Flowers Blossom In Night Rain | Vinny Hong

two

<3

Flora slid open the classroom door and stood awkwardly in the doorway. The door made an attention-seeking loud creak as its hinges were forced to do their job. In just a few seconds, Flora had attention on her that she didn't want. However, that was inevitable. She would have to introduce herself to everyone else sooner or later.

Flora took another deep breath to compose herself. "Uh, hello. I'm-,"

"Move. You're blocking the door." A deep voice rose up from behind her. It was the stranger. A familiar shiver snaked down Flora's spine. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body, and the coolness of his minty breath on her neck. He was so close to her.

The girl shuffled away from the door, allowing the red-head to walk past. "Sorry."

The red-head glanced at her momentarily as a response and continued his walk to the back of the classroom to where his seat was.

Flora glanced around the classroom again. Before the stranger had appeared, people just stared at her blatantly, without caring if they got caught. Now, people were staring holes into their desks, avoiding eye contact and turning their faces away when they felt her gaze on them.

What was this? It felt like the classroom's atmosphere had changed, the demeanour shifted, now that the stranger was here. It felt more tense and rigid, more unforgiving and desolate. This classroom was barren in his presence. The teacher cleared his throat.

"So you must be the new girl. Stand at the front and introduce yourself."

Flora made her way to the front of the classroom. She couldn't feel a single pair of eyes watching her.

"Hello everyone." She started. "My name is Flora Amaya and I hope I can fit in with you all." Finishing her introduction with a smile, and uninstructed, she made the tedious journey to the back of the classroom. To sit in the only empty seat, next to the red-head.

The teacher once again cleared his throat, and shuffled his paper around to fill the deafening silence. "So as you guys know, last term the principal made the decision to transform Gunn High into a co-education school. It was partly to rescue our dwindling image and rationalise the behaviour of some of you." The teacher's eyes didn't leave his paper, as he continued to read the pre-written speech. "Only a small number of girls have joined this school since last term, specifically two, including Flora Amaya. The principal asks that the boys of Gunn High make them welcome and see to their comfort. And may Vinny Hong make his way to the principal's office during the classroom transfer. That is all."

The bell rang to signal a five minute break, mostly for teachers to transfer to their allocated teaching classrooms. As instructed during the morning announcement, the red-head stood up and made his way out of the classroom. The moment he had stepped out of the classroom the atmosphere lightened and the formidable feeling diminished.

Suddenly Flora found herself surrounded by boys. They started bombarding her with different questions. She found herself unable to hear anything. Flora was just about to ask them politely if they could speak one at a time, when a voice shouted above the rest.

"Guys, let her be. She just got here." It was a female voice. Flora Amaya followed the voice, and at the end of it she found a tall black-haired girl. She was taller than most of the boys, closer to Flora's height.

"I'm Kiera. And if you don't mind me asking, how do you know Vinny Hong?" Kiera asked Flora inquisitively, while waving away the haggles of boys wanting to talk to her new friend.

Flora frowned in confusion and bewilderment. Is that why everyone was avoiding eye contact?

"Uh. I don't actually know him. I accidentally ran into him on my way here." Flora replied. It was better if she didn't mention that they had had that awkward encounter.