Jewelry Trail
Author • Anjali Patel (@Night_Lights19)
Sub-Genre • Mystery (...not really but it sounds cooler than normal Young Adult)
Heat Level • Pink Lemonade Lollipop Sweet (...I love this kind of lollipops. I always gave these out at Valentine's Day parties in elementary school)
Jewelry Trail
Where was my amethyst necklace? And then I noticed my diamond earrings also missing. Oh, and my ruby bracelet I wore to important things for good luck.
"Lex!" I yelled, for my sister. "Did you steal my jewelry?"
"No, Sienna!" Came her reply.
"I'm serious, Alexia!" I yelled back. "I need it."
"Sienna, I don't have it," she insisted again. This time I walked over to her room.
"Then where did it go, Lex?" I asked, staring at her.
"Don't ask me, Sienna. I don't have it," she said again.
I told her it was okay, and she still said she didn't have it. I gave up and went on my "date" with my longtime crush with a small necklace, borrowed from my sister, and no good luck charms. I put on some mascara, eyeliner and a little red lipstick, to look somewhat noticeable. It wasn't really a date because it was just him taking me to a Valentine's Day party, where my plan was to get him to notice me.
"Hey Sienna," my crush, Sam, said as I walked over to him. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Hey Sam," I answered, and got in. "Happy Valentine's Day." I instantly saw the small bouquet of roses in front of the clutch. I wondered who they were for. We're they for me? But then he would've already given them to me.
"How's Graffiti Bubble going?" He asked. Graffiti Bubble was my young adult novel that I had been writing for months now. I had a dream to get published but I didn't know how far that would go. But Sam was the only person, besides family, that got to read it.
"Okay. The normal," I answered. "I don't have the next chapter yet. I'm getting close. I'll email it to you when I do," I answered.
And then my phone lit up with a text.
I think your jewelry was stolen. The patio door was smashed.
My heart nearly stopped. I was never going to see that few grand worth of jewelry ever again.
"What's wrong?" Sam asks glancing at me.
"I was robbed, apparently. My jewelry was stolen," I explained.
"At least he or she didn't hurt you," he said.
I hadn't thought of that.
"I guess," I mumbled.
"You'll find them, Sienna. Don't worry," he said, and I just nodded.
At the party, I go to the bathroom and Sam goes in. He takes his roses, and I can't help but wonder if he's going to make a show later of giving them to me.
In the bathroom stall, I think of my necklaces, earrings, anklets, and bracelets. I think of its meanings to me. It was weird but each piece of my jewelry had a special meaning to me. I got my amethyst necklace when my mom died after battling a kidney disease because amethyst was her birthstone. And the diamond earrings were my grandma's that she handed down to me. And the list went on. But now it was all gone.
That was when the tears finally poured out.
An eternity later, I manage to stop crying and make it out of the bathroom. I decide to just get whatever they have without alcohol and then look for Sam.
But instead, I see Sam first. And where I see him, stabs my heart in places I never thought it could be stabbed.
He was there, next to a wall, his tongue down a pretty brunette's mouth. And all along, I thought he loved me. All the times he'd come over to help me, all the times he'd act like I was the only girl in the world, was only for show. He never actually loved me, like I loved him.
That must have been who the roses were for.
"SIENNA!" Someone called me and I come face to face with Adam, a friend from college.
"Oh hey, Adam," I stated managing a smile. He was the only one who knew about my crush on Sam. Why I told him, I had no idea.
He might've seen my eyes filled with tears because he asked what was wrong. And then as if to answer himself, he saw Sam and the brunette.
"Oh," he says. "Sienna, I'm sorry. If he doesn't like you back then he's missing out. You're better than her."
"Thanks, Adam," was all I could say.
"Want me to take you home?" He offered.
"Maybe later. I want to walk around and see the place," I said.
"Text me, then. I'll answer," he promised.
"Okay," I answered. "See you later."
