Gradence | White Lilies

"A Novel" | Chapter 6

It's been a few days since they went to the circus. A few days filled with thoughts and daydreaming of each other.

Credence couldn't understant it though, why did he kept thinking of him, why did he have hard time focusing on anything else, and why did he kept smiling every time Percival got onto his mind. But he didn't mind it, in fact, it was the happiest he's ever been and he knew it. And soon enough sketches of Percival, once again, started filling up Credence's new sketchbook.

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Credence was sitting on the window frame in his room, doodling Percival for umpteenth time this day. But this time he dared to draw himself as well, gently placed in Percival's embrace as the two of them danced oh so gracefully with love-filled smiles spread upon their lips. Credence couldn't help but smile as he imagined that as if it was real.

Suddenly he heard a knock on the door, which startled him. He quickly closed his sketchbook and put it away as fast as he could, hiding it behind himself.

"Y-Yes?", Credence pulled himself together and managed to mutter the words out as blush spread across his usually pale cheeks.

"It's me.", Modesty said with a smile as she entered his room.

"Oh hey Modesty.", Credence said with relief as he got off the window frame.

"The postman was here, and he got you something-", she handed him a smaller package as she approached him, "-I managed to hide it from Ma. It's from Mr. Graves."

Credence's heart skipped a beat and his eyes sparkled as he took the package out of her hands.

"Mr. Graves..?", he looked at the adress that was written on the front side of the package.

"Yeah.", she said with a smile, catching that sparkle in his eyes.

"Thank you Modesty!", he smiled brightly and hugged his sister tightly as happiness spread all over his body.

"No problem big brother.", she chuckled as she hugged him back, being so surprised and glad to see her brother that happy.

She swiftly walked back to the door, "Bye Credence.", she smiled again.

"Bye Modesty.", he said and smiled back with gratefulness in his eyes.

She gave him one more happy smile before she left the room. After Modesty was gone, Credence quickly sat down on his bed and carefully opened the package, his blood boiling in excitement.

Inside of the package there was a novel with a note on top of it which was written in one of the most beautiful handwriting Credence has ever seen.

The note said:

"I was in a bookshop this afternoon and I saw this. It reminded me of you.     - Percival"

Credence smiled at it as he traced his fingers gently over the letters. His whole body was filled with that feeling again, a feeling he knew nothing about, only that he felt it because of him. Because of Percival.

He put the note aside gently and he picked up the book. It seemed to Credence that it was a romantic novel, though he hadn't heard of it before.

He smiled to himself happily and he gently held the book against his chest, as if he was giving it a hug, and he inhaled it's scent, hoping that it would smell like him.

He stayed like that for a few moments with his eyes closed, and after a while he opened the book and started to read.

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Soon enough, Credence found himself at the last pages of the book. And as he was reading so passionately he didn't even realize it's been hours and that it started getting dark outside, though he didn't care anyways.

All that mattered to him right now was the book. His book.