Magic

Criminal

Warning: there is foul language and violence in this chapter

"How did you know?" I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer. I thought I had been careful. I thought she would understand, if anything, once I told her, if  I told her.

She uncovers a small chest that was behind her. My breathing quickens.

She has proof ... now she knows for sure.

Stay Calm Verna, She might not know - my head tells me.

I try to act natural; relaxed. I smile a bit and look down at the chest. 

"What?" I ask

" 'What'? "my 'best friend' mocks, "This chest has all your secrets, I'm guessing. " I look up at her a little confused.

"You mean, you didn't open it? " I ask, looking back at the box.
I hear her breath in and out. 

"I thought it was proof," she tells me, "But ... I was hoping, and I'll admit, a little scared. I was hoping it wouldn't prove what I found out, " she continues. 
I look away from the box and at her shoes. Eyeing the string of her shoes, I can sense that it is bound to come untied at any moment. I hear a whimper and see her shaking as I stare at her feet.

"What's wrong," I ask, still not looking at her face.

"Nothing." I hear her sniff and she shuffles her feet a bit, indicating that she's nervous. She then stops this movement and plants her feet once more; regrounding herself. She takes a deep breath. 
"Is this yours?" she asks. Confused, I think to myself that she does know that it's mine and if I tell her it's not mine, she'll suspect more (maybe).

"I've never seen the box in my life," I answer without thinking. 

"Oh, well then Shit," she chuckles, "And here I thought you were a spy ready to kill my family, " Ariel laughs to herself. I eye her as she laughs, thinking of a way to escape this uncomfortable moment, looking back at her shoes. 
Her laugh makes her whole body shake along with the sound of her voice. 
Moving her feet, I spot the shoe tie has finally come loose. 
"I'm so stupid." I look back up to her eyes. I give her a fake smile and bend down. "What are you doing?" she asks me as she laughs. 

"Your shoes are untied," I answer, my fake smile plastered to my face still. 

"I'm so stupid," she squeaks, "How could I have thought," she chuckles again, " I mean why would my 'best friend', I mean, best friend want to kill...me," She laughs a bit, her voice a little shaky and getting higher and higher with each second going by, exaggerating the word, 'best friend'. "My best friend," she sniffs. 
I listen to her as I play with the string, feeling guilty for what I'm about to do.
"My best friend," Ariel laughs, her voice is no longer shaky but cheerful and sure of herself once more.

I stand up again, slowly, looking back up to her face. We're about the same height but she's a little taller than me.

"Come on, let's get out of this parking lot," she says, smiling, leaving a little mischievous grin. I ignore it and look around.

"Ya, this place is a little creepy," I state, smiling.
The ceiling covers up most of the light from outside but there are big wide holes in the wall to show the drivers where they are going. 

I look at her, waiting for her next move, but she stands still. I tighten my smile, still awaiting her next move. She just stares at me, but her smile is less tightened and restricted than mine. More natural, yet I sense something wrong with her...smile..her grin?

"Are we going or what," Ariel asks, moving her arms toward the car, "or do you want to walk home," she chuckles a bit. I squint my eyes at her and look back at her shoes, feeling Ariel's eyes watching my every movement.
I look back at her and give her my smile, less tightened than before. She smiles again, still not moving.