The Lost Journal

Submitted into Contest #108 in response to: Write about a person or object vanishing into thin air.... view prompt

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Fiction Inspirational

Alexia walked into her room. She jogged to her very messy closet and dug through her scattered clothes and dirty shoes until she found a purple and blue box with silver patterns on it.

She opened the box, and found her secret journal she’s been writing in. It was filled with her deepest thoughts and some things that had happened to her each day, but Alexia labeled it as her “Math and English Language Arts Journal” so that hopefully nobody would read it. She hid her journal at the bottom of the pile of clothes in her closet so that there was a very slim chance that somebody would find it.

She got her journal from her older cousin, Amber, who is currently in high school. It was supposedly a so-called Christmas gift for Alexia. At first, Alexia completely ignored it, but then, she started writing in the journal and got addicted later on. 

Alexia was relieved when she saw that her journal was still there. She closed the box and locked it tightly with her key. After that, she closed the door to her closet and left her bedroom.

Alexia trudged downstairs and went into the kitchen to make some lunch for her little brother, Max. “I wish Mom or Dad could make lunch instead of me. I could actually write something in my journal or chat with my friends online…” Alexia whispered. “I mean I could invite my friends here today, I guess.” 

After Alexia finished making lunch, which was 2 juicy burgers, she invited her friends over to her home. Only 2 were available, so they both decided to come over to her house. She then went to Max’s bedroom, and saw Max playing on the iPad they had. 

“Remember Max, when my friends are here, don’t be annoying and scream all day like last time. And also please don’t interrupt me and my friends’ conversations. AND MY ROOM IS OFF-LIMITS TO YOU FOR NOW, SO DON’T YOU DARE COME IN AND INTERRUPT US, GOT IT?” Alexia ordered. 

“I guess… by the way, is lunch ready yet? I’m very hungry right now.” Max asked.

“Yeah it is, you can go downstairs and eat and then go to the living room and read or play or whatever you do. You can play with Liam if you want to as well.” Alexia demanded.

“Alright, I guess…” Max muttered.

A few minutes later, Alexia’s friends’ arrived. “Hey Rosalie and Danielle!! So how long are you guys going to stay here again?” Alexia asked.

“I’m staying here for at most 2 hours and Rosalie is staying here for at most 1 hour I think. Right?” Danielle said.

“Yeah right. So what are we going to do? Draw? Play video games? Play outside? Oh wait, it’s raining outside right now. So??” Rosalie said cheerfully.

“Well, we can draw again, if you guys agree.” Danielle muttered. 

“Of course we can, silly. I’ll go get some paper, you guys can wait for me in my bedroom.” Alexia exclaimed.

Alexia, Rosalie, and Danielle played and did lots of different things in 1 hour like dance to the music, draw random things (that probably doesn’t exist), play video games, and other stuff. 

After an hour, Rosalie had to leave to go back. “Alright, I’ll see y’all later in school, right?” Rosalie asked.

“You got it! I’ll see you later Rosalie!!” Danielle exclaimed.

“I’ll be on vacation on Monday, so I’ll see you on Friday hopefully!” Alexia said. 

Rosalie walked to the sidewalk and stopped. “BYE ALEXIA AND DANIELLE!!” 

“BYE ROSALIE!!” Alexia yelled.

Alexia locked the door once Rosalie was out of her sight. “So, what are we going to do? Rosalie is always the one that makes everything so fun.” 

“I guess. I have an hour before my piano class so I can still stay here for at most 30 minutes,” Danielle said. “Also I’m going to go to the bathroom upstairs, be right back. You can stay here and brainstorm ideas for us to do.”

“Alright. The bathroom is next to Max’s bedroom by the way.” Alexia muttered, pointing next to Max’s bedroom upstairs.”

Danielle ran upstairs and went to the bathroom. Alexia waited for her downstairs patiently, and after 10 minutes Danielle finally came downstairs. 

“What took you so long, Danielle? It’s been like 10 minutes already!!” Alexia screamed.

“Sorry, I was texting my parents. They said that I have to leave right now. So I guess this is the end of today’s hang out. We can chat later, see you on Friday.” 

“Alright, see you soon!” Alexia said.

Danielle ran out of the house and ran to her home a few blocks away. “Hm. What was that all about?” Alexia whispered.

