Losing Him

The Precious Necklace

                   

                   

Chapter Eight

The Precious Necklace

Silence filled the air as ripples of shock invaded Savannahs body. It was as if a tornado had formed in her mind causing complete chaos making her unable to think straight. She didn't know what to feel, what to say but in the eye of the tornado in her mind, she remained calm and collected.

She had been staring at Leon with a neutral expression as he stared back carefully hoping to make out a reaction.

"Please explain," urged Savannah in a voice that was a lot shakier than she would've liked. She couldn't figure out if it were anger, fear or hurt that made her palms sweat and her mouth dry.

"Um... okay...," said Leon, he sounded as nervous as ever, "that day when we were studying in the library, when you went to the bathroom I cleared the table and threw away the scraps of paper on our table... I accidently threw away your poem."

At this point Leon was staring blank-faced at his knees trying to get the story over-with so he could explain himself.

"When you came back, you sort of jumped to the conclusion that Natalie took it, and I didn't really have the heart to tell you it was me after you burst into tears and bolted home."

The further along the story he got, the angrier Savannah began to get with him, but she bit her tongue and tried to shake off those feelings until he finished explaining himself. 

"After you left, I searched the bin and found the poem, still in perfect condition, Natalie caught me and sort of got the wrong idea even after I tried to explain to her what happened.

"Because of the twisted way her mind sometimes works, she thought I was disposing of your poem because I didn't think it was very good, which of course wasn't true... isn't true.

"So I gave up trying to convince her, so naturally, she then blackmailed me, told me that if I went to her birthday party instead of yours she wouldn't tell the entire school that I think you're as 'pathetic' as Natalie thought you were."

'What a great way to spoil such a great night. Why is he telling me this now?!' protested the voice in Savannah's head.

"Savannah, I hope you understand why I did it?" asked Leon as sympathetic as ever,

"because you trusted Natalie's judgement over mine?" retorted Savannah, sounding angrier than she intended, Leon opened his mouth to retort but closed it again and stared at the ground.

"Why didn't you just tell me? save us from all that happened afterwards," said Savannah calmly, after a while of silence and blank staring,

"the only reason I did it was to avoid problems with you... but it's ironic how I tried to protect you, but I ended up hurting you and I'm so sorry for that." Leon said honestly.

Savannah couldn't wrap her mind around the whole situation. She spent four years believing a story that turns out to be false and way more complicated than she could've imagined.

She tried not to let the fire of anger she had towards Natalie that burned out years ago ignite once more. Natalie was trying to get between her and Leon, and she was successful, Savannah only wished she could see right through her back then as she could now.

She felt a sense of closure, finally understanding why Leon abandoned her for Natalie, it wasn't out of disloyalty but out of love which made her heart flutter. She couldn't really blame Leon for doing what he did, Natalie has always been a manipulative wrench, even as a fourteen year-old.