Love Me (slow updates)

Ch 17 |•| Somebody's watching me

"You have everything you'll need?" Emilio asked for the umpteenth time. Clara only nodded at him before adjusting her bag. Emilio crossed his hand over his chest. He let out an exasperated breath before tilting his head. "You've never been out alone before are you sure you'll be ok?" He asked as he fret over her.

He flattened down her hair, fixed her clothes, twisted her jewellery the right way. Clara gently grabbed his hands before giving him a soft smile. "I'll be ok. I have my phone and the card Lorenzo gave me. If anything happens I promise I'll call." She said making him nod.

She looked over at the entrance where her friends stood waiting for her. "I can't believe Lorenzo is letting you go out with boys." Emilio muttered under his breath making Clara roll her eyes.

"They're just friends." At that Emilio scoffed.

"Yeah I'm sure they are." At that Clara frowned as a crease formed between her eyebrows. She crossed her arms before looking up at Emilio.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Emilio looked down at her with his eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" Clara just sighed before shaking her head.

"Nothing don't worry. I'm gonna go now. I'll see you after." She said before turning towards her friends. Emilio nodded before turning the other way.

"Alright. B' bye," he said with a halfhearted wave. He had a really bad feeling about this. But he didn't want to ruin it for her. He wanted to give Clara the childhood she had lost. She was starting therapy in about a week so that was a step in the right direction.

He was glad she was starting to really accept them. The other day she had started a conversation with him. Unprovoked.

He hadn't stopped smiling the entire day. It was obvious she was closest to Andreas but he didn't see her starting any conversations with him unprovoked. That made him feel good.

He liked that she trusted him. It made him feel better about the fact that he hadn't even noticed the pain she was in. The guilt that had been crushing him was almost overbearing.

He watched as she walked away joining her friends with a large smile on her face as they spoke. She looked so happy.

He let out a small sigh as she turned around and made his way towards the car park. She deserved to be happy.

Clara was happy. But not as happy as she could be. Emilio's words had been circling through her brain. I'm sure they are. Didn't he believe her? Didn't he trust her?

She trusted him. So why didn't he trust her? Or was she stupid to believe they would trust her? She was nothing but a girl who entered their home only a month ago. She wasn't the little sister they wanted. She was high maintenance. And annoying. And stupid. She couldn't even read. She was an idiot. She wasn't the sister they wanted. She was a burden. She was a-

"You ok? You've been spaced out for like half an hour." Keenan asked softly with a small smile. Clara looked towards her other friends who were giggling at something Amelia had said.

She turned back to Keenan with a smile of her own. But it didn't reach her ears. "I'm ok. Sorry I was just thinking." Keenan looked at her for a second before looking down to the ground.

"Clara I know we haven't known each other long but you can tell me anything. I won't judge."

Clara pursed her lips as she looked up at him. Her eyes darted from left to right as she scanned his features. He seemed so sincere.

She opened her mouth to reply before promptly closing it again. She didn't want to ruin the one chance she had at friendship. She had never had this before. What if they didn't want her with all the baggage she came with? Would they think she was too much to deal with and abandon her? She had felt more than enough heartbreak in her life. She didn't need any more.