Chapter 35: Token (Venus's POV)

It was now the next morning. Saturday morning. Seven in the morning and I'm up early, answering my phone, still half asleep. "Hello?" I asked, ignoring my scratchy throat and hoarse voice. 

"Morning," he sang. 

"Good morning. Even though I'm going back to sleep after this. What happened, Caden?" I asked, pulling the cord a little further and rolling over, holding the phone to my ear. 

"What time do your parents leave?" he asked. 

"Mm," I mumbled, thinking about it. "By nine, I think." 

"I'll be there at ten, okay?" 

"Okay," I sang. "I'll see you then." 

"Bye, I love you," he said. "And sorry I woke you up." 

"That's okay," I chuckled. "Bye, I love you too," I said, keeping my eyes closed. I heard the dial tone instead of his voice and then rolled back over, putting the phone away. And then I dozed right off.

I woke up at nine-thirty after that and when I went downstairs I found out that my parents had already left. I sat in the kitchen and had some french toast that Mrs. Betty made and then headed to the living room where I found Clarissa sprawled across the floor, lying on her stomach. 

"What are you doing?" I chuckled, going on and sitting beside her. 

"Making bracelets," she answered while threading a pink bead through the elastic string. 

I opened my mouth to ask her who she's making them for but then I got an idea. "Who are you making these for?" I asked anyway while grabbing the elastic and putting it around my wrist, measuring. 

"Myself, duh," she scoffed. "Except for Maddie, nobody talks to me," she frowned. 

I lay on my stomach beside her while knotting one end of the string so the beads won't fall out the other end. "Why not?" I asked as I started threading beads through. Some light pink stars and iridescent white pearls. 

"Everybody likes Axel more than me. And you know what, so do I!" she groaned. 

"Hmm," I pretended to think. "Well, if you like him then why don't you become friends with him too?" I asked. 

"Because mommy said I have to stay away from him." 

"Well, didn't mom also say the same thing to me about Caden?" I turned to look at her. "You don't hate Axel, I don't want you to act like you do, Clarissa. It's school. No one will tell mom and dad. And if they do, then I'll help you." 

"You will?" She perked up, grinning at me widely. 

"Of course! Axel is very nice." 

"Just like Caden, huh?" she teased. 

I rolled my eyes while smiling and continued making the bracelet. Then I finished and knotted it off, tying the two ends together. 

"Oh, that's pretty," she giggled, elbowing me. 

I grabbed more string and measured my wrist again but made this one bigger. 

"Who is that for? Remy?" she frowned in confusion. 

"It's not for Remy," I chuckled. 

"Oh, for Caden," she stated. 

"How did you know?" I asked, glancing at her while picking up a purple star. 

"Who else do you talk to?" she scoffed. 

I pushed her away and she laughed, picking up a pink star. 

I had already made the two bracelets, one for me and one for Caden. I was helping Clarissa make more by finding the beads for her when the doorbell rang. "I'll be right back." I stood up and jogged to the door, getting it and smiling as I saw him. "Hi," I grinned. 

"Hi," he grinned right back. 

"Come on in." I stepped aside, making room for him. 

He walked in, glancing around the house like I did my first time at the palace while I closed the door behind him. "I can't believe I'm in your house. I thought I'd never get to see the rest of it. Only your room," he chuckled. 

"Shut up," I laughed, pushing him towards the living room. 

"Hey," Clarissa nodded at him. 

"Hey," he said to her. "Who are you making so many bracelets for?" he asked. 

"Myself," she shrugged. She grabbed the two bracelets I made and held them out for me. "Here." 

I took them and then turned to him. He looked at me then at the bracelets. And his look gave it away. I know what he's thinking. 

My eighteen-year-old girlfriend makes kiddy bracelets. 

"Come on," I laughed, smacking his arm. "They're fun to make," I shrugged. I started heading up to my room and I grabbed his hand, pulling him with me. 

He sat on the edge of my bed while I closed the door and then turned to him. "Is that for me?" he asked, pointing to one of the bracelets. 

"No, it's for Remy," I lied. 

