ALINA'S POV

Finally the bell indicating the end of school rang. I waited 10 minutes, as i didn't want to bump into anyone in the corridor.

I sighed as i started collecting my stuff, holding it in one hand whilst carrying my ruined and wet bag in the other.

I braced myself to stand. I could do it. I'm strong.

I waited until the next series of dots went from my visions and took slow steps to exit the bathroom.

I made sure to check the corners of the corridor before i left just to make sure no one was there, especially those girls. It seemed clear, so i headed the way i came for maths.

The exit to the car park came sooner than i anticipated which i loved.

I saw my parents, car and a couple of others left in the parking lot. I put my brave face on and started walking at a slightly faster pace, hoping to succeed in showing that nothing was wrong with me.

It seemed by brothers had gone home which I didn't mind about.

"Hello" i said to my parents as i opened the back door.

The both looked at each other.

They're acting weird.

"Did you have a good day? You were a little late coming out of school, everything ok?" My mom asked.

I nodded as i carefully climbed into the back seat.

My parents exchanged looks again.

"We'll talk at dinner, ok? I can see you're not in the mood to talk right now" Dad said.

I nodded thankfully and rested my head on the window, the whole drive home.

I thought the whole way home.

Do i tell my parents about what's happened with those girls? Everyone in that school is rich. Being rich means having power. What if i tell them about it, but they can't do anything and then the girls get angrier at me and retaliate even more for trying to get them in trouble.

What could my parents even do? They're children. They cant be charged or arrested with assault.

What if the girls' parents decide to take it out on my parents after accusing their children of doing something, they're sure they would never do.

You know the 'my little baby would never' act that some parents always give.

And I have no evidence. There's none on my face, and all of the bruises they gave me have blended in with my old ones.

People would think I'm lying and making shit up if i blamed the whole of my injuries on those 4 girls.

I was scared. I was stuck.

The car stopped and i got out first and headed straight to my room. I didn't stop to talk to anyone, i just went straight into my room and into my bed.

I didn't bother changing, because i didn't want to and it would hurt too much,

Sue me.

I decided to go to sleep. My thoughts and my stress would stop for at least a couple of minutes.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

I was awoken to some loud knocking on my door.

I felt refreshed after my little power nap, but still hurting.

I hobbled to my door and swung it open almost making Luca fall into my room.

Did he not expect me to open the door?

"Oh hey, Alina, dinner's ready." He said whilst waving.

I smiled and followed him down.

I sat down next to Adrian and Marco, my usual seat. My food was already on my plate and i knew who i could thank for that. I saw him smirking in the corner of my eye.

It was lasagne tonight and my portion was a perfect size. 1/3 of everyone else's.

Just as i was about to dig in i saw my parents clear their throats, and i knew what was coming.

They said we'd talk at dinner.

"Alina, me and your mother got a call today. Apparently you only went to 1 of your lesson's throughout the whole day." Dad said. "Care to explain, when we told you that we could pick you up if you had a problem?"

He said it all in a soft tone so I wasn't too scared. He was being really kind about it.

I looked down, not being able to face any of my family members that were now staring me down. I'm guessing they hadn't told my brothers this yet. I fiddled with my hands nervously.

"Um i just wasn't feeling great, just first day nerves and all, i didn't want to bother you over something so little" i said trying to come up with any excuse possible.

My dad was about to reply, when Matheo cut him off.

"I'm sorry, are we just going to sit here and believe all of this bullshit?" He kinda screamed

"What are you talking about?" I asked him.

"YOU! YOURE SO ANNOYING! YOU WASTE FOOD, WHEN PEOPLE STARVE AND YOURE WASTING THE EDUCATION THAT MOM AND DAD ARE PAYING FOR, NOT CARING ABOUT THE PRIVILEGES YOU HAVE. SHE'S BASICALLY FREEELOADING! YOU CAN'T JUST NOT GO TO LESSONS! YOU'RE AN ATTENTION SEEKER. THIS IS THE REAL WORLD, NOT ALINA'S WORLD, YOURE ACTING LIKE SUCH A BITCH AND A SPOILT BRAT!" He screamed at me.

"Say that again." I replied in a calm voice.

"You're a freeloading bitch and a spoilt brat" he snarked.

"No, I'm not" is all i said back.

He doesn't know shit.

He snorted.

"You cant even see what you truly are. Do you need glasses?"

With that i snapped. He's fought with me on this before, and i will not let him walk all over me.

I deserve better.

"YOU DONT EVEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL ME YOUR SISTER ANYMORE, YOU DICK! YOU HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH A FUCKING SILVER SPOON IN YOUR MOUTH! I WASNT.

GUESS WHO HAD TO WORK 2 JOBS FROM 14 IN ORDER TO PAY THE BILLS BECAUSE HER FOSTER PARENTS WERE TOO ADDICTED TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING TO KEEP A ROOF OVER HER HEAD?

GUESS WHO GOT FED NOTHING BECAUSE SHE APPARENTLY WASNT WORTHY EVEN THOUGH SHE TOOK CARE OF EVRYTHING AND EVERYONE! I GOT THE SCRAPS OFF OF PEOPLE'S PLATES IF I WAS LUCKY!

GUESS WHO GOT ABUSED EVERY DAY JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS A FOSTER CHILD?

WHO GOT ABUSED FOR NOT COOKING DINNER AT THE RIGHT TIME, BEING EVEN A SECOND LATE.

I DIDNT EVEN HAVE A REAL BED, I SLEPT IN A CLOSET!

GUESS WHO GOT ABUSED JUST FOR HER EXISTENCE?

YOU'VE NEVER HAD TO MISS A WEEK OF SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU ARE PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO GET UP DUE TO PAIN!

YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN HAD A DAY OF TORMENT IN YOUR LIFE.