He smiles at me and assures me that everything would be okay before he walks one way and I walk away, from another. I don't know why I wanted to stick around. Maybe in the back of my mind, I was still hoping Sam would get tired and come back for me.
But after a few cups of un-spiked fruit punch, I saw Sam still with the girl, I gave up all hope. I was going to text Adam when someone else, behind me, called me.
Over the music, I couldn't tell who it was. And I still sort of wanted it to be Sam.
But it wasn't. It was Evan from high school. It was kind of weird that he was calling me. We never talked in high school and even though we went to the same college to study English, we hardly ever talked.
"Oh, hey Evan," I said.
"Hey Sienna," he greeted. "Saw your boyfriend over there."
Wait, what?
"Who's that?"
"Samuel, one or another," he answered.
"He's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend. What's it to you?" I snapped.
"Nothing, Sienna. Wanted to tell you your boyfriend was cheating but guess not," he said.
"Oh," was all I said.
"Do you have a crush on him or something? You look like someone just died," he said.
What kind of person tells a girl this. You look like someone died. Wow.
"Why does it matter to you, Evan?"
"Snappy I see. You have a crush on him, don't you?" He asked again.
"I do. Or did," I said finally.
"I'm sorry," he says. "I could drive you home?"
What were the chances Adam was already drunk?
"I don't rape or kidnap, or anything," he says.
"You can take me home. If you want to," I agreed finally.
"Of course I want to," Evan cried, like taking me home was going to be cool. In the car, I told him my address, and he knew where it was so I wouldn't have to tell him all the directions.
"So he's an idiot for not liking you back," he said as we were on the road.
Was Sam an idiot like Adam and Evan had stated?
In my driveway, Evan and I exchanged phone numbers and then I got out promising to talk to him later.
In my room, was when I let the tears pour out again. For Sam completely ditching me and for the missing jewelry.
I hastily wiped my makeup off, because it completely failed to catch Sam's attention. And then I see Adam's text.
Hey, you ok? I'm going home. Want me to drive you?
I answered him back,
I got a ride from Evan Sholtz. But thanks anyway, Adam.
The next morning was when I realized Sam didn't even care where I was. He never bothered to text. Maybe he was sleeping with that chick and completely forgot about me.
That seemed likely.
• • •
A week had passed, and I had been ignoring Sam this long even though he acted like he did nothing. I had to face him today, because I promised him I'd be at his sister's birthday.
So here I was sitting at the Subway waiting for my train, with my notebook out, waiting for words to pour out.
I didn't get anywhere in writing before I saw Evan. What were the chances that Evan would get on the exact same subway station that I was in?
In the week that we'd exchanged texts I'd found out that he was arrogant and self-centered, but still caring and warm-hearted.
"Hey there, Sienna!" Evan called.
"Hello," I replied.
He sat down next to me.
"What's that?" And there we go with the questions. When will my train get here?
"My notebook," I answered back.
"With what in it?" He asks.
"You don't go around asking girls what they write in their notebooks, dumbass," I answered still not wanting to tell him.
Somewhere in my heart I still wanted this to be a thing between Sam and me because I really thought he'd see me. Someday.
He looks taken aback. "Sorry, Sienna. I didn't mean to."
Great now he was going to apologize forever.
"It's fine," I said. "I'm a part time author. And I work at a publishing place."
"What are you writing?" He asks. So persistent. "I work at a publishing place too. I could get your story published."
Now that had my attention. After we talked a while about it, and I told him about Graffiti Bubble, I changed the subject. "Where are you headed?"
He tells me where he's going and I tell him where I'm going. But unlike me, he wants to know why I'm going.
"It's Sam's sister birthday party that I promised I'd go to," I explained.
"That dick," he mutters. "Have you told him?"
"What? That I have a huge crush on him when he clearly doesn't like me."
"No, that he forgot about you at the party," he says. "Have you talked to him?"
"No. I texted him this morning telling him I was going to be at his party even though I told him weeks ago," I explained.
"Oh. Has he even responded?"
