The Lost and Found (A Sequel to Change of Identity)

Chapter 13 Sketchbook

No one answered her.

"Seriously. I'm lost." Caitlyn laughed nervously.

I glared at Mabel, who was looking away from me, arms crossed. "I suppose you're going to nag me to tell her now, huh?"

Mabel shook her head slowly.

"Mabel?" I stepped closer. I hoped I hadn't hurt her feelings or anything.

"Sorry." She muttered, turning to me and nervously rubbing her arm.

"What?" I didn't know if she was going to stay mad at me and she wasn't serious, or if that was a sincere apology.

"I-I'm sorry." She looked away sheepishly. "I was the one who overreacted."

"Okay, but you didn't mean any of that right?" I mentally crossed my fingers.

"No..." She muttered. "But I wasn't kidding. I...my twelve-year-old mind thought something drastic was the only solution. I also wasn't kidding three years ago when I said I didn't read the whole page. Oops."

I laughed quietly. "You're seriously blaming your twelve-year-old mind?"

Mabel didn't take it as a joke, though. She glared at me.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I thought it was funny." I sighed.

"I forgive you." She smiled slightly.

I nodded. "And Mabel?"

"Yeah?" She looked up.

"I just realized I've gone three years without forgiving you." I told her. "So, yeah. I forgive you."

"Thanks." Her smile grew. "Awkward sibling hug?"

I nodded. "Awkward sibling hug."

She hugged me, pretty much cutting off my oxygen, then, as per awkward sibling hug tradition, we both stiffed and patted each other's backs mechanically. "Pat, pat."

We broke away laughing.

I'm pretty sure Caitlyn was going to say something, but she was interrupted by a voice at that door. "Aw, isn't that sweet."

I spun around to see Bill leaning against the door frame, smirking.

"Wha-Bill!" I screamed. "How'd you get in here?"

"The door to the gift shop is unlocked, and Stanford was conveniently absorbed in his stupid magazine. Old Chains for Gold Men, was it?" He shrugged.

"You!" Pacifica glared at him. "We aren't agreeing to any deals, if that's what you're here for."

"Oh no." He shook his head, still smirking. "But Pine Tree, you forgot this at school." He waved my sketchbook in the air.

"Give that back!" I yelled, making a leap at it, and falling when he lifted it just out of my reach.

I got up and backed up, ready to try again, but he mimed tossing it in my direction, then instead, threw it straight onto Caitlyn's lap.

"Oops." He sneered, then, before anyone could say anything, spun around and left.

"What's this?" Caitlyn lifted the black sketchbook off her lap and studied it.

"Nothing." I said. "Can I have it back?"

She laughed. "If you want it back, it's not nothing."

Caitlyn made haste in looking through it, more confused with each page. "Why the hell did you draw your sister as a devil?"

"I deserved it." Mabel replied before I could say anything.

"No you didn't." I sighed, but Mabel didn't reply.

"You're pretty good." Caitlyn looked genuinely impressed.

I let out a sigh of relief, thinking I was off the hook.

"But you keep drawing this random guy, and..."

Or not.

"And what?" I bit my lip.

Please inquire no further. Please.

"You know, I really like this last one, but..." She held up the book, open to the picture of Pacifica, Mabel and me that I'd done in AP Chemistry.

"But?" I gritted my teeth.

"You know, it's the only picture in this book with you in it." She was biting her own lip.

No, it's not.

"Really." I said dryly.

I actually contemplated just saying 'No, that's not the only one.', but I didn't have to, because Mabel did.

"Actually, there's a lot!" Mabel practically yelled, then turned to me. "This is for your own good."

I rolled my eyes.

"No, there's not." Caitlyn laughed, then she saw how serious everyone else in the room was, and stopped. "There...is?"

I nodded, sighing. "Yeah. Mabel's right, it's for my own good."

"I don't see any-" She began, but I cut her off.

"I can..." I glanced back to see Mabel, who was smiling encouragingly. "I can show you."

I walked over and sat next to her, grabbing the sketchbook and calmly finding one.

"There." I said, setting the book on her lap. "It is done."

Caitlyn laughed. "You're kidding, right?" Then she saw me, biting my lip and looking down, and seemed to be running over everything perplexing Mabel or Bill or I had said, and fitting it all into a puzzle, and then looked even more confused. "This makes no sense."

"I was a terrible twelve-year-old." Mabel smiled sadly.

"But what are you saying?" Caitlyn looked at me, cocking her head to the side.

I sighed. "You know exactly what I'm saying."

"No, I don't!" She raised an eyebrow, then held up the picture. "This does not look like you!"

"Three years ago, it would have." I sighed.