It has been a couple years since we graduated from high school. A couple of exciting things have happened since then.
The first thing is that all three of us got accepted into the same college called 'University of Bellerose' though we didn't know at the time. We all decided to keep it a secret from each other until we got accepted into the college of our choice.
The second thing is that my sister, Cassadie got together with Cersie!
The day they got together we were all hanging out in my room just talking, laughing and having a good time. The next thing I know Cassadie asked me to go with her to her room real quick. She walked to talk about something.
I got up and followed her to the door. I looked toward Cersie who had a confused look on her face. I smiled and said, "We are going to the kitchen real quick to get snacks and drinks."
She smiled, nodded her head and went on her phone.
When we made it to Cassadie's room she went straight to her nightstand and opened up her drawer. She took something out and held it up to her chest and held it there for a bit. She took a deep breath, turned around and gave me a small smile. She handed me what looked like a piece of paper. When I looked down at it she said, "I don't know if you remember but I had asked both you and Cersie to show me what your favorite place in the world is?"
I nodded my head and said, "Yes I remember that. I showed you a park called 'Crescent Meadows 🌙' in the country of Stokton. It's a lake in the shape of a crescent moon but I showed you because on one side it has sakura blossom forest since it's my favorite flower."
She nodded her head, smiled sadly and said, "I remember when Kylie asked me the same question and got me to ask for me to ask you for her because she wanted to take you somewhere special for your two year anniversary."
A tear came to my eyes and one rolled down my right cheek as I thought about that memory. My voice slightly cracked when I said, "I didn't know she asked you about that. It was one of the best dates we ever went on."
There was a moment of silence before Cassadie said, "I'm sorry I made you cry. I just wanted to know if you could take us there because I wanted to ask out Cersie at this place since it's her favorite spot."
I looked down and saw two pictures and they were in a beautiful spot. The first one was in between a tree with what looked like it had red leaves. Through it you could see a castle.
I got curious about it and walked over to my dresser and grabbed a book. It was hardback with a red and yellow striped spine, the book itself was plain red with big yellow letters for the title that said "World's Monuments", it was heavy but it wasn't very sizable, and turned it into a chapter called 'Country of Gregro'. When I found it I read out loud, "It's called 'Calmbolton Palace'. Its five-tiered, six-story main tower, built in the late 16th century, is the oldest surviving castle tower in the nation of Gregro.
I looked down and saw a picture of a beautiful forest with tall trees that had red maple leaves. I looked up at her and turned a few pages and I said, "It says here it's called 'Spiritual Woods' because once a month for a week straight they all change into a rainbow all at the same time and it looks like it's from the spiritual world. The rest of the time they all change into a singular color.
I smiled at the picture and said, "So let me guess. You want me to use teleport to take us here so you can do some romantic gestures so you can ask her out?"
She blushed and nodded her head. In a quiet and embarrassed voice she said, "If you can please! We will be like you and Kylie. If Cersie says yes, like you say she will, our friendship trio will not change meaning in no way will you feel like a third wheel."
I felt my breath hitch when she mentioned Kylie again. I held back the whimper and gave Casssadie a smile and said, "You know I will. You guys will be so cute together. Don't worry, I know she will say yes. So when are we going?"
She gave me a huge smile and hugged me tightly and said, "Thank you so much! I was thinking we can go this weekend. We can even go early so we can explore around the area and go to a cafe too and take in the scenery. I was thinking when we make it to the tree I can ask her then. You can also stay or go look around."
I thought about it and said, "I think I will look around and give you guys some personal space for this. When you leave the room I will teleport there already so I know what the place looks like and I know where I'll be while you guys talk."
She nodded her head and said, "Yeah that's a good idea. Ok, I will head back now then. I'll go to the kitchen first and grab the drinks and snacks since that's what you told her. I will just tell her that you had to go to the bathroom."
