I S A B E L L A

My eyes flew open with a gasp and I sat up on the bed. Sweat beads rolled down my forehead. I wiped them away. I had the same nightmare again. It is like a daily thing. I sleep at night and by 3:30 a.m., I get the same dream and then I cannot sleep after that.

I feel scared to fall asleep sometimes; I don’t like to see the repeated memories of my parents’ unfortunate death on repeat in my dreams.

Tessa opened the door and walked inside with a glass of water. “Again?” She asked. I hummed taking the water and gulping it down, I leaned my back on the headboard of the bed.
“I am tired of the same routine, Tess.” I whispered.

She sat down beside me and sighed. “Go back to sleep. I’ll stay with you.” She assured rubbing my hand. I just shook my head. “No, I don’t want to sleep. I cannot bear seeing the flashbacks repeatedly. I’ll just cook breakfast.”

“Are you insane?” She glared. “Go back to sleep!” I flinched. “Now!”

“Jeez, okay!” I surrendered my hands in defeat. I lied down and she draped the cozy blanket over me.
“Now, don’t you dare wake up till 7 a.m.” She ordered and I nodded like an obedient child. She sat moved closer and began patting my head. I don’t even know how and when I fell asleep.

~~~

I woke up with the sound of Tessa’s blow drier. Sighing I sat upright.
Today is my first day of senior year. I am graduating early. Every year, there are a few applicants and students selected through tests and previous scores that I have graduated early and even being transferred from NYU to Columbia University for my masters, I still got that privilege and a scholarship.

I stretched my arms and legs with a smile and got up. Tying my long brown hair in a messy bun, I stepped into bathroom and brushed my teeth, did my toilet business and took a hot shower. Wrapping a towel around myself, I chose an olive green dress that ends just a little above my knees and fitted my figure perfectly.

I might not be slim but I am curvy and I like it! Yes, I am a foodie. I never blow dry, I wiped them dry with another towel and pinned them. Walking out to the kitchen I prepared breakfast and took out the coffee Tess made.

I placed them on the table and Tessa walked in. “Smells so good.” She moaned. I giggled.
“Start eating, I’ll style my hair and come.” I said. She nodded. I quickly gave my hair some beach waves and grabbed my comb and hair tie placing them in my bag. I grabbed my phone, put my keys, my wallet and put on my heels. Not that I need them, I am already tall.

I placed my gun in a holster and wrapped it around my upper thigh. Don’t ask me why I have a gun.

I gathered everything and walked back to the kitchen, Tess served everything and we ate. I locked the door, we went into the car parking and drove to college. “Dan said he will meet us at Uni.” Tess announced. I hummed in response.

“I have a mission tonight, so don’t wait up for dinner.” I told her. She muttered a fine and I parked the car. I got out and someone jumped to hug the life out of me. I gasped. “Dan!”

“Jeez, Isa bear! I missed you so much!” He said and pulled away.

“I missed you too, Dan.” I smiled. He hugged Tessa and she smacked his ass winking. He blushed. Jesus, Dan is so cute. We walked in and he said, “Okay, Isa. Important shit, stay away from Sia. I don’t want high school 2.0 here.”

“Peu Importe.” I muttered. (Whatever)

“Okay guys, I’ll go to my class.” Tess hugged us both and left to her law building.

“Um, Isa. I have a little thing, I’ll be back. Classroom’s straight to left.” Dan muttered and went to a girl. Of course for a quickie.

I shook my head and turned around. A hard body bumped me. I closed my eyes. I was about to fall but a pair of warm hands steadied me. “Shit. Are you okay?” The owner of hands asked. His voice was deep yet comforting.

I peeked opened my eyes and saw him staring down at me. His light brown eyes stared into mine. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” He asked pulling me to stand.

“Yes. Thank you.” I smiled. He smiled as well. “Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” I chuckled.
“It’s okay. Happens.” He smiled. “Are you new here?”

“Yeah, I transferred from NYU.”

“That’s great! I am Nicolas Ricco.” He smiled.

“Isabella Russo.”

“Pretty name for a pretty girl.” I blushed at his comment. “Can I walk you to class?” I nodded and told him where my class was. “I am in the same one!”

“That’s great! Come on.” We both walked to the class and sat down on vacant seats. “Have you graduated early as well?” I asked him placing my bag on the seat next to me.

“Yep. Me and my bestie.” He grinned. I liked his aura. He was cheerful. His eyes beamed happiness and smiled reflected it. His dimples were what any girl would fall for while he had a perfectly toned body and muscles. Not to mention, he was tall as well.

“You alone here?” he asked and took out his phone.

“Nope. My friend vanished somewhere.” I chuckled, so did he.

“Sorry, I am late.” Dan came panting.

“Daniel?” Nicolas scowled.

Dan looked up and scoffed. “Nicolas.”

What is this? Why are they glaring at each other? Jeez, so much tension. “Isabella.” I raised my hand. They both snapped their attention at me and chuckled.
“You both know each other?” I asked.

“Just past acquaintances.” Nicolas muttered. Before I could say anything, the professor walked in. Dan huffed and sat beside me and the lecture started.

~~~

“You gotta drop Tess home, I am working.” I told Dan packing my bag.

“I will. Stay safe.” He smiled and left. Maybe, not wanting to stay closer to Nicolas. As he left, I turned to Nicolas and asked. “You both don’t like each other?”
“Something like that.” He got up and swung his bag to his shoulder.

“Why?” I asked doing the same.

“Well,” He sighed dramatically. “He hurt someone I love indirectly, but played a vital role.”

“Dan hurt someone? Who?” I asked and realized that I am violating his personal life. “Sorry, I just . . . I am just a little nosy.”  I smiled sheepishly.