"Yeah. He told me he was looking forward to it. I ignored that. I'll just spend the entire time with his sister. We're sort of close," I said.
"Oh. We'll have fun," he says.
And then we talk about things we saved for face to face conversations like what our normal lives were like. That was when I blurted out the whole story about my missing jewelry. And just because my luck happens to be my luck, he happened to be a detective.
"Come on, Sienna. What's not to like? I'm offering you free service. You could get all your jewelry back," he says.
"I'll think about it, Evan," I said. "Why are you so eager to find my jewelry anyway?"
"You're a girl that I happen to like," he says.
I no longer understand how the world works. This kid just told me he liked me. And I kind of felt the same way about him.
He flushed. "Sorry. It's an expression."
Oh. I had to admit I was kind of disappointed. And what kind of expression was that?
"But if you want me to. Just send me your videos. I'll look through them and track the person down," he says.
"What videos?"
"You don't have cameras?" I shake my head. "Then I'll check out footprints and stuff. Just tell me if you want me to and I'll work away detective magic."
"Oh. Okay. I'll text you later," I answered, as the train approached.
"Bye Evan," I say, as I get up.
"Bye Sienna. I'll talk to you later," he says and I walk out.
"Hey! SIENNA!" Sam's sister Hailey calls, when I reach Sam's home.
"Oh, hey. Hailey!" I called.
"Hey. I haven't talked to you in forever!" She cried.
I laugh. "Yeah. Happy birthday, Hailey!"
"Thanks, Sienna," and then she hugs me. "I have to say hi to other people but I'll be back, okay?"
"Sure," I answer and she walks away.
"SIENNA!" Someone calls and I turn around and see Sam.
"I looked all over for you at the party. You completely disappeared," he says.
Did he look all over for me? He looked in the brunette's face for me.
"Sam, don't lie to me. You didn't look at all for me. You were with that chick that entire time. And when I needed a ride home, you didn't care. You completely disappeared. With her. I was lucky to have Evan drive me home, or I would have been stranded there, thanks to you. And then you never texted to make sure where I was. So don't start with the I looked all over for you bullshit," I said my voice rising. "Because I sure as hell know you didn't."
He stepped back staring at me like I'd told him that there was a tree growing on his head.
"Sienna," he starts, and runs his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. That was my girlfriend. You could've come up and I would've introduced you. I should have come after to look for you. I'm sorry. I was drunk."
He had a girlfriend. Those words will forever ring in my ears.
That was my girlfriend.
That was my girlfriend.
That was my girlfriend.
But I managed to keep a smile. And I forgave him. I decided we could try and be friends. Not like before but trying to be friends was better than holding a grudge.
And at the end of the day, I was still the same Sienna Eastlake and I was always known for forgiving people.
That was also the day I texted Evan to tell him to look for my jewelry.
• • •
It had taken Evan exactly one week to pin down the one person he was sure had it. And today was the day we were going to just knock on his door and ask. I had to admit the stuff Evan did was pretty impressive, considering it was for me, for free.
"You stay in the car, Sienna. I'll text you if the guy isn't bad," Evan says as he parks the car on the curb in front of the house of a man named David Solten.
"Okay," I agreed and pulled my phone out. "Good luck."
He smiles at me. "Thanks, Brownie."
Brownie was a nickname he came up with like two days ago because he said my name was a color, but also because I was 'crunchy' on the outside and sweet on the inside. It was a pretty cool nickname that no one had ever used to call me.
And then Evan comes back. "Forget something?"
"Nah. He was sent by someone," he answers and hands me a Post-It. "That's the address. He can't remember the person's name."
"Oh," and then I unfolded the Post-It.
That looked so familiar. Evan looked over and caught me staring at it.
"Geez, Sienna. Burning a hole in the paper by staring at it isn't going to do anything," he said, with a chuckle. "We'll get it back."
"It looks familiar," I say, to which he doesn't say anything.
