Outside the Door

Chapter One

Livi 

Olivia McLaren waited on her couch staring at the one of a kind chandelier that was above her head. Her parents were supposed to come back today. She rarely got to see them, so every second that she had with them was precious. She wanted, no needed, to preserve everything about them, from the feel of her mother's hair to the way her father would say her name because it was highly likely that she wouldn't see them again for months.

All Livi wanted was hugs, a few 'I love you' s, and maybe even her parents coming to something of hers. Her parents had never been to one of her events – not her middle school graduation nor her preschool one. She just wanted some time with them, instead, she got fancy clothes, bags and a lot of money she didn't know what to do with. She stayed all by herself in a huge house – her mum had said maybe she could have a maid, she did have a caretaker for a while, but after she turned 10, she felt ashamed, even embarrassed that Ms. Lenn had to lower herself to such a low position of polishing a ten-year-old girl's shoes.

She didn't want that so for her 11th birthday she asked instead for them to let Ms, Lenn go. After the task, however, Livi realised what a mistake she had made, because she felt so lonely all the time, a huge house full of pictures and grand rooms and furniture, but there was no one there to appreciate it, just her.

Livi did, however, have Sophia. Sophia stayed in a house with her two little brothers, and ever since Ms. Lenn had left, Livi spent most of her time at Soph's house. She had a suitcase there even, with a lot of her clothes and she even slept with Soph. It was only on the rare occasions that her parents came home, that Livi even returned to this huge house of hers.

But Livi would be spending a lot more of her time here now because Soph and her family had gone all the way to Singapore for Mr. Taylor's job. They would be back in three months, but for every day that they were gone, Livi's loneliness dawned upon her and least to say, it was not a happy feeling.

Livi had dosed off for a while until she woke with a jump when she heard the door open gently.

"Oh, Olivia, don't tell me that you have been sleeping on the couch this whole time waiting. How many times, do we have to explain, sleeping on that couch, will completely ruin your posture. I only say this because I care, darling," her mother said. Livi was lost, however, and barely heard a word. She was too busy looking at the way her mother's coral red hair curled softly next to her shoulders. Livi wanted hair like that. After a moment, she did get up from the couch and shook herself back to pay attention.

She wanted to go and hug her mum, but she knew that her mother would strongly disapprove of such behaviour. "I was just excited for my parents to return. That couldn't possibly be a crime now could it?" Livi smiled.

"Well it's so good to see you, Ollie," her father said gently. Livi smiled at the pet name, her father was always much softer, but he always sided with only Olivia's mother. "I do however agree with your mum, you should sleep on your own bed. We can catch up in the morning."

He took a step towards Olivia and tucked a free strand of her hair behind her ear, Then, he whispered into her ear, softly so her mother wouldn't hear, "I do come with promising gifts, I promise."

While her mother always got her designer clothes she would never wear, her father usually gave her great gifts. Her mother's assistant set the bags and her mum sat up on the couch straight and nodded to Olivia sharply, her face emotionless – it was a sign for Olivia to return to her room.

Olivia smiled and climbed up the stairs. She entered her room, the housekeeper cleaned it during the weekends. Olivia and Sophia would be there, and by that little gesture, they got away with the time they spent at Sophia's. Livi had told her father, that a lot of times when she got bored she would stay with her friend, her father had only talked to Mr Taylor once, but her father didn't mind. Her mother, however, would kill her if she found out that Livi had been spending a lot, or rather all, of her time in Sophia's house – her mother didn't like any of Livi's friends. It wasn't like they had done something horrible, they were perfectly polite to her mother, but her mother simply disapproved.