Cross My Heart

Chapter Six

Chapter Six 

Nate: 

I decided to do some "snooping" after lunch. Rachelle was on the tennis court, I could see her determined face from the north window. She was pissed at me for ruining her reading hour, I can tell. I slipped into her room shortly after lunch with latex gloves. Rule 1 for snooping around in someone's room. Always wear gloves, you never know where you'll leave fingerprints. That was how all the spies at the academy were taught. 

I looked around. The room looked very... Rachelle. Messy in an organized way. The walls were a light, sparkly blue and there was a iron canopy bed near the window. Books were arranged in alphabetical on the selves, but looks like she tried really hard to stack them all in. A dresser and vanity stood on the other side of the wall. The vanity was neat, with no makeup overflowing ontop. She was a simple but interesting and complex person, you just have to understand her properly. Not that I understand her or something, since,like, you know... When I moved away. 

I went over to the nightstand first and opened a drawer.Inside, were vitamins, some spare notebooks, a planner, eyedrops and her electronics. 

Nothing scandalous. Yet.

I made notes on a notepad and felt very CSI-ish. I wondered if Rachelle even knew about the oil mine that her father had owned. Maybe she didn't know some details... maybe...

In her dresser, were just clothes and a few leather- bound picture albums from her younger days. I brought them to her bed and sat down. On the cover of one, said: Rachelle Morelle-younger days.

The first picture was Rachelle at a ballet recital. Her hair was neatly done in a bun and her face was rounder, and her eyes less determined. I looked down at the caption underneath,where she had written:"The American Ballet Company spring show." She must have stayed busy these years, because there were so many photos of her at debates, tennis competitions and etc. I fliped near the end and stopped. It was a photo of Rachelle and Carina, their arms looped around each other and they were wearing matching gold bikinis. Carina was giving the camera her best Lindsay Lohan expression and Rach was blowing a kiss to the camera. She looked almost...relaxed and...sweet. It wasn't how amazing Rachelle looked that caught my eye, it was the fact that there was a blur in the background, near the right side of the picture. A shadow, too dark to make out. 

Hmm...maybe it's just someone standing there. This is L.A, and everyone is everywhere.

I shrugged and put the pictures back where i found them. As I stood up and went to put the album back, a picture fluttered out of the book. I picked it up with hesitant hands. It was a picture of Rachelle and I, at the beach. We were laughing at something that probably won't seem funny now. But I had my hand thrown up in the air and Rachelle, I can tell, was trying so hard not to burst out in laughter.Then-SNAP!Someone took the picture and the moment was captured. 

I felt sometime twist inside of me as I read the caption. It originally read: Nate and Rachelle, best friends forever. Cross my heart and hope to die. It was written in childish loopy letters, but it was also crossed out now,replaced by a neater than printing cursive, which read:"Nate and I at the beach, Enough said." Wow, guess she really does hate me. 

I put the pictures and albums back and took a deep breath. nothing more than memories found. I felt weird, like I just discussed something really important. Damn those memories. 

I walked to the door, but on my way out. I heard the floorboards creek un-naturally under me. 

I stopped. Then looked down.

I raised my foot and stepped on it again. Another un-natural sound. I've learned about this in my lessons. I leaned down and tried to lift up the floorboard. Urgg.... Nope. I tried harder, and I dug my fingernails into the wood and pulled with all my strength.Finally, the thing came loose. I dug into the paper confetti Rach put into the hole and felt my fingers hit something...