The Darkness Within Us

Chapter 11

Time passed so slowly. I spent the majority of the time on the floor next to the window, watching people go about their daily lives. No one came in to disturb me, in fact it was so silent that I wondered if I was the only one in the apartment. It was starting to get dark outside by the time someone knocked on the door. It was Sienna. She seemed confused at first when she couldn't see me but smiled as soon as she spotted me on the floor. "Hey Anna, dinner will be about 15 minutes so if you want to get changed you can do it now and then meet me downstairs." I returned a slightly weaker version of her smile. "Sure, I'll be down in a bit."

After Sienna left I began to sift through the clothes in the wardrobe. I chose an oversized grey knitted jumper and decided to pair them with my black skinny jeans that were still in a pile on the bathroom floor. I moved to the chest of draws and was relieved to find that the girls had got me some underwear. I pulled out some bottoms and had a look at the bras. They didn't really look as though it would fit so I opted for a stretchy bralette instead. Once I was dressed I looked at myself in the floor length mirror. The jumper was so big that it slipped of my shoulder exposing my collar bone. I pulled it up but it kept slipping back down so I decided to leave it, I had bigger battles to fight.

I hardly recognised the scared girl in the mirror, she looked as if she would cry at any moment. I couldn't let them see me like this, I could fall apart again when I was alone in my room later. I closed my eyes and took a big breath. When I opened them again the girl in the mirror looked stronger, taller, unafraid. This was the girl I had to present to everyone else. I had to make sure that I kept my guard up. From what Natalia had told me these people wouldn't respect me if I was weak. I wondered that if I managed to make Lorenzo respect me, see me as a human, as an equal then maybe he might grant me my freedom? Even as I thought it I knew that it was unlikely but I had to hold on a slither of hope.

With a last glance in the mirror I left the room. The wooden floor felt cold on my feet, I concentrated on this sensation as I made my way down the hall towards the stairs. As I reached the railings at the top of the stairs I took in the view below. I remember thinking that the apartment was gorgeous when Lorenzo first brought me here but now it was clear that there had no expense spared. The kitchen was covered in white marble with, what looked like really high tech appliances. It was a bit different to my kitchen at home that could barely fit 3 people in at a time and had a temperamental gas cooker. The open planned room below then spread into a dining area, which housed a long wooden table with matching chairs, and a living area with a collection of grey sofa's and a massive TV. At the end of the room a wall of windows showed a large outside terrace area which looked over an impressive view of New York. 

I turned my attention to the people in the room. Lorenzo, Alessandro and a man I didn't recognize were leaning against the kitchen island, deep in conversation. Sienna was stood stirring a pot at the stove and Natalia was perched on the counter next to her, wine glass in hand. It made me feel better to see some friendly faces. Hesitantly, I placed my foot on the first step and began to make my way down. The men's conversation quieted as they became aware of my presence.

"Anna, you're just in time, I'm about to dish up. If you come over here Natalia can help you get a drink before we sit down to eat." I tried to focus on Sienna's face as she spoke and ignore the intense stare coming from Lorenzo's direction. I headed towards Natalia trying to keep my head high as I did so. She wave a bottle of wine at me. "You want some of this?"

I shook my head. "No thanks, I think I've only just about got the drugs out of my system so I think I'll try and keep a clear a clear head for a while. Can I just have some water?" Natalia raised her eyebrow at me as her mouth began to form a small smile, she didn't reply though, instead she handed me a glass of water.