Distant

"Skyler James, this behaviour is unacceptable! What do you have to say for yourself?" Mrs Hillingdon screeched. Skyler had been through this moment many times before and had used up almost all the excuses in her book.
"I-I had to. His friends were bullying me-"
"You've used that excuse before!" Mrs Hillingdon cut Skyler off before she could finish her sentence. She merely just rolled her eyes and let the old hag talk.

In a family with only one real parent and a life where blood stains her bed sheets, Skyler James has no way out. Bullied at school, abused at home, her life really had no escape. Her only way out would be with her mother, but her mother refused to leave her father as she knew that he would not rest until he had Skyler in his custody, which would mean certain death for anyone in his way.
Another way out would be to run, of course, and Skyler knew the perfect person to help her, Austin Peters, her best friend. Austin also had problems at home, but not nearly as bad, yet he still wanted to run away from it.

Maybe Skyler's life has a possibility of freedom, maybe it doesn't. I guess you'll just have to find out.