Today's the first day of college and I'm nervous as Hell. I've been up for hours already and it's only 8.a.m.
After taking a quick shower I dry myself off and search my new clothes for my outfit.
I finally choose a plain black above the knees dress, putting some black sheer tights and my black kitten heels. I leave my hair down naturally and leave off putting any makeup.
I pack a bag with a load of things I might need but hope I won't, like a first aid kit, and tampons.
Micha is waiting in the foyer when I go down and he looks truly drool-worthy. He's wearing a dark blue stripe suit, with a white shirt and matching tie.
He smiles at me and comes over stealing a kiss, before the others descend like vultures for my attention.
"You look beautiful Bella. You ready to go?"
"Yeah I guess so. You look very hot too!" I tell him smirking.
He just chuckles and kisses me again.
We both walk into the kitchen where everyone else was already waiting. Warren was in a suit too and looked really suave. He was wearing a dark grey suit with matching shirt.
Antonio and Ivan had already left for work, they'd both already been to see me this morning. Nonna was cooking breakfast when we entered and everyone was eating.
My guards all stood to attention when I entered the room and I rolled my eyes exasperated. "Uh guy's? Didn't I ask you not to do that?"
They all give me sheepish grins and sit down quickly. "They're just doing what they were trained for Bella." Micha explains again to me.
"I know Micha. But how am I going to fit in at college with this many body guards?" I ask slightly annoyed.
"You'll manage Bella, I promise. Now eat something before we need to leave." He tells me sternly making me smile.
"I'm not hungry. I'll take an apple for later."
Nonna turns from cooking and scowls at me.
"Isabella Rose Stewart/Salvador! You better get your butt sat down and eat something right now! You aren't leaving this house with an empty stomach." She tells me firmly, meaning business.
"I can't eat yet Nonna, I'm too nervous. I promise to eat a big lunch though." I tell her pleadingly.
She's still scowling as I get up to leave with the guys following behind me.
Xeres is in the garage waiting for me already when I get there. He hands me a granola bar and hugs me tightly. "Thanks." I tell him grateful.
"Have fun today. Be safe, and don't take any shît from anyone. Anyone starts with you, you just set the guys on them, you listening Princess?"
"Okay." I reply.
"Guy's please do your jobs properly. Protect her with your lives and keep her safe for us. Micha, Warren? Tell us if any côcky little prîcks start with her?" He demands them both.
After they agree, I roll my eyes and get into the large jeep that Xeres had leant me to get to college in.
Micha gets in to the drivers seat, Warren sits in the back with another guard. The other three guards take another car and tail us all the way there.
We're early when we finally get on campus, and I stare around me fascinated.
I can't wait to get started learning here, and hopefully I'll make a few friends along the way.
We all get out together and the boys all surround me, with Micha putting his arm around me possesively.
We make it to our first class quickly and I try to ignore all the curious gawkers we'd attracted. They all stared at me probably wondering who the Hell I am.
Arriving at class it's filled with mostly guys my age, but thankfully there are two other girls who look relieved to see me, just as much as I am them.
Taking our seats near the girls, I'm pleased when they bravely introduce themselves to me.
"Hey I'm Chloe, and this is my sister Claire. Are you some kind of royalty or something?" She asks me curiously eyeing my guards closely.
"Hi Chloe and Claire, I'm Isabella, but please call me Bella. And no I'm not royalty, I just have overprotective Uncle's."
She nods at me and still looks slightly confused.
The teacher comes in and takes the register, making me feel as if I'm in high school again.
When he calls out my name I'm shocked to hear him call out Isabella Salvador, instead of Stewart and wonder when my Uncle's had it changed?
Everyone turns to me when I call out I'm here, and I get uncomfortable with there gazes on me.
"Holy shît, now I understand!" Chloe says loudly and Claire just nods agreeing.
"So who's your dad then?" Claire asks me curious.
"Dante." I tell her reluctant.
"Yeah I kind of see it now, but you look more like your Uncle Antonio, or Xeres than him." She tells me honestly.
"I agree." Warren chirps in happily.
"Girls, this is Warren my best friend." I introduce them.
"This is Micha, my boyfriend, and these four are Micha's friends, and my guards."
"Wow. How cool it must be to have guards protecting you all the time. And they're all hot too, so it's a bonus." Chloe blurts out obviously not shy.
"Uh, I guess so?" I reply.
Micha scowls playfully at me. "But baby, I thought you only had eyes for me? Don't tell me I'm being replaced already?" He asks sounding heartbroken.
"Shut up idiot. I'd never replace you, you're mine and you're stuck with me now." I tell him seriously.
We all calm down after a bit and start paying attention. Micha keeps tensing up at all the stares I keep getting, and my guards don't look too happy either.
After class is over finally we all head to the next one at the other side of the building, and keep attracting more stares.
Chloe and Claire are in the same classes, so they tag along too.
When we reach the class I freeze in place seeing our teacher being held at gunpoint.
I'm immediately pushed to the back, and cocooned by large bodies as a gunshot is fired loudly nearby and everyone goes mad, screaming and running everywhere.
Chloe and Claire are pushed and told to run with the other students. Micha and Warren are holding me flat to the floor, and I can't see anything at all.
Someone's shouting loudly and I realise it's Damon; one of the guards in charge after Micha.
"Put the gun down or we will take you out." I hear him shout loudly over the ringing in my ears.
"Give me the little bîtch, or I kîll these kids." Is the response we all hear.
