Guarded

Chapter 1

"Mother" I pleaded.

"No"

"Please mother!"

"Theresa, I don't know what good you thought would come from asking me. Your father already told me that you asked him and that he said no. I agree with him" I knew she would but a part of me was hopeful that she might consider convincing him otherwise.

"I thought that you'd understand. One party. Not even a party, it's more of a gathering. Just a few close friends"

"the people you call friends" she shook her head disapprovingly.

"Mother!" Naturally she didn't approve of anyone that wasn't born into money like us but that was ridiculous "you can't judge people based on their bank account"

"Theresa there is no point whining to me. You know your father makes all the decisions around here and he said no" I prayed every day I wouldn't become like my mother. She was nothing but her husband's wife, her children's mother. She wasn't her own person and couldn't even bring herself to make her own decisions or have an opinion. "Speaking of your father he's in the drawing room. He wanted to speak to you before you left"

I huffed in response. He can ask things of me but I can't ask anything of him. I rolled my eyes as I followed my mother who was sashaying through the wide hallways. She of course was dressed in thousands worth of clothes and in some of her most expensive jewellery though she was going nowhere.

She waltzed into the room and fell into the chair next to the one my father was sat in. He didn't lower his newspaper though he heard us come in, forcing me to wait impatiently, mother on the other hand was used to being ignored by him and found entertainment in her reflection in one of the glass cabinets.

"Theresa" my dad said when he had finally finished with his paper "good morning darling" he spoke in his stony voice. They both were so fake, so desperate for things that held no substance. Him for money and my mother for attention. I had to wonder whether any of the feelings they attempted to display were real. My father never smiled at me and I never heard him tell mother he loved her. He saved his smiles for his shareholders and his love for his money. Mother and I were accessories, used only when he wanted to show the media he was a 'family man'.

"Father. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, darling you'll be excited to know I have appointed you a new personal guard" he announced then continued reading his paper.

My heart sank "what happened to Mr. Harper?"

"What was that darling?"

"My old guard, Mr. Harper, what happened to him?" Jim Harper had guarded me since I was six. He was an understanding man who treated me like an actual person and always pretended not see me sneaking away into the night. He was like a father to me.

"Well-" the sharp ring of his phone rang through the room and he hurried to fetch it from his pocket "Yes this is Arthur Hayes... Bună! Am fost de așteptare pentru apelul telefonic" he got up from his seat and began pacing as he spoke. I wasn't sure what language he was speaking but it sounded like a serious call.

"Dad!" I walked over to him but he only shushed me and returned to his conversation "dad! Dad, what about Mr. Harper?"

"That old man who used to watch you?" My mother asked.

"Yes mother"

"you know them by name? The servers?" She visibly shuddered.

"We have to call them something mother"

"Not if you don't speak to them. Why uphold a conversation with them?"

I mentally rolled my eyes all the way to Egypt and back "yes mother, we all know your view on the people that work for us"

"Excuse me, young lady?"

My father's emotionless voice interrupted "what are you two bickering about now?"

"Your daughter's fascination with the people that scrub our toilets" she answered.

"Mother's mistreatment of the perfectly nice people that happen to work for us"

"Arthur," my mother cooed "will you explain to Theresa why I don't socialise with those people"

"Don't have a voice of your own mother"

"That is enough! The two of you" he finally interrupted.

I took a breath to call myself down "dad, what happened to Mr. Harper?" I was starting to sound like a broken record.

"He was much too old darling. What good would he be if you came under attack? And I'm sure the job wasn't doing anything for the old man's health. Well, now you have a new guard and your mother and can sleep easier knowing you're safe, right Debra?" My mother mumbled something but I took no notice.

"Well I don't want a new guard"

"The young man is outside right now waiting for you in the car, darling" he sat back in his chair ignoring me.

"I don't want him"

"Don't throw a hissy fit Theresa. And don't think about trying to sneak off whilst you're out. I've given the boy strict instructions. He will be keeping a close eye on you all whilst keeping a zipped lip"

"I'm nineteen dad. I am capable of looking after myself"

"This conversation is over Theresa, hurry along now"

"Won't you hear what I have to say?"

"Theresa" he called warningly.

"Fine I'm leaving" I turned and made my way back to my room. It wasn't fair. I hated it, all of it. No amount of money was worth this imprisonment. I'd give it all up happily for just one night, one day of freedom. I wouldn't think twice about waving goodbye to this life and turning my back on it.

It came to me then. An idea that I had only managed to make work a few times before. I knew the risks but I also knew I could make it with just a bit of luck!

I crept out of my room careful not make a noise as I made my way through the big house and down the stairs. When I finally made it to back door leading out through the kitchen I took a deep breath, swung the door open and bolted it.

I was home free. I was flying through the air.

I ran round the side of the house and hopped the fence. I could see the car, where my new guard waited for me, not too far from where I stood and I scrambled into a crouch, running on all fours across the front lawn.

I looked back at the house knowing I got away with it. Yes! Yes! Just a few more miles and I could catch a bus into town. I turned my attention back forward but not in time to see what was in front of me and of course my body was thrown against a wall. I was sure that the force would cause me to fall back onto the ground but before I could the arms of the wall shot up, steadying me.

This wall has arms? Walls don't have arms. Did the blow knock me unconscious?

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Yay new story! :)

(photo of the Hayes mansion at the top)

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