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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO. narrative and instagram
december 27, 2022: iowa city, iowa
Getting out of the car, I wave to Monika, opening the door to the backseat to get my bag, "I love you, Mon," I say, shouldering the duffel.
"I love you too, Lils," she smiles and I close the door to her car, walking toward the entrance of my apartment complex. The sun has started to set, but it won't be down fully for a while.
When I make it to my apartment, I unlock the door and step inside quietly. I take notice of Caitlin's shoes by the front door and I smile, slipping off my own shoes. Walking further into my apartment, it's dead silent. I place my keys on the counter, next to Caitlin's.
I look around, she's not in the living room and the cats are also nowhere to be seen. Quietly, I walk toward my bedroom door, opening the door as silently as I can.
Upon opening the door, light is peering through the curtains in streaks, lighting up parts of my bed. Ziggy is laying in the slices of sun. My eyes flutter over to Caitlin, laying on her stomach, asleep. Her hair is in a very loose ponytail. August is curled up on her lower back while she sleeps.
Immediately, I take a picture of her as she sleeps because I think she looks cute. The bag she normally takes to basketball practice is on the ground by my dresser, so she must've just went to a court and shot around today.
I place my own bag on the ground as well, walking over to the other side of the bed and sitting down gently, trying not to wake Caitlin up.
I scratch Ziggy's head and he nuzzles my hand as August comes up to me, nudging my back with her head. I smile at the two of them, petting the them both.
"You're back," I hear the familiar voice of Caitlin say from behind me, her voice groggy, "When did you get home?" she asks as I turn to face her.
I smile, "Just a few minutes ago. Mon dropped me off," I tell her, leaning back on my bed to be closer to her. Gently, I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear that has fallen out of the ponytail, "How long have you been asleep?"
"Probably longer than I expected to be," she says, looking for her phone to check the time. She nods when she sees what time it is, "Yeah, it was supposed to be a thirty minute nap at two." It's nearly five-twenty.
"Maybe you just needed it," I say softly, staring at her as she sets her phone down. She nods again, grabbing my hand and running her thumb over my knuckles.
After a few moments, she sits up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed as she makes her way toward her bag. "It's obviously a little late, but Merry Christmas," she says, holding out a black box to me. It's a box that jewelry normally comes in.
"You didn't have to get me anything," I say as if I didn't also get her something and it's sitting in my bag, encased in a similar box.
Caitlin shrugs, "I wanted to."
I nod, taking the lid off of the box to reveal a silver necklace with a "C" pendent on it, "It's like that one song on Rep that you love so much."
I want to wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck
I smile widely, "Well, then you might wanna open this right now too," I say, getting up and grabbing the box from my bag. I hand it to her before I take the necklace she got me out to look at it closer.
Her necklace is also silver with a "L" pendent on it. She smiles as me as I secure the necklace around my neck and she does the same with hers, "Swifties think alike," I say with a small chuckle.
She nods, a laugh escaping her lips, "They do," she agrees, grabbing my hand and pulling me into her, securing her arms around my shoulders after pressing a kiss to my lips. My hands close around her waist.
"Thank you," I mumble softly, resting my head on her shoulder.
She smiles, messing with the ends of my hair, "Thank you."
lilyssecretspot
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liked by jadag and others lilyssecretspot, my girl <3 tagged, notcaitlinclark22
view comments. . .
taylorclarkgrant, moms are home!! liked by lilyssecretspot — lilyssecretspot, love u daughter
monc25, slumpedddd — lilyssecretspot, frr
notcaitlinclark22, your bed is comfy comment liked by lilyssecretspot
notsydneyaffolter, you guys are so cute!! — notcaitlinclark22, love you sm syd❤️
meanarina, 💜💜 comment liked by lilyssecretspot
kennywarnock, my fav girls — lilyssecretspot, love you mom 🫶🏻
meanarina, the stuffed animal too!! comment liked by notcaitlinclark22
