The principal's office was eerily silent as Samantha James felt the eyes of her parents and the principal on her. She could care less though since she knew that the "victim" started the fight anyways, so why couldn't they just interrogate the other person?

Samantha was seventeen and in her senior year. She was leggy, which made her appear taller than she really was, with blonde hair that had purple and magenta dyed tips and blue-green eyes, wearing what could be best described as street clothes.

"You're VERY familiar with the school's disciplinary actions, Miss James. Is that correct?" the principal asked.

"Uh…maybe?" Samantha said.

"Disrespectful," the principal said while shaking his head. "For the past several years you've been at this high school, you've done the following: insubordination, aggressive behavior, picking fights, foul language, and smoking."

"We had her quit the beginning of this year." Lilian, Samantha's mother, said.

"Thanks for reminding me, mom…" Samantha said, groaning.

"Mrs. James, your daughter's behavior is a serious issue. She picks fights with other students and severed her relationships with both students and teachers," the principal said.

This is all bullshit! Samantha thought.

"Samantha, actions have consequences. You should know that by now. You leave me no choice…you are expelled." the principal said.

"What?!" Lillian asked in shock.

Samantha shrugged as she and her parents left the school. They arrived at the car as Arthur, her father, turned towards her with a look of disapproval.

"Sam, your mother and I need to talk to you." he said.

"I honestly don't care, dad." Samantha said while crossing her arms. "I need the space."

"Don't be so disrespectful, Samantha!" Arthur said.

"Listen to your father." Lillian said to her daughter.

"Don't you realize how serious this is, Sam? Losers get themselves kicked out of school for their stupidity." Arthur said.

Samantha rolled her eyes at this while Lilian said, "You gave up an important opportunity to become successful. You're basically throwing away your future!"

"There's nothing wrong with not having a job or being in college, mom." Samantha said.

"Just get in the car, Sam. Your mother and I have to discuss something." Arthur said.

Samantha groaned and got inside the car. Things couldn't get any worse, could it?

Once they arrived home, she decided to get away from her parents for a bit by going out to the front porch to read. Samantha had no idea why, but she had always enjoyed reading, finding it as an escape from the horrors and annoyances of society.

She was about to turn to the next page of her book when she saw her parents standing there, her father rolling a suitcase near her chair.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"You have two choices, Sam. You either be sent away or you stay here and go to juvie." Arthur said.

"You're seriously sending me away? Nice one, guys…" Samantha said with a scoff.

"No, Sam. We're serious." Lilian said.

"So, who am I living with?" Samantha asked.

"You'll be with your half-brother, Zack Shelby, who lives in Oregon. Your mother called him to come pick you up." Arthur said. "We're doing this to help you."

"I don't need any help, dad. You know that I'm super independent." she said.

Her parents turned towards each other and sighed before Lilian turned to her daughter and said, "Zack should be here any minute now."

Samantha shook her head and placed her book in her suitcase. They truly WERE sending her away…

After what felt like an eternity to her, she saw a car drive up into the driveway before turning towards her parents.

"That's your ride, Sam." Arthur said before handing her the suitcase.

"Be sure to have a good drive and get along well with your brother." Lilian said as she and her husband watched their daughter walk towards the car.

Not even a "we'll miss you" or "we love you"? Figures that they're still mad at me. Samantha thought as she placed her suitcase in the car before taking a seat in the front passenger seat.

"Hey, Sam! It's been a long time." Zack said, watching her get in the car.

"It sure has been…I can't even remember what we talked about." Samantha said with a hint of bitterness in her voice while he started driving.

"So, mom and dad kicked you out, huh?"

"Yeah, I got expelled for some stupid fight that I didn't even start, not to mention all the other crap I did in the past."

"That sucks." Zack said.

"Tell me about it. My parents can be such a pain, you know?" Samantha asked.

"I don't mean to sound like a broken record compared to mom and dad, but you don't always have to fight people."

"I know, they always tell me how lame it is that I tend to fight people…at least, I get some badass battle scars out of it."

She gestured to the faint scar on her cheek as Zack laughed at the last comment before saying, "Another thing I'd like you to do is get a makeover. You dress like you came off the streets, which is a shame since you're so pretty, and I think you would look better without the dyed hair tips. I can pay for it all if you want. "

"Thanks, I guess…" Samantha said.

"We'll get your hair cut and get you a new outfit tomorrow. How about that?"

"Meh, whatever."

Soon enough, they arrived in Oregon and drove into White Pine Bay.

"Wait, you actually live in this small town?" Samantha asked while looking at her surroundings.

"Well, yeah, I'm the deputy here." Zack said.

"Isn't it weird how I'm some delinquent and you're a cop?"

"A little, but I'm going to help you get out of that ditch of aggressive rebellion."

Samantha let out an exasperated sigh and gazed out the window for the rest of the drive until Zack pulled up to his house. He stopped the car, stepping out with her and grabbing her suitcase while handing it over.

She noticed a creepy, gothic looking house in the distance nearby and raised an eyebrow at this. It looked so out of place compared to the rest of the town, but she didn't question it as she dragged her suitcase into Zack's home.

"Make yourself at home, sis. I'll be on duty tonight, so while I'm gone, maybe you can go out and make some friends. There's this party tonight that I have to stop by midnight." Zack said as he gave her a wink. "Another thing I would like to mention is to NOT go in the basement while I'm gone. It got flooded last month and it's taking forever to get the water out."

"Whatever." Samantha said with a shrug before taking her suitcase upstairs.

She went over into the guest room that was now her room and began unpacking. What could possibly happen in a small town like this?