5 years...

Chapter 1

I flinched after hearing the door slam shut. I wiped my face clearing the dried tears that remained from earlier. I looked at myself in the mirror and god I looked horrible but it was nothing new, so I grabbed the face washer and ran it under the water and wiping over my face and arms and anywhere that was dirty.

I didn't have a shower or bath so I was stuck with the sink to keep clean. I walked back out and sat on the old torn up couch that sits down here, letting the fear travel through me when the sound of a lock unlatching came into hearing range.

"Arabella, look at this!" He demanded in the voice that's able to send chills down anyone's spine but mine no I've gotten used to it.

I grabbed the book he was supposedly reading and read the line he pointed to. Maple looked into his eyes with so much adoration, you could sense the sparks between the two from a mile away and then John reached his head down to her lips and they kissed. The love they have for each other all passing to each other through this one kiss.

"What about it?" I question confusion lacing my words. I didn't see the point of him showing me this but he's in control around here.

"Why don't you love me like that?" He asked reaching his hand up to my face. He traced my cheek and I tensed letting him continue what he was saying.

"We'd be so much happier if you loved me this way." He muttered looking into my eyes as if he was being romantic. Maybe if I wasn't locked down in this basement and he didn't torment me and this was in a normal setting it'd be romantic but it's not in a normal setting it's here so it's not romantic.

"Yea but guess what Ryan. I don't fucken love you." I spat back with so much venom.

I watched the fire in his eyes flare up and before I could stop him his hand swung and made contact with my cheek.

I let out a sob and turned my head to the side tears threatening to fall but I didn't allow them to.

"Baby I'm sorry please look at me I wasn't thinking." He apologised grabbing my chin and turning my head to face him.

He let go and I turned my head away again. "No you're not." I mumbled reaching back up to my cheek where the sting was slowly fading.

I felt a harsh grab at my hair and before I knew it I was being swung to the floor.

I let out a scream as he kicked my side and spat at me.

"You little bitch. With your smartass mouth no wonder your family doesn't care about finding you anymore.

That hurt. More than his beatings, more than anything he does. He knew it too because whenever he didn't get his way he mentioned the fact that my family were no longer looking for me.

I closed my eyes letting the tears fall silently while I listened to his fading footsteps and the lock on the door latch back on again.

I turned over but regretted it as pain shot up my side... I guess I'm sleeping here tonight.

I've been here for 5 years since I was 12. I lost hope of anyone finding me after the second year when Ryan would stop handing me newspapers with my family searching for me or flyers that my family put up about me.

Maybe I did have a little hope left in me deep down and that's why I haven't given up yet. Ryan's 24 and he's tall about 6'3 and he has dark blonde hair and if he wasn't the biggest fucken jerk on this planet I'd say he was in the category of cute but he is the biggest jerk so we can just kick him right out of the category.

I felt my eyelids dropping, they felt too heavy to keep awake so I let the darkness sleep over me preparing for tomorrow.