KIDNAPPED AND LOVING IT

CHAPTER 1:

So, here I am again. Another birthday spent alone in this big mansion. Maybe if I burn it down, that'll get them home. Probably not. I woke up this morning thinking, this is the year, this year my parents will spend my birthday with me. Sweet sixteen is important, right? A milestone. Nope, not so important when you're competing with starving children in Africa or a Typhoon in the Philippines. Okay, okay, I know that sounds selfish of me, but I can't help but be jealous and bitter. I know my parents' work is important. They donate millions to charities each year and most of their time too. I waited until noon. I just had to know. I called them to see if they would be home, they wouldn't be. I let them know that I understood and would talk to them later.

I could call up friends and go out tonight, but when you don't even have the love of the people who should love you more than anything else in the world, it's hard to get in the mood to do anything. It's hard sometimes even to love yourself.

I head over to the liquor cabinet. I think I will toast to myself on my special day. After a few too many drinks, I stumble upstairs to my room. You know what? I think I will got out. I go into my walk-in closet to sort through my ridiculous amount of clothes. My parents may not love me, but their credit cards sure do. I decide to put on a hot pink satin dress, black heels and my diamond jewelry set. Time to party!

I back out of the garage in my Prius Hybrid. Stupid earth-friendly car. My parents insist I drive this ridiculous thing. Thirty minutes later, after a stop at Jamba Juice and another at McDonald's, I'm bored. What to do? Then my tipsy, but brilliant mind gets the bestest idea ever. I know how to get my parents' attention! Thirty more minutes later, I find myself arguing with the manager of a Hummer dealership.

"But why can't you take credit card? I only have $30,000 in my bank account! I need to use credit card! It would take me three months of allowance to save up the rest for the H2 and my birthday is today!" I try to explain.

"How old are you young lady?" The manager asks.

"Sixteen today."

"Girlie, I suggest you come back in three months, with either a parent to co-sign or the rest of the money in your bank account." What a mean old man.

"Fine, whatever!" I start stomping towards the entrance then I turn around and add, "But in three months I'm buying my purple Hummer from somewhere else!"

When I get home, I feel defeated. Damn, I'm tired of feeling sorry for myself. I guess life could be worse, I could be a starving kid in Africa. Damn I wish I was a starving kid in Africa. At least I'd see more of my parents.

I pull into the garage, the song "Kids" by MGMT blasting on my stereo. This song is soooo the story of my life. As I step out of my ridiculously small and efficient car, an arm goes around my waist and a hand covers my mouth. Great! What now?

I can feel the person's breath by my ear, "hey little girl, scream and I'll take a knife to that pretty face."

Wow, that would really suck. Slowly he removes his hand from my mouth only to wrap that arm also around my waist. "What the fuck do you want?" Okay, maybe not smart, but I've had a bad day.

I can hear him laughing softly, "don't' worry, we're not here for you little girl. We were here for your cars, but all we found in this garage is an old piece of crap VW bus and now your piece of crap Prius. Did you guys put all the money into the house? Usually when we break into houses like this, with garages this big, we find a better selection. Maybe a Lamborghini or two."

"Well, sorry to disappoint, but my parents are save the world tree huggers, no Lamborghinis here." Are car thieves supposed to stop for chit chat?

"Okay, we'll just be on our way then. No harm done, you didn't see our faces." Birthday getting better and better.

"Actually, sorry to disappoint you again, but there is a mirror on the wall directly in front of us, I can see all of you quite clearly." While I'm looking straight into the mirror ahead of me I see three sets of eyes simultaneously snap into the same direction and I say, "hi!"

"Fuck Greg!" One of them yells.

"Real smooth man!" the other yells.

"Jose! Art! Shut the fuck up!" The one holding me says between clenched teeth.

"And now I know all of your names too," I say grinning into the mirror.

"What the hell are we going to do?" One obviously named either Jose or Art says.

Greg whispers into my ear, "Guess you're coming with us little girl."

"OOOHHH a sleepover, yay! I'll go pack!" I drop my weight and easily twist out of his grip. Those self defense classes paid off after all. I skip over to the door going into the house, then turn around to look at three shocked faces and ask, "Well, are you guys coming or what?"