A/N: Trigger warning: Abuse
BELLA
I still don't know why I see the same dream again and again.
Standing in front of me were two people, more specifically, a girl and a boy. Their faces were not visible to me; they were blurry.
"Alpha Ruzzox." The girl's voice sounded like a whisper. "W-why do I feel connected to you? Why does this weird feeling of tingles come over me whenever I see you?"
The boy laughed and said, "how naive could you be, Amanda?"
"What?"
He chuckled."We're mates."
"B-but I'm a human, I'm a pet for you..."
I was suddenly woken from my deep slumber. I opened my eyes only to notice that it was none other than my dear stepbrother holding an empty bucket in his hand. My teeth started chattering and goosebumps surged as the cold air came in contact with my skin and I realized I was fully drenched with ice-cold water.
I gazed at shouting Lewis Alby. "Belwhore! You did not wake up on time again. I went down to the kitchen expecting my breakfast to be ready, but I found that the place was as it was. You didn't even clean the house yesterday after my party! Now get up and clean the entire house by seven o'clock. Before my parents come, the house should be as clean as it was the day before they left."
After nodding, I obediently got up from the bed and stood in front of him with my head bowed down in submission.
"Hmm... and one more thing, you are going to suffer consequences for disobeying me. You will be punished soon, and I am not the one who's going to do it because I believe mine is much simpler than my parents."
My eyes widened in fear as I wondered about the consequences. If my stepmother, Angelo knew that I disobeyed her son, she'll put me through near-death experiences again.
I didn't want to get admitted to a hospital bed with all those tubes and machines around me again. I really felt sick there. The bruises she gave were as if I was getting tattoos on my body. Each scar that covers me tells a different story. Oh God please help-
My thoughts were cut short when I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek. I let out a hiss before looking at Lewis. Why did he slap me?
"You didn't acknowledge my question. You didn't even answer me with a simple nod. You-you disobeyed me again. Let me make today memorable." He slowly moved towards me. His eyes were shining with rage.
Our chests were almost touching each other. I tried to move back, but he put an arm around my waist and pulled me closer. His right hand went to touch my lower back. I knew where this was going - I understood by the way he touched me. I didn't feel right, so I did what first came to my mind. His grip loosened around my waist as I stomped on his foot. I used it as my chance to get away.
"Ow! You slut, how dare you do that?!"
I had to get away from him and this situation.
"Sir, sorry to speak but I mean no disobedience. You asked me to clean the kitchen and living room before mother and father return, right?"
With narrowed eyes, he pushed me down with such force that my head throbbed immediately after it hit the ground. He squatted down next to my figure on the floor.
"You might have escaped this time but I'll complete what I started, you useless piece of shit!" He spat at me before walking out of the room.
I sat up straight on the ground before lifting myself up. My muscles were sore because of the continuous beatings. My head hurt so badly that I just wanted to remove it from my body. I looked around my 'room' which was an attic; the only spot where I could stay to cry my eyes out.
I checked the time on my broken wristwatch, which was sitting on the nightstand beside my cardboard 'bed'. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. I had only one hour left and so much work to do. I had to work fast in order to avoid punishments. I frowned.
I went to the side of my room where all the cleaning equipment was kept. After I took out a vacuum cleaner and a mop, I ran downstairs to the kitchen, going pale. I wasn't expecting them this fast. Oh no.
At the entrance stood the evil couple. Both of their faces were soothed with scorn and anger was swirling in their grey orbs.
"Why haven't you finished your work and why the hell is the house this dirty? As if there was a huge party! I expected it to be the same way as before." A dark chuckle escaped from my father's mouth. "Well, speak, bitch."
I nodded my head but was interrupted by Lewis before I could explain.
"She disobeyed me, mom. She just simply slept in her room. Can you believe it? She happily slept in her room for a whole day! She even ordered me to make a cup of tea for her yesterday morning. When I woke up I noticed that the house was dirtier than before. There were glass bottles everywhere and it reeked of alcohol, but I covered the smell by using the air freshener."
