Narrowed emeralds stare back at me as waves bounce just below my shoulders. I emit a sigh, absentmindedly tugging down my sleeves. Mom and Dad are meeting with the owners of a nail polish company. Apparently, this nail polish is all the rage. They believe this will triple their business. I'm wondering why my presence is required. Or why I'm wearing contacts.

After smoothing down my dress, I amble down the stairs. Dad sighs in relief at the sight of me, ceasing to fiddle with his fancy shirt. Mom immediately yanks open the door, her raven ringlets bouncing in harmony. Dad and I follow her out the door, waiting patiently as she sets the alarm. Once she's finished, we hurry to our car and hop in.

My parents seem in a hurry to be early. They've always wanted to set the best example. Mom's the coordinator and Dad's the negotiator. They're professionals in their element, posed and focused.

Mom lightly grips the wheel, loudly conversing with Dad. They seem to be discussing their business tactics. I clasp and unclasp my hands in my lap. Usually, my parents prefer to handle business without me interfering. I'm perfectly content with that choice. I'd rather sit and write in my journal or eat some ice cream. I'm not overly sophisticated or an expert at perfectly sculpting conversations. I'm that person who quietly sits in a corner and taps away at her watch. I'm the one softly complaining to my parents so their company won't overhear. I'm not someone you want at a business meeting.

We pull into the driveway of a gaudy mansion. A waterfall and lush synthetic plants decorate the spacious front yard. The mansion itself is eggshell white lined with light gray. The whole place screams 'I blew so much money on lavish housing'. Well, not that I wouldn't if the opportunity arose.

"Autumn, are you getting out?"

I blink, my eyes snapping up to catch my mother's icy blue glare. Don't mess with her business opportunities.

Quickly, I hop out of the car and close the door. My parents tread in front of me, feet hurrying to reach the doorstep. An overweight orange cat blinks up at us. He lays in front of the double doors.

Only the rich can afford such pets. He's so beautiful despite his weight. Glossy orange fur is dotted with bright patches of white. His green eyes rival my own, his blinking slower and slower until they remain closed. His chest rises and falls with each breath, the animal tranquil and worry free. If I became a cat, could I escape the complications of my life?

"Oscar, move!" A voice hisses, a bare foot roughly connecting with orange fur. Oscar promptly scampers off, probably eager to find another resting spot.

"That was rude!" I instantly snap, opening my mouth before I even identify the offender. My eyes trail up and muddy orbs seem to glare into my soul. His raven hair is ruffled, yet it doesn't make him look like some greek god. It makes him look like some filthy rich teenager who is too lazy to brush his hair.

My father shoots me a disapprove look before turning back to the teenage jerk bag. "I'm so sorry about her! You must be Jared."

Jared slowly nods, pursing his lips into a thin line.

"Yeah, I am. Please come in."

My parents enter, making sure to wipe their shoes on the 'Welcome to our lovely home!' mat. I stand and watch as they take them off, leaving me behind as they wander further inside.

Jared cocks an eyebrow at me. "Would you care to enter?"

I scoff. "Would you care to be a nicer person?"

"No."

"How can you treat a living animal like that? He was only napping!" I exclaim, placing a hand on my hip.

His lip curves upward. "Oh, right, you're not one of us. You don't understand that Oscar is my animal. I own him. I treat him how I please."

My blood starts to boil. "That's not right at all!"

He shrugs. "Maybe not to a loser like you."

I shove past him, not bothering to wipe my shoes. Instead, I kick them off, aiming for Jared's privates. One hits it's target, the jerk wincing in pain. The other flies right back out the door before it slams shut. "Nah, you're the loser."

He rolls his eyes before yanking open the door, grabbing my shoe, and setting it next to my parent's. "I really want to hate you. Ehh, but you're quite a character."

"Um, thanks?" I respond. It sounds more like a question.

He shrugs once again. "That's probably the only compliment I'll ever give you, so bask in it."

