Marissa
The sun is shining as I look out through the car window at the white february snow. It is pristine white and glitters like diamonds as the sun touches it. It snowed the night to today so it is all new and untouched. It is cold outside, much too cold for my liking, but today the coldness is perfect. It turns the landscape outside to that of a snowy fairytale.
The branches of the trees look like they are made out of dark sparkling crystals. The ground looks soft with blindingly white snow. The sun is shining brightly on the purely blue sky with only a few scattered cotton clouds.
Next to me my mom sniffles as we see the church across the snow covered fields. It white plaster contrasting with the even whiter snow. The large colorful windows and the
Marissa The low tune of instruments in the background is mixing well with the low murmur of voices and clatter of silverware surrounding us. Tonight my mom and dad have gone all out and booked a table at one of the more fancy restaurants in the area we’re living in. It’s not the most expensive but enough to make me feel that this day is special. I smile as I throw a glance at my mom who sits opposite of me. She is dressed in her nicest dress and cheap, fake jewelry. My dad, who’s sitting next to mom, has dressed up as well in a suit that must have fitted ten years ago but now strains in the seams to contain him. But all that doesn’t matter today. I’m sure they had to save months in advance to afford the table. They did all this for me. Because today is my eighteenth birthday! My smile grows and I bite my lip to prevent a happy giggle to escape and look down on the dessert menu. My dad leans in towards my mom and I sneak a peak over the edge of the menu. He whispers in her ear and s
Marissa 2 years later The sweat is running down my back as I carry a heavy box from my room. Today we’re moving to some small town dump a few miles from Chicago. I have no idea what has gotten into my parents but last week they told me that they had bought a house and that we were moving. It’s such a short notice that I haven’t been able to find myself my own place to stay, not that I would have the money to live on my own anyways. The last two years have been tough for me. It takes a lot to study at the college and then work as a waitress. Then there is the fact that both mom and dad have started drinking and gambling more. At first it was every weekend, but soon they started coming home on weekdays drunk. And then the last couple of months they have seemed to run out of money. I think that my dad lost his job but he hasn’t said anything. I guess it’s not very fitting to work at the hospital drunk, even for a janitor. Last month they didn’t even have enough money for electricity
Marissa It’s been a month since our sudden move to that dump of a house. And even if we have painted the walls and cleaned out the carpets, the house still is a dump. I still don’t know the reason why we moved and my parents are still paranoid. They have asked me several times to quit my studies or to transfer to another college in another state. Their last try was to have me agree on online studies instead. The only positive thing with the move is that they can’t gamble as much as before. They do not dare to go into Chicago to visit any casinos and there are not that many options in the small town we live in. But they still drink too much. Often when I come home from school my dad is lying drunk on the couch. My mom usually doesn't get drunk until after dinner. I let out a deep sigh to try and ease my apprehension about what state they are in tonight when I come home. I stare out at the darkening sky through the window on the bus, focusing on the few stars that shine there. All of
Marissa Swallowing hard, I tear my eyes from my parents to meet his gaze. “H-how long until I h-have to decide?” He looks down at his expensive watch on his arm. “Five seconds.” My mouth falls open in shock as my head goes blank. What should I do? When the five seconds have passed he reaches behind his back to pull out a gun. My mother whimpers from her seat. Quickly I reach out my hands to grab onto his arms. “I’ll go! Please don’t hurt them.” I beg him. A smile stretches along his lips. “That is a good decision.” He nods his head to the doorway leading to our rooms and the front door and the men move in unison towards them. Then he grabs my arm and leads me to the back door. The man that had his hand on me in the living room is following behind us. “Put on your shoes.” I do as I’m told. When I reach for my jacket he grabs me and drags me towards the front door. Okay. So no jacket? At the door one of the men stands with an umbrella ready to lead us out to the car. “Wait. I have t
Marissa I jerk awake as a shrill sound breaks through my sleep. Sitting up I glare at the phone on the nightstand and lift the receiver. I let it ring two times more before I answer. “Hello?” “Good morning, Miss Mason. The time is now six. Breakfast will be served at seven sharp. Do not be late. Mr. Falaguerra does not approve of tardiness.” The voice of Mrs. Costas says to me from the other side of the receiver. Her voice is warm but at the same time stern as if she was speaking to a grandchild or something. “Okay.” Is all I say and hang up the phone. I sit for a short time on the bed and take in this magnificent room once again. I take a shaky breath to calm myself before I start to cry again, before I get out of bed and ready myself to attend breakfast. I put on the dress I found in the closet the night before. The dress is blue with three quarter sleeves and a loose skirt that reaches below my knees. It is a little bit loose around the bodice but it looks nice anyways. At ten m
Marissa I wake up an hour later on the couch in his office. Mr. Falaguerra is sitting at his desk reading some documents with a furrowed brow. I don’t move or make a sound to alert him that I am awake. Instead I observed him from under my lashes, trying my best to act asleep. He is beautiful. His face set in a serious expression. On his straight nose sits a pair of black-rimmed reading glasses, giving him an aura of intelligence and professionalism. The sun is shining in through the window and reflecting in his shiny, perfectly styled, black hair. In the light I see a tint of dark brown mixed with black. The perfectly fitted white button-up is a strong contrast to his golden skin. The top two buttons are undone and it gives him a more relaxed look. He looks like a businessman, not a mob-boss. His eyes leave the paper to look over in my direction and my body tenses up. His facial expression doesn't change, but he removes his glasses and gets up from his chair. He makes his way over
Marissa Back at the mansion Luca takes me back to my room, while Antonio leaves again with the car. “If you want you can use the gym? Or you can use the indoor pool if you want to swim?” Luca says as he stops outside of my room. Even if Luca only says a few short words and he mostly wears an indifferent expression on his handsome face, there is some sort of warmth coming from him. I give him a small smile. “The pool would be nice.” “If you collect your bathing suit I can take you there. There is a changing room there.” He smiles back at me. “Okay.” I open the door to my room but stop in my tracks from the shock of what I see. Luca is as fast as lightning as he jerks me back and takes my place in the doorway to assess any danger that could be there. His hand is circled around the gun in his holster and his body rigid and ready for combat. When he sees the situation in my room, he relaxes and steps away from the door. I peek inside again to see two young maids staring at the door wit
Marissa I push against him and he reluctantly releases me. I swim to the edge and climb out of the pool. Luca is nowhere to be seen but someone has placed two towels on a lounge chair. I take one of them and wrap it around myself like it’s a shield protecting me from the man in the pool. A glance back at the pool shows that Mr. Falaguerra is hanging on the edge watching me. “You have to get used to my touch and my kisses.” He says and tilts his head to the side. I turn towards him but don't answer. “There is no way for you out of this arrangement. Your parents knew the price they had to pay and they willingly took the risk.” I feel my anger rise at his words pushing down my fear of him. I don’t think he would physically harm me so I decided to speak. “I am not a possession to be sold or bought!” I grit out between clenched teeth. With the agility of a panther he climbs out of the pool and stalks towards me. I take a step back in fear that I am wrong about the beating part. He contin