12 Chapter 11
Just as shown in the book, the key was gold with strange symbols engraved on the stem. The symbols looked like nothing I had ever seen before. A loud knock on the door made me jump. I quickly slipped the key back into my pocket.
"Leona are you okay?" my dad asked concerned. I haven't realized the minutes in there might have turned into hours.
"yeah"
I heard his footsteps fade away after a minute. Just as I was about to open the bathroom door, something scraped against the nape of my neck, and made it itch slightly. My fingers felt a small thing stuck unto my T-shirt. It looked like a tiny stick made of plastic with a blinking light. My whole body froze as I realized the device in my hands was either a tracker, or a recording device. Was someone playing a huge prank on us with this whole Time travel story, or was it real? It was creepy either way. I flushed the blinking light down the toilet, in hopes there wasn't any more. That night I made sure all of my curtains were drawn tight.
***
Cold air ruffled my hair and made my eyes misty. It was another cold day when it should have been a warm one. Ferns around me shivered in agreement. The spot where I found the key looked less pretty than the day before, as If taking the key meant taking the beauty with. The leaves looked slightly more pale, or maybe it was just my imagination. For a moment I stood there, unaware of someone behind me. A poke in my ribs made me swing around cursing. David and Derora stood behind me wearing snarky expressions. I tried hiding the key I held in my hand, but David already saw it.
"We thought you were hiding something," he said while looking at my closed palm. I sighed and opened my hand.
"Yeah I had a bad feeling about Jesper, I think he's watching me..." I said and saw David's grin being wiped from his face.
"Oh really..." Cold hands touched my shoulders, and the mushroom boy stepped out from behind me. Instantly my hands reached for my neck, but there wasn't anything clipped to my crew neck sweater. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
"I'm sorry Jesper, she just doesn't know you too well," David tried to say in my defense. I appreciated the gesture, but it wasn't the truth. Jesper looked offended, and bit at his little mustache.
"I saw David and Jesper coming this way, while I also came searching for you," Derora added. She probably saw me pass her tree house.
"Well, I think the key might be a sign the door is nearby," I explained. All of them looked mad. Derora stood with her arms crossed. "And you thought it would be best to find it alone, and have the magic passage all to yourself?" Derora gave me a death stare.
"Yeah, I thought we were in this together," David snapped. All the pressure on me made the hands around my lungs return.
Jesper stared at me with one raised eyebrow, "Leona?" I only saw fire dancing in his dark eyes.
I had to make an excuse before they all left. "I'm sorry it was selfish of me, but we are all here now, so do you all want to continue deeper into the forest?"
We all took a glance at the deeper and darker bushes where sunlight only seeped in from little holes. The sun stayed above the treetops, giving an eerie vibe that sent chills down my spine. Everyone seemed to feel the same way. We decided to go back, and pack necessities, because who knew how long we might wander before finding anything.
***
We all met at a run down cafe, that sold snacks for a cheap price. No one knew what the chips or gummy sweets were made of, but it tasted fine. I stuffed the packs of snacks on top of my clothes and my sleeping bag. After David had to run back to get his journal, or poem book, we were ready to continue. I had the urge to push Jesper into one of those portable toilets when no one was watching, and leave him there. I didn't really have the guts to do it though. Derora looked nervous to be in public again and chased us back under the safety of the treetop roof. The argument with her family and friends must've been really big if she still hasn't gone home yet. I would've ran back home as soon as I got hungry. I understood why she preferred to stay in the forest, after all this while it became a calm and beautiful place hiding allot of secrets.
It was near midnight, when we all sat shivering in our sleeping bags around a small fire. Jesper reached backwards towards his bag and grabbed a big glass bottle. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he held the St-Germain.
"Who's up for a game of never have I ever!?" Jesper laughed. "Let's go!" Derora yelled excitedly. I had a bad feeling about the whole thing, but nodded my head as David and Derora's stared expectantly. We all took a swig before starting. It tasted horrible, but I gulped it down. The game started off quite normal. David asked the first question and Jesper had to take a shot, because he once threw soap in a shopping center's fountain. The next round Derora had to take a shot, because she ran away from home once (maybe multiple times). I had to take a few after confessing to skipping school, and shoplifting once. After a few rounds the questions started getting weirder.
Jesper looked me straight in the eyes, "Never have I ever accused someone from stalking." I gave him a sour look but didn't take another swig. Jesper's voice sounded slurred, but still he stared at me, "Never have I ever hid a scientific discovery for my own selfish reasons."
I felt my face get hot and stood up before I decided to slap someone. He reminded me of my mother. How shee used to guilt trip me into doing everything she wanted. My friends never wanted to listen to the pathetic stories either. No-one said anything about Jesper's comments, they just stared me dead in the eyes. I ran off into the cluster of trees before me. Looking at the stars has always calmed me, even at the young age of four. That's where my mind and eyes drifted for the next few moments. I remembered the time David and I conspired about the stars and where they all came from. As if I summoned him, twigs snapped behind my back. David flopped down beside me. The blue pools in his eyes displayed concern.
"I'm Sorry about Jesper, he gets like that sometimes." David also had a slightly heavy tongue. "No, It's not just that," I looked down at my feet, "It just feels like my parents and friends don't care about me. I could be gone for long and they wouldn't even notice." I felt stupid saying it out loud, but David waited in anticipation to listen further.
"Now you all also think I'm a spoiled selfish little brat." A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.
"Both of my parents died in a car crash, and I live with foster parents," David confessed. I suddenly felt bad crying over something so stupid, when he doesn't even have parents. That, and drunk despair, made even more tears roll down. I tried wiping it off with my hand.
"Sorry for your loss," I sniffled.
David gave me a thankful smile, then kept staring at me. He smelled like coffee beans and rainy days, and I felt the urge to hug him while my mind opposed. David made a cute laugh snort when looking at me again.
"Did anyone ever tell you how pretty you are, even when you're crying?" He asked. I couldn't help getting flushed. At least it was too dark to see the bright red of my face.
"David, I think we both need some sleep," I tried making excuse.
Back at in my sleeping bag, I couldn't get rid of the butterflies swarming in my stomach. They had to leave soon, because David would probably have forgotten what happened by tomorrow morning. Just as I drifted off, someone shook me awake with the gloomy tree's peeking over their shoulder.
Morning came too soon.
