Free The Risk by Lauren Branford Page A

The bad news is that the cops immediately tell my mother and father. Knowing my parent’s wrath, I would rather go to jail than deal with them.
                  My mother starts to cry as soon as the cops show up with me at the front door. She bawls profusely until the officers leave, then her sorrow quickly falls away. She glares at me in disgust, and we argue loudly. It is the first time that I’ve raised my voice to her.
                  My father won’t have it. Instantly, he is on the phone, and discussing with someone from the church about sending me away to a program for troubled young adults. I need to get out of here as fast as possible.
                  For the next few days, I stay locked away inside of my room. I emerge to eat meals, but I avoid my parents’ disapproving glares. I don’t have a job and no plans for college other than a community school. My parents refuse to pay for anything that wasn’t a religious university, and I don’t want to conform to them. They pushed faith down my throat my entire life, and all that I want is to figure out things on my own. After all, my parents are the two most miserable people that I know; why would I want to live like them?
                  The next day, I decide to call my Aunt Kim. She’s my mother’s younger sister and, from what my mother says, Kim’s always been a “rebel”. Aunt Kim is a socialite who recently married a man who lives on the west coast. I always call her when I need help.
                  “You fucked some guy?” Kim laughs over the phone.
                  “I didn’t,” I explained, embarrassed. “We were fooling around though.”
                  “Why don’t you come live with us for the summer in Paradise Hills?” Kim suggests. “I have a lot of events coming up, but your new uncle, Marc, could use some help around his office when he gets back into town.”
                  “Are you serious?” I yell, excited.
                  “Of course, baby,” says Kim in her normal, cool tone.
                  “I don’t have money for the plane ticket, but I’ll pay you back with what I earn.”
                  “I think I owe you a graduation present,” says Kim. “You’ll love it out here and it would be so great to see you after all of these years– not to mention sticking it to my stiff of a sister.”
                  “Thank you!” I say, happily.
                  “And you’ll get to meet your new family member,” says Kim.
                  “A new family member?” I ask.
                  “Yep, I’m a stepmom now which makes you a cousin for the first time.”
                  “Great!” I should before we disconnect. I start to feel tingly all over as I anticipate my new adventure as an adult woman living in the high society of Paradise Hills.

The Mansion
     
                  I didn’t bother to ask my parents’ permission before leaving the next day. In a way, they seemed relieved that I left. I’m sure that they’ll tell the people at the church that I “went away”, indirectly leading others to believe that I’ve gone to that camp for bad girls.
                  Instead, I was on my way to a sunnier place along the beach. There, I’ll hang out with my new cousin, and she and I will be the best of friends. She’ll eagerly show me around the city in her car, kicking off my fun, new, free life.
                  As the plane touches the ground, I am so excited that I can hardly contain myself. The sun beams through my small window and I stand to follow the line of people out into the warm, June air.
                  I expect to see my Aunt Kim waiting for me in the terminal. However, as I look around, I don’t see a familiar face. Suddenly, my phone buzzes and I pull it from