Silence is a scary sound

Chapter 19

CLARA'S POV

"Do you think I could bring Alice home one day?" Pearl asks me while adding some vinegar to her salad.

"You know you can bring anyone you want, you just have to ask me in advance," I say pushing my phone back into my bag.

I take a bite of my sandwich and lean back in the restaurant's chair.

"Who is that ringing your phone?" Pearl asks after swallowing.

I was trying to hide my annoying phone but my secretary and some other number have been ringing for the las two hours.

"I don't know, probably just work," I shrug trying to take importance away from it.

"Clara you know how I said I wanted your surname?" She asks and I nod munching. "Can it happen soon?"

Her big hopeful eyes are staring up at me but I can only really shrug.

"I can't do much about that Pearl... you know I can't," I tell her leaning my elbows on the table.

"I know but I'm still two years away from being 16 and it's literally going to feel like ages," she says annoyed.

"Yes but as much as I want it to, you might hate me in a year and won't want it," I say a bit softer.

"I might hate you in ten, and they're not making me decide in twenty years?" She questions pointing the ridiculousness of it.

"Pearl you know it's about legal ages, we can't change it," I say taking another bite of my sandwich.

"I want to be Pearl Wyatt," she says banging the fork against the bowl.

I laugh and shake my head, "stop acting like you're six, I'm the first one who wants you with my surname and you know."

My bag starts vibrating again and I sigh, kicking it to the side.

"Just pick it up," Pearl says annoyed.

I lean down and pull my phone out of my bag, it's Lucy, not the unknown number.

"Hello?" I answer trying to sound fine with her to ringing 67 times.

"Good afternoon Miss Wyatt, there's some uh-police inspector that's been trying to contact you apparently? Very insistent..." she says nervously.

She's always nervous.

"About what?" I ask frowning.

"Something to do with a report... a guy called Etienne?" She says.

I'm not sure if she didn't pay any attention or if she just wasn't meant to know about the case.

"Okay, thank you Lucy, I'll take care of it," I sigh and put the phone down.

"What was it?" Pearl asks.

"Just work," I sigh and leave my phone on the table carrying on with my food.

"I think I'm going to want dessert," Pearl's eyes open wide with a small smile.

I laugh but my smile soon vanishes when I see my phone. It's that unknown number again, which must be something about Etienne being a dick to Zayn... I thought Nan had sorted it out.

"Let me!" Pearl says after seeing my face, she leans forward and grabs my phone.

"Wait, no, give it back," I say extending my arm over the table.

She's about to answer it but she just stares at the screen and looks a bit worried. She leaves the phone on the table.

"Why are they ringing you so much?"