Nefarious

⚜ Chapter One ⚜

Winter's Emerald

The glass door was wrenched open with a clatter of bells. The laminated purple sign that read Lilly's flew off it's hook, fluttering to the ground. Eleanor's vision immediately went to the abandoned sign, then to the black boots stepping on it. The whole coffee shop was drained of all conversation, with the exception of hushed chatter, people sharing the same bumbling confusion. It took the person throwing himself into a leather booth and immersing himself in the laminated menu for everybody to go back to their earlier interrupted conversations. From what Eleanor could tell, his eyes were very blue. She tried to find a shade of blue in the coffee shop to compare the color to but came up empty handed. His hair was dark. Not quite black, though it could still be considered brown. It gleamed glossy blonde when the sun hit it just right, just like it was now, streaming in from the window. If Daniel hadn't chosen that moment to interrupt her, she wasn't sure how long she would have been staring at the stranger.

"What was that about?" He gave a little laugh and took a sip of his coffee. Eleanor gave him a look as if to say don't say that too loud, you idiot making Daniel raise his hands up in innocence. "Anyways, what were we talking about?"

"Actually," She said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I was saying that I have to go." At the odd look on his face she rolled her eyes. "Mom and David's dinner, remember? If I have to suffer meeting David's family again, so do you." Daniel's eyes widened.

"I totally forgot about that." He said, then seeing the look Elle was giving him, "Relax, I'm still going. I just have to call Andy and tell him I'm busy."

Eleanor nodded. "Good. I'll see you later then?" She stood up, but paused to hear Daniel's answer.

"Of course."

⚜⚜⚜

The wind outside was brutal. Of course her mother had to choose to have her and David's wedding in the middle of a freezing winter. Cassandra had always had a draw to the winter scene. Eleanor had never known what it was about sharp wind and wet snow that her mother loved so much. Elle paused for a moment to reach inside her bag, grabbing a pair of leather gloves she kept for moments like these. The wind stung her nose and cheeks red causing her to walk a little faster then she usually would. The warmth of the stuffy apartment was for once, a great relief. She had just removed her multiple layers of jackets and sweaters when she heard a clash and a gasp come from the kitchen.

Eleanor took the stairs two at a time. There wasn't supposed to be anybody home. She had just seen Daniel at Lilly's and her mother and David should have been long gone by now. Grabbing a measly broom from the closet, she turned the corner into the kitchen, her heart racing so fast it almost hurt. What she found was hardly a sight for sore eyes. David was on the floor surrounded by bagged loafs of bread that were kept on top of the refrigerator and a collapsed step ladder.

"David, oh god, are you okay?" Elle said, deciding that it wasn't in her best interest to let out the laugh she had been keeping back. David sat up, alarmed at his soon-to-be step-daughter's presence, and waved his hand. She leaned the broom back up against the wall.

"Pah," He said, standing up and brushing off his khaki pants. "I'm fine Elle."

"What happened?" Eleanor questioned suspiciously.

David shook his head, his face turning red.

"I was trying to get this blasted thing from on top of the fridge." He held up a tiny box covered in blue velvet.

"A ring?" She looked at it with a puzzled expression. "Okay David, you lost me." David laughed.

"Not a ring dear." He snapped open the tiny box revealing a glimmering silver necklace. At the end of the necklace was a decent sized emerald gem stone. Elle reached a hand out, just barely touching the smooth stone.