I waved goodbye to Camden from the front door as he drove off. I hope Cherry wasn't too mad at me for coming home late, I didn't think his game would take that long.

I opened the door to Aunt Cherry's small house surprised to find it unlocked. Cherry believed she lived in the safest part of town. That is until she finds out her neighbors are the trouble makers she had warned me about. I closed the door behind me hearing Cherry shouting from the living room. I crept over there skeptically, not believing what I was hearing.

"No, your daughter is not with me. I have no clue where she is." Her hands waved around furiously as she shouted. She hadn't seen me walk in, too engaged in her conversation. Loud, coarse yelling came from the other end and she rolled her brown eyes at the deep voice. I couldn't hear what he was saying it was mumbled together. My heart sank to my stomach at the realization of her words.

"I'm not lying, Frank." She paced back and forth from the two couches. The name of my father made me cringe, they were talking about me. My heart was racing just knowing he was on the phone. He was looking for me after all but was it for good intentions or bad? She turned stunned to see that I had heard most of everything, she looked worried but most importantly, guilty.

"Frank I have to go, and don't you call back here again!" She gritted her teeth. I stayed silent, my stomach feeling uneasy.

"Vi-" Her voice full of sympathy began.

"What did he say?" I asked my voice cracking unintentionally. I swallowed my saliva hoping to help my unsteady voice.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times, she didn't have a clue what to say. He doesn't want me back, does he? My own father didn't want me, I didn't even know if my mother was alive. I could be a murderer right now and I'd never know.

"Violet, please listen to me, this is very serious." She put a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. Not too long ago I was with my parents inside my filthy home. Just two years ago I was with Ashton, my parents were loving and cared for their two children. Now here I stand, living in my aunt's house unsure if my parents even wanted me anymore.

"We need to go to the police about this. They'll help you-" She began as she sat down on the couch. I closed my eyes, I couldn't take this anymore. Maybe living with Aunt Cherry was a bad idea.

"And get you arrested for kidnapping? I'm not dragging you down this path with me Cherry." I snapped cutting her off. The last thing I wanted to do was get Cherry involved any more than she already was. She even said so herself, if she has any slight mark on her background check she will not get approved for adoption. I couldn't do that to her. I, unlike my parents, am not a heartless person.

"I can leave," I said in a whisper voice. She placed her hand comfortingly on my shoulder, her baggy eyes a clear sign she hasn't slept.

"This is not the first time he has called me. He will find you, as long as you're with me at least I will know you are safe." She wept. My throat burned with the need to let out these tears but I would not let them fall. I had to be strong.

"As long as I'm with you, you are not safe. I will sleep at Lizzie's tonight just to be safe." I offered. My parents didn't know Cherry's new address, they dropped all contact years ago up until this happened. Putting Cherry in danger was not on my to-do list and I would do anything to keep her out of it.

She nodded in agreement wiping her tears away with a stray tissue in her pocket. I stumbled up the stairs and packed a bag, stuffing whatever clean clothes I had left. Not knowing whose house I'd be staying at, I called Lizzie first. It was late, nearly 11 o'clock at night, I could only hope she was awake.

"Hey, Violet, what's up?" She spoke through the other side on the second ring. I could sense she was worried since I had never called her before, only text.

"Can I stay at your place tonight?" I asked hoping she'd say yes. I paced around my room if I could even call it that.

"Sorry Violet, I'm at my grandmother's house until tomorrow." She apologized. I sighed remembering her telling me at the game or complaining I should say.

"It's fine, don't worry about it, I have to go." I hung up without waiting for a response. I passed by Aunt Cherry who was still in the living room. She insisted she give me a ride but I told her it'd be better if she stayed home just to be safe.

Not being loved by your parents can really mess you up. I called Rose next but she didn't answer. I let out a long deep breath letting the warm air out and the cold air back in. A gust of wind chilled my arms giving me goosebumps. The air nipped at my nose and dried out my hands.

I grabbed a sweatshirt out of my bag and put it on. This was it, this is what would have happened if Aunt Cherry didn't take me in. I'd be walking the streets every night, hunting for food in garbage cans, and who knows where I'd sleep. She's been nothing but nice offering me a spot in her home, a job, food, and even got me an education. Yet here I was, risking her life for the safety of my own.

A deep voice had called out my name startling me. I had been so deep in thought I didn't realize how far I walked too, I was standing at a small gas station near the mall. The road was lit with only one street light from what I could see. I squinted my eyes not being able to see the approaching stranger in the dark.

"Violet, what are you doing?" He asked in a rough, worried tone. I swallowed hard, of course out of all people I had managed to run into him.

