Death wish

How it all started

"Bella, please open the door, your parents are home". It was her nanny again. She wondered how many times the woman had knocked on the door pleading for her to come out.

She sighed and opened the door and smiled at the poor woman.

" Baby!! We're home!". Her mother's voice rang. She pinched her nose as she wondered how her mother's voice was so loud. Her parents were downstairs but her mother's voice was so loud as if she were close to her.

" Baby I bought your favorite chocolate!" Her mother shouted again, but this time around it was closer and she heard their footsteps getting closer to where she stood with her nanny.

Her nanny bowed as her parents came to their view.

" Baby, we are so sorry for leaving without letting you know this is the last time I promise". Her father said as he kissed her hair.

' Yeah, this is the last time ' she snorted in her head. That's what they always told her, but she knew within her that it would always repeat itself. Her father must have sensed her disbelief because he smiled and told her

" Baby, we promise you that we will not leave without talking to you at least". She rolled her eyes as he bribed her with a kiss on her cheeks. She giggled at her father's act as her mother offered to prepare dinner, which was a rare opportunity. Her mother never cooked until there was a big occasion. She smiled as she wished every day would be as she had experienced today.

" Come on dear, go freshen up. We don't want you not smelling nice for dinner ciào". Her mother clapsed her hands, always being dramatic when she was cheerful. She ran back into her room giggling as she wondered what they were celebrating this time.

Bella smiled at her parents, her only family, as they were romancing each other. She wished every day would be like this.

She was so happy that they finally got time to spend with her. She just hoped they would be around for her birthday.

" Mom, Dad". She started gaining the attention of her parents.

" I was wondering if you were going to be there for my birthday. You know I will be turning sixteen and I was wondering if we could throw a sweet sixteen party for me, invite people from school and do stuff that a normal teenager's party would look like". She bent her head playing with the hem of her dress as she waited for her parents to tell her a big no. She knew they would never accept it, but there's no harm in trying, right? Her eyes were already glistening with tears as she waited for her parents to go on and on about how her safety was their duty and how they wouldn't want her to mingle with people not up to her standard.

" Princess". Her father sighed. " We know that you would want to have a large party thrown in your favour, but baby, I can't allow that. You shouldn't wish to do things that normal teenagers do because, my dear, you are not like them. I don't want mannerless teenagers running round this house tainting it with their...."

" I just don't understand why can't I have a party like every normal teenager?" Bella asked with tear-filled eyes as she stared at her parents, the food suddenly tasting bitter in her mouth.

" It's because you are, my dear, not a normal teenager". Her father said, smiling sadly as if everything was beyond his control and there was nothing he could do to change the situation, but she knew better he was just being overprotective of her like he had been since she was born.

" Oh Damian, let the girl have her way for once please". Her mother begged with soft eyes which always worked on him, but today was an exception. Her father shook his head. His mind was made up.

" Baby, you just don't understand. I'm doing this to protect you. Soon you will be able to do whatever it is that you want". Her father reached for her to probably stroke her face, but she turned around, making her father wince painfully.

" That's what you have been saying for the past sixteen years. You're protecting me? How? By making me completely miserable and a leper? You are both just the world's worst parents and I hate you". She slammed her fist on the table and raced up to her room.

" You know she didn't mean that right". Damian kissed his wife as she looked like she was about to cry at their daughter's words.

" I know, but it hurts so much. You know we can't keep her away from him forever, he will still find her out and it breaks me".

" I know, but I just want to believe that we can protect her". Her father replied sadly as his stomach felt full at the disaster dinner they had just had.

A few hours into the night, Bella heard a knock on her door. She smiled to herself. She knew it was her father. He probably came to kiss her goodnight as he always does.

She opened the door and was met with a sight she never knew she would ever see in her lifetime.

Her father was panting like one being chased by a deer. He rushed into her room and locked the door. His eyes beared some uncertainty in them.

Her hands flew above her mouth as she watched his movement with her heart pounding between her two lungs, beneath her mediasternum. This was not the man she grew to see as her superhero. The man who was always collected and upstanding. The man who she never thought was beneath anyone. The man who she had always held in high esteem.

His face was filled with sweat and she saw something she never knew she would see. It was fear. Her father was scared of the unknown. Her heart felt as if it would burst out of her.

" Baby, I want you to listen to me carefully". He knelt down as he held her hands and looked up directly into her eyes, letting her see through him.

She shivered as she saw the pure emotions in his eyes. It hurts her to see her hero so down.

" Baby, listen very carefully to me, your daddy has done a lot of bad things in the past and it's high time he paid for his sins. I am so sorry that I won't be there to watch you grow into a fine and strong woman, but promise me that you will make your mom and I proud". Her father begged as her eyes glistened with tears. She had a feeling that whatever her father was getting to was going to make her cry.

He smiled sadly, wiped her already dropping tears and continued, " I know that you are a very stubborn girl, but baby please, tonight I beg you listen to me carefully. Whatever happens tonight, please baby, do not step out of your room, no matter what you hear. Please, I beg you. When you come of age, perhaps you will understand. I am sorry for making your life the way it is, but baby, it's all for your safety. Please promise me you will stay in your room tonight". He begged her with his eyes, pleading for her to say yes.

Bella nodded her head to every single word her father uttered even though she could not understand anything.

" Good girl". He hugged her tightly like she was going to disappear, then he stood up and stepped back and stared at her, his eyes still bearing the same emotions they had been holding since he stepped into her room that night. Then he smiled and turned to the door and walked out of her room.

As Bella watched her father leave, she felt him leaving with a piece of her. She felt like it was actually the last time she would see him. She stood motionlessly for a while before it dawned on her that her father was actually coming to say his last goodbye and the reason her mother had cooked her favorite that night was because it was actually the last time she would cook for her. Her face was drained of every bit of colour. Immediately she realized why her parents had come earlier than expected. Her blood ran cold and she immediately rushed to the door but it was locked from outside. Of course, her father knew she would figure everything out and try to save them and had locked the door. She cried at the realization that she would never see her parents again.