"Nope sorry, wrong answer."
Rapid gunfire soon fills the silence that had descended, and Micha puts his body more over mine protectively.
After a few minutes the noise stops, and is replaced by crying and a few groans.
Micha releases slowly and hands me to Warren, he gets up to go see what's happening. I stop him and grab his shirt, kissing him quickly.
"Be careful." I warn him serious.
He nods and stands up and then he's gone, blocked by Warren's body.
It feels like forever before all the weights moved off of me and I'm helped to my feet by Damon.
"Anyone hurt?" Is the first thing I demand him.
"No ma'am. A student was shot but just a graze, the teachers dead. The guy with the guns dead too."
I search the room and see around ten kids my age all huddled together. The wounded one is laid by the windows, and holding some material over her leg that's bleeding quite badly.
I rush over and take out the first aid kit I'd brought along with me. Grabbing some gauze and a bandage, I motion to her leg, asking if I can treat her.
She eyes me warily before nodding. "I'm Bella, I'll be quick I promise. I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me."
Her eyes widen slightly but she nods anyway. " Sara. Not your fault." She tells me in broken English.
I cut through her jeans and stare at the wound in shock. I'm not certain on where exactly the femoral artery in the thigh is, but with the amount of blood she's losing, I'd say it's a pretty good chance it's been hit.
"Micha?" I call loudly. "Anyone rang an ambulance?"
He comes over immediately and nods. "Yes babe, Damon rang for one, they should be here anytime soon. Why?"
"Her femoral, Micha. I can't stop the bleeding." I tell him whispering.
He nods and goes to make another call.
"It hurts Bella." She tells me weakly.
"It know sweetie, I know. Here have two of these pain killers to help you. They're only advil though, they're not very strong." I tell her, and hand her the two tablets and my water bottle.
She takes them gratefully, and I help her drink some of the water.
By the time the ambulance arrives she's holding my hand desperately and crying silently. I've bandaged her thigh as best as I can, but the blood is just soaking through too quickly.
They quickly load her onto a stretcher and take her away with the lights and sirens blaring.
Micha comes over and hugs me as I break down feeling responsible for this. "Why does this keep happening Micha?" I ask through sobs.
Looking down I blanche and jump back as I'm covered in blood and getting it all over Micha's shirt.
"Come on Bella, let's get you home. I'm sure your Uncle's have heard already, and will probably meet us there."
I just nod and everyone surrounds me as we make our way outside.
There's a huge crowd of students waiting as we emerge out, and Chloe and Claire come rushing over to me looking pale.
"Oh God, you're hurt!" Chloe shouts shocked.
"I'm not Chloe, I'm fine. It's not my blood, it's Sara's. I helped her with her leg until the paramedics got here."
Before I can say anything else Antonio and Ivan come charging over and looking pîssed. "That better not be your blood cara." Antonio calls angrily.
He picks me up and squishes me against him tightly. "I'm fine Uncle, honestly." I tell him as he puts me down and checks me over.
Ivan hugs me next, but more carefully than Antonio had. "Dios! We were so scared when we heard the news Bella. Are you truly okay?"
"Yes Ivan."
He relaxes and kisses me on the forehead.
Antonio is talking to Micha and my guards, and he shocks me by thanking them all for their quick actions.
Warren leads me back to the jeep and helps me into it, I just stare blankly out of the windows hoping that Sara will be okay.
Warren sits next to me and hugs me to his chest as I break down over everything that's happened.
The doors open as I'm having my breakdown and I'm soon lifted into Micha's lap, and held securely as we set off back home.
When we get home I've calmed down, and I'm ready to demand answers from my Uncle's. They must know the reason that people keep trying to get me, and I want them to tell me why.
We arrive back at Nonna's, and I get out storming towards my room to get out of these damn clothes.
Nonna's face pales at seeing me enter covered in blood.
"It's not my blood Nonna, I'm fine." I tell her as I rush past.
Up in my room I turn the shower on as hot as I can manage and strip off, standing under the burning spray.
I'm not sure how long I stand there scrubbing until all the blood's gone, but I emerge clean and all wrinkly when I'm finished.
Wrapping a large towel around me and another around my hair, I go straight into my walk-in closet to get dressed.
This settle on some skinny jeans and a red tank top with some sneakers. Quickly drying my hair, I throw it up into a messy bun and head downstairs.
Everyone's sat in the kitchen when I enter and Xeres rushes to me, squeezing me quickly, and spinning me stupidly around the kitchen.
"Really Xeres?" I ask exasperated.
"Glad you're okay squirt." He tells me and sets me back down.
I turn to where Antonio and Ivan are sat and just stare at them annoyed.
"I want the truth guy's. This has gone on for too long now, I'm sick and tired of people getting hurt because of something i don't even understand. What's so important about me?"
They all exchange looks and it's pretty obvious that they don't want to tell me.
"Fine don't tell me. I'm moving back to the U.S as soon as I can get my hands on the money for my flight." I tell everyone seriously.
Not wanting to listen anymore I head outside to the gardens, and ignore everyone calling me to "come back"
I settle under a large tree at the edge of the property, and decide it's high enough to keep me hidden for a little while. I climb up it pretty easily, and just lay on a large branch staring up at the sky through the leaves.
I don't hear them calling me at all, and just shut my eyes wanting today to be over.
I'm not even sure myself if I meant it about going back to America, but being back there was a lot more safer than here was.