Yes it's long but it next week is so crazy with exams that I made it extra long just incase I'm not able to write next week.

One night after Shaun and Jesse's visit, I was being dragged out of bed by my hair; I barley could see the figure but knew by the disgusting order that I had groaned to fear

It was Joe!

Even through it was dark in the room his eyes were admitting an erie glow as if he had a mischief plan that I was well unaware of.

Well of course I was well unaware of his plan but had an idea it wasn't going to be pretty!

Joe tightened his grip around my hair and pulled me up to his shoulders. All while keeping his grip on the section of hair in his clenched fist. I tried to scream and kick my way out of his grip, but it was extremely difficult with the pain in my scalp. He abruptly grabbed my throat, letting the hand on my scalp go; the hand wouldn't let go and before I knew it the edges of my eyes were starting to fade black.

A thought flashed through my mind- Oh dear god he is actually trying to kill me this time!

Harder, Harder, Harder he squeezed my neck.

As hard as I tried my lungs would not couraperate.

The last thing I saw let alone remember was joe's beady eyes and my words sounding so distant "No, Stop!" and his response was as cold as his intentions

"You deserve everything you have gotten, bitch!"

After his words he dropped my neck and allowed my body to hit a wooden floor in darkness.

Who will save me now?

Burtie must have been sent down from heaven because that's exactly what she does save me.

Water hit my face as I tried opened my eyes I saw a frightful eyed burtie was hoovering over me dumping water on my face. Motioning for her to help me sit up, my luck was only to bring me quick short breaths ...

Ughh this can't be good!

Able to stand I was relieved to see the clock say 11:30;at least no school

"How long have I been out?"doubting she would be able to answer made my way slowly to the mirror.

"Well I found you 20 minutes ago. What did he do to you? and your face."

"God and I thought it was my head playing tricks with my appearance. I don't know what he did to me it was in the middle of the night and what ever happened." I paused taking a second look at my face, my lips were a pale blue, my scalp was missing a chunk of hair, there were deep fingerprint bruises on my throat that wrapped around my entire neck and the back of my arms and head were already forming bruises.

"...it's beyond disgusting...it's more of a monster. Than myself. No use going to school today."

"Here well I'll take care of you today." being very sympathetic towards my appearance.

"Burtie, that's very sweet but I'll be fine I promise. I promise." Reassuring her that I would, at the same time trying to stay strong for her and for myself.

A few hours later and feeling slightly better decided to call molly.

"Hey mol." EW my voice was raspy and dry it immediately told her why I hadn't been in school.

"Car, How fucking bad is it? " I had to be strong I couldn't what so ever let her know how incredibly scared I was. Just shrug it off.

"Oh, molly it's nothing." Damn my inside wall was broken. The tear fell off my cheek and fell onto the receiver and for about 5 minutes I let it all out. Her voice came back in harshly.

"I have a proposal. Either your staying here for a week until you leave for park city or you call shaun and tell him what just happened, because I know that he would want to know since you guys have some connection."

"We don't have a connection thingy we just met. But I will take you up on the offer for a week but only because I don't want to drag shaun into this mess and partially because you're my best friend. Deal." adding a hint of sarcasm to my statement.

I'm saved from joe the beast!

"I thought you would go for it. Okay so I'll see you soon."

I didn't even have to respond; burtie obviously heard the convo and had already packed my weeks worth and handed me my racing gear. Thanking burtie I quietly walked out the door not wanting to be the one to set my mom's killer hangover off she would be receiving when she awoke later today.

Living with molly for a week was paradise!

No one in her family asked why I was there, no one wanted to know.

I mean they wanted to know they just never pushed the subject.

So when I finally had to say goodbye to molly a couple of days later at the airport, I couldn't help but think how different the days were going to be without her for 3 weeks!

I wasn't coming home after my race it was straight to Carlsbad.

We parted at the entrance of my gate; promising I would call her after the race was over which I knew I would have done without promising.

My coach said he would meet me in Utah. But I was slightly skeptic about who would pick me up?

The plane landed, gathered my luggage and Ryan, my coach was waiting outside in the pull around. Coach Ryan, was what I normally called him during training but other than that he was Ryan or Ry. He was basically my older brother, yet he was about 10 years older. Ryan had always treated me like I was his younger sister... if you understand me he was very protective, I'm guessing he did this because there was barley any guidance coming from the home. And he probably never got that impression from my home.

Now the big question was how will shaun get along with Coach Ryan?

It sure seemed as if shaun was coming across as if he wanted to be the "older brother" figure in my life. It shouldn't be a problem considering Ryan was going to be married and be a father so he would definitely not treat me the same way.

I ran to the curb where the car was parked.

"Hey! YOU hoppin'."

"I hoped you say that." Punching him slightly at how weird he sounded; did he actually think I was going to stay out in the snow.

We cruised down the side of the mountain to a small fondu "hause".

It was chilly in the car, so I decided to pull on a black and white knitted beanie with a hat rim connected to it on top of my head and pulled out a beanie for ryan and plopped in on his head.

