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need me."
    "Ok, don't be too late," Mom reminded me from the kitchen.
    I heard my grandmother say, "She needs a little more structure and chores. If you let her run around all over the place she'll end up a teenage mom or she'll get into trouble with the law."
    Outraged by her comments, I started to return to the kitchen to defend myself, but stopped when I heard Mom say, "Eliana is a fantastic young lady. She's never given us any reason not to trust her. She's sixteen not six. Chris and I have raised her to be a strong, morally correct young woman with values. She has great ambitions. I truly think she wouldn't ruin her dreams by getting into trouble. Beside we're in Myrtle Creek, how much trouble could she possibly get into?"
    Shock kept me rooted to the spot. I knew Mom trusted me, but I'd never known she had that much confidence in me. I quietly stepped outside.
    "I wish I was back home," I muttered.
    "Oh Munchkin, don't you know that home is where you hang your hat?" said Gramps.
    I quickly turned, not realizing that Gramps was on the porch. "That's great advice, Gramps. I'll keep it in mind." Gramps always had little tidbits of advice. Sometimes it made sense and other times—well, it didn't.
    I put in my ear buds and took off down the long driveway. My favorite song came on; it made me smile and I ran faster. I decided to run alongside the mountain road. It was cold, but the fresh air made me feel free. What if I didn't stop? What if I kept going? I imagined myself running back to California. Kelly would take me in. It was a nice fantasy.
    My thoughts traveled back to the events of my first day. My biggest issue—Sasha. She was pure evil. She was testing my breaking point. I decided to ignore her mean comments and kill her with kindness. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing me upset. One year—that's it. As bad as today had been, things could only get better. After the clothes incident, nothing could embarrass me now.
    I made my way around the curve of the road, staying close to the shoulder. The further I ran up the mountain, the prettier the scenery became.
    I continued thinking about school and my plan of attack. I decided to focus on my studies. As far as a relationship, I wasn't looking for anything serious. I didn't want to get involved with a guy, especially since I would be leaving in a year. I could survive this place for one year. I decided to look on my stay here as a challenge. Taking it a day at a time, I would have victory in the end.
    The hip-hop music in my ears pumped up my running. I synched in time to the bass guitar. Running was just what I'd needed.
    Mom's words "strong young woman" kept echoing through my head. Mom had faith in me and I would strive to prove her right.
    Wow, how far have I run? Thick pines hid the sky making the air seem darker. I grabbed my cell phone to check the time. It was six-fifteen. Oh crap, I've been running for over an hour . I dialed Mom's cell, hoping it would go through. To my relief, she answered.
    "Mom, I'm so sorry, I got side-tracked running."
    "That's okay, honey. Do you want me to come and get you?"
    "No. I'm on my way back. I should be home no later than seven-thirty."
    "Are you sure?" I could hear a tinge of stress in her voice.
    "Mom, I'm fine. I have my phone. I'll call if I get tired or lost; I promise."
    "Okay, if you aren't here by seven-thirty, I'm sending a search party."
    "Deal. I'll be home soon." I hung up and started down the mountain, turning up the music.
    The temperature changed and fog started rolling in. It made me jog at a faster pace. I knew Mom would truly have a search party out if I wasn't back on time. I didn't need any more embarrassments in my life. The more I thought about it, the faster I ran.
    The fog thickened. At least it wasn't completely dark yet. A faint pair of headlights came around the curve. Within a split second, I knew the driver wouldn't see me. Before I could react, the headlights brightened and the brakes