He grabbed the waistband of my pants and then pulled me forward so I stood between his legs. He took both the bracelets and then handed me the smaller one back. "Remy's wrist is this big?" he asked. 

I shrugged. 

He slipped it on, brushing his finger over one of the stars. He chuckled, looking up at me. "It's cute, can I keep it?" 

"No, it's for Remy," I scoffed. 

"Venus," he deadpanned. 

"You can't wear it anyway. They match. People will know." 

"Nobody pays attention to what bracelet I will wear." 

I frowned. 

"No one but me," he grinned, taking my hand and kissing the back of it. "I'm keeping it. We can match." He took my bracelet and put it on my left wrist. "See." He beamed, staring at both our wrists. He looked up at me, laughing softly, "What?" 

He's adorable.

"I love you," I smiled, brushing his hair out of his eyes and taking the minute to admire what he looked like. 

He had on black jeans with a black, full-sleeved t-shirt with a v-neck that hugged his body in all the right places. 

"You look handsome," I remarked, my eyes lifting up to meet his. 

"I always look handsome," he smirked. I rolled my eyes, leaning down to kiss him. After pulling away, he said, "Hey, listen. We have the whole night to ourselves, right?" 

"Yes, why?" I chuckled. 

"I want to get to know Clarissa a little bit. Why don't we go hang out with her?" 

"You want to get to know Clarissa?" I was a little surprised. Pleasantly, of course. 

"Yeah. At the game, you and Axel looked like you hit it off. I want your sister to like me too. And not just because I told her that Axel likes her," he said, shaking his head with a small smile. "And also because if not your parents, then at least your sister likes me." His smile fell a little. 

"My parents don't know you. Their opinions are invalid," I said, rolling my eyes. "And Clarissa likes you. Not just because you told her Axel likes her. Let's go." 

We went back downstairs, all three of us lying down, Caden between her and me, all of us flat on our stomachs. 

"Do you like me, Clarissa?" he asked her bluntly. 

"Yeah," she answered absentmindedly while putting all the beads back in the packet. First the big ones then the small ones. And she's sorting them by color too. Wow, she's a lot like my mother. 

"Why?" he inquired, taking my hand in his, absentmindedly stroking his thumb across my skin. 

"Because you love Vee. Don't you?" She looked at him daringly. 

"Of course," he answered without hesitation. 

"And because you seem nice. You're very pretty by the way," she said to him with a small shrug. 

"Thank you," he chuckled. "So are you," he nodded. 

"See. That's why I like you," she laughed, putting all the packets in the box and then taking her bracelets. She stood up, setting the box on the coffee table. "I'm going on the swings in the backyard. Do you want to come?" she asked, brushing off her dress. 

"Maybe later," I said, blinking up at her. 

"Bye," she waved and then skipped out to the backyard. 

I turned to him and found him looking at the bracelet I gave him. "Consider it a token," I smiled. 

"A token of what?" 

"My love." 

He blinked in confusion. "Why do I need a token for that? You're here to show me and give it to me, aren't you?" 

"Yeah. But just in case I'm not later," I shrugged. 

"And why wouldn't you be?" His brows furrowed and then his jaw clenched, his grip on my hand tightening. 

"I'm sure the ride to telling our parents won't be smooth sailing," I chuckled. "I'm sure there will be days where we can't see each other. They'll just be temporary though. And even if not, then just because." I lifted a finger, tracing a purple star. "I felt like giving you something without making a big deal out of it. And without paying for anything." I flashed him a smile. 

He chuckled, leaning down and pecking my lips. "I'm very grateful for this token," he whispered against my lips. 

"As you should be," I nodded. 

He smiled again, kissing my cheek softly. "Vee, what do you plan to do after school?" he asked, his leg brushing mine. 

"I don't know. But I feel like my parents want me to get married. I wouldn't mind," I shrugged. 

"No? Isn't twenty-one a little early?" 

"That depends. Not if I marry you," I smirked. 

"Oh, yeah?" he grinned, raising his brows at me. 

"Yeah," I nodded.

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Chapter 35

I saw the picture of those bracelets on Pinterest and just had to write something involving them. 

THEY ARE SO CUTE

next chapter: reported