"I was going for a walk." I lied. I was the world's worst liar but maybe I could fool this bad boy.

"A walk? At midnight? With a backpack?" Austin asked raising an eyebrow in disbelief. I didn't answer, mostly because I didn't know what to say, partly because I was too tired to speak. That walk really took a toll on my thighs, they were burning with pain.

"You know it's dangerous for a girl like you to walk these streets alone at night. Come on, I'll take you home." He offered, he placed his hand on my shoulder. I flinched back not recognizing the friendly motion. I was on edge after my fathers call. How could I trust anyone if I couldn't trust my own family?

"No, I can't." I hesitated. My feet stopped dead in their tracks.

"Can't what?" He urged me for more answers. We seem to be running into each other quite a bit now. I liked hanging out with him and the boys. They made me forget about my messed up family. I felt normal with them like I belonged somewhere.

"I can't go home," I frowned. He gave me a strange look but I knew he wasn't going to let me walk these streets alone. After all he's already proved before that he cares about my safety.

"Okay, where do you want to go then?" He asked.

"I don't know." I looked down at my feet like they were the most interesting thing in the world right now. He let out a deep breath that gave me cold shivers down my spine.

"Me and the guys are going go-karting soon, you want to come?" His blue eyes sparkled in the night. The moon added an extra shine to his face making him look mysterious.

I shook my head slightly to knock my head back into reality. Our family went go-karting once. Ash was too little to drive himself so he sat on my lap.

"Isn't it a little late to be going go karting?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Isn't it a little late to be going for a walk?" He fired back. Touché.

"Yeah, I'll come," I answered. I don't know how they plan on going go-karting at midnight since most places around here were closed by nine but I was in. I needed to get away from this mess called my life, even if it was only for a few minutes.

"Alright, let's go." He led the way to a sleek black car. I watched as he slipped out a cigarette from a box in his pocket. He lit it, holding it between his lips. He stuck it out the window as he blew out the cloud of smoke.

He gave me a sideways glance noticing me staring.

"Want one?" He asked pulling out of the gas station.

"No thanks," I said moving my sight to my window.

"Good, they are bad for your health." He pointed out. I smiled remembering Aunt Cherry saying almost those exact words. I wanted to ask why he smokes if he knows they are unhealthy but I kept to myself instead. I watched as he sped past everything silently. It was an awkward yet comfortable silence.

It was a quiet ride, I couldn't stop thinking about the phone call. If Cherry had to say she wasn't lying obviously he knew she was. Was he going to come look for me? Would he even know where to start? I wondered why he hadn't gone to the police to file a missing person. Maybe he didn't care that much. That of course led me to believe he wanted to find me for bad intentions. I shuddered at the thought of my father wanting to put me in any harm. I had to stop thinking about this. It would eat me alive and ruin my night.

Austin turned the wheel onto an unfamiliar road. He pulled into a large empty parking lot with a race track to the left specifically for go-karts. There was one other car which I'm guessing was the guys.

I followed his lead as he walked over to the boys who were leaning against the only other car here. I knew each one of them and was slowly figuring out each of their personalities.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to pick up some homeless chick." Austin joked. I elbowed him the arm causing my own stomach to erupt with butterflies. I had wondered if he felt the same. I was surprised when Camden smashed me into a hug, but then I remembered that it was Camden and he tends to do the unthinkable.

I read the sign to this track and it said Kings Karts. King? Why did that sound so familiar.

"Alright, so I got us four karts if I knew Violet was going to tag along I would have made my dad leave out another." Declan shrugged. The wind blew at his long hair making it look soft and luscious like those Pantene commercials.

His dad? So his dad owned the place. Did all their dads own businesses? That's why King sounded so familiar, it's his last name. Kings Karts, it has a nice ring to it.

"It's okay she can ride with me." Cam winked.

"Or me." He whispered huskily in my ear sending shivers down my spine. I elbowed him in the ribs getting a satisfactory 'ow' in the process. I'm sending elbows everywhere tonight.

"Alright, that works," Luke spoke. He didn't talk much, but it's the quiet ones you watch out for right? The guys nodded to each other before walking over to the track.

"Oh, we are definitely getting the pink one." Cam chuckled running over to the sparkly pink go-kart. "Let's call it the Cammobile." He smiled as he petted the side of the kart like it was a dog. Some say he's weird, most believe it.

"Clearly, he left that one just for you." Austin laughed taking a black one with flames painted on the sides. Cam held up his middle finger at him as he climbed into the pink kart. He slid into the driver's seat.

