Under The Jasmine Tree ✔

🖌 Devotion

Lyra;

Sometimes we do things to prevent hurting the people we love, hoping to shield them from whatever pain might come their way, even if it means keeping the truth from them.

At least that's what I try to convince myself.

A few days ago, when Apollo got a phone call rejecting his job offer, I got a phone call telling me the exact opposite. I'd seen my friend crushed for the first time that day, so coming close to telling him I got the job felt like the cruelest thing to do. It still does. So, he didn't know I got the job at a flower shop nearby.

When Apollo stayed with me that same night, I realized that I would do anything to make him smile. That's why when Apollo went upstairs to Faith's dorm to get Aleah, I called the girl that offered to take extra night shifts, which ultimately resulted in Apollo's job offer rejection.

It took me a while to even get hold of the radio station's manager, Alexi Mathews, or to even get him to agree to give me anything. Of course, he couldn't give me any contact information, so I had to take matters into my own hands. I asked the manager what time shifts Apollo applied for, and once he knew I was his friend, he agreed to give me the trivial timings.

So, I'm planning to speak to the employee taking the night shifts, who turned out to be a girl named, which I figured out after I asked someone working in the radio station after I called them. Not knowing any better, they agreed to give me her phone number, thinking I was going to request she played a certain song during her shifts.

I had an offer on the table that I was hoping she would agree to.

"Hello- Arthur calm down, I'm on the phone! Hey, sorry about that. Who is this?" My eardrums could have been ruptured then and there.

"Hey is this, Emilia?" I asked.

"Yeah, do I know you?" a girl's voice replied warily.

"No, not at all. My name is Lyra."

"Hey Lyra, can I help you with anything?" she inquired even more.

"Yes, you see I got your number from a friend of yours in New Horizon, Jaxon, and I need to ask you a few things."

"Go ahead, I'm listening." The sounds of kids yelling in the background were still bothering me.

"I want to ask about the extra night shifts you took in the radio station since you're a student."

She replied by telling me she took the job, despite her piled-up studies, for the extra cash. She was helping her grandmother raise her brother, and they weren't doing well financially. I went on to offer her my own job at the flower shop, Bouquet of life, which paid slightly more than the radio station. I explained to her that Apollo wanted the job in hopes of kickstarting his music career. She surprisingly agreed, claiming she hated being surrounded by smelly guys all the time.

"When he becomes a famous artist, he better not forget me!" she.

"Of course. Now all I need is for you to go to the flower shop and tell her you were the girl sent by Lyra. Don't forget to inform Alexi about this. I'm going to make sure your place is secured now." She agreed and we said our goodbyes.

Alexandra, the old lady running Bouquet of life was extremely kind, and even though not many people come to help in her store, she still has plenty of customers to make her employee salary more than the radio station. I spoke to her last night about Apollo, and she kindly agreed if I found a person to replace me.

"Hello Alex, how are you this fine evening?" I said in a posh accent once Alexandra answered.

"Lyra! I'm well, very well! We got a new batch of posies this morning, isn't that your friend's favorite flower? What was his name? Paul? Andrew-"