Chapter 1
"Right honey now are you sure you really want to go" my father said as I finished zipping up my last blue suitcase.
"Yes dad" I replied trying to be as nice as possible. Truth be told as of last year I hated my father for what he had put my mother and the rest of my family through.
He had done the unthinkable. My mum and the rest of us being me and my brothers Michael and Sam had come home one late evening to hear strange noises coming from my parents room. We all decided to go and investigate not realising the horror that awaited us. We found my dad Carol in bed with his best friend's wife Carmel. We all stood there in shock before my mum broke down in tears and ran from the room with Sam following trying to console her. Both Michael and I just stood there stunned as we both knew that there had been trouble in the marriage for some time but never expected anything like this.
"You bastard" Michael shouted moving towards my father to no doubt give him a piece of his mind. Before I suddenly yanked him and pulled him back.
"Michael no, don't go to his level". Michael looked at me with realisation and hugged me tightly before leaving the room to find mum and to see what he could do to help.
"Teegan" my dad tried sound apologetic.
"Don't" I hissed "just don't, you have succeeded in destroying this family" "I hope your happy". I then left the room before he could think of an excuse. Leaving him in there with his mistress.
I found my poor mum being comforted by her sons,
"O mum" I said hugging her.
"I can't take this any longer" "I want out, we are leaving and I will go to the court house and take care of divorce proceedings tomorrow"
"Okay" we all agreed as she deserved to get her freedom from this scumbag.
Over the next few days my mum began divorce proceedings. We were shocked to find out that she would be losing a lot of money in it. Meaning we couldn't afford to keep the house in Phoenix and there was a high chance I would have to sell my beloved horse Mac. My mum then told us that we were moving back to her home town of Santa Carla where my granddad still lived and Mac would follow. This left me with a decision. Since Michael had graduated last year and Sam was only beginning High school they did not have to worry about transferring in the end since I only had one short year left I made the decision to stay behind and finish here while they went to Santa Carla. It was really tough saying goodbye but I knew it was the best and would hopefully see them soon. However my luck soon changed when I realised that I now had to move in with my dad and his new mistress. She turned out to be a right bitch who spend her time belittling me. I just decided that since I only had one year I would avoid confrontation and keep away from home as much as possible. I did this by keeping up with my hobbies.
Finally I graduated with honours and settled on finally getting out of here and back to the family that loved me. I had been in contact and Mike agreed to collect me in mum's truck at the airport.
Right now as I was just finishing packing. My dad turned to me once again.
"Are you sure you want this?"
"I want this, love you dad" I said trying to be convincing as I really did hate him for all the shit he put my family through in the last two years.
"alright, let's get you to the airport" he sighed as we walked to the front door and past his bitch of a mistress Carol. She sneered at me and we both agreed that we were glad to be out of each other's faces. As we were driving I couldn't help but think of all the things I would miss. Things like my drama company and dance classes all of which consisted of the best people I knew and my karate class.
Since I had pulled a ligament in my knee the year before I had to stop karate meaning losing my world karate champion title. It was devastating but I had no choice. I planned one day to return to all my activities when the time was right. Thank god Mac would be joining me in Santa Carla in a few months once my instructor found the right time to bring him up or I would have lost it. He really was my everything. Luckily we could afford to have him as granddad had the land we needed.
I couldn't help but let a tear roll down my cheeks as I would miss all my friends and coaches terribly but I knew I was making the right decision as for one I couldn't stand to be in the same room as Carol for another year much less another day or even hour.
For those of you who don't know me. My name is Teegan Emerson. You might look at me and go well Teegan is a unusual name but I liked it. Teegan is welsh for beautiful and creative which suited me. As I loved nothing more than being creative by drawing or writing in my journal to performing in plays and dance shows on stage. I was 5 foot 3 and a half and had green eyes and brown straight hair and a young sixteen year old. My hobbies include drama, dance and karate as well as horse riding. I am a high achiever and always push myself to be the best.
In drama I am part of the American Youth theatre. Which is a performing arts company for teens between the ages of 14 to 25. We have preformed not only at home but abroad which included winning the world championship last year. My branch operated in Phoenix while other braches operated all over the country. We on average but on five big shows a year and I had been with this mad bunch for the last three years and loved every minute of it. I hopefully planned to transfer into the branch in Santa Carla and pick up where I left off.
My dance started when I was four doing ballet. I then changed once I was old enough to street dance. which was hip hop cross break dancing since I found ballet boring. I had since toured nationally with the Phoenix School of Dance and loved it. I hoped to also continue that hobby once I arrived in Santa Carla.
