the door, where a small plate of rice and vegetables sat. A filled up glass of water, beside it. My mouth watered from the sight.

My sister, Melissa, all so kindly brought it up for me. She had been bringing food up for me the entire past week, but I didn't dare eat it. I wouldn't. 

"Please, Lola. Eat your food...you'll fall sick."

She had cried, when she brought the plate of rice up for me an hour ago. I ignored her. I was silent, toying with one of my pencils. I felt her eyes on me, begging me to spare her a single glance, but I couldn't. I wouldn't.

Karma had hit me - hard. I hurt Melissa, made her feel betrayed and she had done the same. Although Luca had exposed our truth by proposing to me in-front of my father and her, she added fuel to the fire.

"Let her," 

She had uttered.

"After all, they're in-love with one another."

That wasn't all she done. Over-dramatically, she sobbed, crying that I had ruined her life. When only by doing this, she ruined mine even more. So when I felt her glue-like eyes on me, I ignored her.

I felt much more than betrayed.

But I deserved it.

Dryly swallowing, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. My fingers brushed the side of my bruised face, making me hiss from the slight pain still there. At first, when it was fresh, it hurt so badly. It was big and red. But over the days, it had grown smaller and lost color.

It was a remembrance of what my angered father could do.

He hadn't bothered to speak to me since that night. I had no idea whether he was at home, or if he had gone to work. I no longer cared. The man I loved so dearly, had laid a hand on me. I knew he was capable of such actions, but never did I dream he would hurt me.