Aubrey Valentina

I woke up in the trunk of an old car. It smelt musty and my limbs were tied up. I tried to listen closely to hear what Barbara and Anderson were saying.

"Zach, she already met some of them. She met Lorenzo and Venice! The cameras even show a run in with Laura and Luca!" Barbara yells.

Who is she talking about?

"I know that Natasha. That's why we're going to New York," he argues back, "Now be quiet before you wake Valentina up."

Who is Natasha? And why is he calling me Valentina? New York!

Wait... how do they know about the Romano's?

They go back to speaking Russian so I tune them out and go back to sleep. I guess I'll be waking up to New York.

Barbara slaps me across the face. "You're being useless, I don't know why we chose to keep you!"

"We had to change our whole lives because we had to take care of you," Anderson growled and then he took a beer bottle and smashed it against my head.

I was only ten.

I was in and out of consciousness the whole night, reliving every single awful experience I had with Barbara and Anderson.

At one point the car stops and Anderson added taped my mouth and tied my hands behind my back tighter than before.

• • •

I let the tears flow as I wonder how my family let it get to this point.

Because you were never important, my subconscious reminds me.

Everyone hates you, they probably don't even care to look for you.

They already have other children, they don't want you.

They the perfect family, why would they need you?

You'd just change everything, and not in a good way.

You are dead to them.

The voices in my head won't stop. I have no more tears left and the last thing I can remember is being knocked in the head and thrown into a trunk.

All I know is that we are in New York and my family might be across the country.

The trunk opens and Anderson unwraps my hands and pulls the tape from my mouth. And that's when I kick him in the stomach and run.

I run with all my willpower. Granted I wasn't very fast because I haven't eaten in at least two days and been tied up for hours.

I look around me and see a "Welcome to Greenport, New York" sign in large bold letters.

I look to my left and see Barbara's face before she covers my nose with a white cloth and my eyes close, leading me into complete darkness.

• • •

I wake up with my arms tied above my head on the ceiling of a cold and dirty basement. It's even worse than my old bedroom in San Francisco.

San Francisco.

Boy do I wish I could be there.

But no one would want me there anyway. I look at the bracelet on my wrist and thank God it was still there. It was a thin chain with a heart in the center with small writing that said "bellissima principessa" in small letters. It means beautiful princess and my whole life I just thought it was the brand of the jewelry. Once I figured out my family lived in Italy. I remembered my bracelet and looked up the amazing saying. I've had it for as long as I can remember.

I miss Maia and Tyler, I miss California. It was the one place I've been where I actually had friends.

But I bet they don't miss me.

I've lived in 14 different states in the last 16 years, none are ever permanent. Christmas is almost here and it will just be another day of pure torture like always.

.

It must have been days by now. I've seen the sun set and rise at least two times now. I am hungry, dehydrated and tired. I smell of my own urine and I just wish I was dead. I haven't been able to sleep because I am so cold. I look down and just see skin and bones. I'm pretty sure they have just left me to die here.

I look up and see the wooden beam I'm attached to is slowly crumbling. With the last of my strength I pull down as hard as I can.

My arms were finally free.

Their car had left a few hours ago so I crawl up the stairs and try to get to the door. I feel so weak but I get the door open. The last of my adrenaline kicks in and I run to the nearest police station.

Or at least I try to.