BARRIERS OF A FIRST LOVE
Chapter Five
Rose checked her watch and wasn’t surprised
to see how late it was. Gracie and Spencer had been dropped off at their dorm
rooms, and now she and Cal were the only ones left in the car. He pulled up in
front of her house.
She turned toward him to politely thank him
for the ride and get away from him as quickly as possible, but he spoke first.
"You haven’t been very happy lately, and
I’m not going to pretend that I know why." He continued, "I was gonna
save this for the gala my parents are having in a few weeks, but I think you
should have it now."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a
velvet-covered box. He handed it to her. "It’s just a reminder of my love
for you."
She opened it and gasped in wonder. It was a
silver charm bracelet with the predictable unicorn, heart, and star charms that
all the girls were wearing. But this one was shinier, more detailed, and
prettier than any that they owned. Upon seeing it, they would constantly be
reminded of Rose superiority. So, of course, this is what Cal had chosen to
surprise her with.
"It’s for high school royalty. No one
will ever be able to top you. Rose, there is nothing that I would deny you, if
you just wouldn’t deny me. And when you look at that bracelet, I want you to
remember that from this day forward, our future will be as one."
The night sky was drab and dark and not one
star glittered overhead as Rose looked through the windshield of the car and
into her equally drab and dark future.