I nodded my head. When I heard the door shut, I closed my eyes and thought about the picture. I waited for a few minutes, I opened them again and gasped. I was at the spot and pictures do not do it justice. It is so beautiful here. I felt a tear run down my face and thought, 'Kylie baby I wish you could see this place, it is so beautiful.' I closed my eyes, smiled and thought about home again. When I opened them back up I was back in Cassadie's room. I wiped my eyes and walked back to my room. I also thought that I should think of another place close to the forest to appear first so that way it can still be a secret. After looking at the book again I saw a place close to it and decided to go there.
My room has white walls all around. It has two single lift-out slider windows, a horizontally-sliding window, one on the left side and one on the far side of the wall. There were window length light pink (because they reminded me of the color of my favorite flowers called Sakura) eyelet style curtains. On the right side was a wooden sliding closet. On the left side of my room stood two drawers. One was short; it had four drawers in the shape of a cube. On top of it I had some of my favorite books and the picture of my family in front of our house with smiles. Beside it was tal; it was three tier drawers standing on each other. My bed had a pink cover on it and also the bedskirt. My bed was against the far wall under the window and next to my closet and facing the window on the right side. In front of my bed was a small white coffee table. There sat an area rug that almost covered my whole floor. It had a white square in the middle and the outside design had pink sakura petals all over it
When I made it back Cassadie and Cersie were sitting on the floor chair called a Tatami in front of my bed. It's basically a wooden chair with no legs so it was the perfect size to sit at a small coffee table. The back and seat both have the same light pink cushion
On the little coffee table that sat in front of my bed, were empty soda cans, cups and chip bags. They were laughing and had a big blush on her face. I smiled and walked over and asked, "So what are you girls talking about?"
Cersie looked up and smiled. She said, "Cassadie says she wants to take a trip with us somewhere next weekend but she won't tell me where. She said you didn't know either and it was a secret for the both of us. I was also laughing at her because she made a funny face so I could forget what we were talking about. I told her it won't work but I guess I got proven wrong." At the end she laughed again.
I walked over and sat on one of the chairs beside Cersie, Cassadie was on the other side of her. I nodded my head and smiled and said, "Wow, that sounds like fun. I wonder where she wants to go?"
I gave Cassadie a side glance and a smirk because I know where she wants to go.
The weekend went by in a blink of an eye. We were all in the living room just talking. I looked at the time and said, "So I think we should start getting ready?"
They both looked at each other and nodded. Cersie stayed the night so she has her clothes packed. She's going to change in the bathroom. Cassadie and so are going to change in our rooms.
I decided to wear a white off-the-shoulder with a sweetheart neckline shirt with a black tank top underneath it. With it I wore a dark blue jean knee length box-pleated skirt that had 2 copper buttons on my waist. My shoes were leather like boots that went half way up my calf. Of course with my star charm choker with a teardrop ruby gem in the middle. I had my waist length hair down in a half ponytail. I just let my cat's ears out. If anyone asks I'm just going to say they are a headband but just in case I have a foldable black sunhat in my purse
I decided to go to the living room to wait for the girls. Cassadie came out first and sat beside me. She was wearing a plain black long-sleeve shirt with light blue thigh-high shirts. Her shoes were plain black slip-ons. She left her shoulder-length pink hair down
After waiting for a few more minutes Cersie came out. She was wearing a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline that fell down to her midtighs. It was an emerald green color that had lines going down all around. She had a light pink jacket over it that matches a pink hibiscus flower pin in her hair. Her shoes were purple ballerina slippers with a strap that ties in a bow. It goes just above her ankle. She had a matching purple ribbon around her neck. She left her red hair (that goes halfway down her back) down and a little curly
I grabbed a small black purse and put my phone, charger, keys and wallet inside it. Cassadie grabbed her phone and wallet and put them in her pockets. Cassadie had a small white purse.
I smiled, stuck out my hand and said, "Ok! Are we all ready to go now?"
Cassadie nodded her head with a slight blush on her face.
Cersie looked at my hand confused but grabbed it and asked, "Yes but why are we grabbing your hand? Do you know where we are going after all?"