"All better!"smiling widely at his appearance.

Dinner was filled with tons and tons of talking, Ryan's fiancé charlotte met us at the "hause". We were finishing up dinner when my sidekick let out a loud ring of "come sit with me and talk a while let me see your pretty Lil' smile."

"Oops sorry bout that you guys',I'll be out there." Slightly embarrassed at how loud the ring had played.

"Hello!"

"Hey Cara, are you here yet?" Shaun's came in as a jubilant child voice would sound on Christmas.

"Woah, yeah we just ate. And someone seems to be on way too much caffeine right now."

"Chh-yeah only about 3 Carmel machiato's. After your diner your staying at the plaza so meet me in the plaza. And if not mistaken you included a WE."

My eye literally popping out of their sockets, boy he could talk fast! Laughing at how he wanted to know who I was with.

"Shaun, I'm at dinner with my coach and his soon to be wife." An embarrassed shaun actually replying word syllable

"Oh."

"So I'll see you in the lobby shaun." hanging up the phone; sat down at the table.

This was going to be interesting I hadn't yet told ry or charlotte about shaun.

"That was a pretty long conversation you had. Who were you talking to?" Charlotte spoke, still eating her dessert.

"Just someone who's announcing tomorrow."

"What the hell since when do you know an anoucer; you never told me that." Ryan sounded hurt but of course he was just pretending to be.

"There's a lot I don't tell you Ryan!"pointing a finger at his face.

"DENIED!" charlotte yelled out in a non "inside" voice.

"Haha, no the announcers my cousin."

Yes, yes I understand that it's weird having a snowboarder announce a slalom race, technically shaun wasn't announcing the race he was more or less there in a the booth "scouting out talent" for Park city.

DO NOT ask me how he landed that.

A wonderful idea popped in my head why not play a game with their heads not tell the coach and charlotte until they see who I'm related too.

Brilliant!

"He/she can't be related to you, the only people announcing the race are pro snowboarder."Ryan acted after his comment as if he knew everything.

"Ok, whatev, you'll meet Him. Let's get out of here." picking up my hat and running to the car.

+Shaun+

Alright I might have been a little caffeine high.

I instructed everyone in the room which was The Rodge, Mom. Kari and Jesse to go down to the lobby and we were going to wait for Cara to come.

Of course mom was scared that she was going to be just like her mother, but soon because everyone was in the elevator wasn't listening to a thing she was saying she stopped ranting and raving.

The family stopped to sit by a large cushy leather lounge sofa overlooking park city's mountain. Jesse and I decided we would sit on the coffee table across from the lounge sofa. Everyone was wearing a different expression ranging from excited to nervous.

"Believe me she is beyond awesome, Kari your going to get along so well."

"Oh I have no doubts about that." Kari coaxed her head and I could just in vision what she was thinking her and cara would be doing when they got aquatinted.

The electronic sliding door to the hotel open a few feet away before cara ,her coach and a women walked in.

"How un-professional she brought her boyfriend to one of her competitions. We haven't even met her and she has to introduce her boyfriend too." My mom was seriously going paranoid over meeting her niece. Dad and kari raised their eyebrows at moms thought while Jesse and I broke out into a fit of laughter.

"First thing the guy canoodling with the women isn't cara!" Jesse said now on his knees, I tried to finish his statement by standing up and pointing my finger at the girl walking in front of the couple, they were now edging closer to the hotel

"That's Cara. And second mom since when had it been a problem with you to bring a special someone to a competition. I mean after all I brought summer to many competitions."

Soon enough cara came jogging through the door to yell shaun. I swung around and stepped away from the table with my arms spread out to have her run a greet me with a hug. She moved away smiling brightly to reveal two people beside gawking.

"coughcoughhell with it , you two are horrible. Shaun these gawking idiots are ryan my coach and his fiancé charlotte." Cara introduced them to me and darted off to meet the rest of the white gang.

"Hey, Ryan O'Chemo and Charlotte Ricé."sticking out there hands to be shaken and replied my name.

"I'm guessing cara never told you?"

"Car, just mentioned it at the restaurant that her cousin was announcing and I didn't believe her." Ryan's eyes avoided my eye as if I would judge him by not trusting her.

"I don't blame you! If she told you we were related most likely you would have called her crazy."

"You do have a point there."

From the impression ryan and charlotte made on me it seemed ryan cared a lot about cara and charlotte took the back burner, she didn't really get noticed much if cara was included in whatever was going on.

+Cara+

I passed shaun and walked over to a smiling kari and jesse and Aunt Cathy starring at my face searching for something ,but as I smiled her expression softened. Uncle Roger was fidgeting with his fingers and looking at me.

"What is this, now my brother's more important than myself."

'Of course jesse your not unimportant."giving him a warm hug.

"I didn't think so." chuckling to himself.

Apprehensively walked over to kari and started to open my mouth.

"CARA! We are going to have so much fun. Cousin's cousin's were cousin's."

