PROLOUGE—
"Wake up, Annie! I'm not gonna say it again!" Annie rolled over with a loud groan, letting her mother know she was awake, but she was going to take her time getting ready to leave. Hearing her younger brother stumble half-awake down the stairs, she knew she had to get up. She sat up, and pushed back her dark-brown hair with one hand, and stifled a yawn with another. Checking the alarm clock, she realized it was only 6:23 in the morning. They'd promised to let her sleep in until six thirty. Oh well, seven minutes wasn't going to kill her. She stood up, and headed for her honey-wood dresser, taking out a faded orange tank top and a pair of stone-washed jeans. As soon as she headed out the door, the overwhelming smell of bacon and waffles immediately woke her the rest of the way. Her mother looked up from zipping her suitcase. "Oh, good, you're finally up. Hurry and get dressed." Annie kept walking. As soon as she was dressed, she part-hopped, part-ran down the stairs, while also putting up her hair in a ponytail. She was known for multitasking. She promptly tripped over a football sitting in front of the entrance of the kitchen, but caught herself on the door-frame. "Nat! Pick this thing up, would you?" She called out. Kate glanced at her. "He and your father left to bring Tex and Hana to the boarder's." Tex was a huge, shaggy mutt they'd adopted four years ago, and Hana was Annie's American Shorthair cat. Was it that late? "Oh." Annie said, acknowledging her mother's existence for the first time in about a day. This was through a mouthful of eggs, as she sat and ate as quickly as she could. Her mother walked in somewhere between the second waffle and about halfway through her orange juice. "Hungry?" She asked, making a face. Annie put down her glass and carried her plate to the old, cranky dishwasher. "I'm done."
"Good, well, then, help me put these suitcases in the car." They were leaving for Kate and Sawyer Ford's anniversary. It would be a long, long road trip- Annie, her twelve-year old brother, Nathaniel, and her parents- all the way from Washington State to southern California. As soon as the suitcases were packed in the old Volvo, the dirty pickup-truck pulled up, and Nat hopped out, followed closely by a somewhat grumpy, only halfway awake Sawyer. "Ready to go?" He asked, opening the door to the packed car. "Ready as we'll ever be," responded Kate. Annie grabbed her blue backpack and slid in behind the driver's seat, and Nat jumped in on the other side. Before Annie even had the chance to plug in her Walkman, they were off.
Let me introduce our main characters before officially starting this story- in depth, so you'll really understand them.
Annie Ford- The first of the Ford children, sixteen for about two weeks when the story starts. Looks uncannily familiar- medium height, dark brown hair. She got her father's dark, soulful eyes and most of his solitary disposition. She has a killer attitude- but considering her parents, that's to be expected. She has a pretty dry sense of humor, but she's also smart, quick-thinking, and beneath it all, sensitive. She loves a good adventure, but is also pretty protective of her little brother. Orange is her favorite color and fruit, and she spends most of her time drowning out her chaotic family with country music.
Nathaniel Ford- The youngest of the Fords, and also the most 'normal', in the general sense of the word. Tall for his age, with a mop of dirty-blonde hair, green eyes, and, ironically, dotted with freckles. He's pretty quiet, and a little shy, but once he's comfortable in his surroundings is actually quite talkative. He likes to help people, and inherited the almost southern charm from his father. He's a sports fanatic, and spends a lot of time outside playing with Tex.
Tex- Not much to say here. Tex is a pretty easygoing dog, doesn't bark a lot, but does shed his share. He can tell if you're sick; he'll sit next to you and gaze up at you with a face so full of complete devotion that it'll bring tears to your eyes.
Hana- The normal cat disposition- lazy, vain. She likes to sleep on top of History, Algebra 2 and Chemistry books when Annie's trying to study, and hates country music when it's played loudly.
Brandon Sheppard - looks almost exactly like his father. He's pretty tall, at fifteen years old, and has brown hair. He got his mother's clear blue eyes. He's a gentle guy, pretty quiet, but still a brave and thoughtful one. He's pretty smart, but fortunately didn't inherit his father's somewhat unpredictable temper, trading it instead for a reserved sensitivity and a dash of secrecy from his mother. He plays some sport all year long, and just recently became a registered lifeguard. He likes to eat pizza, and is an All American Rejects fan.
Sarah Sheppard- Her dad in her mother's body. Sarah is a strong-minded, determined, and helpful child. She's Brandon's twin, although he's older by seventeen seconds. She has shoulder-length, straw-blonde hair, and her father's hazel eyes. She hates to let people down, is very hard on herself, and is a hopeless romantic. She has a secret stash of Twizzlers under her blankets, and is probably the world's biggest fan of Oasis.
Lillian, Rwanda, Dill and Tarzan- In order: Lillian is a young brown rabbit which lives with her brother, Dill, in a hatch behind the Sheppard's house. Rwanda is an ancient Irish setter, who's pretty much devoted to Brandon and follows him everywhere. Tarzan is a tiny, black and brown Chihuahua, named for his never-ceasing energy and strange antics.
Aaron- He's tall and handsome. He's blonde, like his mother Claire, but darker, and has her light blue eyes. He's talkative, organized, gentle- but he's not the smartest guy ever. He's a skilled soccer player, and is down to earth and usually calm. He's just become an Eagle Scout- so, coincidentally, not the most popular guy in school, although he is up there. He's nineteen and every bit his age. He takes great care of his single mother, loves to watch old movies, and is constantly doing something with his hands.