I nodded my head with a big smile and said, "Yes I do. Cassadie told me yesterday but told me to keep it a secret cause it's a surprise. I also went there yesterday so I know exactly where to go without exposing the secret."
Cersie looked at me with a look that said I had a feeling that you knew. She then looked Cassadie with one eyebrow raised. All Cassadie could do is look away blushing like a lot.
Cersie then took my hand and said, "I don't know what you girls are planning. I am both excited and nervous but nonetheless let's go!"
I nodded my head and grabbed Cassadie's right hand. It was shaking a lot and slightly sweaty. Her left hand was intertwined with Cersie's but I'm fairly sure she doesn't even notice that.
Before we left I looked towards Cersie and said, "I want you to close your eyes." She gave me a questionable look. I lightly chuckled and told her, "It would be more like a surprise this way. Don't worry, I know you will love it." She nodded her head as closed her eyes. I smiled slightly and closed my eyes and thought about the place Cassadie wanted to go for Cersie.
After a few minutes I opened my eyes and smiled. In front of me was a Torii Gate. There are stairs that lead up to the opening, which is surrounded with red maple trees, rocks and with a river in the middle
I looked at Cassadie and she was also smiling. We both looked toward Cersie and she had stars in her eyes. She looked at Cassadie and I with the biggest smile on her face. A tear fell from her right side. Then tears started falling from her eyes. She buried her face in her hands and cried silently.
Cassadie immediately started to panic. She asked, "Cersie, are you ok?! Why are you crying? Do you not like it?"
With her face still in her hands Cersie shook her head and said, "Are you kidding me I LOVE this so much!"
Cassadie tilted her head to the side and asked, "Then why are you crying?"
Cersie took her face out of her hands, wiped her eyes with a chuckle and said, "These are happy tears. No one had ever done anything like this for me."
Cassadie let go of a breath I'm sure she didn't know she was holding and said, "Thank goodness. You scared me. I thought you didn't like this."
She shook her head and said, "No, I seriously love it." She brought her hand down and intertwined it with Cassadies. This time she noticed because her face turned a deep red. She looked towards me with a smile and said, "Now why don't we explore the area!"
We all nodded and started walking. A few hours passed and we had a wonderful time just talking and laughing. That was until we heard the unmistakable growling of a stomach. Cersie and I looked towards Cassadie. She had a blush going across her face.
Embarrassingly she scratched the back of her neck and said, "Sorry about that. We haven't eaten in a long time and I'm hungry."
Cersie and I both looked at each other and chuckled a little bit. I said, "Yes that is true. Why don't we find a picnic table over there?"
I pointed to a clearing that looked like if you walked through it you'd walk through a rainbow. I leaned in closer to Cassadie and said, "We have reached our final destination. So it's now or never."
Cassadie's face turned a deep red color and slowly nodded her head.
In a comfortable silence we walked to the entrance. In front there was a stand with a plaque on it. It had writing and Cersie read out loud, "This forest is called 'Spiritual Woods'. It is called that because once a month for a week straight all of the tree's leaves change different colors at the same time making it look like a rainbow. When you walk through it would feel like you would walk right into the spirit world."
Although the majority of the leaves were pink and purple in the entry way the forest itself was beautifully breathtaking. Walking down further down the path you can see an opening that had trees that looked like a rainbow almost like they were glowing.
We all looked at each other and just nodded our heads. When we walked in it truly did feel like we were transported to the spiritual world. It felt so surreal, calm and peaceful. Almost like all the negativity is gone from the world. I personally felt like I was at peace.
I looked toward Cassadie and Cersie and they both looked like they had a face of peace and tranquility. I gave Cassadie a nudge on her shoulder. She looked towards me with a confused look. I chuckled a bit, shook my head and said, "In the clearing do you see the rainbow of trees?"
She looked straight ahead and nodded. She looked back at me still with a confused look.
I shook my head and said, "I think that is the perfect place for you to confess."
She still had a confused look on her face. Then it changed to a realization, then her whole face turned red. In a sort of scared and nervous voice she said, "I don't know if I can do it. I'm just so scared and nervous. I don't want to mess anything up between me and her. Also between the three of us. I don't want it to be awkward or anything when we all hang out you know."
