CHAPTER 1

I was out of breath when I reached the front gate of my front house. Florence's house, I reminded myself. Tears were pouring down my cheeks and I wiped it away with the sleeve of my tennis jacket. I could see the tears had smudged my new so-called waterproof mascara, but I didn't care. As I opened the gate and walked towards my front door, I couldn't help but replayed what I just saw 5 minutes ago in my head.
I just finished tennis practice and was on my way to my locker to collect Rachel's blouse I borrowed for the weekend, thinking of dropping it off her house on the way home. As I was exiting the building, my eyes locked sharply at a familiar couple, under the big tree I usually hang around at with my friends at lunch. I realized after a few seconds, the familiar couple turns out to be Sam O'Connor – my boyfriend and Rachel, my best friend. Well, that's what I thought we were – 'best friends.'
I watched painfully as my boyfriend's big, muscular arm wrapped around Rachel's Victoria's Secret body. His hand slightly resting on Rachel's face, gently pushing a lock of Rachel's chestnut brown hair out of her eyes with his fingers, something he does to me. A pang of jealousy hits me. Then he leaned down and kissed her lips, while Rachel's hands tangled in my boyfriend's blond hair.
I was frozen. It was like the time my mother and father told me they were getting divorced - my feeling was so shocked, surprised, sad, angry all mixed together. Only in this situation, add betrayal to this big pot of emotions.
Instead of screaming and pushing Rachel off my boyfriend or slapping Sam across his handsome face, I just turned around and ran with tears running wildly down my face. I blew my nose with Rachel's blouse then cleaned the rest of my face. Reminding me of Rachel, hatred heated me up again so I through that pretty blouse onto the road, not even bother to care if it was safe for the cars. I had to admit, I felt a little bit better when a big truck ran over it.

I sank into my bed in my room, kick of my runners and sat crossed legged. I checked my phone, no messages. That stupid cheating bastard usually would text me this time after school, asking me what I was up to. But not today; I couldn't think any more on what they might be up to now…
The doorbell was kind enough to stop me to thinking anything deeper. I sighed and got up to open to door to Chase; my trashy step-sister's eighteen-year-old boyfriend.
"Val," he greeted me. "You don't look so good."
I shot him a look. "You've looked better." To be honest, Chase wasn't the most best looking teenager I've seen. He has dark straight hair with light grey eyes. He was tall – like Sam, my ex-boyfriend and muscular. He doesn't really have the sweetest charms like Sam has, or the most athletic; so I really don't know what Savannah sees in him.
"Bad day, eh?"
I ignored him.
"Where's your sister?" His eyes wondered around inside the house.
"She's not my sister," I hissed. Even though we sort of are, I still hate when people refer us to that. "And Savannah's not here."
"Who's not here?" asked a familiar voice. I rolled my eyes as Savannah crossed the room to kiss her stupid boyfriend. Then she turned to me. "Next time, Val, come check if I'm really home or not. It wouldn't hurt." I just glared at her. As if, if any of her stupid trashy friends or her boyfriend turns up to our house, I would just slam the door in their faces.
I just was about to turn away and head back to my room to be miserable again, when Savannah said, "Oh, Valerie?"
I turned to give her a what-do-you-want look.
"I almost forgot. Chase as well as my friends will be staying the night." Her group of friends consists of four loud, stuck-up 16-year-olds, Megan Collins, Tess Oliver, Leena Wright and Caitlyn James. I absolutely hated them. Savannah would invite them four on most Friday nights and they would keep me up until four in the morning.
"And I would be really happy if you would be gone for the night," added Savannah.
Anger hits me once again. I took a deep breath as I spoke. "As far as I'm concern, I'll do anything to keep you away from happiness. I'm not going anywhere."
I walked off to my room while I heard Savannah's voice muttering "bitch" and I slammed my room door as hard as I could.
I was wrong – I am going somewhere tonight. Away from all this crap and away from my messed-up life. I wanted to go back to my other half of my family, all the way in Phoenix; even though I haven't seen them in almost 2 years. Before I changed my mind, I got out my purple suit case under my bed. I unzipped it then went straight to my drawers and grabbed a pair of jeans, my Victoria's Secret sweat pants, black leggings, a couple of my favorite T-shirts, a jacket, some extra pairs of undies, socks and bras and my favorite green dress, probably the only dress I'd ever wear. I folded everything neatly in my suit case then went to the wardrobe. I packed my lucky pairs of runners and my purple dress I wore for Prom earlier this year. Even though I went with Sam and we are so over now, I brought it with me just in case Savannah notices my absence and decides to steal my dress. She attempted that a couple of times already and I knew she always had an eye for this four-hundred-dollar dress. She didn't deserve that kind of goodness.
I packed my toiletries and some makeup into my suit case and zipped it up. I went to get changed out of my tennis outfit and got into comfortable jeans, my blacks Vans and an over-size brown sweater. I grabbed my everyday handbag next to my bed and chuck my iPhone, wallet, keys (just in case) another jacket, headphones, mascara, a tube of ChapStick, my sunglasses and some food; a bottle of fresh water, a fruit and nut bar, an apple and a packet of cookies. Then I felt the necklace on my neck. It was a gold necklace with a small heart-shaped pendant given to Sam after he told me he loved me. I ripped the necklace from my neck with rage. Stupid selfish cheating pig! He doesn't love me.
I threw the necklace hard against my window with a loud bang. Then I heard Savannah's angry voice. "If I hear one more sound that makes me think you're harming the house, I'm talking my mom into kicking you out!"
No need for that now.
It wasn't my house, it was Florence's. My dad married Florence about a year ago and ever since then; I moved from Texas to California and stayed in Florence's house with her annoying daughter, which is now unfortunately my new sister. I never really liked Florence, and don't get me started with Savannah. Florence and I never really bonded and we always just minded our own business – stay out of each other's lives. We hardly talked and when we do, it doesn't last more than 2 minutes.
She doesn't me, I can feel it. And I never know why; and I don't really care.
I got just about everything I need on running away, now I just need to know how. I can tell Savannah and Chase are just outside my room watching T.V, so the front door is crossed off the list.
The window.
I was lucky enough my window is big enough to fit my whole body through; I've done it a couple of times before when I snuck out with Rachel after midnight. Perfect. I opened the window wide and carried my suit case over, then my handbag, then myself. Easy. Then I said a quick mental good-bye to my room, closed the window and took off.