The Secret lies with Charlotte
A/N: Every time I watch National Treasure the plot bunnies attack me with new ideas. I don't know how I came up with this one, but it's a little crazy. I'm not going to tell you much to start with, because that would ruin the mystery and suspense of it all. Plus, I wanted to post this before the second movie comes out and ruins my whole plot. Anyways, I don't own National Treasure, only Ann, Charlotte and Jon (and possibly a few bad guys!). Enjoy!
I swept up the beaten wooden floor of the old junk shop, watching the clouds of dust catch the sunlight as they flew into the air. I had taken this job about a year ago when I had started my sophomore year of high school. Since then I had moved to two or three different foster homes. Eventually, the owner of this junk shop, Ann Helder, took me in; I had been living with her for the past year.
I never knew my parents. I had been brought to a children's home in Washington, D.C. when I was too young to remember, and had since been traded through foster homes my entire life. I had arrived without any papers or identification, besides a small golden necklace with my name, Charlotte, on it.
I had always been a problem for my foster parents (well, besides Ann) because I wanted to be on my own; I could take care of myself. Anyways, I always ended up pulling some stunt that ended my history with the foster family pretty quickly. There was the time that I had snuck out of the house so that I could go on a school field trip to the Smithsonian, and the other time when I had ruined my foster mom's favorite coat because I had used it for a social studies project. I usually didn't care what happened, so long as I was free of the foster family's restricting rules.
Ann was my absolute favorite; I always tried my best so that I could stay with her. She didn't treat me any differently than she would any other 'normal' kid, and she didn't worry about me all day. She had frizzy red hair and always seemed to be wearing jeans and flip-flops, no matter the weather. She was pretty cool and I enjoyed being around her. We lived in a loft above the junk shop, which used to be a house or store or something back in the 1700 or 1800's; neither of us are really sure.
I finished my sweeping and set the broom against a table that held various books and knick-knacks, stretching. Looking out the faded window I was standing by, I saw a boy on the other side of the street. I paused, smiling. He was usually on that side of the street everyday about this time, heading home from work or something. He went to my high school, but I had never really met him.
He had these gorgeous deep blue eyes that always smiled and dark brown hair that shone in the sunlight. Right now he was leaning against the traffic light pole, rummaging through his khaki messenger bag. Looking up, he saw that the signal had changed. With a swaggering step he started across the intersection while still leafing through his bag for something.
I was still smiling when I saw the semi-truck that was speeding towards him, the driver that was arguing over the phone too preoccupied to notice anything. My breath caught in my throat before I rushed to the door, not stopping to think as I ran out into the street towards him. There were car horns blaring as I dashed through the intersection, my heartbeat thundering in my ears.
I hurriedly yelled in panic at the boy who looked up just in time to see me jump, sailing through the air towards him. The driver of the truck finally caught on, his horn blaring as I landed on the boy and we went sprawling over on top of each other towards the far curb. I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard the horn blare loud and then get softer as the truck sped away, its tires making my short, unkempt hair whip around my face with the gust of air.
For a moment, I stayed still and held my breath as if I were waiting for the 18-wheeler to run us over. Then, I heard someone clear their throat and my eyes opened slowly. The boy was underneath me, an amused expression on his face. I noticed that I was still clutching his jacket with a death grip before I mumbled an apology and stood up shakily.
He smiled as he got up, following me back onto the sidewalk. I ran a hand through my shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair, trying to avoid his gaze as I walked quickly back towards the shop.
"Hey, who are you?" he called out after me. I turned my head towards him slightly, still trying to walk back to the junk shop as fast as possible.
"No one, really. I mean, we go to the same school and all but…" I muttered nervously, finally reaching the windows of the shop. The boy paused behind me, his reflection staring at me in the window.
"Really, all I want is your name." he said, shrugging his shoulders. I stopped, blowing a piece of hair out of my face as I turned and leaned against the side of the building.
"Charlotte; my name's Charlotte." I told him. He nodded, still staring at me. Suddenly, he made a goofy face and I couldn't help myself. I glanced down, biting my lips to try and hide the faint smile that had shown up on my face.
"See, I knew I could get you to smile." He smiled back as I looked up at him. I noticed that his eyes had silver specks in them, almost as if they were like reflections in a swimming pool.
"Look, I'm sorry about back there, I just wasn't thinking. That truck was heading straight for you and…" I sighed, wringing my hands.
"No, it's fine. You have permission to save my life anytime." He said, holding his hands up and walking around to my side. He leaned against the faded paint on the window that had been up there since the first owner had converted the building into a junk shop. Ann had kept the name Abel's Curios, saying that she didn't have the heart to change it.
"So…" I started, "You still haven't told me your name." I pointed out.
"Allow me to introduce myself then," he bowed, making me giggle, "I'm Jon Poole, otherwise known as the idiot who doesn't look before crossing the street."
"I'll forgive you for that, just make sure that it doesn't happen again next time. You're lucky that I was by a window and happened to see you. Next time I could be in a back room cataloging items." I scolded him sarcastically.
"Oh, so you work here?" Jon asked, turning and studying the store's front. "I've always wanted to go in and look around; it looks like such a cool store."
"Well, today's your lucky day." I smiled, leading him inside. The bells over the front door jingled as we entered the warm shop that had piles and stacks of anything and everything, forming an intricate labyrinth around the entire shop.
"Wow." Jon smirked, glancing around. "Is this your evil plan? Lure innocent customers into your store, and then trap them inside in this maze where they'll wander forever in hopeless desperation?" he asked.
