Fact or Fiction?

“Open it,” Zackary whispered.

“You open it,” I said.

He scoffed. “You know you have to do it.”

I whined. “But what if it’s something bad?”

He smiled a little. “The exact reason I loathe this book. You never know until you try.”

I groaned. “That sounds like something from a greeting card.”

He nudged me and I slowly opened the book. We leaned forward.

Finally, Zackary was able to tell her.
Finally, Ophelia knew the truth.
All that remained was helping her unlock the book’s hidden secret.
But Ophelia knew there must be more to the book than just random entries.

I blinked a few times.

“Hidden secret?” he repeated. “What hidden secret?”

“You don’t know?” I asked and he shook his head.

“Nope. All I know is who tried to kill you.”

I gasped. “What if it’s like Harry Potter and it can suck us in!?” I asked excitedly.

He laughed. “You want to be sucked into a book?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m a writer, Zackary. What do you think?”

“That’s true.” He leaned back. “Hmm…. I don’t know. I guess we just have to wait and see.”

We both jumped as the book slammed itself shut and the clasps clicked shut.

“Does it do that often?” I grumbled and he nodded. “Jeez. Scares the shit out of me every time.”

I yawned and closed my eyes, leaning on Zackary.

“Can I ask you something?” he asked, putting his arm around me.

“Mmhm.”

“What would you say to possibly considering dating me?”

I laughed gently and looked up at him. “Is that the great lawyer’s way of asking me to be with him?”

He wrinkled his nose. “You’re the author, not me.”

I giggled and snuggled. “My answer is yes.”

He put his head on top of mine and we both fell asleep, the book glowing rose red.

-

Someone poked my stomach and I squirmed. They poked me again. I shoved at their hands, whining. Whoever it was laughed.

“Wake up,” I heard Zackary say. “Your phone is going insane and Lucy’s freaking out.”

I rubbed my eyes and he passed me my phone. We had ended up sleeping the night through on my couch. On the table, the book was open but all it showed was a description of last night. Zackary reached over me and closed the book, snuggling back behind me. He put his arm around me and I smiled, blushing, as I called Lucy back.

“Dude,” she groaned. “I’ve got the worst fuckin’ hangover and you don’t answer your phone? What kind of shit is that?”

I laughed. “Take the day off, Lucy. I probably will, too.”

“Oh yeah? Had a late night with Mr. Lawyerface?”

I felt Zackary shaking with laughter behind me. “No. Just tired from yesterday. Go get some Tylenol and coffee.”

She just groaned and hung up. I laughed and turned so I was facing him.

“She called like, fifty times,” he said. “I didn’t want to answer just in case.”

I yawned and closed my eyes again. “What time is it, Mr. Lawyerface?”

He yawned, too. “I’d say around noon.”

“So that’s why my stomach’s been talking,” I said and he laughed. “Wanna go get a late breakfast at the diner?”

“Sure,” he said.

I stretched and promptly punched him in the chin.

“Oh shit!” I said, falling off the couch at the same time.

Zackary was laughing so hard he clutched his stomach. I struggled to my feet and tripped over the coffee table.

“God damn it,” I grumbled, standing up straight finally and rubbing my butt.

“Are you always this clumsy?” he asked, getting up without a problem.

I stuck my tongue out at him, putting the book back in the strongbox in the back of my closet.

“I’m not used to sleeping on the couch, all right?” I retorted. I brushed my hair. “Besides, remember it was me who knocked you on your ass.”

“That’s right. I almost forgot.”

He opened the door and I set my alarm. I locked the door and sighed.

“How are we going to go about this whole ‘investigation’ if you already-”

He slapped his hand over my mouth. “No, Ophelia. Not in public.”

I frowned. “Why not?”

He held my hand as we walked down Main Street.

“We aren’t the only ones who know about the book,” he whispered, opening the diner’s door. “Remember that.”

I wrinkled my nose. “What, is someone going to try and kill me because of it?”

His face was serious and I groaned.

“It’s times like these I wish I still drank,” I sighed.

“You used to drink?” he asked and I nodded, ordering pancakes and sausage.

“When my dad died, I became a raging alcoholic.” I shook my head sadly. “It was bad. I wrote The Eye while I was drunk.”

“That explains why it’s so….”

“Dark?” I suggested and he nodded. “Yeup. Instead of booze, though, I’ve gone to coffee and candy.”

He smirked. “Easier on your liver.”

I winked as our food arrived. We ate in relative silence. It was strange to look up and see Zackary and know that he was now my boyfriend. I was yearning to know more about this book but he really hated talking about it so I kept myself from asking. There’d be plenty of time for that later.

Fall break was beginning and the diner filled up quickly with students, enjoying their first day off of school. I watched as they joked around with each other. It was nice until two football players started getting rowdy and the next thing I knew there was a heavy body on top of me.

“Dude!” I shouted and shoved the football player off of me.

Zackary jumped to his feet and pulled him up by the collar. His face was furious.

“Either take it outside or stop,” he snapped. “You almost hurt my girlfriend.”

“Sorry man,” he said, shoving Zackary so he let him go. “We were just havin’ some fun.”

“There’s nothing fun about hurting people,” he said and held my hand, helping me stand. “Keep that in mind.”

“Zackary, what was that?” I asked. “He apologized.”

He shook his head as we walked down the street.

“Boys need to learn respect. That kid must’ve been a senior and he has no respect or desire to keep those around him safe. It’s a dangerous world we’re living in, Ophelia.”

I sighed and wrapped my arms around his, putting my head on his shoulder as we walked. I had already forgotten that he had witnessed several murder cases via the book.

“Sorry,” he sighed. “I didn’t mean to go overboard there. It’s just-”

“Hey, it’s okay,” I whispered, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. “I understand.”

He nodded but he still looked upset. “Take me to your house,” I said. “I want to see it.”

He laughed. “It’s nowhere near as nice as yours but all right.”

To my surprise, he took me down the street that Ian lived on. Even more of a shock, he lived right next to him.

“Dude!” I said as he unlocked the door. He smiled at me. “You lived like, right here. Why in the world did you walk me home if you were going so far out of your way!?”

He pushed the door open and had me go first.

“Because I wanted to walk you home,” he said simply.

His house was two stories, too. The front room was a living room. Behind it was the dining room and kitchen combo. I assumed his bedroom was upstairs.

“I’ll be right back,” he said. “I’m going to change out of this cheesy costume.”

“No wonder we were getting weird looks,” I said, looking down at my witch costume. “I totally forgot.”

He laughed. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

While he changed, I looked around his living room. He had a few things on the walls, mostly his diplomas and awards in college. There was also a picture of him with a young woman who looked like him. She was grinning and he was hugging her from behind. They each had the same goofy smile on their faces and I was positive this was his sister.

What would it be like to read about your sister being innocent of a crime and be powerless to tell them how you knew? I shook my head, unable to imagine it.

“It was hard,” Zackary said, coming up behind me and putting his hands on my hips.

“What about your parents?” I asked. “You don’t have any pictures of them up on the wall.”

I felt him shake his head. “No relationship with them anywhere,” he said darkly. “Not after what happened with Jennifer. They wouldn’t help her at all.”

I frowned and turned to face him. “You lied to me a lot that day then,” I said.

He looked guilty. “I know and I’m sorry for that but I don’t like the truth of the situation.”

He sighed and I hugged him.

“Let’s watch cartoons,” I suggested and he beamed at me.