YOUVE NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D DIE DUE TO HOW THIN AND MALNOURISHED YOU ARE OR FROM YOUR BLACK RIBS THAT WILL NOT HEAL!

YOU'VE NEVER HAD TO SLEEP OUTSIDE IN THE WINTER BECAUSE YOURE PARENTS DIDNT WANT TO LET YOU IN!

YOU CAN SPEND ALL DAY IN YOUR HOUSE NOT WORRIYING ABOUT COMING HOME.

SO DON'T EVER ASSUME ANYTHING ABOUT ME OR MY LIFE!

YOU CAN SHOVE YOU AND YOU'RE PERFECT LIFE UP YOUR ASS!

DONT EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN MATHEO!

YOU'VE LOST YOUR SISTER." I Screamed at him with tears freely flowing down my eyes.

It was so unfair. I never got the perfect childhood i wanted.

I didn't want to see any of my families pity stares, so i ran away.

Yeah, not a good idea. I was halfway down the stairs when the dots returned.

I couldn't fight them this time. I let myself go to the darkness, i was way too tired to try and stay awake.

The last thing i saw was the carpet on the stairs coming up to collide with my face

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ADRIAN'S POV

We all sat there frozen. No one said anything, all of us having the same expressions on our faces.

She was abused? No....no...no....no...no...no. NO, NO, NO

She was supposed to be treated like a princess. We were supposed to protect her.

We were supposed to give her anything she wanted, she was supposed to be brought up i a family full of love.

She was supposed to be cherished like the star she is.

I got up from my chair and faced Matheo who looked guilt stricken, which he should.

"You are no longer my brother"

It might have been harsh, but i didn't care. He disrespected Alina, and that's not allowed.

She was the kindest soul ever. Not a cell in her body was bratty or bitchy.

"You are such a dick Matheo. You're the one who needs glasses. Alina has treated you better than you deserve and you just shit it all in her face. You're talking as if you're a saint. YOU ARE NOT!" I screamed at him.

Marco and Rocco also got up.

"I don't want you to even look me in the eyes until you've somehow made things right. I actually can't look at you Matheo. You are supposed to be Alina's best protector with me and all you've done is verbally abuse her." Marco said sadly chocking on his words.

"If i see you near Alina, i will kill you" Rocco said deadly seriously.

"She pays me for making her smoothies every morning. Did you know that?I saw on her phone today when she got dad to put all of our contacts in her phone for her, she put a nickname and a heart for all of us. Even you, when you've been shit to her. Yours was Tato. WHAT PART OF THOSE THINGS SHOW THAT ALINA IS A BITCH? TELL ME!" Rocco continued whilst screaming and crying.

"No..nothing" Matheo said whilst crying trying to rub the tears flowing freely down his face but failing.

"EXACTLY. Alina made sure i was included when we went shopping because you guys rushed off. She's 14, she's allowed to make mistakes, but she hasn't. The only mistake she made was trusting you as her brother to love her and treat her how she should be treated" Romeo joined in.

"I do......love her. I love her the most. I really do" Matheo pathetically tried to make us believe.

You wouldn't hurt someone you love.

"I looked up to you Matheo, not anymore" Luca said whilst shaking his head disappointedly.

"I thought we raised you the right way Matheo, obviously not. You better make things right, or else" Dad threatened whilst holding mom who weeped into his shoulder.

Dad was disappointed in him. I'm pretty sure he was speechless on everything that has just happened.

Dad hated disrespect. He thinks its one of the lowest things a person can do.

For him to be the don of the Italian mafia, he will take no disrespect as he is the leader. He has the respect of the whole mafia, and the people of Italy.

He hates when people do it to anyone in our family or mafia and usually punishes them for it.

Matheo doing it to his sister, is even worse. He is her protector. He is supposed to love her, cherish her and bring her up. Instead he disrespected her and made her feel awful.

Dad was obviously pissed. If Matheo doesn't do anything to fix this he'll be in deep shit.

Dad won't hurt, EVER. He is not an abuser. (He only hurts the bad people our mafia deals with. We only kill and hurt bad people, never innocents) but he will give him the cold shoulder, the worst jobs, extra chores and will be disappointed in him, which will hurt. He's supposed to take over as the next don so he does anything and everything he can to impress dad.

I don't know why he is acting this way towards Alina but i will not have it.

"I'm going to check on Alina, to make sure she's ok, all thanks to you!" I said pointing at Matheo.

The rest of my brothers also followed me.

I prepared myself. What if she was injured right now and had been since coming home and hadn't told us?

A fresh set of tears erupted in my eyes as I thought of the pain my twin went through whilst i lived in this mansion with a real loving family.

I was crushed between Marco's arms.

"It's ok, don't worry, hey, you're fine. We're going to talk to Alina, we'll find out if she's ok and what we can do for her and then we will give her the life she deserves forever, ok! It's not your fault, don't blame yourself Adrian." Marco said to me.

"She was supposed to be safe! With us! She deserves the world and she got nothing. It's not fair!" I cried.

"I know" Marco whispered and i felt his cheeks become wet again as well.

The rest of my brothers joined in and made it a group hug.

We broke apart and i rubbed the tears from my eyes. I needed to make sure my twinny was ok.

I am her knight in shining armour.

We walked until we came to the stairs. There was someone laying down on the stairs. I thought it was one of our maids to begin with but as we got closer i made out who it was.

"ALINA!" I screamed as i ran faster towards her body.

I knelt down and held her body in my arms. She was pale. Too pale.

"Alina, Alina wake up. You're scaring me, please!" I urged her.

I shook her and shook her but she stayed unresponsive.

"DAD, MOM, HELP!" I screamed whilst crying again.

A/N - LET ME KNOW IF YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER!