I've decided to delete the original story and rewrite the chapters. As I finish reworking a chapter, I will republish the revamped version. Here's the first one, Hope you like it! R&R please! xx

Chapter 1: Foot Chases & California Mansions

My legs hit the ground faster and harder as I increased my running speed. I chose the time to look behind me and sure enough the cop was still chasing me. Come on, give a girl a break! I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Okay, maybe I wasn't but still!

I wasn't really planning on getting thrown in jail tonight so the only thing I could think of was to run. So I did. You'd think he'd be able to catch me, a seventeen year old girl but nope. He was too full from all the donuts that he ate. I on the other hand have had nothing to eat all day. I wanted a donut now.

I looked behind me again and he was closing in on me. While I was ranting about donuts in my head I hadn't realized I was slowing down…and I didn't see the giant tree root sticking out of the ground, until I face planted into the sidewalk. I got up, as quickly as I could, putting all my weight on my wrist and hand to get up. I must have sprained it while tripping like an idiot because it hurt like hell to move it or put any kind of pressure on it. My ankle must have been sprained too since I couldn't run as fast as before because of my limping. I'm so going to jail tonight was my only thought as I was tackled to the ground. The cop pushed me down on my stomach and cuffed me. I groaned at the weight he was applying on me to keep me on the ground.

"What's your name?" he asked me. I turned my head to the side to look at him. His name tag read Gonzalez. He was maybe in his early forties with graying black hair and wrinkles were starting to show up on his face. He was pudgy, like a stereotypical police officer.

"Rose," I spat. I hated cops.

"Why'd you run, Rose?"

"It was either fight or flight. I figured flight was best." I said sarcastically.

"Got any weapons or drugs?" He narrowed his eyes but didn't respond to my comment.

"Why don't you check for yourself Gonzalez?" I didn't want to say it out loud. I knew it was wrong. I knew I shouldn't be toting a gun or drugs but hell; it was the only way to have a roof over my head and food in my stomach since mother dearest didn't seem to care at all.

Gonzalez sighed and stared to pat my pockets. He pulled out my iPhone, the screen cracked, either from my fall or being tacked to the ground, I didn't know. Next were my driver's license and a sandwich bag that was definitely not holding a turkey sandwich. The cop threw it all away from us, my phone making a loud cracking sound as soon as it hit the ground. I shouted out a 'hey', but he ignored me, continuing on with searching me. He roughly pulled me up using my arm to do so. The cop started patting down the rest of me. When he got to my waist he lifted up my shirt up a little to grab the silver hand gun I stashed between the waistband of my jeans and my stomach. His face was expressionless as he put the gun down on the ground after checking if the safety was on and before I knew it I was being pushed, hard, into the ground.

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can be held against you…" I tuned the pig out. I had memorized the Miranda rights already; I didn't need to hear it anymore. Sighing, I realized mother dearest really wouldn't be happy having to come bail me out of jail again. A police cruiser pulled up next to us and I was all but thrown into the back of the car and they took me to jail.

…

"Why Rosemarie? Why can't you just stay out of trouble for once?" Janine all but screamed at me as we walked out of the police station. I sighed. I heard this more than I heard the Miranda rights.

"Because," I dragged the word out. "Mother, you don't do shit. I have to be able to pay the rent or we'd be out on the streets." My voice gradually changed from calm to an almost growl by the end. No matter what I did I'd never be good in her eyes. I'd never be anything more than a disappointment to her. It's why I stopped trying to please her. I started doing whatever I could to make sure I was okay.

"Check your attitude, Rose." She dropped her scream down to a growl, almost matching mine. A few years ago that would have affected me but not anymore. "I'm so happy I don't have to deal with you anymore." I stopped walking. I stared at her. What?!

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I don't have to deal with your attitudes anymore. I don't have to come bail you out of jail any more. It means—"

"It means you're coming to live with me." Standing next to my mother's car was a man I haven't seen in years. His hair was the same dark brown as mine, only graying just near his ears. His eyes, that were covered by sun glasses, I didn't have to see to know were the same brown as mine. He was wearing his signature suits, a gray one today, with a pink button up and a flashy hot pink scarf around his neck. A gold earring was sparkling in the sun. As my mother and I walked closer he pushed his sunglasses up his head, pushing some of his hair back. My father was here.

"I'm not coming to live with you old man," I stated. He laughed loudly.

"Little girl, you amuse me. You think you have a choice." My eyes widened. I turned to my mother.

"How could you?!" She rolled her eyes at me. "It's my last year! I'll be eighteen in a few months!"

"Seven months is hardly a few. But even so, you're still seventeen and until you're eighteen I'm still responsible for you." My mother said.

"Responsible for me?! When have you ever been responsible?!" Her eyes narrowed but before she could respond, Abe, my father spoke up.

"Enough. You're packing your things and leaving with me. You'll be attending St. Vladimir's Academy in California and that's final."