It's my turn to roll my eyes. Jared leads the way through the house. The walls shift from lavender to shining silver respectively. Few family portraits decorate the interior. Most of the walls sport paintings by famous artists. Lavish furniture teases the eye and sleek, modern appliances seem to smirk at me. The house is so huge that it takes about ten minutes to reach the other end. A large screen door separates the house from a huge oakwood deck.

"Wow," I gasp, stopping to soak it all in.

Jared yanks open the screen door and rather rudely grabs my arm and yanks me through. The fading sunlight paints the sky vivid shades, decorative lights twinkling in the twilight. The door snaps shut behind us, jolting me back into reality. Our parents are seated at a large table overlooking the vast garden. A wide swimming pool smiles at at us. These people are truly rich.

"Oh, there they are!" What must be Jared's mom smiles fondly. Her brown hair cascades down her back and muddy brown eyes gleam brighter than her son's. "Hey Autumn, I'm Trish!"

I shake her hand, a small smile plastered on my face.

A man who is almost a carbon copy of his son, his icy blue eyes the differentiator, speaks next. "I'm Jake, pleased to meet you."

I shake his bulky hand, smiling warmly at him. My parents seem surprised, both of them sporting raised eyebrows. Well, maybe I can act sophisticated for one night.

As I reach for the nearest chair, Trish shakes her head. "You don't have to sit with us darling! You and Jared can hang around the house. Snacks are in the living room and dinner will probably be served in an hour."

Simultaneously, we both nod. Jared leads the way back into the house. We amble through numerous hallways and up some stairs, finally arriving at a closed door. He proudly swings it right open. Well, after expertly picking the lock.

I gasp, my eyes widening as I scan the walls. This must be where all the family portraits went. What might be hundreds of them fill every inch, not a trace of paint visible. A mahogany desk sits by a large window, the only absence of wall.

The door slams shut, the wooden floor vibrating in response. It's followed by a loud, "Autumn."

I jump, snapped out of my thoughts by Jared's voice. He sits in a plush brown chair behind desk.

"Is this your father's office?" I query, my eyes attempting to commit every last detail to memory.

He nods, giving the chair a good spin. The seemingly sophisticated boy twirls around like a little kid. He smiles and chuckles, his eyes gleaming with delight.

As much as I hate to interrupt his moment, I press on. "Why did you bring me here?"

The chair stops spinning. His expression turns solemn as he hops up and walks over to me. I inch backward until my back slams against the door.

"Relax," He whispers, grabbing my wrist. "I'm an allie, not an enemy. Well, if you're who I think you are." He proceeds to yank up me sleeve, eyeing the faux skin and slightly peeling it back, confirming any suspicious he might have.

A gasp escapes my lips before I yank back my arm, hiding it behind my back. "No," I mumble. "It's not what you think."

"Cody's my cousin, Autumn."

I gasp once again, realizing why his parents seemed so familiar. They're the couple from the tablet's background picture.

"That is our second house," He continues on. "That's why we weren't home that night. I know Cody lied about us being on vacation, but that was because he didn't want you to be intimidated by wealth or anything like that."

"I thought they didn't have a child."

"I'm not a child," he whines.

"You sure act like one," I laugh. The sound is forced and strangled.

He sighs as he places his hands on my shoulders, easily towering over me. "If I wanted to turn you in, I would have done so when Cody first told me."

"He did wh-"

"I'm the one who told him the code to the system."

My mouth hangs open as his arms drop. He takes a step away, giving me time to take it all in.

"He told another person about my Chip," I hiss, my hands balling into fists. "I trusted him. What if you had walked right over to the government and blabbed on me? Where would I be then, huh?"

Jared's eyes widen for a split second before reverting back to normal. "He knew he could trust me. He wouldn't have told me if he didn't need my help."

"You both disgust me right now," I spit, turning around and reaching for the doorknob. "The last person I put my trust in totally blows it."

He gently grabs my arm. "We never meant to hurt you, Autumn. Actually-"

I shrug his hand off my arm. "Actually, I think I'll eat some of those snacks. Alone."

______

Thanks to everyone who has read this far. Feel free to check out my other works, or share this one with your friends.

-Sarah