First Term Love Story

Chapter 24: Bracelet

Emily and rose have left for about an hour now, I sent them off from the house, Jordan came to pick them Rose up and gave Emily a ride too.

Susan was sweeping the porch then and as they left, she told me she had something for me, from Eugene. I held my breath as she put back the broom in to the storage room and took a box from the table. She placed it in my hands gently and said that Eugene had passed it to me.

I have been staring at it for a while now and its not exactly doing me any good. I don't want to open it, I don't know why but for some odd reason, I just can't. Oliver calls me down for dinner and I do, I go down to the recreational room, following behind him.

"What are we having today?" I wonder aloud.

"I think they're going fancy, French?"

"Mm... I think I smell ratatouille," I say as I step into the room, the guys did decide to go fancy tonight, especially with the French food.

As soon as I walk in, I see Cameron and notice his face light up as I walk over to him.

"Here's your food, Cami," he says and passes a plate of ratatouille to me.

"My favourite,"

"Yes it is," he says and takes another plate before we sit together at one of the couches.

"So, about yesterday..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it, I know I shouldn't have even set it up in the first place but I wanted to make sure that you had a pal or a group to hang with you know,"

"It's okay Cameron, I know. I was angry at you at first but I realized that you were just looking out for me. Sorry I blew up yesterday."

"It's okay, so we're even now?"

"Yes, even." I say with a nod.

After dinner, I go back to my room. Even though Cameron and I have made up and all, it still seems awkward between us. I could sense that he wanted to tell my something, he even started a sentence but later said that it was nothing. What was he keeping from me? What did he want to say? Will it always be awkward between us now?

I let the question linger in my head as I go in to my new room but stop short, the name on the chalkboard still says Eugene. I think about it for a while and take my chalkboard from my old room and hang it on the doorknob of my new one, over Eugene's.

I immediately get ready for bed. It is a Friday and I should take this opportunity and stay up late but I feel tired so I get ready for bed. I slide under the covers, looking at the box Eugene had left behind for me when I realize, I'm sleeping in the bed Eugene slept in just one day ago and for some reason, that puts me in peace.

*****

I wake up the next morning and the first thing I notice is that Eugene's gift is open. The packaging is neatly cut open and a sticky note next to the box from Susan:

Sorry Camilla, but I had to make sure that you opened this, please see what's inside

- Susan

The tape that once sealed the box is now beside it. I let my thoughts wonder what could be inside it. It was a plain brown box, anything could be inside it. I opened the box and saw a small letter written on a pink card. I take in a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. I did not want to know what the words were, I knew they were important which drove me away even more but I read it anyway.

Eugene:

Dear Camilla,

I didn't like the way we left off tonight so I want to write this letter to you. I know you are probably mad that I didn't tell you that I was leaving and I'm sorry for that. I wanted to tell you but it never seemed like the right time. I had to leave because of some things back home but I'll come back. PS. That night when you heard me say that you have me, I meant it. I feel like I'm forgetting something so let's hope it's not important. Bye for now...

-Eugene

I take a deep breath to keep my emotions at bay and let it all out as I breathe out. I look back into the box and see something else in it. It's a bracelet, nothing fancy though, it has tiny white and silver beads that are not fully packed on the string so the beads go from one end to the other. I immediately put it on and look into the mirror, realizing that there's been a small smile hung on face.

I get ready for the day and go down to the kitchen for breakfast with my phone. I enter the kitchen to see Oliver and Norris at a table looking through some papers.

"Good morning," I greeted.

"Good morning," they replied together, not looking up from their paper.

"What are you guys looking at?"

"Just some random stuff,"

"Cool," I reply and get my breakfast of oats and take a seat beside Norris.

"Are you reading a book magazine?" I ask as I look at Norris' magazine which has books all over the page.

"Norris' a nerd."

"Oh, stop it Oliver," he says and smacks Oliver's hand.

We sit in a comfortable silence as they read their magazines and I look through my phone, watching videos of mouth watering snacks being made. I feel a pangof nostalgia as I watch the cookies go into the oven, it's been a long time since I've done that.

"Where are you from?" Oliver ask randomly.

"I came from a private girls' school near where we live."

"Favourite food?" I asks Norris.

"Chinese, Do you read?"

"Yes, Oliver, ever had a girlfriend?"

"Nope, Camilla who do you allow to call you Cami,"

"Only family, What's your favourite book, Norris?"

"Percy Jackson, what's your favourite flower?"

"Tulips, What's your favourite game?"

"Don't really play. Where did you get that bracelet from?"

I paused for a while, thrown off by the question but when I glanced down at the bracelet, I could only answer truthfully, "It was from Eugene," I said, my voice softer and squeakier than usual.

"Do you like it?" Norris asks with a grin right after I replied.

How was I supposed to answer that? Why can't I answer this simple question. I don't know but what I do know is that I feel blood rushing up to my face and I can tell that I'm blushing.

I take my things with me and go up the stairs, "See you guys later," I say softly and ducked out of the room and went straight back to mine, almost going into the wrong room. I glance at the mirror and see that my face is tomato red, my stomach feeling queasy and I realise that my heart is beating fast. Do I like the bracelet?