"You haven't been in my life for years and now all of a sudden you're trying to tell me what to do? That's hi—"

"Enough!" Abe growled, interrupting me. He's never yelled at me so it quickly shut me up. I didn't say anything as I walked to the backseat of my mother's green Honda. I slammed the door closed and after I buckled up I crossed my arms over my chest and stared straight ahead. I didn't talk to either one of them as Abe drove us back to our home—my old home.

When we got there I got out of the car and walked into the apartment and into my room, slamming the door closed. I plopped down on my bed, closing my eyes.

"Start packing Rosemarie, you're leaving in two hours!" I heard my mother's muffled voice. I screamed, not caring that I was acting like a twelve year old. I got up off my bed and I started packing.

…

Janine didn't even come to the airport with me and Abe to see me off, not that I expected it but still. The ride to the airport was awkward but neither Abe nor me did anything to change it. The flight from Montana to California was just like the car ride to the airport. The plane wasn't silent but Abe and I were.

California was humid. As soon as we went through customs and left the airport, my skin was sticky and my hair was frizzy. I was only in a pair of acid wash skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a pair of worn out black converses and I was sweating bullets by the time we got to his car. My eyes widened when I saw what it was.

"You own a Range Rover?" It was the first time speaking to him and it surprised Abe. He didn't say anything for a few seconds before he smiled and nodded his head.

The black Range Rover was shiny and clean. The windows were slightly tinted but I could see the black leather seats. It was beautiful.

"I own a few," My eyes, if possible, got even wider. "I know I'm surprised too. What with having to always pay your fines and bail you out of jail all the time." Well, way to ruin my mood old man. My eyes narrowed and I stalked to the passenger seat before getting in, him following suit and getting in the driver's seat and starting the Rover before we started driving. After a few minutes, I finally realized what Abe had said.

"Wait, it was you who always paid the bail?" I looked at him and he nodded.

"Your mother…she said it was the least I could do since I was never around." I snorted.

"She lays the guilt on strong doesn't she?"

"You learned from the best," I didn't say anything to him, knowing he was right. I turned in my seat to look out the back of the Range Rover and almost smiled at the large, white letters spelling out LAX.

Los Angeles…I couldn't believe he lived in LA.

"I didn't know, Rose. I didn't know." I knew what he was talking about. When he drove me and Janine back home I could see it in his face. The apartment building was falling apart and the apartment itself was in bad condition but even "running the streets" I couldn't get enough money to pay for anything better. Abe's face went from shock to disgust and anger to what I thought was guilt. I may not have seen this man in a few years but I knew when he was being truthful. He didn't know.

"If I knew…" I shook my head.

"I was the one working for everything. Without me, she wouldn't have any extra cash to support her alcohol problem. I'm surprised she even wanted me gone."

"I didn't know she was that bad. Every time we spoke, she sounded fine…the both of you sounded fine."

"It's the past now. I'm still mad at you though." Abe laughed and nodded his head. The topic was too depressing to talk about anymore so I changed it. "So old man, considering you have a 'few' Range Rovers, you gotta have a nice house, right?" Abe smirked and told me 'you'll see'.

And boy, did I see alright.

The house was extravagant, if you could even call it a house. It was a mansion. You could fit maybe ten or more of the apartment I lived in, in just the house itself.

The paved driveway leading up to the house was long and lined with trees on either side a few feet apart. The "front yard" on either side of the driveway was about as long and wide as a football field. The grass was recently mowed it looked like. Getting to the house finally, Abe drove through the roundabout, a large water fountain in the middle gave it the I'm-rich-so-I can-put-anything-I want-in-the-middle-of-my-driveway feel. It was flashy and it was so Abe. The house was too.

The outside of the house was a nice crème color with a subtle yellow tint to it. The two story house had giant windows in the front and just from the small glances inside those windows I knew the inside was just as flashy if not more.

Abe put the car in park and then turned it off and hopped out. He walked to the trunk and pulled out my suitcases. I didn't have much, just clothing and toiletries and a few pictures. He grabbed one, a large black duffle bag and handed me the smaller black one with the wheels. I rolled my eyes. I could have easily carried the duffle bag and I was irked that he gave me the smaller one. I was going to say as much before I heard a door open and someone call my name.

"Rosie," I turned around to where the voice came from and I smiled.

"Uncle Pavel," Pavel was Abe's older half brother by just a few years. His black hair was graying just like Abe's and he had wrinkles near his brown eyes that were just barely covered by his glasses. The only similarity him and Abe shared was their tan skin.

Pavel walked to us, enveloping me in a hug. He was at least a head taller than me and when he hugged me he pulled me off the ground. I laughed the first real laugh I had in a while. I haven't seen my uncle in years; it's been even longer than Abe. He looked older but he was still the same silly but when it was necessary, serious man he always was.

"It's been a long time," he let go of me and stepped back. I nodded in response. Abe greeted Pavel and then motioned me inside the house.