Gold

Chapter One: The Call.

Photo of the Chapter: Ara South.
Photographer: Ara South.
-----------------------------------------------------------

I wake up at to a loud buzzing from my night stand.
Ugh. What time is it?! It's way to early for anyone to be calling..
I sit up pushing my brown hair behind me.
I fell asleep once again in my jeans from the day before. It's gotten to the point that I feel like if I were wake up in actual pajamas, I would one hundred percent still be dreaming.
I don't start work again for another two weeks. This is what I get for working overtime so much.. Two week's worth of payed vacation.
I sit up and answer my phone.
"Hello..?" I ask still annoyed someone had the audacity to wake me up this early.
I check the time. Four in the morning.
I hear the male voice I know all too well respond to me through my phone,
"Hi darling. Listen.. I never wanted any of this to happen okay?"
"Dad? Are you serious?! I'm on vacation. That means no work. No having to wake up at four in the morning. NO STRESS."
I've never been too close with my Dad. I'm aware that he loves me, I am his only child after all, but he spent way too much money wasted on me learning to be an adult rather than what my mother did, letting me be a child. Because of his obsessive working and my 'adult-learning' classes we never had much time with eachother. I always dreaded the weeks I was with him, I never told him this face to face however. It would break his heart..
He and I have always been distant. It's more of an unspoken understanding that we don't talk like normal father and daughter. Obviously, based on this call, he isn't getting the whole idea of moving out. AWAY from the weekly back and forths. Away from being held back by either of my parents.
"Listen Aurum, I'm on my way to your house. I don't want to be asked questions. Something happened back in my pent house.-"
Aurum. I changed my name for a reason. Aurum is the latin term for gold. It was my father's choice. At sixteen for my birthday I had it changed to Ara. He only ever calls me Aurum when he's being extensively serious or I'm in trouble. Two rare things that almost never occur.
I cut him off,
"Um.. What? Who said you could just come over to my house because your's was broken into!?"
Get used to it Coen! Welcome to LA. It doesn't matter if you live in a pent house or a barn, you're going to be broken into.
"It- It wasn't a break in! Just.. make yourself look descent. I'll be over in five minutes."
He hangs up.
EXCUSE ME?!
He lives at least an hour away, and he'll be here in five minutes..? So he's been driving for almost forty minutes and only now decides to tell me he's coming over?
My dad, Coen Frea. Is a business man. I've never really cared or had time to ask what business he works for. To be honest, it wouldn't matter to me. He's still the same man. No matter where he works. He's generally a nice guy. My mom and him really did love eachother. There have been countless times that we've actually had cute father-daughter moments. It's kind of scary hearing him as stressed as he just sounded.
Whatever. I have five minutes to make myself look awake.
I hop out of bed and grab a random outfit.
No time for a shower today I guess..

That's the fastest I think I've ever gotten dressed, done makeup and curled my hair. It probably helps knowing that my hair was already pre-curled from my oh-so-exciting photoshoot with mom yesterday. Mom's been taking photographs of me my entire life, recently she's been wanting them more and more however. Probably because I just moved out.
I hear my door bell ringed.
I go to the door and open it quickly.
"Don't ask." My Dad says walking in covering his face.
All I can see is his gelled hair. Same brown color as mine, maybe a bit lighter. His skin is obviously a little darker than mine due to his father being from spain.
The sad part is, I'm not even concerned about him covering his face.
WHY ARE THREE MEN WITH HIM!?
Even better question, Why are all of them in tuxedos?!
"Wow. Planning a business meeting.. in my appartment?" I ask walking over to the kitchen, where he's going through my drawers.
"I'm slightly offended. How old do you think we are?!" One of the three goons my father brought with him asks.
I look over to them for a better look.
Blonde, Brown and Black hair. Very different people, very different faces. All of them look around my age.
Since when does Dad work with nineteen year olds..
One of the goons looks familiar. Brown boy. Too familiar.
Actually.. Why do I even care? Why didn't dad just tell me to lock my bedroom door? I could have gotten by well needed beauty rest.
"So.. Coen, Who might this beautiful girl be? She's way to young, even for you." The black haired boy says breaking my thoughts.
He thinks what? That's historical. Clearly these guys have nothing to do with actual business.
The brown haired boy, looking more and more familiar says,
"That would be Ara South, Coen's daughter and only child."
They all look shocked,
"Coen has a daughter?!"
I ignore them.
The only one who should be confused here is me!
"And who might you be?" I ask annoyed.
"You don't remember me? It's Weston."
Weston.. Weston? As in Weston Starr? Wow, the past just keeps coming back this morning, huh?
Weston was my best friend until high school. He then moved. Which, by the way, broke me.
"Wow. You look..-" I cut myself off, If this even even a little bit of a business I wouldn't want to mess with Dad's deals, "Nothing. Why are you in my house?!"
Dad smiles and says,
"Did you have something better to do?"
I'm quiet for a second.
Since when did my personal ADULT life involve him..
"That," I look away, "Is none of your concern."
Dad looks at me before walking into the other room and throwing himself onto my couch as if he owned the place, which he probably could do based off of the amount of money he can just throw away.
"If only it were a business meeting, Aurum. I'm actually needing a favor."
I look at him sceptically.
My father. Needing a favor? From me? Since when couldn't he buy someone to do this 'favor' for him?
I sigh and, against my better judgment, say,
"What is it?"
He looks away almost as if embarrassed.
"Listen Dad. I have a photo shoot at six. You only have so long to spit it out."
"Me and these three boys are part of a government owned agency. We need to stay here for a few days. Only until these.. people get off our trail."
I squint my eyes confused.
None of that makes any since. What 'government owned agency'?
Knowing my dad, this will lead to a much bigger purpose. He would never ask me to do something like that just because.
Fine dad. I'll play your game. Don't expect to win though..
"Um, you can BUT some rules need to be set.."
He looks at me.
"Rule one, Don't go through my stuff. Rule two, If I come home late or just don't come home one night, please refrain from asking where I was because frankly my adult life is bone of your concern. Rule three, Everything you do that has to do with spending money on items of any sort, food or cleaning must be ran by me first."
Weston smirks and says,
"By rule two I'm going to assume you aren't in a relationship?"
I glare at him the same my father does.
"Not a fan of committment."
The three boys all smile.