Innocent

Chapter 3

“Look, I promised I’m not going to take so long here and then I will take you home,” Daniel said as he pulled up the driveway of Clara’s home.

I didn’t say anything because I knew he wasn’t going to stick to his word.

“You can go in and see Clara,” I told him. “I’m just going to stay in the car.”

“I don’t think so. Come on in, Ellie.”

I forced myself out of the car, still clutching hold of the CDs I brought close to my chest. I followed my brother as we walked up the steps of his girlfriend’s home. Clara’s parents were filthy rich and lived in some mansion in Bel Air. Daniel worked in an office in the city for something. Not really sure what he does. Never paid much attention to what he does, but I know he works for some big company that Clara’s dad owns. Clara works as Daniel’s secretary.

Wait. Now I remember what Clara’s dad does. He owns some car company, selling the most expensive cars like Ferraris.

Clara opened the door before my brother even rang the doorbell. Clara looked a little slutty in her short denim shirt and white camisole. Her long blonde hair was hanging loose past her shoulders and green eyes sparkled when she saw Daniel. Ignoring me, she wrapped her arms around Daniel, kissing him.

I looked down at my feet so I didn’t have to watch them lip lock.

Clara invited us inside. Well, she really invited Daniel in since she didn’t really say anything to me, but I followed them both inside.

Even though I have been to Clara’s house a couple of times when my family had been invited over for dinner, I never quite feel comfortable stepping their home. My family lives in the Beverley Hills area, but we don’t own a luxury mansion like Clara’s family. Walking into their own was like walking into those houses they show in the movies. Each room was huge with a gigantic staircase and the floors were so clean without any specks of dust at all. There was even a huge chandelier hanging above the ceiling near the staircase as you walk through the front door.

I heard the pattering feet of Clara’s Chihuahua running across the clean marble floor. As soon as the dog saw us he began barking. I swear I hate that dog. It never shuts up.

“Tinker, quiet,” Clara said. “It’s just Daniel.” She picked up her annoying dog off the floor.

“And Ellie,” I added softly.

Daniel patted Tinker. “Hey boy, how are you?”

Tinker licked his hand. Clara then put her dog down and he ran off somewhere. I think he ran off to the kitchen.

“Do you want to go upstairs?” she asked my brother.

“Yeah.” He turned to me. “You will be alright on your own, Ellie?”

I didn’t answer him.

“I won’t be too long, Ell. Just sit in the living room.”

“And no feet on the couch,” Clara added before they ran up the stairs together.

I just stood there for a moment, still staring up at the staircase even after they had disappeared. After a few minutes I forced myself to turn away and walked into the living room, or should I say the white room because almost everything in the room was white. There was a bit of colour in some places but white stood out more – the walls, marble floor, and the couch. The only colour I could see was a pot plant in a corner of the room, a massive bookcase, a few magazines were sitting on the glass coffee table, a peach colour rug sat on the floor underneath the couches and table, and a huge Plasma TV hangs on the wall.