I nodded her head and told her, "Don't worry I understand that completely because that's exactly how I felt when me and Kylie first got together. Also believe it or not Kylie felt the same as well."
She nodded her head and said, "Yes I remember her telling me all about that. Also just by the way you are I knew that's how you felt." There was a small moment of silence before she said, "In a way I'm taking what she did."
I tilted my head and said, "What are you taking?"
She gave me a soft smile and said, "The choker and star charm with the teardrop gem. She gave it to you as a symbol of your love for each other right? You still love her and that's why you never take it off right?"
Feeling tears came to my eyes and I grabbed my star charm and nodded my head. In a shaky voice I said, "Yes that's exactly right about both of those things. I still love her so much. I wear it to remind me of her. Also in a way I wear it kind of like an engagement thing. I know I shouldn't but I can't help it."
Cassadie nodded her head and said, "I am sure Kylie is doing and feeling the same thing."
She got quiet again and dug in her shorts pocket and took out a small box. She opened it and I saw two silver bracelets. They were both identical. Two hearts and they were intertwined with one another. There was a (light pink stone and a red) gems on the outside of each heart close to the top and under it were both of names engraved.
She said, "This bracelet is going to symbolize the same thing. I know that she has been through so much but I honestly love her and I always want to be there for her."
I nodded my head with a tear coming down my right check and said, "I know she will love it and will not take it off. Just like I know you are going to do the same thing." I got quiet and said, "I will walk that way towards the biggest tree and sit under it so I can give you guys some privacy. No it's not a big deal and yes I want to. I'll just sit there and think about some things. So I'll say sorry in advance because some of it might make me cry."
She looked a little sad and said, "Well only if you are sure."
I nodded my head. I held up my hand and walked off to the tree. I sat down at the base and laid my head back on it. I closed my eyes and I thought about Kylie and I didn't realize but there were tears falling. I also thought about the life I will start soon enough when we go into college. I thought, 'Before we start we should go on a trip. Maybe we can go to Stokton just for fun. I'll bring it up to them one day.'
(Cassadie's POV)
Without another word Elsie walked off to the base of the biggest tree. I looked towards Cersie and I couldn't help but blush. She was just standing there looking up at the trees with a soft smile on her face. Her right arm was straight down, her left arm was bent to put her hand on her right elbow
I thought, 'Wow she really is beautiful. Hopefully my feelings are reciprocated and she says yes about being my girlfriend.'
I take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds and slowly let it go. After that I walked over to her and stood next to her. It was quiet for a bit until Cersie said in a soft voice, "It was just like the plaque said."
I looked at her and said, "What do you mean?"
She closed her eyes but kept her soft smile on her face. When she opened them again it was like those crystal blue eyes glowed in the light and could see right through me. I just kept looking at them like I was memorized by them. She said, "When we walked through that gate it really did feel like we were sent to the spiritual world. It almost felt like everything bad that happened to me just disappeared. Almost like they never happened. Like I lived a happy life. When that isn't the case."
I nodded my head and said, "Yes I know exactly what you mean. I almost had the same life you did except I was abandoned and not abused. My parents didn't want me either and it still hurts a whole bunch when I think about it too much." After I said that I closed my eyes. I opened them again when I felt a hand on my left cheek. It was Cersie wiping a tear away. I thought, 'I didn't even notice I was crying.'
I held her hand that was on my cheek and leaned into it. She started to pull her hand away. I grabbed both of her hands and put them on my chest. I put one hand close to the back of her neck and around her waist. I closed my eyes and pulled her in for a kiss. It was a sweet one, full of the love I had for her. At first she didn't seem like she was going to kiss back so I started to pull away. Right when I was about to let go of her lips I felt her kissing back. I could feel the love. My eyes shot open from the shock. I felt my eyes start to close again as I started to melt into the kiss.