“It’s okay.” He chuckled. “He hurt my bestie. He slept with my best friend’s girlfriend.” He told me. I nodded. “Well, maybe that girlfriend was a bitch for cheating on your best friend. Maybe she is the problem. Cheating is a choice not a mistake.” I shrugged.

“Maybe.” He smiled. “Should I call you Pretty Girl? Because you are one.” I blushed at his comment. “Aw, you are so cute.”  He chuckled. 

“Shut up.”  He chuckled as I shoved him playfully. “Hey, um I'm not good with expressing but can we exchange numbers. I mean for studies and all, nothing personal. Just . . .” he blabbered. I laughed and he gave me his phone to type my number. I typed it and handed it to him, he gave me a call.

“There you also have my number now.”  He smiled. We began walking and entered the cafeteria.

I started spotting if Tess or Dan were around. I immediately spotted Dan but cringed because he was making out with a girl at the corner of the room.
“Nico!” A girl waved at him with a big smile. Nicolas waved back. She came to him along with another girl. “We have been waiting for so long.” She whined. “Ooh, who is this hottie?” She wiggled her eyebrows. I chuckled at her antics.

“Isa?” I heard the other girl ask.
“Mia?”

“Oh my god! When did you get in here?” Mia giggled and hugged me while the both looked at us confused. “You both know each other?” Nicolas asked.

“Yeah, we went to same high school.” She answered. “When did you start here? I thought you were at NYU.” She asked me.
“I transferred this year. I am graduating by the end.” I told her.

“Oh, so is Nico and Enzo.” All I know is Enzo is her twin brother. I nodded. “This is Emily. My best friend.” She introduced us. We all sat at a table and Tess joined us as well in a few minutes. We talked and drank coffee.

~~~

I could hear police sirens from a distance. A hand grabbed my hair from behind making me wince. I groaned and kicked behind me adjusting my mask.

Bastard.

I turned around and saw the person groaning in pain and clutching his stomach. I took the opportunity and handcuffed his hands to each other and dragged him with me. The police sirens grew louder and closer. The stopped a few feet away from us and two cops nodded at me and took the guy from me.

I nodded at them and they said. “Thank you, Hell Queen.” I nodded and gave them a salute. They did the same and took the guy into the van and drove off. I would have loved to torture him, he was a rapist. And I loathe them with every cell in my body. But I wasn’t given permission to torture him.

I took off my mask and my black long jacket. Walking towards my car, I texted my guy to delete all the CCTV footages in this area. He gave me thumbs up. I sighed and waked to my car and dumped the clothes in the trunk.

I sat in the car and my phone dinged. I took it and saw a message of 50k transfer to my bank account. I started the car and began driving back to Manhattan. It was already 7:30 in the evening. I hate driving through the bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn at night. Even though I am an assassin, it still scares me.

A sigh of relief left my lips when I reached the end of the bridge. I caught onto the highway and drove to the Upper East Side. Taking the back route of the Cristal nightclub, I hoped I’ll reach home early. I was tired as fuck. It was a very hectic and energy draining day.

Suddenly my car started to jolt and it stopped with a sound. Jeez, what happened to her now?

Well, I cannot complain, it’s old. It is my Dad’s car. I took her because she is untraceable. No one can track her. I groaned when I saw the fuel empty sign. How the fuck I didn’t see it?

I grabbed my purse and stepped out to breathe fresh air to calm my nerves. It was a dark road. Fucking hell. Loud music from the nightclub was beaming the road. All the shops were closed. I took out my phone from the purse in order to call Tessa or Dan and ask to pick me up. I locked the car and sighed.

I was about to dial the number but a hand grasped my face and cut off my oxygen supply. I screamed through the hand, not wanting to attack the person. It might be a burglar and not a criminal. I can’t risk my identity. I trashed as the person grabbed me and his friend helped him pull me to the dark alley.

They threw me against the wall making my head bash to it. I whimpered cupping my forehead “Fuck.”

“Give us all the money you have bitch.” The man gruffly said.
“Fuck off.” I muttered and kicked him. He fell back and his friend growled. He pushed me back to the wall and I hit my head to it again. I groaned.

“Do as I say or you will be found dead here, bitch.” He muttered. He grabbed my hands and pinned them up. Running his nose on my neck he sniffed me. “So sweet.”

Bastard. I kicked him in his groin making him grunt, he let me go. I smacked his face with my knee and he fell down, his friend grabbed me by my neck and slammed my head to the wall again. I gasped.

My vision blurred. A loud whimper left my mouth. Pain erupted my head.
His hands roamed my body and stopped at my breasts. “Let go. . .” I whispered and tried to push him away. At least, that’s what I thought.

He chuckled darkly. “I love when the bitches beg.” He gave my breast a squeeze. I whimpered when my vision began to fill with black dots. I cannot let him rape me. I need to signal someone.
I felt his friend come to my side. “Get her against this wall, she is feisty.” He cupped my ass and gave it a squeeze.

“What the? Get off her!” Another voice roared. I heard footsteps getting closer.
“Shit! Leave her, let’s go.” The man said.

“But I wanted to fuck her, man.” The other one whined. “Look at her breasts, so soft.”

“Not now, let’s go.” He let go of my ass and maybe pulled his friend with him. I felt the touch vanishing. My knees buckled and I began losing my conscious. My body began to sway in air and was about to fall down but someone caught it. The man who stopped them, he caught me.

He caught me in his arms. His dark green eyes shone with concern. “Hey? Are you okay? Can you hear me?” Was the last thing I heard in his deep voice before my eyes gave out and darkness consumed me.