Annie's PoV

I was laying down on my bed when it started. My mom and my step dad were arguing again. I knew stealing the necklace was too much, but it was really pretty. It complimented the bracelet I took from the jewelry store last Wednesday. Anyway, it was probably going to be another five minutes of arguing about what they were going to do with me before they called me down to hand out my punishment. I hated that about them. Sure I know I probably deserved it, I mean I did steal the jewelry, but the only time they ever talked to me or about me was when I did something wrong. Even if it wasn't about me stealing or pulling a prank on someone, they would ignore me unless it was to yell at me about my grades. Honestly! My step siblings get worse grades than me, and they get to go out on weekends and ice cream every night for dessert. They could steal my mom's make up, and they would still be the golden children! Whatever, it wasn't like I cared anymore anyway. There was nothing I could do about them only seeing me as a disappointment.

I pulled out my iPod and started scrolling through the list until I found the song I was looking for and blasted it through my headphones. Three Little Birds from Shark Tales could be heard across the room from my headphones, but I didn't care. I was only focused on ignoring the angry voices downstairs, my own thoughts, and my feelings that wouldn't stay down.

Halfway through the song, the headphones were ripped from my ears, and my step dad started screaming at me. "Annie, how dare you tarnish the family honor with your thievery? You have dishonored your mother, me, and your siblings! What do you have to say for yourself?"

I couldn't stand it anymore. I completely lost my mind. I stood up and faced my step dad before yelling back, "I can't 'tarnish the family honor,'" I made quotations in the air, "if I don't have a family now can I? Ever since you got here, I was kicked out of the 'family.' If you really hate me that much, then just tell me!"

At that point, my mom decided to burst into my room, slamming the door shut behind her. "Annie Maria Cortez!" I flinched at the sound of my full name. "Why are you disrespecting your father? You have been nothing but ungrateful and disrespectful since he came into our lives! What has gotten into you? Why are you stealing shit that isn't yours?"

"He is not my father!" I screamed, pointing at the man beside me. "And maybe I would be a little more respectful if he actually cared about me and wasn't yelling at me all of the time! He always turns everything that happens in this house against me even when I didn't do it! He has given me nothing to be grateful for. He ruined my life!"

"¡Ay dios mio! How have I ruined your life? You're the one who hasn't given your mother any honor or respect. You should be happy for your mother! Not every man would want to be with a woman who already has a child you ungrateful brat! You're lucky I took you guys in!" My step father yelled.

"Is this what it's been about? The fact that I don't have a father because he left before I was born? I had no control over that! Why are you hating me over something my dad did?" I was even more furious now than I was before. I should have known it was about my dad. Everything has always been about my dad. The reason my mom wasn't happy. The reason why my step dad had a "shitty life and a disrespectful step daughter." The reason why my step siblings learned to hate me. If I didn't spend so much time trying to defend him in order to defend my own existence, I probably would hate him too.

"You better apologize right now young lady!" My mom yelled at me. I only shook my head. "I'm not apologizing for something that wasn't my fault, and I'm not apologizing for stating the truth."

What happened next sent me over the edge. It would have been one thing if it was my mom, but no. It was the man that dared to call himself my step dad. He smacked me across the face, and before either of them could start yelling at me again, I ran out of the room, down the stairs, and out the front door. There was no way I would ever go back. Thinking back on it, I probably should have taken a few essentials like food and weapons and other such tools, but I was in too much of a hurry to try and plan for my future survival out in the wilderness. Also, even if I had prepared for this new course of my life, I would never have been prepared for what I was about to encounter next.

Thanks to anyone who has read this far. I hope to get one more chapter done tonight in order to introduce all of the new main characters. I hope you have a great night!