Against All Odds (Completed)

Chapter Fifty-Six

Stepping inside the restaurant, Ashton scanned the room trying to fish out Jackie. He'd been delayed fifteen minutes in a traffic and hoped she hadn't left.

When he spotted her at a table by the corner in a black hoodie and a cap, Ashton frowned. That was odd, he'd never seen her dressed like that. Her style was tight dresses and expensive weavons.

He brushed it off and started to move towards her. She smiled at him when he got closer and he smiled back. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting for long?"

"Nope. It's fine." She gestured at the seat beside her with her brows.

"Thank you." He sat down and watched as Jackie took out a notebook from a backpack he had no idea was beside her chair.

"I always knew there was something fishy going on, but I never imagined it was this serious." She said and flipped the book open. She turned the book to Ashton's side and gestured at a photo which was pinned against a paper.

Ashton frowned. "That's Celine..." There was a figure beside her in the photo but his head was cropped out. They were both in a school uniform. "Who's that? Why's he cropped out?"

"I've got no idea." Jackie replied. "Our love is forever. Celine and T. P." She read the caption beneath the photo.

"Okay." Ashton said flatly as he stared at the photo.

She flipped to the next page. Another picture of the guy with his head cropped again. "No one understands."

"That's creepy. Must be her first love." Ashton said as Jackie turned the page again.

"What about this?" She asked pointing at a short note on the left side of the page. "Why is it difficult for them to know that it's you I love? The world can be against us, but our love is strong. Believe that."

"This looks like their parents didn't approve of their love."

"I guess so."

"But this is nothing fishy, Jackie. It's just a love story which I'm sure probably ended and she moved on. How's it connected to her weird behavior?"

"Be patient." Jackie said and turned the page. It was a photo of a Pandora charm bracelet.

"This was just recently. I'm sure they got back together." Jackie said. "She received this bracelet from someone and refused to tell me who it was when I found out it wasn't from Elorm."

Ashton frowned. The charm bracelet looked so familiar. Then it hit him, he'd seen a similar one on Ellie.

"Must be Andy who got her that." He replied.

"No. It was months before she met Andy."

Jackie pulled out a note from the book. It was a blue cardboard with words written in a glitter pen. "I told you I won't let you go. No one dumps me, Celine. You're mine! T. P"

Another note read, "You chose him over me? After all I did for you? If I can't have you, then no one can!"

"You're coming to the pool party, right? I can't wait to see you. I'm sure you love rose flowers. There's a bouquet of them for you."

"That's all. The last note she received from him before she died."

"And you're saying his threats caused her to commit suicide?"

"I'm sure she didn't commit suicide. He killed her."

Ashton frowned. "But the police...?"

"We need to find out who this psycho T. P is. I won't let him get away with this."

Ashton looking at the fierce look on Jackie's face, nodded. "Sure."

*********

"Call him again." John gestured at Ellie's phone on the bed. He was seated on Lily's bed with his legs crossed, dressed in a blue T-shirt and a black tracksuit.

It was almost 6pm and they'd grouped in Ellie's room to find out from Michael the truth.

"Chill. She's called him three times already and he didn't answer." Felicia replied, walking towards the bed with a bowl of ice-cream. She sat down and picked Ellie's phone.

Ellie sighed and moved from the closet after pulling the ash hoodie over her head. Tucking her weave into a ponytail, she approached her bed.

If Oliver was right about Michael and Paula, why did they lie to her?

Or was it her fault for assuming they were dating when she met them at the restaurant for the first time? Thinking about it, Michael never talked about his relationship with Paula.

When she reached her bed, her phone rang.

"It's him." Felicia gushed and quickly handed the phone to Ellie.

Staring at the screen for a while, she answered the call with a shaky voice. "He...Hello?"

"Yeah, Ellie."

His voice came deep in her ears and she held her breath. Why did that voice always send shivers down her body whenever she heard him on the phone?

"Paula told me everything and I know that's why you're calling."

She sighed. "Okay."

"I know I owe you explanation, which is something I never got the chance to to say." He went on. "I'm not in school at moment, I'll be coming tomorrow. Would you like us to meet and talk when I return?"

She nodded. "Sure."

"See you then."

She pulled the phone from her ear after he hang up.

"What happened?"

"What did he say?"

John and Felicia chorused.

"I'll get to the know the truth tomorrow. Let's wait till then." She answered.

They nodded.

John walked to Ellie. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I don't know what I'm feeling now, John." She replied and sat on the bed. "What movie are we watching tonight?" She grabbed the ice-cream bowl from Felicia and scooped a spoonful into her mouth.

"Any suggestion?" Felicia asked.

"Let me see...." She grabbed her laptop from the headboard and turned the power on. "We're watching whatever I choose."

"Okay." John and Felicia chorused, rolling their eyes at her.

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