Better Than Any Ride

Chapter 1

"What!" I screamed. "You're kidding right? Please tell me you're kidding." I begged looking at my father's broken face. He wasn't kidding. This wasn't a joke. My junior year and I would have to pack everything up and leave the only place I've ever known. The only friends I've ever known. "I'm sorry honey. You know how much I love you, but things aren't working out between your mother and I. We both agreed it was best to get a divorce." I stood in our kitchen staring at my father, correction the kitchen. This wasn't our house anymore. Nor was this my family. "There isn't anyway I can finish my last year here alone or something?" I asked pleading with my father to let me stay. There had to be a way. Right? "I'm afraid not. You have to either live with myself or your mother. But that is your choice, Claire." He spoke softly emphasizing my choice. I did have a choice. But either way I would be moving. My father was moving to a small town in Tennessee. What was it again? Oh, right. Samburg, Tennessee. And the person that brought me into this world was moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Talk about complete opposites. But no matter what I was not going with my birth mother. She didn't even deserve to be called my mother. Especially after everything that had happened. "I'm not living with that bitch." I muttered under my breath thinking my father couldn't hear. Wrong again. "Don't you dare speak about your mother that way young lady!" He snapped. Looks like I had hit a nerve, but he knew what she did to me. "I don't understand how you can stand up for her! You saw what she did to me! She beat me, and screamed at me, and blamed me for everything that happened! And now she's the one popping pills and drinking alcohol like it's nothing! Are you that god damn blind?" I screamed, shocked at how he could have turned on me. But I wasn't done. She had fucked up my life by fucking up her's and I wasn't going to stand for it. "She fucking cheated on you! In your own bed, in your own house while you were at work and I was locked up in my bedroom. She cheated on you and then had sex with you that night with no regrets! So sorry for thinking she doesn't deserve to be called my mother!" I screamed as I stormed out of the house. I slammed the screen door closed behind me as I marched down our road towards the small creek by our neighbors house. "I'll expect you to be packed and in my truck by one o'clock this afternoon." He said through gritted teeth as I walked away and left him standing on the porch all alone. If he wants to play hard ball, then I'll play hard ball.

Cause I'm not backing down. No matter what. Period.