Miss Taken

Prologue-Cheetah Powers

Prologue

"Lauryn!"

"What, Mom?!" I shouted back.

"We're leaving now!"

I sighed and stood up. My mother and father were taking my two younger siblings, Allie and Logan, on a cruise. As can be imagined, I was not very happy about this because I wasn't going. Yes, my parents were taking my siblings on a cruise for a week and I wasn't invited to come because "school work is very important and we can't have you slacking off, young lady, even though your little siblings can because they're too adorable to ever do anything wrong."

Now that, my dear friends, is what I call favoritism.

I walked down the hall to the living room where they were all waiting with various items. Logan was holding his iPod, Mom a purse, Dad a backpack, and Allie a pillow.

That's right, I thought, because they're actually going to get to sleep and party while I stay here and slave over my homework late into the night. Yep, that's fair.

"We're leaving now, darling," Mom said. My mother was tall woman with short blonde hair and brown eyes. She was a pretty typical mom. She was strict, overprotective, terrible, and like a hawk watching your every movement, but she was also kind, loving, generous, and a wonderful woman. That, I believe, is a pretty thorough explanation for a mother.

"Okay," I said without moving. "Have fun."

She sighed, giving me a hug. "Dear, I know you want to come, but it was your choice to stay and keep up your grades."

Okay, that is true. But my choice was not to stay. My choice was to move the cruise to the next week which was Christmas Break, but no.

"It's okay, Mom," I said. "I know it was my choice."

She smiled. "I love you. See you next week!"

"See you," I said with a fake smile.

"Kids, give your sister a hug goodbye," Dad told them. Allie and Logan came over and gave me a quick hug each. Logan was eleven with brown hair and blue eyes. He took more after my dad. He didn't look away from his game the once while I was in there.

Allie was thirteen with brown hair and the same eyes as my mother. She looked as though she were more interested in the pillow than me. I don't know why but my siblings and don't get along. I mean, I know we're siblings but seriously.

My dad came over and gave me a bear hug. "I love you, Laur. Keep the doors locked and call Grandma if you need anything."

I nodded. "Okay, I will. Love you."

And with that they packed up their things and were gone.

Well not actually gone. They were just pulling out of the driveway, but I didn't bother to wave. I sat down on the couch and pulled out my phone. No new messages.

I sighed and looked around the room. It was getting late. The sun had already set and it was about 7:30. My parents always started trips late at night so the kids could sleep on the way there. I, being fifteen, had perfected the teenage skill of being able to sleep anywhere at anytime long ago, but Allie and Logan were still learning it.

With nothing else to do, I decided to get ready for bed. After my typical bedtime routine, I went back into the explosion of junk that is called my room.

Yes, though I may seem like the neat type, my bedroom is still a disaster most of the time. Every so often I do actually clean it and for about three days I will let people come into it, and then for several weeks afterward it is off limits unless you wish to die of suffocation. My cat, Cleopatra, was resting on top of one of the particularly impressive piles. She glanced up at me when I entered and then lay her head back down. My cat and I have kind of a love-hate relationship-without the love part.