"Um, I don't think so," I said gathering the attention of the boys. Camden looked up at me with confusion, his light brown eyebrows furrowed.

"You can't pick out the kart and drive, that's not fair," I said crossing my arms over my chest. He held up his hands in defense, scooted to the other side of the kart and mumbled a 'fine'.

I grinned climbing into the kart. It was a little squished with Camden but if it was any of the other boys it would have been worse. Camden was the youngest, the smallest, don't get me wrong he was strong but not as built as the others. Luke was the strongest, I only knew because he bragged about his deadlier

Declan held back his laughter as he chose a metallic navy blue kart. They were all the same size, they only ranged in colors. Luke chose a fiery red kart with a skull on the side.

Thanks to Camden we got stuck with the stupid sparkly pink one. Austins looked the coolest with the flames. I definitely would've picked that one.

"Violet," Camden screamed in my ear causing me to jump. The whole kart shook as my body made it suddenly move.

"What?" I asked wondering why on earth he would scream in my ear like that.

"I was trying to ask you a question. Now do you know how to drive this thing or what?" He asked running his hands down his face. I remembered driving the kart with Ashton, I was much younger then.

"Yeah, its pretty simple," I answered his rude question. It couldn't be that much different than bumper cars, except faster and it's not attached to the ceiling. How fast do these things go again?

"Are you done breathing like Darth Vader?" He laughed before nodding his head at the boys. Someone shouted go out of nowhere and Cam's foot slammed on the pedal crushing my poor toes.

The kart raced forward at an unbelievably fast speed which my neck responded to. My body flew back into its seat as we raced the track. I suddenly forgot that I had to turn the wheel nearly smashing into the side of the track.

We were last on the track but it wasn't going to end that way. We caught up to Luke who was swerving all over the track. Our kart passed him reluctantly. He swore under his breath while Camden cheered me on.

Next, we just have to pass Declan which couldn't be that hard since his kart was slowing down. He frantically searched around his kart trying to look for a reason as to why it was slowing down.

I nearly laughed like an evil villain but managed to hold it in as we swerved around him. Next was Austin and he wasn't that far ahead.

We were right behind him but our karts were going at a steady speed making it nearly impossible to pass.

"Violet you need to drift" he shouted.

"How do I do that?" I shouted back. I heard him groan in annoyance under his helmet and couldn't help but laugh.

"And you wanted to drive?" He asked. I drifted at the next turn surprising him. It was just Austin left to pass. Luke was hot on our tail.

"How do we pass him?" I asked moving the kart to his right side. We were going fast and the finish line was nearing.

"I have an idea." He grinned maliciously. I knew that grin too well to know that something was up his sleeve.

"What is going on in that tiny brain of yours?" I asked concentrating on the kart in front of me.

"Flash him." He winked playing with the hem of my shirt. My eyes bugged out of my head while I removed one hand from the wheel to smack his hands away. Flash him?! Was he crazy?!

"What? I'm not doing that!" I shouted at the chuckling idiot beside me.

"Why not? He'll love it." He purred leaning back in his seat.

"He will or you will?" I asked knowing damn well it was for him. He smirked deviously giving me the answer, him.

"Violet put your shirt down!" Camden shouted right in my ear. My ear rang for a few seconds at such a loud noise so unexpectedly. I didn't know about his plan before, but I knew it now since Austin looked getting distracted enough for us to pass him right before the finish line.

Cam and I cheered hugging the death out of each other. Our celebrating ended in a loud high-five that made my whole palm sting.

"That's not fair, my kart died" Declan complained crossing his arms over his big chest.

"Not bad for someone who can't drive." Camden complimented my excellent driving skills as he swung an arm over my shoulder. I smiled proudly, finally, I was good at something.

"You can't drive?" Austin asked in disbelief as he hopped out his kart. Luke started to laugh but Declan elbowed him in the stomach and he covered it up with a cough.

"No..." I darted my eyes away, embarrassed that my smallest secret was out.

"It's easy. I'll teach you." He shrugged. He gave me a look of certainty as he leaned against the kart.

"You don't have to do that..." I said awkwardly.

"It's easy, one lesson and if you don't like it you can find another teacher, deal?" He bargained,

I thought about it. What did I have to lose? The bad boy wants to teach me how to drive? Well, he does work in a car shop. For some dumb reason, the thought of me driving and him teaching me excited me so I said the thing I knew I was going to regret later on.

"Okay." I agreed.

"Who's up for another race?" Luke clapped his hands together eager to beat us, which of course he couldn't. No one could, we made a good team.