a/n: I know this chapter is short but it's only the first one, the others will be longer. Hope you like the story.
disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 1: The Box
Jess watched from her sister's window, seeing her quickly running outside with an umbrella, ushering a lady who was about twenty-seven into their house. They were expecting this stranger, well she wasn't a complete stranger, her sister Lacy did know who this was. Apparently, this stranger was three years older than Lacy and they both attended the same high school at one time. Not only that, but this woman was the daughter of the people her sister bought this house from. They didn't know that when they bought the house or even on moving day, which was two days ago.
Actually, Jess stumbled upon the reason to why this woman was here, she was unpacking yesterday, hanging her clothes in her closet when she noticed a box on the shelf, pushed in the back corner, which made it easy to be missed. Using her desk chair, she was able to pull it out. She called her sister, knowing that Lacy would kill her if she didn't bring her along on this adventure.
"What do you think it is?" Lacy asked, brushing her hand lightly on it, as if afraid that if she pressed to hard, something bad would happen.
Jess stared at her, it sometimes amazed her that Lacy actually made it through university. "A box," she said slowly.
"I know what it is but I wonder who this box belonged to, why they made it, what secrets lay within it. I mean who knows, this box could have belonged to the first person who owned this house," Lacy replied. Jess rolled her eyes and opened the box, knowing that her sister was dying with suspense.
Lacy's eyes immediately brightened when the box was opened, claiming that she knew who the owner of this box was. Jess was confused at how her sister knew who owned the box. There was no name in it, just a heart-shaped necklace saying 'Be Be Your Love' and a letter addressed to no one and there was no name at the bottom, as if the top and bottom of the page were ripped out. How could her sister know who owned a heart-shaped necklace with the words imprinted wrong and a letter addressed to no one?
Jess tried to read the letter but Lacy quickly snatched it away, claiming that it was too deep of a subject to read without the person who wrote the letter not knowing. Jess questioned Lacy, wanting to know the story behind the box but Lacy shook her head, claiming that she only knew the side of the rumours, not sure what was the truth and what wasn't.
"Maybe she will tell us," Lacy said
"Who's she?" Jess asked.
"The owner of the box silly," Lacy answered, telling her that she would contact her right away, claiming that her name will never leave her, although she failed to tell Jess the name.
Jess snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone walking up the creaky stairs. She went to the door, slightly opening it and watched the stranger, the owner of the box walk pass Lacy's room and into her own. Lacy told her not to read the letter and to make sure Jess followed the instruction, Lacy kicked her out of her own room, locking the door, telling her that she could go back in once the owner of the box left. Jess watched the owner of the box turn the handle slowly, opening the door.
She slowly walked inside, as if she was trying to capture and remember every square inch of that room. She then noticed the box, it was placed in the middle of the floor since the only furniture in that room was Jess's desk chair, the rest of the furniture still had to be assembled. The owner of the box sat down slowly on the carpet, staring at the unopened box. She touched it carefully, as if afraid that it would blow up or disappear any second. She opened the box, lifting the lid, and looking inside. Jess saw her smile a sad smile as she pulled out the necklace and letter.
"You can come in," the owner of the box said, turning her head towards the door, knowing the whole time that Jess was watching her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to spy," Jess said, slightly stepping into the room. The owner placed the necklace and letter back into the box, while never losing eye contact with Jess, waiting for her excuse to why she was spying. "It's just…" Jess started, not sure how to word it. "It's just that I found that box and I'm curious at what it all means, the necklace with a word accidently imprinted twice, and a letter, with no name addressed or signed. What does it mean?" Jess asked.
The owner of the box smiled. "Your sister asked that too, you should know, everything is not what it seems. I'll answer all your questions if you answer one for me." Jess nodded, wanting desperately to know the answer. "Your parents, were they the ones that died in that horrible house fire not that long ago?" she asked.
Jess felt a bit defensive, everyone wanted to know if it was her parents and what exactly happened. "How sad," people would say, pitying them. This was why her sister bought a house with her parents' savings and quickly moved out of their old house, pulling Jess along. Although she felt this way, why people were trying to butt into her personal life, she thought this was exactly what she was doing to the owner of the box and her emotions quickly disappeared before she answered.
"Yes," Jess whispered and the owner of the box nodded.
"I'm sorry," she replied and Jess nodded back as Lacy came into the room, carrying a tray with two mugs containing coffee in them.
"Here Casey, I hope you like coffee black, we've seem to run out of milk and sugar, sorry," Lacy said. "Oh," she said once she saw Jess. "You haven't been bothering Ms. Macdonald Jess, have you?" Lacy asked.
"No she hasn't, I was just going to start the story, explaining the box and everything in it," Casey interfered. "I'm sure you are both dying to know," she said as she grabbed the coffee, trying to think where she should begin.
Reviews are always welcome