this chapter is dedicated to my cousin auwkward.
what the hell are you doing reading my book.
get out of my head.
love you.
02 / Memoir
POV / Alexander
"How was school?" I ask Cassie, who was seated at the front seat. I drove the Ford Explorer with me, Cassie always felt safer in SUVs.
She looks at me excitedly and widens her eyes like she remembered something.
"Oh! It was awesome!" She says. "We had an activity where we had to make time capsules, and while digging for a spot—" she says, unbuckling her seatbelt so she could reach for her backpack.
"Hey, hey, put your seatbelt back on." My free hand protectively idle in front of Cassie in case of sudden breaks.
She sits down properly when she finally got her backpack and buckles her seatbelt.
"—I found this!" She gleams, holding up a music box.
"That's pretty neat." I tell her, we were almost at their apartment building.
She taps on the music box. "Hmmm." She hums as I parked the car by the building.
"You should have it." Unbuckling her seatbelt, she hands it to me.
"Take it!" She says and I laugh. "Come on, for carpooling me everyday." She grins.
I laughed, "It's not even yours! Who knows, it might hold a curse." I joked.
"Good enough." She shrugs, opening the door of my car.
I admired the music box in my hand.
"See ya!" Cassie grabs her backpack and hops down my car. I waved at her through the window as she walks to the entrance of the building.
I put the music box on the front seat and was about to drive away when I got a glance of Harper from the side mirror.
She was in her usual sweater and skinny jeans. She hugs herself, looking down at the ground as she walks.
I put the car on park and unbuckled my seatbelt.
"Harper!" I called out, she jumps at the sound of my voice.
It took a while before she registered that it was me, she jogs to where I was.
"Hey. Cassie?" She asks and I tilted my head to the entrance of the building.
She exhales, looking through the door.
"Cassie! Cassie!" She calls and Cassie turns around.
"Wait for me in the lobby, okay? Don't go up without me!" She instructs. Cassie, being the good girl that she is, waits for her in the sofa.
Harper turns to me and smiles.
"What are you doing out this late?" I ask her and softly pinched the tip of her nose.
I raised my eyebrows, "See, you're cold." I looked behind her and saw that she brought her backpack, "Did you go somewhere?"
"Ran out of milk. So I stopped by the convenience store." She says.
I eyed her. "You ran out of milk...this late?" I put my hands in my topcoat pocket.
She nods. "Cassie loves cereals." She says and I squint my eye at her.
I tilt my head and clicked my tongue once. "Hm. You should've told me you needed one, I could buy you a truckload." I grinned.
A shaky laugh escapes her as she rubs her arms. "Who are you, my mom? I can afford a box of milk, thank you very much." She rolls her eyes.
"You spoiled child of New York." She mutters under her breath.
I gave her a lopsided smile.
"Get in there before you catch a cold." I squeezed her chin before she nods and jogs into the lobby.
"Night!" She says without turning around.
—
I circled the fountain before stopping just right in front of the house doors.
Bosco waits out front.
Once I got down, I gave him the keys for him to park my car. "Thanks, Bosco." I pat his shoulder and he smiles.
Before I could enter the front door, he calls for me.
"You left this." He says.
"Oh." I took the music box from his hand.
"Forgot. Thanks!" I said, shaking the music box. I looked at the little box as I heard a sound when I shook it.
I went straight to my room and set the music box on my bedside table.
After a quick shower, I got into my sweatpants, not even bothering putting on a t-shirt.
I grab a towel and ruffled my hair dry as I walk back to my bed.
The music box earns my attention again. Hanging the towel on one shoulder, I sat down the edge of the mattress.
Grabbing the music box, I looked at it closely. It was a little worn out now.
Whoever buried this must have buried it years and years back.
I shook the music box again, I heard a sound. I opened the music box, a soft sound was played by the little instrument, but there was nothing inside.
I shook it again and I'm pretty sure there was a sound. Like a rock inside.
"Weird." I whispered to myself as I lie and stretched my legs along the length of the bed.
I held the music box towards the ceiling.
"You aren't cursed, are you?" I talked to it. I started shaking it again.
I groaned, getting annoyed by the sound of a what seems like a rock inside the box.
