Kiss, but don't tell.

Prologue.

"Stop!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Get OFF me!" I kicked furiously, aiming for whatever I could make contact with.

Spencer and Mitchell kept their hold on me, cackling, as they tried forcing me into the dryer that was in our laundry room. I ignored the sharp pain that crept its way through the back of my head as it collided with the top, and held back the tears that I wanted to let fall. 

"MOM! DAD!" I yelled as loud as my 14 year old lungs would allow me.

I knew it was useless. I knew that neither of them were home. They were both at work. But a part of me had hoped that maybe, just maybe, one would come home early. While my parents were at work, my brother, Spencer, and his stupid best friend, Mitchell, watched me. Things like this happened. They were both older than me by three years, so they had much more power over me. 

Finally the tears fell. 

"Oh shit. Are...are you CRYING?" Mitchell asked as I waled. 

"Dude, let's go." Spencer said, quickly, dropping me. 

Both of the boys hurriedly ran out of the room and up the stairs, leaving me with my back on the ground and my bottom half in the dryer. I rubbed my eyes, still letting sighs and whimpers escape my throat. I stood up, dusting myself off and sighed once more before retreating to my bedroom.

I waited upstairs until I heard the door open. Finally, my mother was home. I flew out my bedroom door and ran down to my mother. She smiled down at me, holding hands with my dad. She looked as if she was a small child, attempting to keep a secret.

Why was my dad home early?

"Honey, Baby." She grinned.

No, Baby WASN'T a term of endearment. Baby was my actual name. My mother must have been too drugged up after giving birth that she couldn't think of any others. I don't mind it much. I kinda like the originality. 

"We have something to tell you." She smiled even bigger.

"You'll be just as excited." My dad said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I wanted to rat out my brother and his friend, but now I was curious. What was this about?

"So, you know how Mommy and Daddy work? Well, we were given a wonderful opportunity. But only for one member of our family." She looked over at Dad before finishing. "I think you should be the one to do it. Spencer already has his plan for what he's going to do in life. And I think this would look good for any colleges you try and apply too when you're older. I know it probably doesn't matter now, but you'll thank us."

"What?" I asked.

"We've been offered a chance for one person in our family to travel to a different continent, and live with another family. They'd get to understand and embrace someone elses culture." She grinned.

"I don't want to embrace anyones culture?" I said. 

"It's in Austrailia." She finished off, as if that would change my mind.

"Mom...I don't want to go." I said. "Why would I leave behind my friends and my family? My school? Especially to go live with strangers..." 

My dad looked over at her nervously, then back down at me.

My mother kept a smile plastered on her face before setting a hand on my shoulder. "Well, honey...I wasn't asking. I've already accepted the opportunity and filled out the paperwork for it. You better go get your things packed. You're leaving in a few days, Baby. It's a 4 year trip." 

And I knew she wasn't doing it for my future.

She was doing it to make herself look good and glamorous.

My dad simply looked at me with sad eyes, and I shrugged it away.

If he wasn't doing anything to help his only daughter, then we didn't exactly stand where I thought we did. I was only fourteen, and I was being hoisted off to another continent? For FOUR years? 

I looked at my parents once more, before heading off to go pack.