"What happened to you sis?" I ask my younger sister.

I help her off of the floor and look where her eyes are directed.

"Oh a girl knocked into me. Her name is Aubrey. But I guess she's gone now," she says, referring to Aubrey's retreating figure.

"Why did she look so much like me?"

I stare at my sister. She was right. Aubrey looked a lot like her, even though I hate admitting it. I only ever though of her as the weird girl from English class.

"Um I don't know."

Like Tyler said,

she was a mystery.

After my encounter with Kacy my day goes by fast. This city has caused me more confusion than I thought possible.

I want to believe that she or Isabella is part of my family but it just doesn't make sense. Yes Isabella has a twin but their names aren't Lorenzo and Marina. And their last name isn't Romano.

Anyway I have to find some type of information. I need something that can reassure me that I have a living family.

After school I went back to City Hall. Another worker was here so I finally had a chance.

"Can I get all the records of families with the last name: Romano."

• • •

File: 001

Mr. Stefano Romano, Mrs. Laura Romano and their 5 kids move from Milan, Italy to the United States on April 4, 2015.

They immediately move to their house in San Francisco; address is not specified.

File: 002

All change their names for their protection. New names are not documented for their safety.

~ April 9, 2015

File: 003

Invalid Documentation:

Mr. Stefano is arrested after making a call, involving him with the Russian Mafia.

Layer that night, arrest was suspended after evidence was deemed invalid.

~ February 23, 2016

File: 004

Mrs. Laura Romano makes a visit to her friend in Italy in order to find missing daughter, Valentina Aurora Romano, who went missing in late 2002.

~ October 4, 2018

• • •

So they are here... in San Francisco!

Maybe I'll meet them. Hopefully they are kind people!

I walk back home with a smile on my face.

As I walk back home I see Isabella and Harper walking out the mall with bags in their hand.

"Hey V, do you ever think about Val?" Isabella says to Kacy.

"Sometimes I do, but I never met her before. I always wondered what it would be like to have her around," she answers.

I stop eavesdropping and make my route back home. When I arrive, Barbara and Anderson were here. That's surprising.

"Where have you been?" Barbara scolds.

"Just at the library Ma'am. I had a project due," I reply.

Anderson huffs. "Pack your bags it is time so leave."

Wait what? It's only been like a month.

"Why are we leaving? This is the third place we've been this year and we are already leaving!" I say angrily.

He grabs my wrist and pinched my ear. "You will obey me or I'll be forced to show you the consequences of your actions."

"No," I yell, but then I realize it will never be that easy.

He grabs me forcefully by the arm and brings me to the kitchen. He sits me on the founder and opens the knife drawer. Anderson lights a cigar and presses it against my neck, smiling as I cry at the pain. He then takes the knife, swinging it around with his hand.

"I want to kill you, so much. But for you, I can wait," he whispers in Russian.

I shiver, not understanding his words, but can tell that they aren't good. He starts to trail the knife at my skin as I whimper, not wanting him to hurt me.

Barbara comes in with a cup of steamy water. She pours it on my stomach and I flinch and scream in pain. When I flinched, Anderson's knife pokes into my arm, drawing blood.

"Night, night Valentina," they say before I fall into the darkness.

——————————

NOTE:

Hey peeps.

I know that some of the foreign languages may not be used right and that's because I literally used google translate.

If anything needs adjustment just let me know!

Anyway, hopefully you are understanding and enjoying the story! We are almost at 1k reads!!! Make sure to vote!

-layla