"Hm." I looked under the box and there it was, a small compartment.
"There you—" The compartment opens loosely and something hits my face. "—are. Ouch." I scrunch my nose.
Taking the small object, I sat up my bed and leaned on the headboard.
It was a stone. I held it between my fingers and tilted my head.
"Let's see what kind of stone you are." I said, pulling out my phone and snapping a photo.
I dialed Max.
He picks up after a couple of rings. "What's up?" He asks.
I lie back down on the bed, closing one eye and looking at the stone.
"I'm gonna send you a photo of a stone, I need you to tell me what kind of stone it is." I tell him.
"What? Why don't you just google that shit?" He says and I can imagine Max flailing his hands.
"Because you're a fucking nerd. You're basically a human Google." I retort.
"I'm not a nerd!" He says annoyed.
"PFFT. Says the nerd." I scoffed. "Just check your messages and tell me the name."
"Tss. Fine." He gives up.
"Thanks man." I ended the phone call.
Opening iMessage, I sent the photo of the stone to him.
Not even two minutes later, he responds.
Max Reed
It's an Alexandrite Stone. Where'd you find it? Dude the value of that stone is huge per carat!
I tapped on my phone for a reply.
Alexander Smith
Harper's sister found a music box, she gave it to me. I found it in the music box. Do I seem like I care about it's value? I'm pretty sure I can afford it, no matter how high it is.
Max Reed
Fun fact, the stone reflects a different color depending on the source of light. Just saying.
Alexander Smith
Nerd.
Max Reed
And also, you never introduce us to this Harper species you're always babbling about.
Max Reed
You never let us meet her.
Max Reed
We should go on a trip with that Harper girl and see if she gets along well with us.
Max Reed
Is she cute?
I groaned and roll my eyes.
Alexander Smith
Shut down, google.
I stare at the phone screen before I began typing again.
Alexander Smith
Not a chance we're going on a trip together. You're gonna watch her like a hawk.
After replying, I turn the screen off and sat at the edge of the mattress, my elbows rested on my knees.
"Alexandrite stone, huh?" I said to it.
I lie on my bed once again and sent my older sister a message.
Alexander Smith
Oi, you busy?
Moments later my phone rings.
Miranda Smith—Kerr is calling.
"Hi Smurf! What did you need me for?" Her chirpy voice rings in my ear.
"I told you not to call me that, Miranda, I've been telling you for twenty one years now." I huffed. "I hate smurfs."
They're so blue, it's weird.
"Precisely why i'm calling you that. Need anything, Smurf?" She asks, rolling my eyes at the name she's calling me.
"Who was that woman that makes your personalized jewelries?" I asked, playing with the stone between my fingers.
"Emilia? Uh.. you're not turning into a woman, are you?" She jokes and I gave her a fake laugh.
"Yes, I'm pulling off a Caitlyn Jenner and I plan on ruining your modeling career—" I groaned. "—of course not, you meanard." I pinched the bridge of my nose.
Everyone has their bully. While i'm everyone's bully, my sister is my bully.
But even if she loves tormenting me, I know she cares.
"Then what are you asking me that for?" She asks.
"Just give me her contact details and address." I tell her.
"Ooooh so you're not telling your sister huh. Fine." She says in a teasing tone and ends the call.
"What the fuck?" I look at my phone screen and indeed, she ended the phone call,
Ding!
I checked the message and beamed when my sister sends me the contact details and address.
Alexander Smith
You love me, I know it. Thanks, meanard.
Miranda Smith—Kerr
It better be for a beautiful soul and not for some random whore you met. Kbye Smurf.
I laughed, shaking my head as I put my phone on the pillow next to mine.
The stone was honestly beautiful.
I smiled and put it back in the music box.
"It's almost her birthday anyway." I whispered to myself as I grab the rectangular remote and shut the lights off.
--
Can I be honest?
I'm so nervous for Reincarnation for two reasons:
One, this is my first story without 5SOS.
Two, this is my first story that isn't action based.
FYI, I suck at moochie shit, so I hope you'll appreciate the effort, haha!
Also, if you see typos, ignore it. I don't proof read my chapters.
Maybe someday, haha.
Thank you.
I love you.
Be kind.
Stay inspired.
Johanna.
👻