Tainted Innocence

Chapter One

“Daddy why do you have to go?” Avery asked with tears in her eyes. Her father sighed and kneeled down to her level and watched her. He wiped her eyes with the pad of his thumbs and smiled. “Its only for a week sweetie. I’ll be back before you know it .” He said. Avery smiled slightly and wiped the remaining of her tears away. “Promise?” She asked sticking out her pinky finger. Her father chuckled and did the same locking his pinky with hers. “Promise.” He said. Avery jumped into her father’s opened arms and hugged him. “I love you daddy.” She she mumbled into his chest. “I love you too kiddo.” Her father replied.

****

Ten years and Avery never even as much got a hug from her father. After her mother died, Avery’s father has been busy. He is the CEO of one of the biggest fashion companies in the United Stated and he’s barely home. She knew that he only worked over time because he didn’t want to come home. He didn’t care for her as any other father would to their child. Although her father never told her upfront, she knew it was true. The only time she would ever get a glance at her father was probably in the morning before he leaves for work and even then they barely talk. Whenever a conversation would take place, it was always her father who told her what to do, how to do it and when to do it. There wasn’t a time where she could have a say in her own decisions. It was clear that her father only wanted her to take his place when he couldn’t work anymore. He wanted her to become a designer in “Seducente Moda Manufacture” and that’s all he care about; his career. However, her father didn’t know that Avery wasn’t interested in going into the business department. She wanted to go in the medical field and become a veterinarian, but she would never tell her father that. All he would do is shut her down and tell her that’s not what she really wanted.

Little did he know, that’s exactly what I wanted

“I want you to call a meeting with Mrs. Palaver at twelve o’clock and not an hour over. I don’t have time afterwards. Call in my four o’clock appointment and reschedule, I have to take care of some business.” Avery herd her father say.

My father? Usually he’s gone by now.

She sat up on her bed and rubbed her eyes. She squinted from the light that shined through her room and looked around. A small sigh left her lips. Her room was painted in a lilac color. Her bed was in the center of the room and she had a walk in closet. Her floor was covered with a plush white carpet. To the right side of her bed there was a bookshelf stacked with different genres. She loved to read every chance she got, which was often. If it meant that she could escape the life she was living even for a little while, she was sure to read every day if she could. Her father saw to it that she gets everything she needs. He hired a maid and a cook for her seeing as he’s never home. The luxurious life wasn’t meant for Avery. She would gladly switch places with someone who would be willing to take her life with open arms or someone who actually needed money.

With another sigh, Avery got out of her bed walked to the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she resembled her mother with her wavy brown hair cascading down her back and hazel eyes. She took a deep breath to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. Avery missed her mother. She died in a car accident coming him from work. She missed the company and the warmth she would feel every time her mother was in the room. She missed the smell of her cooking and the kind words she would always tell her. Most of all she missed the love that her mother displayed. It was always affection with her mother and never hostility. Her mother gave the best hugs and she would never forget that. Brushing her teeth, she wondered what today had in store for her. It was Saturday and she rarely goes anywhere. Her friends would try and coax her to get out of the house, but seeing as she grew up staying in the house all the time, she didn’t think of going out on her own. Even if she tried going out, Jasmine, the maid would ask her a million questions and no doubt tell her father the first chance she got.

I’m not even a celebrity and people are watching my every move.

Avery walked out of the bathroom and slowly made her way down the stairs to the kitchen. Nancy was too busy cooking to notice Avery coming into the kitchen. “Good morning.” Avery said opening the fridge and taking out a bottle of orange juice. A gasp was heard from behind her and she turned around to see Nancy staring at her with surprise on her face and her hand over her heart. “Oh! Good morning Avery. How many times do I have to tell you never to scare me?” Nancy scolded her. Avery smiled. “I didn’t scare you. You just didn’t hear me come in.” She said.  Nancy was in her fifties and was the closest person Avery had to a mother. Nancy worked for Avery and her father for at least six years. Avery was eight when Nancy came and she quickly took a liking to her. Nancy smiled. “Breakfast will be almost done.” She said. Avery nodded and sat down on the chair around the island and waited.

“Nancy I will be leaving in a few minutes. Jasmine would be here in an hour. I expect everything to be in place when I come back.” Avery heard the voice of her father say. She looked up and her father was fixing his tie. He had a suitcase by the side of his feet and Avery wondered where he was going. “Avery, I’m going to Chicago this afternoon after I finish my meeting with Mrs. Palaver. It will just be a month. I expect you to behave and don’t do anything out of the ordinary.” Her father said. Avery said nothing. There was nothing left for her to say. Her father always said the same thing over and over again and it was getting a little old to her.  She was seventeen and she didn’t need her father to tell her to behave. What was there for her to do? She was isolated from the world around her with only the opportunity of going to school and coming back home. What she wanted was adventure. She wanted to explore the world on her own, take risk, to act on impulse. She wanted it all and her father wouldn’t stop her. She’d make sure of it.