Chapter 35: Promise (Claire's POV)
I woke up the next morning to an empty bed. I heard shower water running and the dogs whining. I rubbed my eyes open and went into the bathroom, lightly knocking. I saw Leo sitting there on the shower floor, in his swimming trunks, giving them a bath. "Hey," he grinned, a pile of foam sitting on his head.
I laughed while rubbing my eyes, closing the toilet lid, and sitting on it. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"They were stinky," his nose scrunched up before he continued cleaning them. "Wanna help?"
I shrugged, "How about I just help with the drying today?" I chuckled.
He shook his head while smiling before washing the dog shampoo off of them, which god knows when he bought. "Number one," he said while handing Ace over to me.
I grabbed him in the towel and dried him off quickly and properly while he rinsed Max. Who was falling asleep under the water. While Ace was eager to run away as far as possible. I chuckled before drying under his chin and behind his ears before kissing him and setting him down. He shook himself before running out and downstairs.
"And number two," he said, giving me Max. I repeated the same and then left him with a kiss as well. I tossed the towel in the hamper and waited for him to rinse himself off. He did and then turned the water off and wrapped a towel around the face, throwing his trunks off underneath.
"I'll wait outside," I said while standing up.
"What about number three?" he smirked.
"Number three is a big boy," I smirked before getting out and closing the door behind me. I took that time to brush my teeth, wash my face, and then get started on making some breakfast.
Flynn came and joined me and then Leo came downstairs moments later on the phone with someone. "Will five pm be all right?" he asked, "All perfect. I'll drop by then, thank you," he said before hanging up.
"Who was that?" Flynn and I asked in sync.
"Nobody," he shrugged before walking over to me and kissing the side of my head while making himself a coffee. Flynn and I looked at each other then at Leo. Something's cooking.
"What are you up to, brother?" Flynn asked him.
"Nothing, why are you guys looking at me like that?" he laughed in response. Flynn and I looked at each other once again, knowing that we were thinking the same thing. He's up to something.
"Where are you going at six?" I questioned.
"Um- I uh- I have someone to meet. Work stuff, just it's nothing. It won't take more than an hour," he shrugged.
"An hour is a long time," I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I'll be back before you know it, don't miss me too much," he smirked before kissing me.
"Save the PDA," Flynn mumbled before going and sitting on the couch.
He pulled away and looked down at me. "Babe, where are you going?" I repeated.
"Nowhere, babe," he laughed, "I promise, it's nothing bad." He pecked my lips before I handed him his plate and we all sat and ate on the couch. Where the hell is he going?
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Flynn grabbed my wrist and pulled me down for the third time.
"I wanna see where he's going. We should follow him, Flynn," I whined.
"No, we should listen to him and just sit tight till he gets back," he huffed.
"Flynn, please," I begged.
"No," he said sternly. I rolled my eyes and fell back, cuddling with Max. Ace was running around somewhere, probably making a mess.
I need Leo back here so I can interrogate him. He better be back before that one hour is up.
And then that one hour was up and he still wasn't here. "Call him, Flynn. Please." I shot out of my seat on the couch while he sighed in defeat and pulled his phone out of his pocket and began dialing his number. Just as he was about to press the button to dial the call, the front door beeped open.
"Hey," he grinned, walking in with a gift bag in his hand.
I walked over to him and smacked his arm a few times and shoved him a couple times too. "You said an hour!" I yelled.
"I'm ten minutes late!" he exclaimed.
"Ten minutes? Do you know what could happen in ten minutes?!"
"I can get a couple of kisses in ten minutes," he smirked.
I wasn't able to get my shit together, my mind wasn't in its place, so I smacked him. Right across the face. Not too hard. But kind of hard.
"Ow!" he yelled, holding his cheek. My eyes widened and I was shocked at my own actions. What the fuck was I thinking?
Flynn began laughing, he was dying laughing. Leo glared at him so he stopped. Or well, tried to. "Come on, guys. Let's leave mommy and daddy alone," Flynn snickered while grabbing Ace and Max and taking them upstairs.
"You just slapped me," he chuckled.
"Where the hell were you? Where did you even go?" I asked, following him to the kitchen.
"I went out to the store."
"That doesn't look like a grocery bag," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Not the grocery store. The jewelry store," he smirked.
"The jewelry store? Why?" I questioned.
"To get you something."
"I-"
Oh.
"No," I mumbled, sitting down on the barstool, putting my head down. He got me something and I just... slapped him.
"You haven't even seen it yet," he laughed.
"Don't give it to me," I looked up at him, "Please. I just slapped you," I groaned into my palms.
"That's okay, just don't do it again, that hurt," he chuckled.
"I'm so sorry!" I cried, sitting up straighter when he began walking my way.
"It's okay," he smiled. He came and stopped in front of me, turning the stool to face him. "Were you worried?" he asked while tucking my hair behind my ear. I nodded in response to his question. "That worried?" he asked and I nodded again. "Why?"
"Because I would hate myself if you got hurt because of me. Or because of the people looking for me," I sighed, running my hand through my hair.
"No one's hurting me. That slap did though," he chuckled.
"I'm so sorry," I whined.
"It's fine," he said before leaning down and kissing my cheek. "Okay, close your eyes."
I covered my eyes and kept them closed while I heard him moving around and probably taking the box out of the gift bag. "Can I look?"
"No."
"Can I look?"
"No."
"Can I look?"
"Shut up," he laughed. "Put your hands out."
I sighed and stuck my arms out, keeping my eyes closed. "Did you get me a puppy?" I grinned.
"I think two is enough," he chuckled before I felt something like a box, a small one, being placed in my hands.
"Can I look?"
"Yeah, you can look." I opened my eyes and saw a small mint blue box.
"Looks like Tiffany and Co. Oh my god, it is Tiffany and Co. What did you buy?" I stared at the box in shock. That's expensive, I don't want him blowing money on me.
"You know what a promise ring is, right?" I felt my heartbeat pick up. "Well, I don't think you're a ring person, are you?" he asked nervously. I slowly shook my head. "See, that's what I thought. I didn't get a ring, so I got you..." He took the box and opened it up, revealing... "A necklace. Do you like it?"
I looked down at the small, dainty gold chain with a little 'L' hanging off of it in the center. "Why the 'L?'" I questioned while tracing it with my finger.
"Cause you're mine," he shrugged.
"Like a dog tag?" I arched an eyebrow at him.
"No!" he said quickly, "You hate it."
That's not the reason he bought it, I can tell when he's lying now.
"Why the 'L' Leo?" I repeated.
"They didn't have any C's, so I thought my initial would be second best," he sighed in defeat, his shoulders slumping.
"You're right, I don't like it," I sighed. I stared at him, watching as he got incredibly sad. "Because I love it," I said.
He looked up at me, grinning wide, like a child getting candy. "Really?"
"Of course, I do! Are you kidding? I'm glad it's an 'L'" I smiled.
"Why?"
"Cause I already have the one my mom gave, remember," I chuckled.
"I forgot about that one," he mumbled under his breath.
"Put it on for me?" I grinned.
He took it out of the box and put it around my neck. "That's a promise. You'll always have me, okay? That was so cheesy," he said while coming around to stand in front of me.
"That was really cheesy, I think I'm about to throw up," Flynn said, standing by the wall. I flipped him off before kissing Leo. "Young love," Flynn said, "Ew."
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Chapter thirty-five
I'm so single it actually hurts
I read this quote, you guys:
She wrote love stories cause she didn't have one of her own
and my first thought was: HAHA I'M SO FUCKING LONELY
next chapter: Looming