Forgotten

10 | The Rosier Manor

In front of Bella stood the house of her nightmares. This was not her home. The walls were baron of any colour, made of cracking charcoal black bricks, few windows decorated the manor, and those that did blocked any light from entering with thick dark drapes. Darkness was the only thing that was truly accepted in this home. The crackling sound of gravel under her feet as she walked echoed through her mind along with all of the other harmful thoughts attacking whilst she was most vulnerable. When she was focusing all of her strength on convincing her parents and not having the energy to do the same for herself. 

She was exhausted and it had only been a piteous few minutes since she got to the wretched place. Bella did not know how she could ever survive here, or even how she ever did. She had done this in the past but this time it was different, she could feel it in her bones that although she had gotten into some horrific trouble in the years of her life she had spent here, it had somehow never been as consequential as what she had done this time. 

"Inside, both of you. Get to your rooms!" Allianne Rosier shouted, nearly shoving Bella through the half opened door. She would not take this as a chance to disobey. She would do as she was told just like her mother expected of her. She could be perfect, albite it would be difficult, but it was not impossible. Her hands and legs shook as she climbed the stairs to her room, the familiar creak of her door as she peeled it open and the fine layer of dust that painted the surfaces gave her an uncomfortable sense of nostalgia.

Knowing she would most likely not get another moment to herself as easily as she had done now, she took the dreadful potion out of her bag. It burnt as usual but seemed to go down easier, as if her body knew that she needed to take it. The pain was not gone, it was as strong as ever. Like a tsunami of suffering hitting her all at once, like it was targeting her alone.

"Arabella!" Her mother's voice rang out from somewhere on the ground floor of the house, "Get down here right this second." It was high pitched and the definition of cruel. The voice of Satan projected as her mother spoke, becoming one in the same until she could no longer separate the two from each other in her mind

"Yes Mother?" She asked, seemingly greeting her mother in less time than she had given her, but when it came to pleasing her she would do everything in her power right now.

"I need to talk to you, do come sit." Her slender porcelain white hand gestured to the deep grey lounge chair opposite her. She could never sit next to her, it would be scandalous. The reason being that you had to have equal power and authority to even think about taking the seat beside them. It was simply a symbol of status but wizards almost always took it much further than that.

"Of course, what is it you wish to speak with me about?" A painfully fake smile masked her face, shielding the dam of tears that was ready to break. She would not cry in front of her mother, she would be disgraced, a shameful daughter to her parents. An embarrassment to her brother whom would lose close friends for having a sister like her. She would not blame him if he was already displeased with spending so much time with her.

"The winter ball is coming up, as you already know." Bella nodded her head, acknowledging the holiday festival, "As always, you are expected to look presentable there is no exception to that. However this year, you will be expected to attend the party with a date. You are 15 and know more than enough suitable options. If you have not decided by tomorrow evening I will be forced to choose."

"I will not disappoint you." She could not pick Barty, that would cause too much suspicion and she did not want to go with him anyway. She would never want to do anything like that with him.