Angelo stood there, glaring at me with narrowed eyes. "You held a huge party here, didn't you? You made my sacred house reek of booze when you know I don't allow any alcohol inside! And this has happened before, remember?"
I didn't answer but looked at them with disbelief. How can they believe whatever their son said? Do they believe that I consume liquor?
"He tried to touch me inappropriately this morning. Ma'am, will you at least believe that?"
She pulled me towards the kitchen, laughing. She pushed me hard against the yellow wall.
My father, Nathan, was nowhere to be seen. I guess he had some urgent work or an important phone call. He always beat me black and blue whenever he got an opportunity. I was like his stress-relieving punching bag.
Angelo threw punches after punches on my stomach. Guess what? new bruises.
She pulled me by my hair and dragged me to the other side of the room before throwing my body against the opposite wall. I don't know where she got that much strength from - she could just pick me up and throw me as if I weighed nothing.
I hit the wall pretty hard and fell to the rough floor. I tried to get up but, I felt a jolting shiver run through me. She started kicking my stomach. The strong blows I received felt like they were damaging my ribs. She pulled me by my hair to make me stand up. Tears rolled freely down my cheeks. I gradually started feeling numb because of unending pain.
The back of my head hurt because of Lewis' earlier actions and now she was throwing me around the kitchen like a rag doll. I didn't know why they treated me like this. I did nothing to them. The fact that hurt the most was my blood-related father supporting them. I suffered mental pain more than that of physical pain.
"I think you must have learned your lesson," I heard Angelo loudly telling me with arrogance.
Nathan entered the kitchen with a bright grin plastered on his face. When he saw my condition his grin was replaced by a satisfactory smirk. "Well, I am going to share the good news. I got transferred to this small town called Wolfville. With a higher salary level than before," he announced.
As soon as my father said those words, Angelo ran towards him with a bright smile. "Congrats, dear, I have heard of that small town before. Many people say it's a very nice place. I am so happy for you!" She turned towards me."Aren't you happy?"
I nodded my head indicating that I was glad too. However, I knew that wherever I'd go, my life was going to be the same. I've never had a friend, and people at school treated me like I was gum stuck to their boots.
I'll get bullied and abused, no matter where I go. There will be no change in my life. I'll never get a chance to live normally like others my age.
Soon after, Lewis entered the kitchen. When he got to know the news, they all joined together in a group hug, saying everything was going to be better. I just stood there watching them. They were holding each other in their warm embrace. I wanted a hug too. I wanted someone to reassure me that everything was going to be better. I wished for someone who would protect and love me.
Tears blurred my eyes as I realized that no one was ever going to love me.
I ran back into my room, not wanting to interrupt their family hug. They seemed like a perfect family at that moment. I was just a servant who didn't deserve any love from this world. I took out my first aid kit and started cleaning my wounds.
"I want you to pack all of our bags and extra things that'll be needed!" my father demanded.
I wiped my tears and looked at myself in the broken mirror that I kept hidden under my bed. I used it to check my bruises.
Greyish-blue eyes, dirty blonde hair and a slightly pale complexion were reflected back. A sigh left my mouth. I was still in my clothes from yesterday and they were all wet now.
I grabbed my brush and soap, making my way toward my 'bathroom', which was actually built for pet dogs to pee. Fluffy and I used the same restroom. As he was no longer alive, I was the only one ever occupying it.
After, I was finished with my morning routine. I wore a black sweatshirt and blue jeans. I winced whenever I strained my abdomen while wearing them.
Though I was treated badly, I was expected to look presentable since I lived with them. They preferred me to look tidy. I usually wasn't bruised on the visible parts of my body because they didn't want anyone to find out about it. Otherwise, their reputation of a good family would crumble.
After I got ready, I started packing things that needed to be taken along with us to Wolfville.
If you're reading this, you're a wonderful soul :)