la vie en rose, trent alexander-arnold

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you're the best

the 'open' sign is turned the other way so that the message 'closed' appears, telling customers that there is no point in trying to buy a bouquet after eight pm. looking at her unlit storefront, maisie gasps in disappointment because, contrary to her grandmother's promise, trent has not come in today.

although she had been dreading the moment when he would walk through the door of the belrose shop, maisie is still saddened by his non-appearance because it only confirms her fears that the attraction she seems to feel for him is not reciprocated by the boy.

shaking her head, she wipes her bad thoughts from her mind and, taking the key out of her pocket, inserts it into the lock and turns it, closing the shop for good. trent didn't come and maisie just keeps telling herself that it doesn't matter, that she'll probably see him next week anyway. he still has to buy bouquets for ava.

with a cold still in her system, maisie sniffs as she puts on her gloves to counter the cold that is becoming more and more prevalent in liverpool as the days go by. but as the girl turns around, ready to walk in the direction she is parked, a car pulls up right in front of the shop's entrance and therefore maisie.

it's not just any car, given the lust it shows, and a leap of her heart in her chest jolts as trent gets out. he's wearing a more casual outfit than usual, consisting of sports clothes, and looks like he's just stepped out of the shower, given his wet hair and the fact that no drops have fallen today.

the boy's gaze darts around and when he finally sees the frozen figure of the one he is looking for, his panicked expression is replaced by a disarming smile on his face. rushing down the pavement towards her, he began to blurt out incomprehensible excuses, "gosh, you're still here. i'm sorry, i wanted to come by today to see if you were feeling better but i got held up at work so i couldn't. i rushed over but i was afraid i'd miss you, anyway, are you feeling better?" he catches his breath after his long monologue as if he'd just run a marathon and maisie thinks she's never seen someone create so much steam with their mouth before.

in a euphoric rush after trent's words, the girl bursts out laughing, and even though he doesn't understand why, his smile widens at seeing her like this.

"don't worry trent it's ok," an amused look on her face, she squints her eyes tilting her head to the side before answering the question he had asked her, "i'm fine. thanks for caring but it was just a little headache, nothing serious."

"i was still worried when i didn't see you yesterday," trent admits with a small pout that makes maisie forgets the bitter cold which freezes her in place.

"oh," she buries her head in her scarf to hide her burning face, "well, i'm better now."

nodding, trent finally raises his head with a small grimace on his face, formed by his lower lip bitten between his teeth and his small nose turned up under his drawn features. waddling to his feet, he ventures to ask, "is there any way you can still make me my bouquet or not?"

maisie would never have done such a thing for another customer, but it's trent, his favorite of all. so even though she feels stupid for agreeing to sell white roses to trent, who will then offer them to ava, the girl opens the door and beckons him in.

clasping his hands together, trent gives her his best smile, "thanks, you're the best."

maisie tries not to think too much of his compliment but her cheeks don't seem to agree with her and once again, begin to blush excessively as his words echo in the back of her mind.

her feet now treading the solid wood floor of the small shop, she searches for the switch with her fingers in order to turn on, not the whole boutique, but only its counter. once done, the atmosphere warms up almost immediately and the dimmed lights make the space more intimate.

facing the counter, trent observes maisie's careful movements as she removes her gloves to better adjust the white flowers. his eyebrows furrow as something seems different about her, he just can't figure out what it is yet.

"have you done something to your hair?" he blurts out and maisie's eyes go straight up to him.

"uh yes? i braided them," a warm feeling spreads in her chest, touched that he has noticed this subtle change in her.

"i love it, you should do it more often," trent compliments her with a smile and maisie doesn't know where to put herself. what is it with him today being so nice?

her previously precise gestures are now made uncertain by her trembling hands, she doesn't know what she's doing anymore. especially since she feels the boy's burning gaze on her person without her being able to do anything about it.

when she's finished, her eyes meet trent's again and she is surprised to see him smile slightly but gives it back to him all the same. his dimples automatically deepen and his two brown irises pierce her all over. maisie finds herself hyperventilating.

she quickly charges him before almost chasing him out of her shop, unable to stay another second in such a small space with the young man and his devastating pupils. once outside, maisie takes a deep breath of fresh air —she needed it.

on the pavement, they stand like two idiots staring into each other's eyes without either of them breaking the silence that surrounds them. trent, finally clearing his throat, thanks her for the flowers and wishes her a good night. returning his goodbyes, she turns back to her car.

thinking she is finally free of his bewitching spell, his voice rises one last time in the air to call out to her and the girl turns around, looking questioning.

"i won't be in liverpool for a month or so because of work, so, i won't be coming to buy bouquets of roses every week," maisie drops her gaze to the flowers in his hands after the announcement and her heart pinches when she catches sight of the label that says 'ava'. "i'm telling you this so you don't worry, well, i'm not saying you worry about me, but... ," he doesn't dare finish his sentence and frantically rubs the back of his neck.

he's panicking, and maisie lets a tender smile playing on her lips. then in a soft voice, she assures him, "okay, thanks for letting me know. have a good night, trent."

"you too, maisie," he replies simply before finally opening his door with a last smile and she struggles to do the same, panting.

her name sounds awfully good in his mouth.

— notes.
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