It's the after at breakfast when I'm eating white chocolate chip pancakes with strawberry syrup that I realize who was at that address.
Sam.
I am never going to forgive him, now.
• • •
I texted Evan first,
That's Sam's address. He has it. Idk Y
Before I get a chance to text Sam, he texts,
Oh my god. Why? How'd he react when you told him? We'll go together to get it, okay?
Now I had to reply that conversation. He totally acted like a friend, when he assured me that I'd find it.
Okay. Later today?
Was all I wrote. I had no idea what to answer to the other questions. And then I text Sam.
Leaving me at the party and now this? You're on a roll, there.
I didn't want to come out and tell him. I wanted to see how he'd react. And then I looked at Evan's new text.
What about rn?
I text him back saying that I'm getting ready, and then actually get ready. I think of all the reasons Sam could want my jewelry.
Right before I leave Sam texts me back.
What happened? What r u talking about?
There was no way he didn't know? I mean who else would steal it? Not Hailey. She was too nice. And not his adopted brother, Max. He was really quiet and a nice kid.
When we got there, and checked the address twice, it was Hailey that came and answered the door.
"Hey Sienna," she says.
"Hey Hailey," I say. "Hailey meet Evan. Evan meet Sam's sister, Hailey."
They shake each other's hands and then Hailey steps aside so we can walk in.
"We're actually here to talk to Sam. I'll come by after," I say.
"Alright. I'll be in my room," she says. "It was nice meeting you, Evan."
He turns around and says the same thing to her and then we go upstairs.
I knock on his door and he opens it.
"Oh, hey," he says.
"Hello," I say. I've never said 'hello'. It was always 'hi' or 'hey'. "Sam meet Evan. Evan meet Sam."
They shook hands, Sam smiled at Evan but Evan barely looked at him.
"So Sam, when were you going to tell me?" I started.
"What?" He asked. "What is this about, Sienna?"
"Just give it back, man," Evan grumbles.
"Give what back?"
"My jewelry," I answered.
"I don't have your jewelry, Sienna," he says looking at me. "I swear. I don't have it."
"Yeah, you do. I'm a part-time detective that tracked down a man named David Solten. I visited him and he said that he stole her jewelry for you. Meaning you have it," Evan said his voice rising.
"Evan," I said, and turned to Sam. "Just give it to me. I won't turn you on for breaking in."
"Sienna. Evan. I don't have the jewelry. I don't know anyone named David Solten," Sam says holding up his hands.
"Sienna, did you bring the Post-It?" Evan asks turning to me and I pull it out. "See?" Evan says shaking it in front of Sam's face.
"Yeah. That's my address. Only there are other people living here besides me," Sam points out.
"Oh please. Like Hailey doesn't have enough jewelry, Sam," I say.
"What about Max?"
"He's s nice kid," I say.
"And nice kids can't steal?" He shoots.
"Seriously, Sam. What do you need the money for? Give the jewelry back," I asked again.
"I don't have it, Sienna," he says. "I'm not trying to ruin your life here."
I snort. "So you don't?"
"He does, Sienna," Evan says.
"No I don't, man," Sam says turning to him.
In the eight years that is known Sam, he never lied. And if he did he'd be honest after.
"Evan, I don't think he has it," I say finally.
"Yeah he does, Sienna," Evan says as I turn around.
"Ask Hailey and Max," Sam says as we walk out. "And my parents." And Evan snorts.
"Let's just ask. It's unlikely," I say, walking towards Hailey's room.
"Hey, Sienna. Evan," she says, smiling.
"Hi. Hailey, do you have my jewelry?" I ask.
"Your jewelry? I don't have it. I know nothing about it, Sienna. I swear," she says throwing her hands up.
"Okay, then," I say. "It's missing. And Evan found the person who had it. Only he worked for someone and he gave us your address."
"Did you ask Sam and Max?" She asks.
"We've asked Sam," I reply.
"Ask Max," she says. "He's awfully quiet nowadays. Like quieter than normal."