Alexia locked the door again and then suddenly, Max appeared in front of her.

“Can I play with you nowwwww? I’m boreeeeedddd.” Max moaned. 

“Alright, they are both gone right now. We can play for about 2 hours until I have to prepare dinner. Is that fine?” Alexia asked.

“Yay!! Let’s go, let's gooo!!” Max shouted, and ran off to the living room.

“I’ll be there in a second, Max.” Alexia yelled.

Alexia trudged upstairs and went inside her room. She dug through her clothes and found the purple and blue box with silver patterns on it. She slowly opened it, and saw that her journal was missing!

“Oh no, oh no, oh no no no no no!! This can’t be happening to me right now. It just can’t be missing!” Alexia muttered. 

Alexia looked everywhere in her room and still didn’t find her journal. Max then opened the door to her bedroom and Alexia lifted her head and stared at him. 

“Hey Alex, so are you going to play with me?? It’s been 10 minutes already, and also what the heck are you doing??” Max questioned.

Alexia ran over to Max and grabbed his shoulders. “Did you see my journal that was in a blue and purple box that has silver patterns on it? The journal was labeled as a ‘Math and English Language Arts Journal” and is a navy blue colored journal with silver dots on it. Did you see a journal like that??” Alexia asked.

“Uh- I think I saw it when somebody was rushing by my bedroom. I don’t know who, though. Might be one of your friends. Or it might be my friend Liam who arrived a few minutes before your friends did.” Max murmured.

“Alright then, I’ll ask Rosalie, Danielle, and Liam then! If none of them admits that they have my journal, then what’s the point of having some freaking friends that aren’t honest? Like why are they my friends if they are liars?” Alexia shouted.

“Can you stop shouting at me? I don’t have your journal, I swear. You can shout somewhere else if you want. I’m going back to the living room if you need me.” Max said.

“Sigh. Sorry, Max. I guess I need to calm down. If you want to play, please don’t bother me right now. I’ll come down there when I’m okay and relaxed.” Alexia sighed.

“Um.. okay.” Max murmured and he walked away from her as soon as she was finished. 

“I’ll visit Rosalie in a few minutes and visit Danielle tomorrow,” Alexia said. “I’ll just send a message to them first letting them know.” 

So then Alexia told Max that she would be outside for a few minutes to visit Rosalie. Alexia went outside and locked the door, and ran over to Rosalie’s house. 

Alexia knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, Rosalie’s Mom answered the door. 

“Oh, hey, Alexia dear. What brings you here today?” Rosalie’s Mom asked.

“Hello, I just came here to talk to Rosalie. Is she here by any chance? I need to talk to her.” Alexia exclaimed.

“Oh, Rosalie is in the kitchen, eating her dinner. I’ll call her here. You can come in if you would like to.” Rosalie’s Mom exclaimed.

“Okay, I just need to ask Rosalie something important.” Alexia muttered.

“Rosalie, dear, your friend, Alexia, is here to talk to you about something important.” Rosalie’s Mom shouted.

“Coming, mom!!” Rosalie shouted and ran over to Alexia. “Hey, Alexia. So what’s up right now?” 

“Uh, so basically somebody stole my journal. It was labeled as my ‘Math and English Language Arts Journal’ and it was a navy blue journal with silver dots on it. Did you by any chance see it? I need it for something. Please say that you saw it.” Alexia pleaded.

“I’m sorry, Alex. But I didn’t take it nor see it. Maybe you can ask Danielle. Or Liam, I saw him in your room today with Max. But I didn’t see them with a journal like the one you described.” Rosalie said.

“Alright, thanks for the info. I’ll go to Liam’s then Danielle’s since Danielle has piano class right now.” Alexia muttered.

“Hope you find your journal, Alexia!” Rosalie shouted.

Alexia waved goodbye to Rosalie and headed to Liam’s house, which was across from Rosalie’s house. Alexia knocked on the door, and after a minute, Liam answered the door.

“Oh, hey Ale-” Liam said.

“LIAM WHAT DID I TELL YOU? I TOLD YOU TO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR AND LET ME ANSWER THE DOOR INSTEAD- oh, hello, Alexia. What brings you here?” Liam’s Mom interrupted.

“I need to talk to Liam.” Alexia said. Liam’s Mom narrowed her eyes and eyed Alexia suspiciously. “About something important, I assume?” Liam’s Mom scowled.

