Undesirable.

Chapter 14

I hesitate for a moment, before reaching to examine each. As I touch the necklaces the cold silver on my fingertips triggers the memory that I couldn't seem to place just a second ago.

"Grant." I whisper to myself unknowingly, and I feel a clamminess start to form on my palms.

"Hm?" The clerk looks up confused.

I quickly shake my head. "Sorry, nothing." I drop the necklaces, causing them to clang against the glass. "T-thank you." I quickly turn, making a hasty exit so as to not vomit in the store.

As the bells of the door jingle again, signaling my exit, the sunlight greets my eyes, making me squint hard, and not helping my nausea.

Each of those necklaces, that have somehow found their way into that shop, used to have a home in the hands of Grant. He'd come home, asking me what I thought of the piece, yet never telling me who it was for. That is, except for the one that went to Bailey.

I can't seem to catch a break. Maybe that's why he didn't want to believe me when I said those girls resembled my own appearance. Maybe the dark figure in the alleyway was my own intuition warning me that someone close lurked in my shadow. Maybe, that person has been Grant this entire time.

My heart sinks as tears begin to fill my eyes, eventually becoming so full that they roll down my cheeks. There's no way it can be him, no way at all. He has never lied to me about anything. We've always discussed all our secrets with one another, so how has he been capable of holding something so big.

"There has to be some explanation here." I mumble to myself once again, this time really feeling crazy at having done so twice in one day.

I walk home, needing the time to process what I'd just discovered, wanting to debunk it somehow, even with my gut tells me that sadly it's the truth.

Passing the mom and pop shops, I can hear other college students laughing amongst themselves, unaware of the terrors that lurk just a few blocks away. They flirt and chat in ignorant bliss, and even the news stations have picked up new articles to spread across their pages, casting the Facelift Killer aside. Something doesn't quite add up though, the pawn shop had four necklaces, and I hold the fifth, if they correspond with the Facelift Killer victims, then that's one more necklace than how many bodies have been found by police, so who did that extra necklace come from?

My thoughts are jumbled, as hundreds of theories play in my mind, making me feel worse and worse. They consume my time, until I'm standing at the spot where the cab driver picked me up just an hour ago, and then it hits me. Celine. The mystery girl who stood at my doorstep, just one night ago, looking for Grant. Batting her eyelashes, hopeful to see his face, and looking disappointed when he wasn't there. Is she next? What if the necklace that hides in my pocket is not Bailey's, but actually a gift for Celine. I stop in the street, looking out lost and confused, as people continue on with their day all around me. I scramble for my phone, finding Grant's number and punching in a text, desperate to find her through him.

Some girl stopped by last night looking for you. I think her name was Celine. Anyway, she left her jacket, so I was wondering if you could send me her number so I could give it back?

Send.

It's a lie, she never even stepped foot in the apartment, but I can't act suspicious or out of the ordinary. I wait for a minute, and then five, with no response, eventually giving up and making the rest of the way home, worried. Climbing the stairs of the apartment I feel my phone vibrate from a new notification in my pocket. I wait until I'm inside before reading it.

Deals up to 70% off + 20% your entire purchase! Exp 4/14

I turn away, disappointed. That wasn't exactly the text I was waiting for. Even though I know I'm alone I still call out into the apartment for Grant, before making my way down our small hallway and standing in front of his bedroom door. I slowly turn the knob, scared to find a bloodied bed, but instead finding a neatly made one. I open his drawers, not sure what I'm looking for, but continue on anyway. Drawer after drawer, I only find what is expected, socks, pants, shirts, until a drawer is halted by something taped underneath it as I try to close it. I feel underneath, touching a small box, and releasing it from the makeshift hiding spot. Bringing it into view, it's small, and resembles a box that would hold a jewelry gift. I carefully pry the tape from its sides, cautious to not rip it. As I'm about to open the box, my phone vibrates once again, startling me. I reach for it, and see a new notification, this time from Grant.

My hands go limp, as the box hits the floor.

Where's the necklace?

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Do you think Melody's theory is right?

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Till' Next Time,
Lexi