Chapter one

"I don't believe this," I said, in a disbelieving tone, "You can't be serious." I stared my mum directly in the eye. I was almost the same height she was, only a few inches shorter. Unlike my mum's long blonde hair, I had gained my dad's light brown colouring. I had kept my hair short, barely past my shoulders to keep my hair out from my face. The only genetic features I had gotten from my mum were her light blue eyes. On my face was a pair of glasses with blue frames; not that much darker than my eye colour. I wore a dark grey, long- sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. My feet were bare, as per mum's rule of the house. Mum had only just told me that she was going to go back to my dad. I had been shocked about it. Dad was never really a man that was a family man. All my life, ever since I could remember, everything was dad's way. If you didn't do what he wanted, then he would do almost anything to force you to learn the rule. Mum had split up with him when I was fourteen and now, only two years later, she was going back to him.

"I am serious. He has changed since we last saw him. Can't you give him another chance?" mum asked. I snorted.

"Another chance?" I scoffed, "Mum, I gave him a thousand chances ever since I can remember; why should I give him another?"

"He is your father; he deserves to be back in our lives."

"He deserves nothing. Have you forgotten what he has done to us? What he has done to Lauren or... or to Janice?"

"It's all in the past. He is different now."

"Mum, if he comes back I am leaving."

"That's not fair-"

"No, you know what's not fair..." I pushed up my sleeves, showing healed cigarette burns on both my arms, "That he did this to me and you never did anything to stop this. You knew and you did nothing." I furiously pushed my sleeves back down, tears springing to my eyes. "If he wants to come back after everything he did, don't expect me to be here," I continued. Before mum could say another word, I stormed away.

"Katie," mum called out, following behind me towards my room. I went in and shut the door in her face. "Katie, please come out," mum begged from the other side of the door. I pushed my desk chair up against the door, stopping anyone from being able to enter. I crossed the room to the window and opened it up. Lifting my leg out first, I climbed out the window. I scaled down the water drain at the side of the building, right next to my window; like I had done so many times before. Jumping the last metre, I landed safely on the ground and walked away; not sure if I wanted to go back home afterwards. I decided to spend some time at the ice skating rink. I made my way there and went in; knowing that I would have some peace and quiet for the time being. I entered the facility and placed on some ice skates. I stepped out onto the ice and started to skate. Slowly at first and then quicker. I spun in circles forwards and then backwards. I spun faster, my circles getting smaller until I was spinning on the spot. I kicked a leg out and moved backwards in a bigger circular motion. I stopped when I heard clapping coming from behind the barrier. I turned and looked. It was a boy, around my age. He had black hair and brown eyes. He wore a short sleeved grey shirt with a leather short sleeved jacket over top. He wore a pair of grey sports pants and a pair of sneakers. A black and white bandana was wrapped around his head.

"Nice moves, dainty toes," he said.

"Excuse me?" I asked, "What is that supposed to mean exactly?"

"Nothing, don't get so worked up." I scoffed.

"I am not getting worked up." I skated over to him, stopping just before hitting the barrier. "Who are you anyway?" I asked.

"I'm Casey Jones, who are you?"

"Katie... Katie Holmes."

"Well, Katie, where did you learn to skate like that?"

"From my gran. She was once a skating champion before she became too old to compete."

"Wait, haven't I seen you before?"

"I don't know have you?"

"Yeah, I have. You are that girl that spends all day in the library when you aren't in class." I smirked.

"That's me," I said.

"Why do you spend so much time there? Are you constantly studying?" I shook my head.

"No," I said, "I just love to read." Casey leaned against the barrier.

"Is there anything else that you do do outside of school?"

"I don't do much outside of school. I stay home to take care of my sister and whenever I get the chance, visit my other sister."

"Where does your second sister live?"

"She is at the hospital; in a coma."

"I'm sorry dainty toes, what happened?"

"I don't really want to talk about it. Maybe one day I'll tell you." I got off the ice and sat down on a bench. I took off my skates all the while not looking at Casey. "I have to go. Maybe I'll see you in school."

"Maybe." I stood up and walked towards the front doors. I got outside and from the corner of my eye, saw someone standing at the edge of the building. By the time I had turned to look they had gone. I frowned, shrugged then continued on my way home. Along the way, I thought about my youngest sister still living in the house. What was I supposed to do with her? There was no way I was going to leave her alone with mum and the man I once called dad. I got to the water drain I had climbed down from before and scaled back up it, entering the window I had left open. The chair was still propped up against the door. With a half smile I placed it back, ready to face mum. I opened the door and walked out. The first thing I noticed was voices coming from the dining room. I heard mum's higher pitched voice then a deeper male voice. I froze in place when I heard Lauren laughing. Taking careful steps, I went around the wall towards the dining room. Time seemed to move slowly as my family moved into view. Lauren was standing up next to mum, who was sitting down staring at the man at the end of the table. He had brown hair and green eyes. The man wore a suit with a white under shirt and a plain grey tie. He stopped talking when I entered the doorway. He mum and Lauren all looked at me.

"Honey," mum said, "Dad's home."