"Oh. We'll go ask," I say. "Thanks, Hailey."
"Of course, Sienna," she says as we walk to Max's room. Then Sam walks out of Max's room.
"Max had it, Sienna. I got the truth out," Sam says, holding the bag out. "I'll tell my parents at dinner, they'll surely ground him."
"Thanks, Sam," I say.
"Sienna, I fucked up once. That would never happen again. And I wouldn't steal your jewelry," he says and Evan snorts.
"We're going to talk to Max, though," I say. "Bye Sam."
"Bye Sienna. Evan. See you two later," he says and then leaves.
"He is so lying. He's blaming Max for something he doesn't want to own up to," Evan says.
"Maybe. Let's go talk to him," I say and knock on Max's door.
"Go away, Sienna," he yells. And then I try the doorknob and it's open. Thank goodness.
"Max, this is Evan. Evan this is Max," I say. "So I want to know, Max, why did you take my jewelry?"
"You won't be mad at me?" He asks softly. He was eight years younger than me but I adored him, like a little brother.
"Nope," I answered.
"My girlfriend has a sister. She's in the hospital and can't afford chemotherapy. So I was going to go sell your jewelry today to pay for it," he explained. "But I'm sorry."
"Max, would your girlfriend like it if she found out that you stole jewelry to help her?" I ask, matching his soft tone.
He thinks for a long time. "No. She wouldn't."
"Yes. So thank you, Max, for giving them back-"
"I'm sorry, Sienna. So so sorry," he says, his eyes filled with tears.
"It's fine, Max. At least you gave it back," I say.
After everything that happened I was still the very same, Sienna Eastlake.
"Bye Max," I say.
"Bye Sienna," he says. "Bye Evan."
"Bye Max," Evan says. "Don't steal. It's not cool."
"Now I know," Max says and then we leave.
Right after we walk out of their home, Evan kisses me. His kisses are like white chocolate chip pancakes with strawberry syrup. And the little push that I feel in my heart makes me kiss him back.
My first kiss may not be my lifelong crush but it was someone who I've come to love in two weeks.
Everything was perfect, the only thing missing was the strawberry syrup for the white chocolate chip pancakes.
But maybe it was better that way.
• • •
"Happy Valentine's Day, Brownie," Evan said greeting me with a fresh bouquet of flowers.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Evan," I say and kiss him, and the take the flowers.
After putting them in a vase, we walk hand in hand to a Valentine's Day party to celebrate our third year anniversary, since we met.
"Cheers to three years," Evan says holding up his glass of wine.
"Cheers," I say, clinking his glass.
After drink that one glass of wine, Evan says he wants to show me something. He takes me to a small park with numerous kinds of flowers and a small clock tower in the middle with Roman numerals.
He let go of my hand and kneels down in front of me.
"Sienna Tanya Eastlake, will you please make me the world's happiest man, by taking my surname and getting married to me?" He asks pulling out a ring.
I smile and offer him my hand. "Of course, Evan."
And he slides the ring on my finger. Who would have guessed that Max stealing my jewelry would lead a whole trail out for me to meet the man I have come to love.
And that was the strawberry syrup for my white chocolate chip pancakes.
•THE END•
AUTHORS NOTE
I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Anyway, shoutout to the whole @RomanceSparks team for hosting this anthology and letting me write for it. Huge thanks to you, for reading this. I really hope you liked my story. And also if you comment please tag me @Night_Lights19 so I can reply.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ANJALI PATEL (@Night_Lights19) has written many things on Wattpad. Some Science Fiction, and some Romance. She also makes covers and/or does promotions, so if you're interested feel free to contact her via PM or comment. When she's not writing, she can be found reading someone else's work, trying really hard to actually edit her work, or eating something her family calls 'junk food.' Anjali obviously loves to read books, poems, quotes, and everything else with words. Anjali lives in Michigan with her parents and an eight year old brother.
Please check out her works here on Wattpad (@Night_Lights19) and/or go hello on another social media site.