Matteo's Untouched Property (#2 UP Series)

Chapter Seven

Anna POV

Three days.

Three fucking days.

Not have I heard a word from Matteo, ever since he claimed I was, it was as if he disappeared off the face of the world.

The familiar sensation of abandonment burrows deeply into my chest and a sense of dejavu hits hard.

15 years ago....

I fall into the ground as Josh, one of the older boys in the foster home, looms over me, with a slightly sadistic smile on his face. I feel tears well up into my eyes, knowing that Josh hated tears and it would only make matters worse.

"Fucking useless, if you were my fucking kid I wouldn't even bother with foster care."

Each word tears into me, almost making me numb, almost.

"Get the fuck off the floor before Sister Mary gets her sagging ass back in here." He picks my slight weight off of the floor, making me wince at his steel-strong grip. My knees buckle and I flinch when he raises his arm, expecting another blow.

"Spell it for me Anna." He grits out, through a grin.

I shiver and quietly whisper the letters I know he wants to hear.

"U-S-E-L-E-" my voice wobbles, but a shove from Josh makes me whimper out the rest.

"Exactly bitch, next time fucking listen to me and do as your told or I swear I'll make my threat real and you'll be wobbling for a week." His dark shaggy locks and his brown eyes make him look all the more threatening.

His threat.

Anything but that...

I shake even harder and Josh chuckles.

"That's what I fucking thought, go do as your told."

I quickly sprint to his room as soon as he lets go off my arm to go clean it, I had been so tired the night before and I had completely forgotten and this was the consequence, I'm too scared to tell any of the nuns because he said I couldn't hide until I was 18, and he was right.

His chuckle is all I hear as I make it to his room and when I finally hear his heavy footsteps make their exit, I sob in relief.

His threat will forever be held over me, until I can finally leave this place.

His words stuck in my head, playing over again, like a broken record.

"Fucking useless, if you were my fucking kid I wouldn't even bother with foster care."

I clear my throat and can feel the familiar lump that builds every time Josh's words hit me again. It had taken me almost two years until I felt I was "allowed" to cry and I thanked my stars that his hurtful words hadn't killed the spirit inside me.

I was able to maintain the part-time job, school, and Josh. It had been so hard all my life and now. I feel as though I'm finally free, never having to depend on anyone else again.

And after these three days, I realized that Matteo couldn't be trusted and I have to guard my heart, no matter what he does.

I will never allow myself to fall for anyone, the abandonment that always follows after will destroy me, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to pick myself up again.

It's saturday morning so I decided to go downtown to the bazaar, I slip on a simple jean dress and clear tights, and to finish I grab a small coat, since it tends to get a little chillier downtown. I slip on my white sneakers that I only leave for outside of school.