Tessa's Home

Four

Tessa

"Careful, Hugh, don't drop her!"

"Fuck off, I won't."

"Youse are so loud, I bet she's awake."

"Tyler, go to bed. Actually, everyone go. This is a one man job."

"As if. I wanted to carry her first."

I shift uncomfortably, before snuggling up again in the strangers arms.

"Told you youse woke her up."

Wait, is Hugh carrying me? Weren't we just watching Tangled?

She was about to get kidnapped by the big bad brothers and then...then...what then?

Oh, god, did I fall asleep? That's so embarrassing. I'm not a bloody baby.

But I don't open my eyes or even move an inch. I barely breath.

I feel warm. And it's nice being carried so gently to bed after passing out during a movie again.

I've missed it. And even though I'm sixteen and grown now, I've got four years of missed love and affection to catch up on.

So, hopefully, there will be plenty more of this.

I never got to be thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen. Those ages were taken away from me, and now's the time to try and get them back.

I want to play with Barbie's and make friends and go on play dates and have tea parties and go into the shops in my pj's and run through sprinklers.

I'm still twelve at heart. So I'm gonna let myself be a little childish and babied.

At least for a little while.

Suddenly I'm being placed down in a bed, and a thick blanket is being put over me.

It's so soft and comfy, I can't help but curl up into a ball and sink into the pillows, shivering as I feel the cold sheets against my bare skin.

"She's so cute." Someone says, and I think it's Carl this time.

I dig my fingers into my thigh to keep from smiling.

Hearing such a big guy call me cute is funny. You'd think he's all gang signs and parties and cars. But he's really just a big, muscley teddy bear.

They all are, I think. Especially papa.

Soon, everyone's left, and I don't have enough strength to open my eyes.

Instead I fall back asleep, a small smile on my face and the best ever feeling swimming deep in my chest.

~~~

"You think you're ever getting out of here?"

"You're mine. Forever. You hear me, bitch?"

"My good girl."

"I'm gonna keep you locked up here forever and ever."

"I love you. I love you so much, baby."

"Shut up! Or I'll fucking kill you, whore."

"Play nice, or you're dead."

"Please. Please tell me you love me. Please say it. Fucking say it!"

I gasp, opening my eyes so wide my eyeballs might fall out.

I sit up, looking around frantically and grabbing at my chest like that might help me breath.