Do you think I chose this? Do you think I want my parents to hate me? Well mother and step father. I don't know my real father but he sounds like a real douche. Pardon my french. But hey what am I going to do. Lets talk about me. I live in a very small flat in Bradford, Yorkshire, England. I have saved up enough money to get out of that hell hole at sixteen.
Basically these days my life consists of work as many hours at I can at my local grocery store and doing my cyber school. Seems like I've been at this store for ages. And as for cyber school, my grandmother got me a brand new laptop for my sixteenth birthday. She happens to be my dad's mom but I'm not aloud to associate with her, just relay messages through my mom. I would try to get a hold of her but I know the least bit of information about her. The only details I have, is the fact she lives in America and her last name is Boylan. Ah yes, America. The land of the free. Now there is a place I have to see. The people sound so nice and there is so much to do. But back on topic.
I recently turned seventeen. This past year was a tough one, but it's getting better. I legally changed my name so that rotten bitch(my mother) wouldn't find me. I want to go out and see the world and be successful and if I do, I don't want her to come back and act like she gave me everything I ever needed or wanted. She gave me nothing and I don't need her. I just needed a fresh start and I needed to greet the world with an old face but a new name, Isabella Branson.
I walked to work. Same old, same old boring day yet something seemed the least bit off. Like my gut was warning me about something. The air was cool yet warm. The humidity was worse then yesterday and the temperature was suppose to hit the high 90's today. But hey I would be in a air conditioned store. My curly blonde hair blew back a little. I chuckled and started to do my super model walk. To my self in an announcer voice I said, “ Here comes Miss Isabella Branson sporting off her signature work uniform.” That gut feeling came back, I shoved away the bizarre feeling and kept walking, I have to go and make a living. I need all the money I can get.
I walked into the grocery store, greeting others on my way in. There were many familiar faces and maybe a few that are from out of town that smiled at me. The floors glistened from the lights on the ceiling. Everything was pretty normal. Psht, I was getting myself worried for nothing. I put my stuff in my assigned employee locker and clocked in. I went to my assigned register. The girl who worked early morning was logging off her name at the register so I could get in. Her grandfather owned the store so she worked here, not by choice though and I was pretty sure she was around my age. We worked together over the summer and now during the school hours.
“Early as usual.” She has stated, pushing her pin-straight, auburn hair out of her eyes
“Yep,” I agreed.
“May I ask you a personal question, Bella?”
“Yeah?” My voice was uncertain.
“Why do you work during the day? Why don't you go to school?” She spun around to face me.
I just stared at her for a moment. Her green orbs filled with concerned. I have to make up something.
“ Well um...I'm...I just graduated secondary school last year and I am taking a break before starting collage.” I said sounding sure of myself.
“Oh cool. Well hey I'll see you later. Bye.”
“Bye.”
I sighed putting my head back. Why can't I have a normal life with normal people and go to normal school and have normal friends and do normal things? I put my head back up and opened my register. I put on a fake friendly smile and greeted those coming up to my check out.
About noon, five men, who seemed to be in their early twenties, strolled in. All but the blonde went to the back of the store. He wondered around like he was looking for something. He was quite attractive. And he looked up and so me staring . Damn! I looked down at the register. When I looked back up he was messing around with his watch. I decided to walk over and ask him if he needed help. His blonde hair was gelled up into a quiff. He had a black jacket on and black skinny jeans. “Excuse me.” I said. His head perked up and his electric blue eyes looked into mine.
“Yes?” He asked.
“Did you need help finding something?”
“No, I think I'm fine.” He looked at his name tag, “Isabella.”
I smiled. “Alright but if you need anything I will be over there.” I gestured towards my register.
Just when I was going to turn around, something caught my eye. My eyes traveled down to his hip. A pistol glistened from the light and a black fabric came out right beside it. My eyes made it back up to his. His sincere smile dropped into a a face a disapproval. I bit my lip nervously. He brought the watched to his face and then pressed a button to talk. “Cut the power, Moose.” He had said. I back away slowly trying not to draw attention. His head perked up, then all the power went out and he put a ski mask on.
“Where the hell do you think you are going, sweetheart?” He asked.
“I was um...going to go back to my register... and close up because it's been a long day and it's time for me to go home.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Sit down and keep your hands where I can see them.”
My heart was beating hard. He pulled his watch back up to him face.
“Round up the customers and bring them up front by the produce. We may have a snitch up here.”
Was he referring to me? He paced the floor glancing back up at me every once in awhile. The four other men in ski masks ushered the customers and other workers up to the front of the building. “Listen up!” The blonde had said. I could tell which one he was by the height. He was the tallest with long legs plus his voice. “We want to make this easy and fast, so sit here and shut up then you can go when we are done. Understand?” Everyone just stared at him with frightful faces. “I said. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” His voice louder and angry. We all just shook our heads. He turned to the three men beside him. “Sonny, take Gem and Rat and get the money out of the register and any valuables out of the back rooms.” The shortest of all the boys nodded and took two of the four boys with him. The blonde turned to the other boy standing on his left. “You take that side,” he said pointing to the farthest left side (my left). “And I'll take this side,” he pointed to my side. He looked at me.
“Stand up, you little shit.”
I did as told. He put his gun in his pocket and picked at his nails, as if we were going to have a normal conversation.
“Well, well, well Isabella. Actually can I call you bell?.” He let out a chuckle. “Well of course I can. I'm in charge and I have the gun. You're a defenseless little girl.Let's play a game. You like games?” I stared at him with a confused look and nodded my head slightly. “Okay well,” he started. “You are going to answer whatever I ask and if you don't, I have my ways to make you talk.” I shook my head.
“How old are you?” He asked.
“Seventeen.”
“You look older than that. Would your parents be looking for you anytime soon? You did say it was about the time that you should be getting home.”
“They won't be though.”
“Why?”
“I don't live with them.”
“How about your grandparents?”
“Nope,” I said popping the p.
“Then who do you live with?”
“I live by myself.”
“Why don't you live with your parents?”
“Because my so called mother and stepfather hate me.”
“Where is your biological father?”
“Why are you nosy?”
“I am just wonder geeze, maybe I was concerned.”
“Well don't be! And for your information my mother was a one night stand. He probably doesn't know I exist and is probably having a good life with out me!”
“Oh.” He got quiet.
“Sorry,” I said. “It's just a touchy subject for me and...” I trailed off.
“Me too.” He said mostly to his self. “So how much?”
“For what?” I asked.
“To get you to stay quiet?”
The other guys came back with sacks of money and anything valuable and were staring at this us. Police sirens rang out.
“Son of a bitch.” Said the blonde. “Moose, check the back doors.”
“Got it.” Said one of the boys I assumed was moose. This was the man who cut the power. The blonde grabbed my arm gripping it tightly. God now how am I going to escape. I have to think of an idea. I got it but what if everything doesn't go as planned then I have to improvise. So I am going to... “There blocked, we are surrounded.” Moose interrupted my thoughts.
“Damn, we're going through the front.” The blonde said with angry.
“Are you crazy.” Said another boy.
“Gem, trust me. I have an idea.” He looked down at me.
The six of us made our way toward the door.
“Eric,” said the blonde boy.
“What?” I had asked.
“My name is Eric.”
“Oh.”
“Well I know your name, so maybe you want to know mine.”
“Yeah, um...Eric.”
He shook his head. “I never wanted to hurt people but I have to get by in life.”
“Why don't you get a job or something?”
Eric glanced down at me. “My parents.”
“What about them?”
“Well my father was killed in 2001 in America. He...he was in the twin towers when the plane hit.” I sensed the sorrow in his voice. Eric continued, “My mother fell into a deep depression and developed a drinking problem. Of course that led to her becoming abusive. I guess I started to belittle in school on purpose and then when I dropped out I needed a job that sort of did the same thing.” He sniffed. I felt the warm air and the police talking, the boys mentioned something about a hostage.
“Eric, you can change. Change for the better. You, you could..”
“I don't need change. I don't need your sympathy...” He started to raise his voice, “AND I DEFFINATELY DON'T NEED YOU.”
It got really quiet outside. There were loose trollies all over the parking lot. The police cars surrounded the store. Eric yanked me into a different position. My back was against his chest and his arm around my neck, I was close enough to smell his cologne . A gun was held to my head. “Let the girl go.” Shouted a police officer with a bull horn. Eric acted calm yet his heart was beating fast. “Don't come any closer or I will blow her brains out, and it will be your fault!” Eric shouted back. I looked up into the sky and took a deep breath.
“Move out of my way and I'll let the little girl go.” Eric shouted.
“Listen lad, just let the girl go.” A police officer said making an effort to push forward.
“NO! Don't you come any closer!” I heard a clicking sound beside my ear. It's time.
“I'm sorry, Eric, but I have to meet my dad before I die.” I said.
“Sorry for what?”
I pulled off his mask with one hand and yanked his elbow down with the other. The bullet entered through my skin. Pain struck my side and ran though my whole body. I collapsed to the ground and clutched my bleed side. Eric fell to his knees beside me.
“That wasn't suppose to happen! I was only suppose to scare them and let me go! I am so sorry, Bella!” Eric sobbed at my side.
“Eric?”
“Yeah?” His voice was shaky now and filled with fear.
“I want you to know that I forgive you and my parents and anyone else who I was angry at. I want to die happy.”
“You aren't going to die. You can't!”
“By the way my real name is Georgia.”
“But your name tag?”
“I legally changed it.”
He was saying something else but I couldn't make it out. Everything slowed down around me and was blurry, even everyone’s conversations. The police yanked Eric to his feet. I could make out his messy hair and swelled eyes. Paramedics were putting me on a stretcher. So this is what it is like to die, everything slows down and it seems like you aren't part of the world anymore just your body. The feeling of emptiness and nothingness. I closed my eyes.
“Bella, Bella, Bella....” I could here a male voice calling my name. It was Eric. It was a flashback when he first talk to me and when I first saw him. His voice gave me butterflies. No Bella! This kid just shot and killed you and now you are drooling over him. Ugh! I can't help it. I just can't!