1 Chapter 1

Tara

"Joseph! What have I ever done to you?  I never made your life miserable.  This is so ridiculous!"

Leilani and I stopped sorting our books immediately. Why was Pa yelling? He has never yelled to anyone in his life. His voice made us tremble for a moment. And who was Joseph? That name seemed familiar.

"Didi,  should we go down to see if everything is okay?" I could see tears running down my sister's cheeks.  I nodded and we got out of our study and walked downstairs.

"You gained attention all the time.  Everywhere you go,  I hear your praises! Did you know it was annoying for me?  You destroyed the fame I once had."

That voice must be Joseph's and it came from the living room.  Leilani held my hand tightly as we walked there.  I got the biggest shock of my life when I saw who Joseph was.  He was my father's schoolmate and father of my enemy,  Xander Lee. I saw Ma standing by Pa,  unable to do anything.  Joseph switched his attention from Pa to Leilani and I with his black eyes,  giving me a very evil smirk.

" So,  you must be Tara.  My son tells me a lot about you. About all the trouble you gave him,  just like what Jay, your Pa, did to me!"

What?!  Xander said that?  I didn't do anything to him.  He was the one who would beat hw up or yell at me in school.  I stayed where I was. How dare he said that?

"Joseph,  keep Tara our of this.  She's just a 15 year old." I could hear Pa saying. He was getting really mad now.

"YOU made me miserable all my life. Your daughter did the same to my son.  Do you think you will escape from me, Jay? " Right after he said that  he aimed his gun  at me and said, "Goodbye,  baby doll. "

He pulled the trigger and a loud bang was heard.  'I an going to die,' I thought to myself.  I heard a scream and opened my eyes.  To my horror,  Ma dodged the bullet and ended up being shot.  She fell unconscious on the floor,  blood oozing out of her wound.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Pa roared as he pounced on Joseph. Leilani and I stood by Ma,  starting to shed our tears.

"Tara,  Leilani!  Run away from here.  Go somewhere safe.I can't stop him. Don't worry about me.  I will be watching you from above with your mother."

"But, Pa. We don't want to leave you."

Then, I felt someone holding my hand.  I turned around and realised that it was my mother. She was still alive! "Tara,  take Leilani with you. Run away to somewhere safe. Just promise you will remember your father and me forever."

"We promise." Leilani and I said in unison. I grabbed Leilani's hand and ran out of the house through the back door.  I had no heart to leave Ma and PA behind but they were right.  Being there was not safe for Leilani and me.  We continued running until it happened. BANG! Another gunshot was heard.

I jolted up from my sleep.  My hands were quivering with anxiety and tears rolled down my cheeks. That happened two weeks ago but it felt as if it happened yesterday.  I held the locket and looked at the picture of my family.  And I was guilty that my sister was not here with me but here I was,  fostered by the Roberts in Brisbane.

"Tara,  are you okay?  Do you want to rest at home?" My stepmother, Elaine Roberts,  asked me. 

"It's okay,  Mom. I'm alright now." I plastered a smile on my face.

Elaine looked at me with suspicion but she shrugged it off. "Okay,  I just wanted to say that we are leaving to school in 15 minutes." She said before leaving my room.  I let out a sigh and went to get ready for school.