Untouchable (Justlena/Jelena)

Prologue

Selena
Age 14

"They are fighting again," my older brother Vinny muttered to me.

I glanced down at my six younger brothers and sisters and whispered, "Hey, why don't you guys go into my room and put a movie on?" Confusion flickered across their faces as they obediently nodded and scurried away.

"We'll be right back," I assured them, closing the door behind them and following Vinny to the top of the staircase.

"Don't mix your business life with your personal life, Ricardo. We have 8 children in this house, and I will not let anything happen to them," my mom screamed at my dad, her voice trembling with anger and fear.

"I fucking know that. You knew my life before we married, Mandy. I can't change it now," he shouted back, his frustration palpable.

I exchanged a worried glance with Vinny as their voices grew louder. Suddenly, the bedroom door creaked open, and Vinny muttered, "I'll go check on the kids."

I nodded and rose to my feet, my heart racing as I sprinted down the staircase and into the living room. There, I saw my dad pinning my mom against the wall, their faces contorted with rage and despair.

"Daddy, stop it," I yelled, desperately pulling him away from Mom and positioning myself between them.

"Go to your room, Selena," he commanded, his gaze fixed on Mom.

"No," I retorted, standing my ground. His clenched jaw betrayed his frustration.

"Don't make me tell you again, Selena," he warned, his eyes narrowing.

"What, so you can hit Mom? I'm not going anywhere until you calm down, Daddy," I insisted firmly. He glanced at Mom, sighed heavily, and sank onto the coffee table.

"I'm sorry, baby," he muttered, his voice barely audible to Mom.

I looked up at her, and she leaned down to kiss my head.

"Go to bed, sweetheart. Everything is okay now. I'll be up in a few minutes," she reassured me.

I nodded, avoiding my dad's gaze, and silently retreated upstairs.

Age 16

"I miss Momma," my second youngest brother Paul said, his voice trembling with sadness. I knelt beside him, wrapping an arm around his small frame.

"I know you do, little man. But Momma is always watching over you, okay?" I murmured softly, trying to reassure him as I wiped away his tears.

"Don't cry, little man. It's okay," I whispered, pulling him into a tight hug. Glancing over his shoulder, I noticed one of the housemaids lingering in the hallway, her expression sympathetic.

"You have a good soccer practice, okay?" I said to Paul, gently releasing him from the embrace. He nodded, sniffing back his tears, and walked out the door. I nodded at the maid, silently acknowledging her presence, before letting out a deep breath and leaning against the wall.

"Selena, come in here for a moment," my dad's voice called from his office. Pushing myself away from the wall, I made my way to his office, my heart pounding with apprehension. As I entered, I raised my eyebrows inquisitively as he motioned for me to sit in the seat in front of him.

"How are you coping, darling?" he asked, his tone surprisingly gentle as he leaned back in his chair and adjusted his glasses.

"How would you cope if your mother was murdered for no goddamn reason?" I retorted bitterly, my anger bubbling to the surface. Even after a year since Mom's death, the pain and anger were still raw, a constant ache in my heart.

"Don't try to tell me it will all be okay because it won't. We don't know which one of us is next, Father," I continued, my voice trembling with emotion as I struggled to maintain composure.

"Nothing is going to happen to any of you kids, that I promise," he said firmly, his gaze meeting mine. I shook my head in disbelief, feeling a surge of frustration and helplessness wash over me.

"Selena, I'm not finished. Don't walk away from me," he called out as I turned to leave. Sighing heavily, I turned back to face him, crossing my arms defensively.

"You know how your brother got married to Alice without knowing her?" he asked, his tone shifting abruptly. I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

"I do recall being at the wedding," I replied dryly, my irritation growing with each passing moment. He nodded in acknowledgment before dropping the bombshell.

"Well, yeah, you're getting married in six months," he announced bluntly, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"Excuse me?" I exclaimed, my disbelief evident in my tone as I struggled to comprehend his words.

"You heard me," he replied, his tone unwavering as he turned his attention back to his laptop.

"Are you insane? I'm not getting married. My life hasn't even started, and you want to throw me off to the next big drug dealer out there. Do I really mean that little to you?" I shouted, my voice laced with anger and frustration.

"Watch who you're speaking to, Selena. This has been arranged for a couple of months. You are getting married at the end of February, and that's final," he growled, his hand slamming down on the desk.

"Well, you know what, Daddy?" I retorted, my lip curling in defiance. "I'm not getting married, so you can go tell this guy where to shove the marriage because there's not going to be one. Clear enough for you?" With that, I stormed out of the room, my heart racing and my mind spinning.

As I made my way up to my room, I felt a wave of despair wash over me. How could my father expect me to marry a stranger, especially after everything we had been through as a family? The thought of being forced into a loveless marriage sent a shiver down my spine, and I knew I couldn't go through with it.

"Gabriella," I whispered, slipping into my younger sister's room and gently shaking her awake. As she stirred, I quickly explained the situation, my voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.

"Sis, listen, things are very bad," I murmured, my eyes brimming with tears as I hugged her tightly. "I have to leave tonight. I can't stay here and become a man's wife when I'm only 17."

"No, no, you can't go," she protested, her eyes wide with fear.

"Listen, Gabriella, I have no choice. Tomorrow I am meeting the guy, but I can't go through with this. If I refuse, Daddy will be very angry. I need you to do me a favor, okay?" I said, my voice cracking with emotion.

"Make sure none of the boys get involved in any of Dad's jobs. You call me if anything like that happens," I instructed, squeezing her hand reassuringly. With a heavy heart, I kissed her forehead and slipped the phone under her pillow.

"I'll be back, okay? I promise I'll speak to you all the time. I love you so much, sis," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. With one final glance at my sister, I quietly slipped out of her room and made my way downstairs, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

As I reached the foyer, I heard movement in the kitchen and quickly ducked behind a pillar, my heart pounding with fear. Peering around the corner, I watched as my brother Vinny made his way up the stairs, oblivious to my presence. With bated breath, I waited until his door closed before quickly making my way to the alarm panel.

Turning it off, I reset it and slipped out the door, my heart pounding in my chest as I made my way to my car. With one last glance at the house, I started the engine and drove away, tears streaming down my face as I left behind everything I had ever known.

Goodbye, LA. Goodbye, family.