My third hobby was karate. I began training at the tender age of six and earned my black belt at the age of nine. I then began competing and won my first national championship at the age of nine also and won my first world title at the age of eleven. I have won every world since and if it had not been for a devastating ligament in my knee I would no doubt have won this year's worlds . Forcing me to not only cease going for another world title but to stop training all together. It was heart breaking. I hopefully planned to return in the next year depending on how my injury coped.
My final hobby and most expensive was my horse riding. I had loved horses since I was a baby girl. I began riding at the tender age of five and since then had been lucky enough to get my very own amazing horse in the last year.
My beautiful, clever boys was an adorable 16.2, strawberry roam Irish Sports Horse called Mac. He was the light of my life and couldn't wait for him to join me in Santa Carla. Since I had gotten Mac we had won nearly every competition we had entered which included the Young Rider North American Championships. I loved my boy dearly and knew I would miss him terribly while I waited for him to join me. That was basically what my life revolved around all my activities and my family.
I was the proud only daughter of Lucy and Carl Emerson and am the middle child. I have one older brother Michael and a younger brother Sam both of whom I'm close to and missed like hell along with my mother. I was so relieved to be returning back to my real family who I had kept in contact with regularly and no longer living with this hag.
I was pulled from my thoughts by my dad parking in the airport parking lot and getting my luggage from the boot. We then headed. I luckily didn't take long to sort of my luggage and get checked in as there wasn't much of a queue. Before long I was about to go through the starting gate and onto the next stage of my life's adventure.
"Well I guess this is it" my dad said sadly.
"It is" I replied determined to go through that gate and to my amazing family.
"I guess I'll see you kiddo" he said giving m a hug. I hugged him back and turned to the gate walking through without once looking back. I climbed aboard the plane and got settled, ready to begin my life in Santa Carla.
I quickly fell asleep afterwards and awoke to hear the caption say we were about to land. I gathered my things and sat back, waiting to land. When we finally touched down I exited the plane with the other passengers desperate to see my brother. We entered the foyer of the airport and there stood my brother. I couldn't help but run at him. He laughed and hugged me back before taking some of my bags and leading me out to the truck. We then jumped in and headed for home. We chatted about our lives and about how much we missed each other in the last year. Mike explained to me that there had been a big revelation but wouldn't tell me what it was.
Then all of a sudden Michael became quiet almost as if he was deep in thought.
"Mike what's wrong" I said. He sighed and looked at me before returning his gaze to the road once again.
"Teegan let's just say that there has been a big incident with some very dangerous people in that last few months". That made my head sank as where these people threatening to harm my family.
"These people and our family have come to an agreement..."
"Phew!" I breathed seeing that it was likely to mean that my family was out of danger. However Michael's face didn't soften when he told me this.
"But there is a catch" he said lowly
"What is it?" I whispered needing to know if my family was safe.
"We had to make an agreement which we really didn't want to make but had no choice or they would kill us all"
"Mike what was the agreement?"
"They somehow found out that I had another sibling meaning you and demand now that I hand you over to them". My blood ran cold as he was telling me he was going to hand me over as a prize.
"Listen Teegan they have sworn to me that they will not make you do anything you do not wish to do and will take care of you" "You will still get to see us but you won't be living with us"
"Michael this is insane, how could you?" I yelled not believing that I was being given to some people as a treasure.
"Teegan we had no choice, would you rather have come to Santa Carla only to be slaughtered very soon afterwards with us all." That made me realise that Michael was serious, that this was not some sick joke.
"When do I leave"
"Tomorrow night, we are meeting them at a motorcycle shop outside of town". I then rested my head against the window and tried to drift off to sleep while trying to gather my head around such a thing. I eventually fell asleep while Michael drove us home only a home that would not be mine for very long.
When Michael and I finally arrived both mum and Sam where on the couch waiting for me. As I got out of the car they both came and hugged me. However they must have sensed the atmosphere as mum said,
"Mike told you?"
"Yes"
"Listen honey I wish there was another way but these men will look after you and we are only a phone call away"
"I know" I mumbled while Mike carried my stuff inside. Grandpa seemed nowhere to be found but I didn't ask as I didn't feel like dealing with him right now, having been just informed that I was been handed to some guys to keep my family safe. I just ate a quick snack and went to bed as I wasn't hungry.
As I lay there in bed I just hoped that these men where nice and treated me well. Finally I succumbed to sleep wondering what was ahead of me.
I was woken up the next morning by mum knocking on my door saying that breakfast was ready. I got up and dressed and headed down for breakfast. After breakfast and throughout the rest of the day I hung out with Sam reading comic and catching up. Time flew by as before I knew it Mike was standing at my door with the truck keys in his hand. Telling me that it was time to be handed over. I slowly rose and hugged both Sam and my mum who had come into the room only moments before. I then grabbed my stuff and placed it in the truck, climbing in beside Michael to begin a journey I thought I would never take. Michael then pulled out of the drive way and we set of to meet my fate.
