The Zachary Donovan Enigma - (( Watty Awards! ))

The Zachary Donovan Enigma - (19)

I shrugged off the uncertainty and quickly applied the gloss before re-checking my reflection. I frowned, rubbing my lips together. Ugh, it felt so sticky and weird, not to mention the overpowering, sickly-sweet smell of artificial coconuts. Why did girls always wear this stuff?

I shook my head at myself and ripped off a square of toilet paper, wiping vigorously the gloss from my mouth. I’d never worn it before, why bother starting now? After checking my reflection for about the hundredth time, I decided to just give up on my appearance, and walked back to my bedroom – tossing my used clothes in the laundry basket on the way. Honestly, what had gotten into me?

“So, what are your feelings towards ‘The Hangover’?” asked Eli when I entered my bedroom, holding up the DVD case.

“I’ve only seen it about ten times” I shrugged. “Not nearly enough for it to be engrained in my mind.”

“Excellent,” he grinned. “Shall I go put it on?”

I nodded vaguely, moving over to my bed side table where I’d left my Gran’s necklace. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a second,” I waved him off. “Feel free to start without me.”

“Shall do.” And with that he bounced back out my bedroom door to the living room.

I grinned despite myself at his back, before turning back to my dresser. I was sure I had left it here last night before bed. My grin faded slowly as I searched the draws and behind the bed-side table for my necklace; but couldn’t find it anywhere.

I eventually gave up, frowning and wondering where on Earth I had left it. Though no doubt it would turn up somewhere, it couldn’t have gone too far.

I went to Eli’s bag in the corner, deciding instead to get some physics done while Eli watched the movie. I’d seen the Hangover so many times I could pretty much recite the whole movie, word for word. I hadn’t brought home my textbook, but I’d seen Eli putting his in his bag at school.

Crouching down on the floor I unzipped his bag and pulled out the gigantic hard covered book. I was about to zip the bag back up, when something shiny caught my eye.

I gazed at it curiously, before reaching in with my hand, and drawing out my opal necklace. My eyebrows shot up in surprise and I turned it over in my hands, making sure it was the same one. But sure enough, the scratches on its face were exactly the same.

I stared at it dumbfounded. What was my Gran’s necklace doing in Eli’s bag? Without thinking, I mindlessly got up and staggered down the hall to the living room; not bothering to re-zip the bag and completely forgetting about my plan to study physics.

Eli was lounging on the couch, staring transfixed at the television, and I stood in the doorway watching the light from the TV flicker across his face. I stood there in silence, still to shocked and confused to say or accuse anything, clutching the necklace tightly in the palm of my hand.

Eli, sensing my presence turned and smiled, opening an arm and inviting me onto the couch. I stumbled over and collapsed next to him. He smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer and kissed the top of my head gently. Completely unaware as to what was going on in my head.

I could only sit there motionlessly, wondering why he would steal my necklace.

“Mmm,” mumbled Eli distractedly, “you taste like coconuts...”  

 “Yeah,” I muttered, staring ahead at the television. “I just had a quick pina colada in the bathroom.”

Eli laughed. “Ah Cassie, you’re so amusing.”

I finally took a deep breath, snapping out of my shock and turned to face my boyfriend. “Eli,” I started, and bringing out my necklace, “Why was my Gran’s necklace in your backpack?”

Eli glanced quickly at me, then at the necklace in my hands.  “I found it,” he said, smiling tentatively, sensing the anger behind my words and doing his best not to provoke it. “In my car yesterday,” he added, seeing my crease my brow in disbelief. “It must have fallen off or something, so I put it in my bag, meaning to give it to you next time I saw you.” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Guess I kind of forgot about it.”

I watched him intently, trying to figure out if he was lying, then sighed in relief and leaned into his shoulder, deciding he was telling the truth. Eli relaxed as well and leaned down to kiss me again. “Sorry,” I said, “I thought maybe you were trying to steal it for your assignment.”

Eli pulled back in surprise, an appalled look crossing his face. “I would never steal from you Cass,” he said.

I smiled against his chest, wriggling my way further into his arms. “I know that now,” I agreed happily.

“I’m glad,” said Eli bending over to lightly brush away the hair that had fallen into my face, before kissing my forehead once again.

I smiled contentedly and decided to ignore the physics text book I’d left behind in my room - way too comfortable in Eli’s embrace to move and get it. So instead I turned slightly on his lap so I could see the screen and watched the actors trying to check into their hotel.

I quickly glanced up at Eli, wondering if he was aware that he wouldn’t be able to hear the actors over me reciting their lines. I grinned, and glanced back at the television, taking a subtle deep breath before launching in.

“Can I ask you another question? You probably get this a lot,” I quoted over the top of Alan; Eli looked down at me raising an eyebrow. He was soon going to start wishing he’d chosen a different movie. “But this isn’t the real Caesars Palace, is it?”

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I also realised, after I published it, that I should have made the movie Harry Potter, in light of the last movie coming out this week! But i wasn't that smart...

='( It's going to be so sad =(

Who else is excited about HARRY POTTEEEEER!!! =D

I've been watching my way through the movies again, which is another reason this chapter has taken so long... =P

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