Untamed

Prologue

Prologue

It had been 10 years since my mom couldn't care for me any more. I was 2 years old when the police came, and placed me into the adoption agency, where I had spent the next 10 years of my life. Apparently I had a twin brother, but we were separated after traveling through a few foster families in our first year. He was placed into a boys orphanage, while I went to a girls. I guess the social workers had figured it would be easier to get us out of the system if we were separated. Sometimes I wondered about him, but I wouldn't let my thoughts linger for long. I'd distract myself before the familiar pang of loneliness hit.

I was just finished showering when I heard a shriek followed by my name.

"Eliana!!!" Christa screeched, damaging my ears.

"Yes?" I asked sweetly trying to play my innocent card, which wasn't my specialty. I wrapped a towel around me, and left the bathroom.

"What the hell is this doing in my bag?" She asked, holding up an adorable little mouse on her book. It just stared up at me with it's innocent dark eyes.

"Hell is a bad word," I muttered.

I know playing the sweet person card like this really wasn't going to help at all, because that little mouse was my pet.

Everyone in my room knew she lived in a shoe box under my bed, and even some of the younger girls in the other rooms knew. No one ever dared to rat me out having a pet, because I had black mail on everyone.

Christa glared at me with her icy blue eyes from under dark mascara covered eyelashes.

"Well you know how Athena can get when she wants to adventure a bit," I then lowered my voice to a whisper. "She was probably just smelling another birth control pill."

With that said, I quickly grabbed for Athena and placed her back in the box.

Yep, I knew how to play my cards well. Christa made a quick humph, and then returned to straightening her hair.

I quickly ran into the bathroom to change into some old jeans and a t-shirt. I was just pulling my long dark hair into a high pony when Keila quietly popped up at my side.

"Are you ready to go to breakfast?" She asked.

"Yep!" I answered.

I quickly jumped onto the railing and slid down. Several girls shrieked as they jumped out of the way to avoid my feet. When I was at the bottom I turned back up, and found Keila following after me. She was a year older than me, and in 7th grade. Even with the slight age difference, we both got along like crazy, because we were the only ones who could handle each others energy.

Keila had white blond hair, light emerald green eyes, and more curves than any other girl in the 7th grade. Of course the guys were all over her, but she didn't even give them a second glance. She said she had no interest with having boy drama, so she just ignores them all unless it was to beat them at a sport.

She grinned when she reached the bottom, and raised her hands like she was receiving imaginary applause.

"Eliana." I heard my name called. I turned around, and found the sweetest girl in the world trying to make her way to me. She was only 7, and was in love with me. I would always pamper her, by doing her hair or dressing her up. She made it down the stairs, and wrapped her frail little arms around my waist.

"Hey Leah."

She placed her small soft hand in mine, as the three of us made our way into the large dining room. I found my seat and placed Leah next to me. Keila slid in on the other side. Our orphanage dealt with girls of all ages, ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade.

We all ate the food that was provided for us. It was normal for there not to be quite enough, because the older girls always ate much more than the rest of us. Once helping the other girls prepare for school, we all headed off to catch our ride.

During the middle of class I was called out by the principal. Whispers spread throughout the class like wildfire, as people tried to figure out what I had done this time. I stomped out into the hall to receive my punishment for whatever prank they had figured out I had a part in. My last one did wind me up in detention, which I ditched.

"Eliana, Emily had called me, and told me to send you home immediately," he said smiling at me.

He never smiled at me anymore, so it felt like a foreign symbol that shouldn't be on his face. I was utterly confused at this entire situation. At the beginning of the year he used to smile at me, before he realized just how much trouble I enjoyed getting myself and others into.

The principal walked me to the front door. I found the guidance councilor who practically dedicated her life to trying to change around my behavior. I always felt a bit bad for her, because she truly believed she could.

"I'm going to take you home," she stated.

I narrowed my eyes at the back of her head trying to figure out why she was also smiling. The drive was shorter than usual, and as soon as I got out I went straight to Emily's office. Emily was there talking to a man and a women. Then it all clicked together. The smiling, coming home just before lunch. The couple in the office. My heart was thumping in my chest with excitement. I pushed the door open with renewed energy.

"This is Eliana," Emily said, "Eliana this is Mr. and Mrs. Jenner."

"Hello," I smiled.

"Eliana these people want to adopt you. They wanted a child that had spunk, energy, and character. They also wanted a child over ten but not too old. You matched the category perfectly," Emily said.

"Really? Somebody wants an over hyper child?" I asked looking at them for confirmation.

"We have three boys about your age. We just desperately wanted a girl but I can't have any more children. The boys have a lot of energy too, so we wanted someone who would be able to keep up with them. If you would like, you could come and meet the entire family for a day or two, and then you can decide if you would like to stay with us," Mrs. Jenner asked.

"Sure. That would be just awesome!"

"Okay then Eliana, you can go pack up what you'll need. You can pick up the rest of your stuff when you come back in a few days," Emily instructed.

I raced up the stairs like there was no tomorrow. As soon as I reached the last door on the right, I slammed it open and ran to my bed. I reached under the bed for a duffle bag, and then started throwing my clothes in from the dresser. I didn't even give the garments that piled up a second thought, because of my excitement racing through my veins. I grabbed my toiletries, and added them to the pile. I placed the only picture I had of my birth mom, my twin brother, and me on top of the pile. My mother had insisted we both get a copy of it when we were taken away.

I reached out for the box under my bed holding Athena, and decided I should probably ask them if it was fine that I brought her. I slung the bag over my shoulder, and slid down the railing landing on my feet again.

By the front door were waiting the two people who gave me a second chance at a new life. The two people who were going to take me home, and put me into a real family that could love me properly.