Chapter 4 The Seashell Necklace
1160 Words
'The liquid inside this seashell necklace... It's unbelievable! I think... I'll never run out of fresh veggies again!'
I kissed the necklace hard. 'Thank you, God. Thank you, Grandma. And thank you, Ian.'
Then, I quickly found a small bottle and carefully collected every last drop of the magical liquid.
But as I was pouring it, a droplet accidentally landed on my left arm, and suddenly, my arm was bathed in a bright, glowing light!
I gasped, startled, but soon noticed a pleasant fragrance wafting from my skin. Right before my eyes, my arm transformed. Flabby skin tightened into firm, toned muscles!
"Wow, this is incredible!" I marveled at my arm for a long time, but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary, and I didn't feel sick or strange.
Seeing the contrast between my two arms was a bit odd, so I quickly dropped some liquid on my right arm too. In no time, it became just as strong and defined.
'If I had these arms earlier, Kaitlyn would've never pushed me into the river! And those three robbers? I could've taken them on with ease!'
A wild thought crossed my mind. I wanted to drench my whole body in the liquid and get rid of all the flab. But as I glanced at the bottle, I saw that I didn't have much left. I'd need to save it for later. After all, this liquid was my ticket to never going hungry again.
To save some money, I decided to head to the grocery store and scavenge for discarded vegetables to make lunch.
I slipped into a floral dress that showcased my newly sculpted arms and tossed a scarf over my shoulders before stepping outside. Just a few steps out the door, I ran into Olivia, the beauty salon owner who had been with Ryan yesterday.
"Well, well, isn't this our new neighbor? Off to seduce another man today?" Olivia sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. I noticed she had doused herself in a ridiculous amount of perfume, so much it was choking.
I couldn't help but tease her back. "Olivia, I'm just going to the store to buy some veggies. Unlike you, I don't need a bath in perfume to get attention."
She scoffed, flipping her hair. "Oh please, with your looks, you're only good enough for drunks at the bar. A golden bachelor like Ryan? He's way out of your league, you tramp."
Her words stung, and my face flushed with anger. I was about to snap back when a familiar voice interrupted. "Enough, Olivia! Who do you think you are to talk like that?"
'It is Ryan!' I hadn't even noticed him approaching, but there he was, standing behind me, looking visibly annoyed.
Olivia's expression grew glum instantly. She cooed, her tone turning sickly sweet. "Ryan, darling, I'm just looking out for you. I don't want to see you get tangled up with someone like her."
Ryan replied coldly, "I don't need you to worry about my life, Olivia. By the way, your salon's been struggling lately, hasn't it? Don't be surprised if I, as a shareholder, pull out."
His words hit her like a slap. Olivia's face darkened, and without another word, she shot me a hateful glare before storming off.
I turned to Ryan, feeling a rush of gratitude. "Thank you, Ryan. You've helped me again."
"Don't mention it, Alice. I'm here to fix... fix..." he replied and froze for a moment as his gaze lingered on me, and his eyes lit up with a hint of admiration. "You look different today... Did something good happen?"
I nervously laughed. "Oh, it's nothing. I guess I just slept well. So, you said you were here to fix something?"
Ryan shook his head slightly, chuckling. "Yeah, I came to fix your pipes. I noticed your pipes are pretty old and have a lot of issues."
While he worked on the pipes, we made small talk. He casually mentioned that Olivia had been chasing him for years, but he wasn't interested in her at all. Relief washed over me, but a pang of guilt followed. I knew I was the person Ryan was waiting for, yet I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth, leaving him stuck in limbo.
Still, I quickly rationalized my thoughts. 'Olivia was awful. It's lucky Ryan doesn't go for her.'
After fixing the pipes, Ryan asked how I planned to make a living.
"I have no idea. It's been so long since I've worked. I don't even know what I'm good at anymore..."
I gave a wry smile. "Maybe... I could try growing some vegetables?"
Ryan's eyes lit up as he exclaimed happily, "That's fantastic! The soil in your yard looks perfect for it. I'm sure you'll grow amazing veggies."
He finished the repairs and dropped me off at the grocery store before saying goodbye.
Outside the store, I saw bins full of discarded vegetables and stuff customers had picked through and left behind to rot. I hesitated and then walked over to grab a few.
Just as I bent down, a familiar voice rang out behind me. "Well, well, isn't this our new neighbor? Looking for food in the trash now, huh?"
I turned to see Olivia again.
She grinned smugly as she looked down on me. My temper flared, but I kept my cool and started loading the rotting vegetables into a bag without saying a word.
"Oh, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Did I hit too close to home?" Olivia laughed, clearly enjoying my struggle.
I glanced around. A few others were scavenging through the discarded food like me. Raising my voice, I said, "The supermarket leaves these veggies out to help people in need. What's wrong with that, Olivia? Or are you looking down on people who aren't as rich as you?"
The nearby store employees and customers shot angry glares at Olivia, and the collective fury clearly rattled her. She stammered, "I didn't say that..."
With that, she hurried off, tail between her legs. I exhaled, feeling victorious, and happily continued gathering vegetables.
Back home, I couldn't wait to try the magical liquid on the wilted veggies. As soon as I sprinkled a few drops on them, they sprang back to life, growing roots, spreading vibrant leaves, and looking so fresh one could practically pinch water from them! I was so thrilled I nearly jumped for joy. 'This stuff is amazing!'
That evening, I went back to town to find more vegetables, but when I returned home, my garden was destroyed.
The plants I'd just nurtured were ripped out and trampled into the dirt. Not a single one was left standing.
Furious, I searched the area for clues and found a few broken branches and footprints. They looked like a woman's shoe prints, one of which had a slightly tilted heel... just like the pair Olivia had been wearing.
'It must have been her!'
- Writer