"Oh rats, you've figured it all out!" I snapped my fingers together in sarcastic disappointment.
We were quiet as we started to explore, gazing around at the shelves full of ancient toys or tools. Above on the olive green walls hung various animal trophies, the oddest one being a rather large water buffalo who stared down at us condescendingly. There was also a small table that was covered entirely in thimbles, and another that held an enormous jar of marbles. There was plenty of stuff to make you want to stop and stare, but the one thing that seemed to catch Jon's attention was a seemingly forgotten counter by a window that held American antiques.
His eyes grew larger as he studied the table's contents, his hands hovering over it as he searched for something. Then, they plunged beneath a stack of old Reader's Digest and emerged holding a golden pendant engraved with a pyramid that had an eye over it. My heart beat faster as I stared at it, wondering how it could've gotten here. I heard Jon give a small gasp as it slipped through his fingers and back onto the table.
"What…is that?" I asked softly, leaning over the gold metal circle.
"It's a freemason artifact." Jon told me, still staring at it. I glanced back down, tracing my fingers over the archaic treasure. It felt familiar somehow.
"Charlie? Is that you?" I heard Ann call out, coming down the stairs. Jon and I turned around simultaneously as Ann appeared in the doorway, her unruly hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Her eyes turned to Jon immediately.
"Ann…" I said, taking a step forward, still holding the artifact.
"I didn't know that anyone else was here. Is he a customer or a friend?" Ann smiled, coming more into the room.
"Ann, this is Jon. Jon, Ann." I introduced them quickly and with a nervous smile. Jon went forward, shaking Ann's hand firmly. "He goes to my school." I explained.
"Oh, how nice. You've never brought any of your friends here before." She smiled.
"That's because I don't have any." I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, that's what you always say. I just meant that it was nice to finally find proof that you're not the only person who goes to that school." She told me, moving a box behind the counter. I saw Jon smile and relax.
"Well Jon, you're in luck. I've started a new special today. Anyone who comes in and is one of Charlie's friends gets their first purchase absolutely free." Ann wiped her hands off on her apron, leaning against the counter. "See anything you like?"
"Actually, yes." He smiled, leaning towards me and taking the pendant out of my hands. He walked over to the counter and I followed closely, curious. Ann leaned forward as he approached. "What do you know about this piece?" he asked her, setting the artifact gently down onto the counter.
"Oh wow…" Ann breathed as she studied the intricate circle with her slender fingers. "I can't believe this; I thought I had lost this when I had re-opened the store!" she smiled like a little girl.
"It's a freemason piece, isn't it?" Jon asked her. We were all three leaning in around the small golden piece in wonder, our mouths hanging open.
"Yes, the person who owned the shop before me somehow got a hold of it, I believe from that group of treasure hunters. It was the pride of his store, and he sold it to me with the shop for a pretty penny. I just…had to have it, y'know?" she looked up at Jon, who nodded at her.
"So…you're just going to give it to him?" I asked her. She looked up, as if she were waking from a dream.
"Well, I suppose. The only thing it's going to do here is gather more dust and get lost again. Besides, it's not like we won't ever see Jon again. Whenever I want to see it, I can just force him to bring it back over here." She smiled evilly.
"So I get it for free besides the fact that I now have to answer to your every beck and call?" Jon asked her, standing back up and placing the artifact into his bag carefully. Ann smiled with a small laugh as we all walked over to the door.
"I like your sense of humor." She told him.
"Yeah, well, I get it from my dad." Jon shrugged, opening the door. I walked outside with him, turning to Ann as she tried to follow us out. I shook my head, glaring and closing the door on her. The sun had gone down, its light being replaced by the headlights of cars that sped by. Jon turned to me one last time, smiling.
"She's nice. Is she your boss?" he asked me.
"Yeah, I suppose you'd say that." I smiled back timidly.
"That's cool. I can't keep a job without getting fired. I daydream too much. Oh well, not like I like working anyway. Hey, do you think you could come over sometime?" he asked calmly.
"Uh, yeah…" I nodded, hoping he didn't see me blushing, "I think that'd be cool."
"Alright, I'll try to find you at school. Trust me; my mom's cooking is amazing. You'll have to try it." He told me, walking backwards.
"Remember, look both ways before crossing the street!" I called out to him as he disappeared. He smiled, waving as he spun back around.
"Thanks again for saving my life!" He called back to me.
I stood for a moment longer, hugging myself as I smiled before turning around. Ann was in the window, her nose pressed up against the glass. My smile slipped off my face as she smiled sheepishly up at me. I walked back inside, crossing my arms as the door closed behind me.
"I like him." She smiled, straightening up. "What were you two talking about out there?"
"Nothing, he was just wondering if I could come over some time." I replied, walking off.
"Aw…how sweet." She cooed.
"No it's not!" I whipped back around towards her. "He just wants to hang out!"
"So you don't like him at all…even a little?" she asked.
"No! I mean, not really…he is cute though." I sighed. Ann smiled and I scowled at her. "No, there is no way that I like him! I barely know him!" I yelled, stomping upstairs and throwing my hands up into the air.
"MmHmm." Ann smiled secretly, turning back to the shop.
A/N: There you go, the first chapter! I'm excited about this story even though I have others I need to work on. Don't worry; I'll try to explain more in the next chapter about Charlotte's past (in case you haven't already figured it out!). And on a side note, I finished NaNoWriMo on Friday with 50,002 words total! Congrats to everyone else who won with me or at least gave it a try; possibly one of the hardest things I have ever done.