Chapter 9
“Okay so what’s going on Mel?” Tate asked as she slinked into PE and put her wedding band into the jewelry box with her engagement ring. “Steph has been going after you for the last two weeks non-stop.”
“Well it seems that after last semester’s grades were posted, she slipped, got a B in AP Chemistry whereas I got an A, and because of that she’s no longer tied with me in first place,” Mel admitted with a half-grin as she undid the necklace and slid it into the same pocket with her other jewelry.
It had a large emerald surrounded by diamonds much like her ring and Jordan had given it to her for Christmas.
“And you hold it alone? Why didn’t you say anything before now Mel?”
“I’ve been sort of busy, Jordan’s finishing his final pitch for the College Board and I’ve been making sure the other schools and trade programs are still in line to help. Don’t worry; Steph can make as much noise as she wants, it’s not going to push my buttons anymore.”
“Because you and Jordan are sleeping in the same bedroom now? Don’t give me that look, I knew the day you didn’t come to class after your birthday that you two were…”
“Tate, shut up,” she said laughing as a blush stole into her cheeks.
“Come on Mel. It’s been over two months now, hell almost three and you never once said anything to me about you and your husband taking it to the next level,” he whispered in her ear. “And now this…what gives?”
“Maybe I didn’t want to have the whole sex discussion with you, Tate. You’re my best friend and talking about sex with you when it’s in the general sense I can deal with but when it comes to actuality…”
“You’d rather I not know that you and Jordan are enjoying that nice big bed together?” he teased pinching her side and making her smack his hand away drawing the attention of their teacher.
“Mr. Tatum, Miss Taube, it seems as though you two have more energy than the rest of the class. Perhaps some laps around the gym will burn that off.”
“Thanks a lot,” she hissed at Tate who replied by sticking out his tongue at her making her laugh as they started out.
“Would you rather run or play dodgeball, because with Steph in the class gunning for you, that’s what basketball will likely turn into?” he questioned as they went behind the bleachers. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her temple as she gave another laugh.
“Alright it might not look the best if I ended up with a black eye,” she agreed seeing the force with which the balls were being flung around the gym in what were supposed to be bounce passes.
They continued to run laps as the class went on and on, well jog them really. They were behind the group when Stephanie took the ball from the person next to her and sent it sailing towards them.
“Jeez…” Mel cried stopping short before it could nail her in the side.
She watched as Steph took another and flung it towards them under the pretense of shooting a basket; it bounced off the edge of the bleachers and knocked her bag off onto the floor.
She stopped running to go pick it up and as she gathered her things she checked to make sure her necklace hadn’t fallen out.
When she opened the pocket it wasn’t there and neither was her ring box. She looked underneath the bleachers for it, but they weren’t their either. She felt her breath stall as panic hit her and Tate stepped closer to her.
“Mel what’s wrong?”
“My rings, my necklace…they’re gone,” she whispered frantically as she began sorting through every pocket and finally dumping out her entire bag.
“You put them in the bottom pocket,” he reminded her but stopped talking when she shook her head.
“I checked; they’re not there.”
“Mr. Tatum, Miss Taube did I say you could stop running?” Coach Ross stated approaching them. “Melinda, what is this mess?”
“Steph knocked my bag off, and I went to pick it up. I had a necklace and a ring box in it right before class started and now they’re gone,” she answered carefully sifting through her things before heading back under the bleachers.
“Did you leave them in the locker room?” he asked.
“No, I saw her take them off and put them in her bag,” Tate assured him as Mel came back out from under the bleachers. “Mel, we’ll find them.”
“How? They were in my bag and now they’re not,” she stated as her heart raced. What would Jordan say?
“Hey it’s okay, just take a breath,” Tate said gently, giving her a light hug.
“What did they look like Melinda?” Coach Ross asked noting her anxiousness.
“The necklace is a gold chain with a heart shaped emerald surrounded by diamonds and the ring box has an emerald and diamond ring and a plain gold band in it,” she answered.
“Your…” he began asking, knowing as the rest of the staff did of her relationship status.
“Yes, the necklace was a Christmas present. Jordan will be furious if I lose them,” she said turning back to Tate.
“No, he won’t Mel. I’m going to call him…Mel, it’ll be fine,” he promised when she began to argue with him. He moved off quickly and grabbed his phone from his jacket pocket. He dialed the number as he watched Mel talk with Coach Ross. “Hey Jordan.”