“Y-Yeah… something very important. I need to talk to Liam privately, please.” Alexia stammered.

“Alright then, only for at most 3 minutes.” Liam’s Mom said. “Alright Lia- LIAM! WHERE ARE YOU?? COME HERE THIS INSTANT!! RIGHT NOW!!” Liam’s Mom screamed.

“Alllllrightttt,” Liam groaned. “What is it this time?”

Liam’s Mom pointed at me, and strictly said, “Alexia wants to talk to you about something important. Now, go on, talk about the ‘something’ you wanted to talk about, Alexia.”

Liam’s Mom left the room and Alexia whispered, “Wow, your mom is goddamn crazy! Don’t you dare tell her I said that though! Anyways, onto the point. I lost my navy blue journal with silver dots on it that was labeled as a ‘Math and English Language Arts Journal’. It was in a purple and blue box with silver patterns on it. Do you have it? I need it back for…. um… something very important.” 

“Nope I don’t have it,” Liam said. “But I did see Max go into your closet to find a comfy hoodie to wear. That’s all that happened, I swear.”

“Sigh. Then, please help me find my journal, I need it before Monday. I’ll tell you if I have my journal and if you somehow have it and lied to me, then you are in big trouble. Tell that to Max as well because I’m not telling him” Alexia groaned. 

Alexia left the house and looked at the time on her phone. “Hmm… Danielle’s class should’ve ended already. I’ll go to her house. Tomorrow. For now, I’m going to sleep for a little while at home.” Alexia trudged over to her house and went to her bedroom and started sleeping.

2 hours later, she woke up to make dinner for Max. After an hour, she finished making the dinner and called Max down to the dining table. 

“So, Max. I went to Liam’s and Rosalie’s today. They both said that they don’t have my journal, and I trust Rosalie but Liam said that you went to my room to find a hoodie to wear. So, did you actually steal my journal? If you lie to me then you are in big trouble, Max.” Alexia said.

“Okay, okay, fine. I’ll tell you the truth. I did not steal it. In fact, I reckon I saw Liam steal it. You can search my room, and I can tell you there is no journal like the one you are looking for.” Max admitted.

“Oh really, huh? Well, I’m going to search your entire room and see if my journal is there. I’m reporting to Mom and Dad if I find my journal there and you are in really big trouble then.” Alexia muttered, staring into Max’s eyes.

So Alexia searched Max’s room for a while. Max just sighed like a hundred times and prayed that Alexia would stop searching his room and stop finding all the private things he had kept from Alexia. 

Alexia once thought she found her journal in his closet but then realized it was actually Max’s 1st grade ‘Math and ELA Journal’ instead of hers. Alexia really wanted to smack her head on the wall a few times but insisted on continuing the search.

“Okay, Max. You win. I don’t think you have my journal, but right now Liam is very suspicious, so I’m going to Liam’s again and searching his entire room. You can come along if you’d like to.”

“Alright I’ll come!!” Max said excitedly.

Alexia and Max went to Liam’s again and Alexia demanded Liam to tell her the truth.

“I don’t have it! I swear!!” Liam kept saying, but Alexia knew that he had it. 

“Tell me the truth. Or else you are in really big trouble. WIth your mother. I know that you don’t like being in trouble with your mother, Liam.” Alexia whisper-shouted.

“FINE!! I stole it!! Okay?? It’s in my room under my pillow!! Now stop bugging me!!” Liam shouted.

“Okay. Anyways, why did you steal my journal??” Alexia wondered.

“It literally said that it was a Math and ELA journal, and I thought that if I take this for a bit, then give it back to you unnoticed, then you won’t be mad. Besides, I need a lot of help with Math and ELA and I thought the journal was filled with Math and ELA stuff so uh yeah.” Liam said.

“It’s not a Math and ELA journal, Liam. I labeled it as a Math and ELA journal because I don’t want anybody to read my journal!! Still can’t believe that you actually took it, though…” Alexia muttered.

Alexia ran upstairs and into Liam’s bedroom and looked under the pillow. Alexia saw her journal laying there. She looked inside and saw her diary entries and knew it was hers. “Let’s go, Max. I found my journal.”

And so the both of them ran to their house right before their parents arrived back home.

August 24, 2021 20:51

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