Alive | Jasper Hale | Book 1

8. Efforts

                                               8. Efforts

 

I gingerly picked the box up and wiped the dust off. On the sides and front of the box were carvings of meaningless, shapeless swirls, painted in a lighter color than the original wood. Carefully, I set it beside me as I put the floorboard back in place. To make sure it wouldn't creak again, I pressed on it. Successfully, there was no creaking sound.

I lifted the box again, carrying it to the bed. Tucking a leg underneath me, I sat down on top of the covers. The exhaustion was gone and in its place was curiosity. This box was underneath the floorboards in my room for some time without my knowledge—or Grace's perhaps. For such a beautifully made box, I wondered why on earth someone would leave it behind.

As I stared down at the box, wondering the contents inside, I couldn't help but think of the diaries. More than ever, I was starting to get curious about what was written inside. I could just read a couple pages and then look inside the box, couldn't I?

Finally, I pushed the box aside and reached for the first book of the set of diaries. The leather bound book seemed well-worn and that it’s had it’s use. Carefully, I flipped it open to the first page.

In a swirling, script font, there were the words, “This journal belongs to Lexi Franklin.”

My eyebrows pulled down in confusion as I thought, why on Earth did I have someone else’s diaries?

Regardless, I still flipped the page. The handwriting was the same as the first page—elegant, cursive, and lightly-written with almost no pressure. In the corner was a date. Mid-January of this year.

The first entry went as followed:

I met her tonight.

The Mckay’s daughter, Hollie.

Despite trying to blend in like I always do when I move into a town, I talked to her today. At first glance, she’s ordinary. It’s obvious for anyone to see, especially my kind. But if you look closer, you can see she’s gorgeous.

Hollie has black hair as dark as the night. Tonight, I saw how part of the moonlight reflected in her straight hair, turning it a slight shade of blue. And her ice-blue eyes and ivory skin contrasted against her dark clothes and hair. She had great cheekbones and jawline, not to mention her slender body.

Her outward personality, as much as I saw, was rebellious. As far as I could tell, Hollie hated rules. It was obvious. She was inside a bar with a fake ID drinking shots of Jack and Coke. The way she grinned at me told me she didn’t care if I knew about her being underage.

It was laughable, to be honest.

I couldn’t let go of Sara and Gerome’s daughter tonight, so after a while, I let her alone to watch her. She didn’t flirt with any of the men but she let them buy her drinks and chatted them up before excusing herself to go to the ladies room.

Even on her walk home, I followed her to make sure she got home safe. An impressionable young girl like Hollie shouldn’t have walked home alone, not without someone watching her and keeping her safe. Plus, I felt like it was my duty to make sure she was home safe.

There’s something about Hollie that makes me want to see her again. I don’t know why she’s so intriguing, but I have to see her again. So, first thing Monday morning, I’m going to apply to her school.

It’s ridiculous, but I haveto see her again.

I stared at the page, frowning as I tried to digest this information. This girl, Lexi Franklin, had knew me before my memory loss? And not to mention, she seemed to know my parents. Which happened to be a very sensitive topic with Grace (the one time I asked her about them, she shut me down immediately and told me to not bring them up).