Jovial Memories

Chapter 27

            The constant beeping of Mandy's alarm clock woke her from her semi-peaceful slumber. She lifted her head, finding that she had fallen asleep with her head resting on her desk. Her entire room was still coated in darkness, and she stumbled as she made her way to her alarm to turn it off.

            Mandy let out a groan and turned her lamp on, the bright light blinding her. She turned and saw herself in the mirror, shocked at what she saw. Her hair was a wild mess, her eyes bloodshot, and her face carrying the burden of exhaustion.

            She had been up nearly all night going through her mind and trying to think of all the possible places that Jessie might hide her key. Though Roy and Iris' brainstorming had helped some, she was no closer to finding the key.

            The entire weekend she had visited some of Jessie's favorite places and had rummaged through every nook and cranny like a maniac, looking for a key. She had dug through fresh snow and uncovered the soft soil underneath, desperate to find what she was looking for.

            She had visited countless shops, even icecream shops, asking the managers if anyone had left any keys around the place. At first, they had wondered if perhaps Mandy had left behind her car keys or house key, but Mandy had to explain to them this was no ordinary key, which sparked confusion from the managers. They were of little help, and Mandy supposed they questioned her sanity once she had fled the place.

            As Mandy rushed to throw on her outfit for school, she found her notebook sitting open, notes scribbled across the page. They were all the possible places that Jessie might've hidden the key, and so far, most of them were crossed out with no luck whatsoever. There were only a few locations left, and Mandy was beginning to get nervous. What if she was never able to find the key and the box remained a mystery for her entire life?

            Sighing, she closed the notebook up and shoved it in her desk, fearful her mother would discover it. Her mother still did not know about the metal box and the missing key, and Mandy did not intend on telling her.

            Mandy's eyes lingered to where she kept the Time Precedent, and she sighed. She had tried using it, but so far, Jessie had not appeared in the Year Dimension. Mandy had never really thought about it before. Was it possible to choose who she saw in the Year Dimension? She had not experimented too much with it.

            I hope she'll appear soon, Mandy told herself, shoving the Time Precedent in her backpack in case she needed it for whatever reason.

            She had not been in contact with Roy and Iris since they had met only a few days prior. Besides, things still seemed a bit awkward between her and Roy, though when she thought of him, there was a new tingling feeling inside her, one she did not understand, and she often pushed it away. She did not want to think of her feelings right now but of Jessie and uncovering this mystery.

            Mandy slowly made her way down the stairs, lugging her backpack behind her. Her mother was already seated at the table drinking a fresh cup of coffee. As soon as Mandy appeared, she looked up from the newspaper and her eyes widened.

            "You look like death warmed over," she observed.

            "I'm fine," Mandy assured her, waving a hand. She placed her backpack by the door and took a seat across from her mother, dipping her spoon into her cereal. Still, as she ate, she mostly craved sleep, and she felt her eyes drooping.

            "Mandy!" her mother snapped.

            Mandy's eyes shot open, and she glanced at her mother as if nothing had happened.