Written in Ink

One | Reagan

I hear running up the stairs and soon my parents burst into my room uncalled for. Their eyes are wild and seem to be full of fear. "Hey guys, what's wrong?" I ask, closing my book, setting it aside as I stand from the bed.

"Honey, we have something to tell you." My dad says with a concerned look on his face.

"What happened?! Are you okay?" I came closer to them just for them to yank me into a hug.

"We are so sorry. So sorry." My mom sobs into my shoulder.

I begin to rub their backs, thinking of all the possibilities of what is wrong. What could be happening? "Mom, dad, what's going on?" They abruptly pull away from me when there is a loud knock at the door. They each exchange a panicked look, still not telling me anything. "Guys! What is happening?!" I demand an answer.

There is a second knock on the door, much more aggressive than the first time. Neither of my parents seem to want to open the door, so I scoff as I push pass them and down stairs to the door. My parents rush down the stairs of our home, holding onto one another for dear life.

I roll my eyes slightly annoyed at the fact that they won't tell me anything before turning back to the door and opening it. Immediately I am greeted by a handful of very scary looking men. All in clean black suits, all of them buff to a point where their arms look bigger than my head. One man that stands in the front takes off a pair of sunglasses to reveal a relatively attractive older face.

The man in the front smiles. "May I come in?" He states more than asks, as he steps past me into my home. He even shuts the door behind him, leaving his band of men outside. He realises my confusion and offers me his hand to shake. When I take it, he smiles again. "Nico Napolitani." He greets me with a heavy accent that I think is Italian.

"Reagan." I nod my head, taking my hand back, placing it in front of me as it clasps my other hand nervously. "Can I help you in some way?" I ask him.

"You can actually." Nico Napolitani says with a suspiciously confident smile as he continues to talk around the house, judging it. "I do love the house you decided to go with." He says to my parents.

"Do you know him?" I ask in my parents direction. They don't even look at me. "Hello?" I press my lips into a fine line.

"Reagan." Nico Napolitani calls my name as he plays with the word off his tongue. "I see you did indeed go with the name." He says to my parents. But once again they stand there, looking so depressed as if they've lost something important to them.

"Yeah, can someone please tell me what is going on?" I say, hoping for someone to answer.

Mr. Napolitani looks at my parents waiting for them to say something as he casually leans on the kitchen island, but when they don't, he decides to answer. "I met your parents briefly right before you were born," He begins. "They were on the streets homeless and utterly helpless, pregnant with you, Reagan." He says, "I offered them money, lots of money to be able to actually have you and keep you—"

My parents had told me they got lucky with a scratcher lottery ticket...?

"—until now." Mr. Napolitani finishes his sentence, making my eyes go wide.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I snap.

"Well little lady, you are to be my daughter in law." He answers.

My jaw hits the floor in disgust. "What?" I turn to my parents who once again are helpless. "Mom? Dad?"

"Honey it was the only way." My mother's voice cracks between silent sobs.

"Mom? Mom what does he mean?" I stalk towards them and they pull me into their arms.

"You are going to come with me to my hometown and marry my son." Mr. Napolitani says calmly as if it doesn't change my entire life.

"Mom— dad, I-I don't want t-to." I sob slightly, trying to turn and look at the man who has come to claim me.

"Now, we have a plane that leaves in," He checks his expensive watch before finishing his sentence. "Twenty-seven minutes. So we must be leaving. Come on darling." He waves me to come with him but I make no effort to move.

"N-no." I attempt to stand my ground, holding my parents tighter— but they let go of me. I look at them with hurtful confusion. "W-what? Guys?"

"We'll see you again. We'll visit. I promise." My father holds my face in his hands, kissing my cheek, but I pull away.

"What? You're going to let them take me? No! No!" I protest and back up into a wall, except it's not a wall it's one of the men that was once outside the door now inside, gripping my arms in a hostile hold. "Stop!" He begins to take me out of the door. "Mom! Dad!" My cries are useless.

I thrash and scream in the man's arms until he hits me so hard my vision blurs and I fall into darkness.

Thoughts?