Flowers Blossom In Night Rain | Vinny Hong

three

<3

"Bye Flora! Text me when you get home okay!"

"I have to go to my coach and train for a few hours! I'll probably text you late. Sorry, Kiera."

"That's alright. Okay, bye!"

Flora Amaya made her way out of the school courtyard. Today had been great. She had made many new friends and hadn't been bullied yet. At the back of her mind, however, she was still curious about that red-haired boy. She didn't want to admit it, but she silently hoped that he would talk to her, or even look at her during lessons. Instead, his head was always parallel to this desk, and his face relaxed in disinterest. There was something different about him. Sure he looked different to the average schoolboy, but that was what intrigued her even more.

Flora jogged down the streets, being wary of her form and her knee. She was running a bit late because the boys that she had played football with had ambushed her at the end of the day to pester her for her number. She had given it to them; she had had a lot of fun playing football and the sport was a good way to keep fit. It only becomes a problem if she takes it all too seriously and overexerts her knee. That would land her in big trouble with her parents and her coach.

Her feet hit the pavement rhythmically as she made her way to the gym that her coach was allocated. It was a nice small place that not many people didn't know about, so she could always come to work out whenever she wanted. The equipment wasn't the latest, but that didn't matter. Flora had always thought that it was the effort you put in that would get you the best results, and not the equipment that you used.

Besides, the gym and her coach were all too special; that was one of the reasons she didn't move with the rest of her family. It was at this very gym that she had started her sports career and this very coach that had trained her days upon end: Mrs Laurier.

"Hello, Flora! You're a little late today, aren't you?" A toothy smile crinkled the corners of Mrs Laurier's eyes. She was rearranging her hair and slipping on her shoes.

"I'm sorry. I had my first day at my new school today, and a lot of my new friends kept me at the end of the day to ask me for my number." Flora said excitedly, using her hands to gesture the exciting events of her day.

"Seems like you had a good day at school; you're very energetic."

Flora clapped her hands to her mouth.

"I was only joking! It's good to see you're happy, which means you can channel all of the energy into your training." Mrs Laurier ruffled Flora's hair warmly. She had grown very fond of Flora and her determination. Even when she had injured her knee, badly enough that it required surgery, she had persevered through it all. Flora was the strongest kid that she knew, and she hoped that her own future daughter would be just like her.

"Oh, and speaking of training. I won't be your coach for a while. I feel like I have taught you everything you need to know. I know after the accident you were a bit discouraged, but you still managed to get through it all." Mrs Laurier took Flora's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I think it's best if you work on strengthening your knee before you learn anything else. That's why I've asked my friend to coach you until your knee had reached its former state."

Flora nodded in compliance. She knew better than anyone what it felt like to be depressed, to feel like the whole world was against you. To continually and obsessively ask the question: why me?  She had gone through it when she was in the hospital after her accident. She was so confused, worried, anxious, angry, all of the emotions under the sun, moon and stars. She didn't know what to do. There was a point in time when she couldn't eat anything because food repulsed her. She was lost, utterly and painfully lost.

Lost in her own mind. Wandering around for an escape and not finding it. 

Flora shuddered, she didn't want to remember everything just yet. She took a deep breath and collected all of her thoughts.

"So, who's my new teacher?"

"I am."

<3

Vinny trundled his bike along the pavement, the wheels rolling over every stone that strayed from the principal's stone arrangement garden. Vinny scowled; what point was there in a stone garden? A garden was a place where plants and flowers grew, cacophonies of beautiful colours adorning the grey of life. Those colours naturally brought joy and smiles to whoever saw them. Different shades of grey and the occasional black were not the colours to bring joy to anyone. Maybe that's why he was so mad and exhausted every day; his principal's stone garden. 

In frustration, Vinny kicked a stone. He kicked it until he reached the school gate, the end of his principal's treasured stone arrangement garden. Vinny was going to kick the stone again when something caught the corner of his eye; something green., vibrant

When he got closer, he realised it was the stem of a plant or a flower of some sort, flourishing with the smallest amount of soil possible. Growing after it had been smothered and overpowered by layers of stones and minerals. Persevering.

Vinny swung his leg over his bike and started on his way home. As he forced the gears to rotate, he decided that he was going to change his life for the better.