"Nikki! Nikki, sweetheart." came her mother's soft, loving voice from downstairs. A 17 year old girl with black and red hair with blonde, slanted bangs that always covered her left eyes sighed in irritation as she stopping working on her presentation for school, scooted her chair back from her desk, walked out of her room, and went and stood at the top of the stairs.

"Yeah, what is it mom?" she called down the stairs to her mother who stood at the bottom of the stairs.

Her mother smiled THAT smile. The one that said "I am so sorry for doing this to you again, but..."

"You and step-loser are leaving on another three month trip without me, again aren't you?" Nikki said while frowning at her mother because her day was great up until the moment, her life was great until that day.

"Sweetie, you know how important Victor's job is to our family. I really wish you would quit calling him that and call him by him name at least." her mother pleaded with her.

"Whatever mother, I'm going to call dad and tell him to come and get me." Nikki stated not giving her mother any time to comment as she turned on her bare heel and walked back to her room.

She could tell her mother was following her, but she didn't care so she slammed and locked the door in her mother's face.

"Nikki, don't do this. You do this every single time and it's not fair to me or Victor." said her mother then the note on the memory board on the outside of Nikki's bedroom door caught her attention because it was a bright yellow paper with bold lettering that reminded her that Nikki's speech for winning the Creative Writing Contest was next week.

Italina silently curse herself and tore the note off the memory board and crumpled it up in her hand.

"Nikki, if this about your speech, I'm so sorry. Maybe your dad can take you. I'm so sorry Nikki I-" her mother was cut off by Victor screaming his head off about how the cab was outside and they were going to miss their flight.

"Nikki..." her mother tried again, but was cut off once more by Nikki opening her door.

"You forgot AGAIN mom! You read the note on my door for the 1st time since it's been up there! It's been up there for three weeks mom! Three weeks! Don't you realize how important this is to me!? Forget it. Go have fun with 'Victor'." she hissed as she shut the door and locked it once more, then walked over to the window and watched as her mother and Victor loaded the cab, got in, and took off.

"Wow, she really put up a fight to stay." Nikki sighed as she closed the curtains, flopped down onto her stomach on her bed and called her dad, listening to the key tones as she pressed the buttons. Her dad answered on the 5th ring, probably because he was in the shower.

"Hey pumpkin," came his happy voice. Wow, how things had changed, "Sorry it took me so long Nik. I was in the shower."

Nikki laughed at how she knew her dad so well. "Yeah, I kinda figured that. Hey can you come and get me? Mom, well, she..." Nikki trailed off.

"Did it again and she knows your speech is next week. Sure Nik, I'll come get you." he sighed. "Just let me get dressed first and I'll be over in 15."

"Thanks dad, for everything." Nikki hung up and grabbed her flash drive, hooked it up to her computer, and downloaded everything onto it, while she smiled the whole time. "I told him about my speech four weeks ago, when I found out and he remembered. Well, I suppose someone has to." she said to herself.

Nikki got up, letting everything download as she packed her clothes, when she packed enough clothes for three months she smirked to herself as she had an idea come to her mind.

"Victor won't miss $300. I'll pay him back before he gets back, but until then...." Nikki walked out of her room and into her mother's room, reached under the bed, pulled out a safe, sat on the bed, opened it, and reached in and pulled out $300.

Nikki quickly shut the door to the safe, shoved it back under the bed, and walked out after stuffing the money into her bra. She went into her room, got her stuff after her flash drive finished, walked downstairs, put her stuff by the door, sat on the couch and watched TV for five more minutes.

Right on time her dad pulled up into the driveway of the ten story mansion and honked. Nikki turned everything off, grabbed her stuff, walked out, shutting and locking the door behind her and practically ran to the car and her dad popped the trunk of his Mustang Cobra as he climbed out of the blue car and took her bags.

"Good evening madam. Would you like me to take your stuff?" he dad said enhancing his already thick French accent.

"Yes, you may Jeffery." Nikki laughed as her dad finished shoving her stuff into the trunk and then picked her up into a big bear hug.

"Dad! You'll mess up my hair. Gosh!" joked Nikki as her dad gave her a strange look and set her down.

Nikki laughed at her dad's expression as she and her dad got in the car. He took off to his five story house as she stared absent mindedly out the window.