Kari gave me a huge hug and indicated the we was shaun and jesse.

Opening my mouth wide "like the three musketeers we can be the four musketeers!"

I knew she would appreciate the humor and completely ignored Jesse's dork comment moved down the couch.

"Hello Aunt Cathy ,it's great to actually meet you." Awkward much. Wiped my left hand up into a quick wave.

"Sweetie we haven't seen each other since you were little come here!" I sat down in between my uncle and aunt.

That's basically how the night went- talking to Uncle roger (but he prefer the rodge since uncle made him sound old) Aunt Cathy, Kari, Shaun. Until Coach Ry said I had to get my sleep for the race.

What! who needs sleep?

I had to wake up really early, which completely sucked but I my stomach couldn't wait to get out there. Taking a quick shower and putting on my gear which I have to say a lot of

people have criticized. The reason I wear and support snowboarding clothing. I say why not look good when I'm racing. The ski industry isn't top notch in their fashion.

So I put on my burton long underwear and top with my snowpants, I'd put my spandex suit on at the mountain. Threw on a RIDE sweatshirt put on my beanie and slightly tilted my polka dotted anon goggles on top of my beanie.

Like I said I'm different.

Meeting my coach at the lobby ate breakfast and were out of there.

We got to the mountain to find my cousin's, aunt and uncle talking.

I received a good luck hug from everyone and was off to practice with Coach ryan.

Coach mode is activated

I was feeling at the top of my game today, excited, nervous and wild all at the same time. I waited at the top by the gate listening to the announcers voices which included a real announcer along with an Oakley scout and other scouts including shaun. The crowd was cheering perfect just enough to get me pumped.

Shaun came over to sit by me on the bench.

"Don't sweat it you'll do great." his voice had the utmost amount of doubt in it.

"uhmm and aren't you supposed to be up in the hut there?."shook my head at his words of wisdom and loved the fact at how siblingly I was getting along with my cousin, if you didn't know we were cousin you'd swear my cousin's and I were siblings.

You could call that a good relationship. Sensing my nerves were kicking in he took his glove and placed on top my helmet gently shaking it.

"I love how brotherly you treat me." smiling up

"Well I love treating you like a lil' sister. But now you have to go to your thing." as I waited for the racer in front of me to go I saw shaun run all the way down the mountain to stand with everyone including charlotte.

Right before I went it was a custom coach ryan would lightly punch my arm but as for I would punch him in the arm with no mercy.

Standing up there waiting for the three beeps to sound I kept thinking calm down cara it's fine just have... fun yes fun!

That was it I got out of the gate kept going and going not making one fluke. until I flew through the finish line was when I got out of my tuck position, took off my goggles and popped of my ski's.

No it couldn't be! I somehow gotten choose to take my final run last out of all the competitors and what do you know I stomped it and won.

Before I could do anything I was tearing and holding my face with joy.

This was the race to get seen it was the race where the winner can get enough points to become pro-that had been my dream since I was 7.

Ryan had sprinted down the mountain and tackled my to the ground, both yelling like maniacs. Let go of my ski's rushed over to the fence to to spot the crew out, when kari jumped the banister along with everyone else. This was my family, god how good it is!

"I've never seen anyone go as fast as you did!" Rodge had said sounding stunned

"I've always had a need for speed."

I thanked everyone for coming out to see my race. Also I was relieved that at least some families understand how important this race Is in order to turn pro.

Before I had to talk to the manager of the race kari instructed that they were taking me out to dinner. Unfortunately ryan and charlotte had to go back to Basking ridge nj.

Coach and I walked over to the manager of the race and the news was incredible

"Ok I'm sure you understand these points in the armature circuit count a lot." I nodded my head a smiling wickedly.

"The information you have given me say that with this win the circuit does allow you to turn pro. The only problem is finding sponsors." the man handed me a certificate indicated a proposal, without asking ryan signed the paper and ryan knowing there was nothing else to discussed took the paper and handed to me.

Ugh what I monumental moment.\

Answering the mans question said "I'm not bothered by finding sponsors they'll come when there suppose too.

Handing ryan my equipment changed into what I had came in and wished ryan a good luck and I was left with the whites for 3 more weeks.

Driving to the restaurant was hectic noise every which way my camera flashing Kari's camera flashing .

What kids we are even though were 16,19,21 and 27.

At one moment in the car I flashed the paper proposal registering me as a professional slalom skier, which got many ohh and Ahh's and not to mention a lot of crazy faces next to it not to mention Shaun's famous 0 face .Kari and her camera.

Dinner ran smoothly and Cathy decided that kari should stay in my room considering I would be alone until we left for California.

We didn't get any sleep dealing with Shaun and jesse busting into our room and staying up all night until no one could function anymore and dropped like fly's we had switched bed at least 10 times but ended up shaun and me flopping on out stomachs facing kare and jess who were on their back and their head hanging off the bed.

Closing my eyes I made a memory by taking in the smell of the room and the people in the room and what had happend over the few days and soundly fell asleep