“What’s wrong Tate? Is Mel okay?” he asked hearing the note of concern in his voice.
“Physically yeah, we’ve been in gym, and she took her ring and necklace off, put them in the bottom of her bag like always and I ended up making us run laps.
It was that or risk basketball turning into dodgeball since Steph’s been such a bitch to Mel lately.
Anyway, she tried to hit us with a faked airball as we went by, and it missed but the second hit Mel’s bag and a couple of others.
Mel went to check on hers and they’re gone.
Her necklace and rings aren’t there…she’s flipping out Jordan. ”
“Dammit, alright, I’ll be there in thirty. Actually it should be closer to twenty, I’m out at a site near home as it is,” he said grabbing his keys. “Keep her from losing it, Tate.”
“She’s worried you’re going to be pissed, Jordan.”
“Never, they’re just things,” Jordan admitted.
“Good to know,” Tate told him before heading back to Mel. “It’s okay, Jordan’s coming.”
“Dammit Tate…” She groaned as Principal Nelson came into the gym.
“What seems to be the problem Coach?” he asked.
“Melinda has lost some jewelry. She put a necklace and her rings in her bag at the beginning of the period, Mr. Tatum confirmed it and now they’re missing.”
“I see,” he stated glancing towards her as the rest of the class inched closer. “How much are they worth?”
“To me they’re priceless but the ring’s worth well over a hundred thousand and the necklace is at least seventy-five,” she answered knowing they were both insured but hating it all the same.
“Oh yeah right,” Steph laughed. “Like you’d ever be able to afford something like that.”
Tate held her back as her fist curled praying that Jordan would get there before she let loose and walloped her, though he wouldn’t mind seeing Steph flat on her back with a bloody lip. “We’ll find it Mel. It’s not like they walked off by themselves.”
“Are you accusing someone of stealing these items?” Mr. Nelson inquired.
“We’ve checked her entire bag and under the bleachers where it was sitting. What else could have happened to it?” he stated.
“Well then why don’t you turn out your pockets Tater?” Steph stated.
“Miss Augustan, please stop speaking,” Mr. Nelson said shooting her an annoyed look.
Tate shrugged and headed over to his bag and jacket.
“Tate, you don’t have anything to prove to them,” Mel said eyeing Steph suspiciously. “I know you’d never steal from me, but I can’t say the same for everyone else in here.”
“Oh come on, she doesn’t have some stupid necklace let alone a ring that cost that much,” Steph argued before adding quietly to her as she stalked towards her, “unless you earned it on your back like your mother.”
“You little bitch,” Mel seethed advancing towards her until Tate caught her around the waist and pulled her back.
“Mel, she’s not worth it,” he warned but she was too far gone to care.
“Mr. Nelson, I don’t have to stand around here being subjected to possible violence,” Steph said with a smirk.
“Miss Augustan, as well as everyone else in the gym will be searching for the items. If you took them now is your chance to return them without penalty,” Mr. Nelson stated ushering Mel and Tate aside. “Melinda, if these items are worth that much why did you bring them to school?”
“Because it’s my wedding rings and my Christmas present from my husband. I shouldn’t be punished because someone else is ticked off that I’m currently in the top spot for our class.”
“You’re insinuating that Miss Augustan took these items?”
“Who else hates Mel enough to do something as low as this?” Tate asked.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to it, but I will permit bags to be searched before anyone leaves the gymnasium.
First let’s take another look around and make sure they didn’t simply fall out,” he suggested as Coach Ross watched the group.
“Melinda, I apologize if you thought I was stating you shouldn’t wear them, I didn’t realize their significance. ”
“I don’t wear the ring in my classes. It’s always in the jewelry box in the bottom pocket of my bag. I put the wedding band in with it while in gym and the necklace in the same pocket.”
“It’ll turn up Mel, I’m sure of it,” Tate promised giving her a hug.
By the time the bell rang, there was still no sign of them and Mr. Nelson refused to let anyone leave.
“I’m allowing Coach Ross and Ms. Vincent to do bag checks,” he stated as they headed towards the door.
“You can’t just check our bags because she says something’s missing,” Andrew argued.
“I can and I am, the sooner you offer it up the sooner you’ll be free to go,” he replied. Several students gladly handed them over and took the late slips from the teachers as they headed towards the locker rooms.