We pulled away and put each other's foreheads on each other. My golden eyes were staring right into her crystal blue eyes. We both had a deep blush on our faces
I smiled and chuckled a little bit. I said, "Well that didn't go as planned."
She looked at me confused and tilted her head. I thought, 'Heh, that gets cuter every time she does that.'
She asked, "What didn't go as planned?"
I let out a sigh, scratched the back of my neck. With a heavy blush I said, "I wanted to confess my feelings for you first. If you felt the same way. I was going to ask you a question. If you said yes I was going to give you this gift I got for you. Then possibly kiss you."
I saw her smile. She stuck out her hand and held my hand. She asked, "Well why don't you do all that then?"
The blush got deeper as I nodded my head. I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and slowly let it out. I opened them and looked right at her and said, "I know how you feel from your childhood and it just made me feel so much closer to you. I love being your best friend. Someone for you to talk and cry too. I don't know exactly when it happened but I fell in love with you. I love you Cersie." I stopped talking and pulled out the box I showed Elsie. I heard Cersie gasp. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth. I opened it and said, "I was wondering if you would be my girlfriend? If you say yes then these bracelets will be the symbol of the love we have for each other."
She grabbed one bracelet and looked at it. At first her face didn't show anything, then I saw a smile. She asked, "Why did you choose these gem colors?"
Because she didn't answer my question I nervously said, "Well they represent the color of your hair. I was going to do birthstones but I thought that was too normal so I went with that instead. Kinda like Elsie and the gem she wears. It's the same color as the eyes of the person she loves. She has the same color as Elsie's eyes."
She had the same smile on her face as she was putting the bracelet on her left wrist. She then grabs the other one, grabs my right wrist and puts it on. As she is doing this she says, "Yes I've noticed her wearing that choker since the day we met and I never knew why until now. I also like the idea of it representing our hair instead of the birthstones."
When she said that I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Now about the other stuff you said..." I felt my breath hitch when she said that. I was trying my best to brace for anything that could happen. She looked up at me with a huge smile and said, "I don't know when it exactly happened either but... I love you too Cassadie. I loved being your best friend. We always had so much fun laughing, talking and even crying together. But something felt off. I thought about it for a long time and I soon realized that I wanted something more than that. I didn't say anything because I thought that was wrong, so I tried to ignore those feelings. But then the more I ignored them the more I fell in love with you. So yes I will be your girlfriend."
I had tears running down my face. I saw her start to panic so I wrapped my arms around her waist again and pulled her into another kiss. This one was chased but still held all the love I had for her.
When we pulled apart we were panting just a bit. I smiled and chuckled a little bit and said, "Sorry about that. I didn't want you to think something was wrong because I was crying."
She nodded her head and said, "Yes I thought I had said something wrong and I made you cry."
I shook my head and said, "No. The reason why I was crying was because your speech was so beautiful that it moved me to tears. I had no idea you felt so strongly for me."
She nodded her head and said, "Yes I always did. I even talked to your sister about it and everything. She wanted me to confess but I never could do that."
I nodded my head with wide eyes. I started laughing and said, "For real? She did the same thing to me. If it wasn't for her telling me over and over again that you did feel the same way I felt about you I don't know if I would have never confessed."
She laughed and said, "Geez you have the best sister and friend ever and I love her."
I nodded my head. I grabbed her hand and intertwined it with mine. She looked down at them then looked back up at me with a blush. I smiled and with a wink I said, "Yes I love her very much too. Now why don't we show/ tell her that she was right and we are together now."
She nodded her head and said, "Yes I would love that."
I smiled and gave her a small kiss. When we pulled away we had a smile on our face and a small blush. We started heading back to Elsie.
As we were walking back Cersie said, "I sure do hope with us being together now nothing will change or be awkward between the three of us. I would hate that."
I smiled and said, "I can tell you right now that no it will not change anything or be awkward at all."
She looked at me with a confused look and asked, "Well how do you know?"
