You Are the Shell to My Tortoise | ✓

19

Why was I always losing things?!

First my notebook, and now this. Was I going to lose my homework next?

I forced myself to take a deep breath in an attempt to quash the anxious fluttering of my insides.

Nolan talked like my watch had been left in an incriminating place. Could I really have dropped it in the forest when I went on that hike with the others?

It was true that I hadn't seen my watch for a while, but I couldn't be sure that it had gone missing only after the hike.

Unable to answer him, I floundered about for a bit. "Are you sure that watch is mine? It could be anybody's."

My sports watch was a pretty turquoise, which I absolutely loved, but it also wasn't a limited-edition design. I had seen a couple of other girls around school wearing something similar to mine.

Nolan only smiled slightly and turned the watch around so that the watch back faced me.

Happy 14th birthday, Chelsea! Love, Mom.

It took every bit of my willpower not to scream and pull out my hair.

Of course. How could I have forgotten that it had those words engraved on it? Mom was so excited about presenting it to me when I turned fourteen. At that time, I had a strange obsession with pocket watches and how cool they looked, but because of my penchant for losing things she decided that a watch I could strap to my wrist was a better option.

I loved it and carried it with me everywhere, treating it like a pocket watch instead of the wristwatch that it was. Although she was disappointed that I refused to wear it, she was still comforted by the fact that I brought it everywhere I went.

It must have dropped out of my pocket when I wasn't noticing.

Ashley, you were so right. Why couldn't I have just worn it like a normal person?

"So? Still think it isn't yours?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Instead of answering, I asked, "Did you really find it in the forest?"

"It was lying on the forest floor."

I reached up for it, but before my fingers could make contact with it, Nolan whisked it away and pocketed it.

"Nope, I wasn't returning it to you," he said. "I was showing you I had it."

My jaw dropped.

"That's my watch you're stealing!"

He smirked at me. "Considering how you were just blackmailing me not that long ago, I think we're quite even."

It was unbelievable how confident and self-assured he looked. "Blackmail? I'm just being concerned for you!"

"Show me those pictures you said you took," he said lazily, leaning against the nearby wall.

His hand casually rested on the jeans pocket that contained my watch. I was not impressed that he thought I might try to tackle him for it.

With great effort, I pushed down the urge to yell at him. The last thing I needed was for a teacher to come running.

"Fine," I said, tugging my phone out of my pocket.

I opened my gallery app and tapped on the last photo I snapped last night. When he made to take my phone from me, I wagged my finger at him and snatched my phone out of his reach.

"I'm not going to just hand you my phone. You'll probably just delete the pictures once you get your hands on it."

Scoffing, he came closer to me. "Whatever."