Stolen Pies and Pretty Lies

Chapter 9

The floor creaked and bellowed with each furthering step. Manicured hands avoided touching the walls bordered by white wainscotting for fear of contaminating the scene.

A wicker chair sat at the end of the hall, holding a white pillow with 'Live, Laugh, Eat' stitched on the front.

Typical.

The circular mirror which hung above the chair offered Millie reflection, both figuratively and metaphorically.

This is insane. What am I doing here?

Her phone buzzed with a text from Kaycee.

-Making peanut butter chocolate cupcakes. In need of taste tester. You in?

Millie quickly typed her response.

-Will be home as soon as I can. Save the spoon for me.

Kaycee replied instantly.

-You got it!

Next Millie entered the bathroom. Granted she didn't think she'd find anything of substance here, she was just nosy.

She knew it was wrong to pry, if only she cared for that more than she cared about clearing Kaycee of wrongdoing.

Millie kicked away a rubber duck on the soap stained tile floor almost leading to her bashing her teeth on the side of the bathtub.

She caught herself ungracefully, wobbling, flailing out.

If Leo could see me now.

15 bottles of shampoo and conditioner (Millie counted) were on the sink, the floor, in the trashcan and the shower caddy.

"Screw the environment I guess. It's not like we need a planet."

Shaking her head she made like a banana and split into the room across the stairwell.

Nothing special in here. A bed with fluffy blankets Millie envied, a rectangular rug, a beanbag chair, magazines scattered around.

She stepped closer to the wooden dresser topped with expensive jewellery, a letter with the initials E.T, smelly French perfume, a flyer about the baking contest, robin red lipstick (one of Millie's favourites), a petunia filled vase, a can of hairspray, makeup brushes, a half eaten sandwich, photos and sunglasses.

Millie picked up the rose coloured Dior sunglasses.

Amelia wouldn't miss these.

Thinking better of it she put them back not wanting any bad karma.

Beneath the window beside her she heard Leo pacing.

He does that a lot.

I should get him a pedometer. He'd like that.

He'd also like me to come downstairs too.

Eh, we both can't get what we want.

Glass crashed somewhere in the distance, snapping Millie's head towards the source. In the neighbouring abode, the blinds shuttered, causing her to drop to the floor.

"Creep," she called out.

She turned her focus to gold picture frames which captured Amelia on her worldly travels, sometimes laughing with friends, or alone. In each, her smile was wide and Millie briefly thought about what it'd be like to meet the person who sported pearly whites and brunette locks.

She stared at one photo catching the glare of something reflecting off its surface.

The object glistened, taunting her to run it through her fingers.