I kept looking straight. I saw Elsie with her head against the tree, holding her star charm with a sad smile. With a soft smile I said, "Before we met you she also had a girlfriend. We three were best friends also. We did everything together; much like now with us three. Soon enough her and the other girls caught feelings for each other and soon started going out. Knowing how Elsie is she also wondered the same thing you are and expressed it to her girl and me. Much like you we both told her there was nothing to worry about and nothing will change or be awkward because our friendship can withstand it and we were right. They were and still are so in love with each other. They were together for two and half years... that was until..."
I stopped talking because I felt like there was a lump on my throat. I felt like I wanted to cry my heart out. Just remembering that day hurts me so much. I hated seeing Elsie so sad and heartbroken like that.
Cersie squeezed my hand. She looked up at me with wet curious eyes. She asked, "Until what?"
With a tear running down my left cheek in a broken voice I said, "Until the breakup."
Cersie looked at me with shocked and wide eyes. She said, "They broke up? But why? They sound like they were so much in love? Like they would have lasted forever?"
I kept my head down, sniffled and wiped my tears. Slowly I nodded my head and said, "Well you're not wrong about that. They are still very much in love. But you know life happens. When we first met her she had already told us that her family moves around a lot. She didn't stay in the same school for long. But that time she stayed for a couple years. Then a couple months before our graduation night, actually on the day of their two year anniversary when she came home from a date, she got the news that they are moving again this time it was out of the country. She didn't break up with her until a few months later. But she gave her that charm and basically said if they always wear it they will always be reminded of the love they have for each other. Elsie has never forgotten a day to put it on."
We stopped walking and I started crying again thinking of that night. Cersie pulled me into a hug. We stayed there for a bit. When we pulled away, she put both of her hands on each of my cheeks and wiped my tears and asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what makes you keep crying about it?"
I grabbed both of her hands and smiled sadly. I could feel the tears coming back as I thought about that night. I let out a sigh and said, "The night of their breakup was just awful. When she came home she entered the house. As soon as the door closed she fell to her knees and cried her eyes out. I went over to her and held her as she cried. When she was down for the moment I told her to do her nightly routine, change into pajamas and come to my room because she was going to sleep in my bed. Elsie cried almost all night. She was so heart broken. Even now a couple years later if she thinks about that, about her or anything she still cries. When their anniversary date comes around she doesn't come out of her room for the whole day. I don't know what she does but when she comes out the next day she just looks terrible. Her hair is a complete mess, dark circles, dried tear steaks and swollen red eyes."
Cersie looked at me then at Elsie; we were just walking distance from her now. I saw that Cersie had a small smile on her face. She said, "I didn't know she was carrying so much on her shoulders like that. I feel so bad for her."
I nodded my head and said, "Yes she is carrying so much but she doesn't let anyone know because she doesn't want to feel like a burden; no matter how many times we tell her she's not one. Just do your best to not bring anything about her up. I don't want to see her cry or hurt again."
Cersie nodded her head and said, "Of course I will. I don't want to see her like that either. It would hurt a lot."
(Elsie's POV)
As I laid with my head in the tree trunk with my eyes closed I heard leaves crunching and footsteps coming towards me. I opened them and looked towards the sound. I saw Cassadie and Cersie walking towards me hand in hand. I saw something sparkling and saw they were both wearing the bracelets. I smiled because I was so happy for both of them.
They came and both sat down next to me. Cersie on my left and Cassadie on my right. Cassadie put her head on my shoulder. I smiled and put my head on hers. Cersie also put her head on my shoulder and grabbed my hand.
It was quiet for a moment then I basically said to both of them, "Told you that she felt the same way about you."
Both girls blushed and hid their faces on my shoulder. I chuckled and looked at the time on my phone. I put it away and said, "Well my phone says it's almost 10pm back at home. Are you girls ready to go home?" I felt them nod their heads. I nodded my head and said, "Ok let's all stand so I can take us home then."
We all stood up. I closed my eyes and thought of home. I asked Cersie if she was staying the night again and she said yes. So we all went to our rooms and went to bed.
I laid down and thought, 'I'll talk to them tomorrow about taking the trip to Stokton.' I closed my eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.
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