Under The Jasmine Tree ✔

🖌Admiration

Lyra;

"Lyra?" Apollo's voice rang through my dorm. I quickly hid his lyric book behind my back and turned around to face Apollo's fuming face.

I threw him a confused look. "Are you okay? What happened? Please tell me they didn't reje-" He shook his head vigorously.

"Then why do you look like someone killed your hamster?" I rocked back and forth on my heels whilst nervousness swarmed around me.

"Because of you!" He anything but yelled, then ran a hand through his hair and tugged on his roots. Suddenly the weight of the lyric book felt much heavier in my hands.

"What did I do?" I threw on a sly smile.

"I thought we established a 'no lying' rule!" he appeared like he was on the verge of exploding.

"Yeah, and I didn't lie!"

"Yes, you did!"

"When?"

"When you decided my life was a charity case! I'm not some helpless kid that you need to fix his problems for. I wanted to work for the job, not get it on a silver platter!" he let out a groan.

Is he kidding? I grumbled in my head.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted It to be a surprise, and you didn't get the job on a silver platter! You worked hard to convince the station to hire you, the only thing I did was not let it go to waste." I replied while waving my hands in the air.

Oh shit.

"Is that my lyric book?" Apollo started waking towards me and I stepped backwards the closer he got.

"Listen, it fell in my hand! I didn't know it was even there till you pointed it ou-" my rambling was cut short.

"What about the 'no lying' rule?!" he put his head in his hands.

I tried to purse my lips to stop the truth from spilling out, but I caved-in to the power of trust and friendship. "Fine! I took a peep because it's been months since i first saw it and I seized the moment! I'm sorry." A sigh left my lips.

Apollo didn't look up or acknowledge anything I said. His head laid still in his hands.

Thoughts circled around my head. Was his reaction warranted? Of course, what I did was wrong, keeping secrets from him and invading his privacy, but the latter was the product of my care for him.

And the former was a product of my curiosity.

In the time I've known Apollo, I noticed how composed he is even in stressful situations, and the only time I saw him truly lose control was when his job offer was rejected. Even then, he felt more composed than now.

Was the job the only reason he had this outburst?

I walked up to my bed, where Apollo was sulking, and sat beside him. "All I did was exchange jobs with the girl who took your night shifts. She didn't like the job and only needed it for the money. She truly was happy. Her name is Emilia, and she works in Alex's flower shop now." I put my hand on his back and mindlessly drew figures with my finger.

Slowly, but surly, Apollo lifted his head and dropped his hands away from his face.

"I only did that because I knew how much you wanted the job. It's the kickstart to your career. How could I not help?" I chuckled hoping to ease the tension.

I met his downcast eyes with a hopeful expression. With a frustrated sigh, he slid his arm around my waist and pulled me close.

"I know you didn't have any ill intentions, but you could've, in the least, told me. I hate being left in the dark. Besides, you gave up your own job." His head now rested on my shoulder, his breath fanning the skin peeking from my shirt.