The Watch Thief

　　Camilla waits for the whole house to get quiet before she makes a move. She couldn't go see her father the previous day because she had to go with Ethan for their date.

　　The date didn't turn out bad as she thought at first. She learned so much about him and she found herself drawing even closer to him. But she has to be careful.

　　Her focus is on her father. She has to do all it takes to make him get better and that means she has to keep paying for his hospital bills.

　　She places her ears on the door, listening for any sound outside. The corridor is completely still and she opens the door gently.

　　She moves silently across the corridor to Ethan's room. She has studied him enough to realize that he doesn't sleep early like the rest of the house. By this time, he will be in his office with Peter, talking about their business. She opens his room door and steps in as quietly as she can muster.

　　None of them locked their rooms in the house, making her job even easier than she imagined.

　　She turns on her little torchlight and walked straight to the drawer where she had found the stack of expensive wristwatches. The last she took, served her for almost a month. This will also go a long way.

　　She picks out the smallest gold watch in the collection and slips it into her shorts. Taking a deep breath, she returns to the door, repeating the action of opening the door and stating out to make sure the corridor is empty. When she is done confirming, she steps out and scurries to her room.

　　"Camilla?"

　　Peter's voice shatters her still the heart and she freezes, her hand hanging in the air as she was about to open her room's door.

　　"Camilla? Why aren't you sleeping yet?" Peter says walking towards her.

　　She quickly pastes a tight-lipped smile and turns to stare at him. "Hy!" She greets awkwardly.

　　Peter turns to look if there was someone behind him but he sees no one. He points at himself, "are you greeting me?" He inquires for it didn't make a lot of sense. They were just together a few seconds ago and now she is greeting him again.

　　"We just met a while ago," a pointed out to her. "Are you okay? I thought you went to bed already. Should I call Ethan?" Peter says getting over concerned for her well-being.

　　"I am fine!" She squeals out loud. "I am fine." She repeats now sounding normal.

　　"What are you doing out here?" He asks her and she gulps, her heart starting to beat.

　　What if he decides to search for her? -no, he wouldn't do that. He is her friend. Or is he?

　　"I- I felt thirsty. I went to get a bottle of water..." She says but even she isn't convinced by her lie. For a pickpocket, she needs to elevate her lying game. She is pretty bad at it.

　　Peter looks around her and even around himself. Then he turns to stare at her with raised brows.

　　"Camilla, where is the bottle of water?" Peter asks her.

　　"Oh!" She exclaims, not knowing what to say. She has just blurted out a stupid lie and now it is going to kill her.

　　"I drank it!" She squeaks, almost too loud. The worst thing she needs now is for Ethan to come here. She will surely not be able to escape this.

　　"Ooh, okay. My bad, I thought you were going to carry it with you or something... Anyway, I should let you be. Goodnight Camilla, " Peter waves, before walking down the corridor to his room."

　　"Yeah, good night, " she waves awkwardly.

　　She clutches the doorknob and pushes it open. The last thing she wants is for Ethan to find her standing outside.

　　She goes into her room and locks her door. She then brings out the wristwatch she stole and observes it. The way the gold is glinting under the low light in her room, she knew it was going to be a very expensive piece. Even more expensive than the one she took the last time.

　　She placed it back in her jean pocket and sat on her bed, waiting. She will have to wait long before she could make a move outside.

　　She waited for a very long time and she knew she might likely wait all night. But luck soon shone on her when she heard another stillness around the house. This was the confirmation she needed.

　　She raised her windows gently and lowered herself down to the floor.

　　Immediately after she touched the ground, she ran as fast as she could to the small gate, taking her time, to avoid noise, she raised the lock and slowly slipped out.

　　As soon as she is out she takes to her heels. She can't get a taxi or a public bus fast enough this late at night and she can't wait around for one. It was too risky.

　　As she runs, she sees the headlights of a car coming behind her. She waves her hands and thankfully it was a taxi. She slips inside as fast as she can carry herself.

　　"Downtown avenue, " she says to the driver.

　　Camilla gets to the spot she is headed to and alights from the taxi. She then turns to the driver's side and leans on the window.

　　"I'll be in and out, can you please wait for me?" She asks the guy.

　　The man looks at her from head to toe warily. For a woman to be out by this time of the night and for her to even come down to a place like this. It made no sense. She is either a criminal or she is in some kind of trouble.

　　Looking at her, she looks like someone who is from a good home. She doesn't look like a criminal. So she is definitely in some kind of trouble but the man won't risk his life, playing hero for her.

　　"Ma'am, I am sorry. But I can't wait here!" The man says, looking intensely into her eyes. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

　　Camilla rolls her eyes at his question.

　　Everyone will take one look at her and think she came from a home that bled roses and diamonds.

　　"Look, sir. I am not in some kind of trouble and neither am I planning to put you in one. I want to see a friend down here and I will be returning home tonight. I am asking you to stay because I know it would be difficult to get a ride this late. I just don't want to be stranded but if you don't want to wait you may leave. I'll manage on my own!" She dips her hand into her pocket and throws his fare to him.

　　She walks deeper into the streets, not bothering to turn back and stare at the choked driver. She takes the first alleyway and enters the door by her right.

　　"Camilla! It's been ages! Where have you been?" John her dealer greets her with enthusiasm. "I have only been seeing a glimpse of Lisa of late, what's going on with you?"

　　Camilla walks closer to him and places her hand on the counter.

　　"Long story. Check this out, " she says, cutting his questions. She had learned a long time that you don't keep your dealers as friends. The only reason John even knew this much about her was because he use to work for her father back in the days before he became a dealer.

　　She flashed him the gold wristwatch in her hands and his face brightened up in a grin.

　　"Hmmm, you are too good at this." He extends his hands to grab it but she pulls her hand away from his reach.

　　"How much?" She snarls.

　　"You still don't trust me, Camilla, " he hisses, watching her hands like a snake.

　　"Say the price you are willing to pay, if it is good enough, we have a deal. Otherwise, I bounce!"

　　"Easy girl, open your hands..."

　　Camilla flashes the watch to him again and he nods in acknowledgment. "It is a rare piece. I'll give you a million dollars."

　　"Two million."

　　The million he offered was already a good offer but Camilla had to bargain to give him a little heat and luckily for her he accepted.

　　"Here," he passed her a bag of cash and she eyes him cautiously. "Why do you have a bag of two million already sealed and packed?"

　　"Well, I am a business dealer. I made a deal before you came in..." He says with a smirk.

　　"It's too late for me to walk you with so much cash. Make a transfer."

　　John looked like he would cry at her comment but he knew how stubborn the redhead could become. He took back the bag of cash and made an electronic transfer to her.

　　She makes sure she has received the notification before she passed the watch to him and walked out of the shack.

　　She walks back to where she had come through and to her surprise, the taxi driver is still waiting.

　　"You didn't leave?" She says as she mounts the passenger seat.

　　"I figured I could play hero for one night, " the man says and Camilla laughs.

　　"Careful with those risks. It might get you in real trouble. Take me to the city hospital."