Arabella Rivera "Get away from her John. They're just kids leave them out of this sick game you're trying to play." Mother begged beside me when father said those nasty words. He snaps his eyes to her. "This isn't a game Margie. I'm serious. We just need to get rid of that boy and we all can start fresh-" "No." His cold furious eyes draw back to me. "What did you just say?" Mother's grip on my hand almost turns brutal. "I said no. You're not going to hurt him. I'm not going to let you hurt him." I lift my chin in defiance but I didn't feel powerful at the moment, especially when the barrel of the gun aims at me. He looks at me like I had grown another head. "You don't have a choice Arabella," He snaps lowly. When I don't waver under his glare or tip my chin down, father snarls. "You fucking ungrateful brat. I did everything for you! You're the one who led me to fucking kill those people. And just to pack up and leave you have a problem? There are plenty of other fishes in the sea Arabella, you can open your legs for any one of them!" I flinched. His eyes widen as he looks at me like a maniac. "Do you want to ruin this family even more?" I press my lips together not answering him. He didn't deserve my breath or my time. His rough footsteps pierce my ears as he bounds over to me in rage. "John please- Mother makes way to stand up and come between us but he backhands her across her face. She falls to the floor, her gasp painful as the sound of her body connecting with the hard floors resonate through the air. "Mother!" I breathed out as I crouch to help her. Her body shakes, her eyes red from crying as they lift to stare at me. Father groans above us, hissing like a kettle as he takes a step back. " I can fix this. I can fix this. We just need to get rid of the problem." He repeats, almost like a chant. "We'll fix this Margie. Everything will be fine. We just need to get rid of the problem. And everything will be back to normal." He keeps chanting, pacing back and forth. Mother cradles her elbow, tearing her gaze from mine to look at father with the look one gives to a monster. Shaking her head she whispers. "You don't get it John. You're the problem." Father cold gaze snaps to her. So cold. So unemotional. Was he so far gone that he had lost his humanity? "Don't say that Margie. No I'm not. Don't say shit like that, you'll get me mad. I don't want to hurt you." Mother sobs, her body trembling as she looks at the man she once loved. "You're hurting me now John. You're hurting Arabella. You're hurting your family. You're hurting us." "Don't say that shit Margie! I'm not hurting anyone, can't you see I'm trying to help our family? " He snarls, bits of saliva flinging out of his mouth and flying towards us. Cocking the gun and aiming it at both mother and I, he rages. "Start fucking packing our stuff Margie. " "Now!" He roars when I grip her tightly. "I'll be okay Arabella. We just need to follow whatever he says until we get an opening." She turns her head a way that she'd be able to whisper in my ear without having him see the movement of her lips. I bend my head, making my hair fall over my face so it could block my mouth as I whispered out very lowly. "An opening for what mother?" "An opening to take the gun away from him." She squeezes my hand only to be wrenched away from me harshly. "Get the fuck up Margie. We don't have all day." Father hisses, squeezing her injured elbow that had her wail out a cry of pain. "Father- I sneered, standing up to stop him but he aims the gun at me as he pushes mother towards their closet. "Get the fuck down Arabella!" "John don't you dare hurt her!" Mother yells as she nearly topples down by his aggressive push. "Then get to fucking packing Margie!" He snarls, aiming the gun at her then me. "You bastard." Mother sobs, walking over to the closet. Turning to me, father looks irritated. "You're the one who caused all of this. You and your fucking boyfriend. Speaking of, you need to call him so we can get rid of him and be on our way." "What?" I breathed out, my tongue growing heavy as I looked at the gun. Would he really shoot me?"You heard me you whore. Call Haiden over. I promise that his death will only hurt for the first month. After a while you grow to forget about him." He was acting as though killing an innocent boy was for sport. Like he wasn't planning on taking someone's entire future, life away from them. He was no father of mine. "I won't." I spat. He might as well shoot me or hit me. I didn't care, I was not going to thrust Haiden into danger. I will not have him hurt Haiden or anyone else. His face grew angry. "You ungrateful brat- The screeching of tires made him stop. He looks at the window, seeming to contemplate if to walk over to the window or stay rooted where he stood. His eyes leave mine to look over at mother who seems to be messily throwing clothes in a duffel bag. "You two shut up." He warned, walking over to the window. I looked at the door, contemplating if to make a run for it. But hearing the sound of the door suddenly slamming on a wall downstairs made me freeze. Did someone call the cops? Did one of the neighbors hear the sound of the gunshot? "Arabella!" A yell downstairs. A masculine familiar voice. A voice that brought a sense of relief to me. But as my eyes fell into father's eyes, I couldn't help but feel dread. This was what he wanted. _ Haiden Cross As soon as she cut off the phone I could tell something was wrong. Her voice was too gaspy, too terrified. I told Bella it was break time and that I was outside. What I hadn't mentioned was that I was sitting in my truck contemplating if to go to her or not. But that call gave me all the answers I needed. I have to go to her. I threw the phone on the passenger's seat and started the truck. Pulling out of the parking space I sped down the road and got honked at every time I overtook a vehicle. I was driving recklessly and I may get into trouble for this later on but something about her voice made me have an inkling that something was wrong. Fuck if her father saw me. He could fucking kill me for all I care but nothing and no one, I mean no one will make me stay away from that girl. The moment I skidded to a stop by their house and saw his car parked perfectly beside the curb, I knew my instincts were right. Something was definitely off. I didn't care that I left the keys in the truck or that I nearly forgot to kill off the engine. I don't bother to close the truck's door either as I ran towards the front door. I barge in without knocking, yelling out her name. But then my eyes fell on a figure. Motionless figure. Her maid. Gertrude was it? She got a bullet through her forehead and those spiritless eyes made a chill run down my spine. Fuck. My heart thumps in my chest and my feet suddenly felt as though I couldn't hold it up as I tear my eyes away from the dead body. "Bella!" I yelled in panic as my hands tap on my jeans in search of my phone. "Bella!" Fuck I left it in the truck. I peeked behind me to look at my truck. Should I go fetch my phone? No too far, by that time he'd be able to do her anything and he'd probably see me. He must know I'm here especially since I've yelled. I look back at Gertrude, my thoughts raging in my head until it turns into a painful migraine. But then something in her grasp caught my eye. A phone. A house phone to be precise. I looked around then looked upstairs. Seeing that it was clear I walked over to Gertrude's dead body and turned her hand over. 911. But she didn't have time to press call. I quickly pressed the call button and wait until I heard the muffled sound of the 911 dispatcher. "Trace this call and please send help." I headed upstairs, trying my hardest to not make any sound. God I hope you've kept her safe from that devil. Please tell me you kept her safe. _ Arabella Rivera "Bella!" Haiden screamed the entire house down. He must've seen Gertrude's unmoving body for his voice to be filled with so much fright and dread. Father places his finger on his lips as I dart my eyes from him and the door, praying Haiden wouldn't come up there. "Don't make a sound." Father warned. "Bella!" Haiden's panicked voice shook my core. He was worried. Please don't come up here Haiden. Please leave. "Father pleas- He cocks his gun, his finger nearly pulling the trigger. "I said don't make a fucking sound or I swear to God Arabella I'll end this for both you and him. We can always make another kid Margie." I feel nauseated. I wanted to vomit. "Don't touch a hair on her head John." Mother begged from the closet. " Please John they're just kids. You said you can fix this. We can fix this. You don't have to hurt anyone anymore, " She whispers, standing up and cautiously walking over to him.