𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 // mcyt apply fic // ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

⁰²⁰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴏsᴀʟ.

𝟶𝟸𝟶. [𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚊𝚕.]

𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚊 𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎.

-

Flora's done with Karl. She's over him. She thought she made that clear.

Apparently, she was wrong. Because when she flies down the stairs Wednesday night, thinking Wilbur was the one knocking, flinging the door open with a grin, it's Karl.

Her face falls.

He's got a bouquet of roses in his hands and a pleading look on his face. "One more chance," he says. "Winter Ball?" He looks like he's about to cry. Flora has half the mind to slam the door in his face.

She doesn't, though. "Why? Give me one good reason you deserve it," she says, her face hardening.

"I love you." She shakes her head. "Please, Flor. We were together for four years, you can't just throw all that away now. Not because of this. Not this little mistake."

Flora laughs. "And during those four years, how many mistakes did you make then? How many times did we break up because of your 'little mistakes'?" She can hear her dad moving around in the kitchen and prays this is quick. Her dad always liked Karl, and she really doesn't need him to join this conversation right now and taking Karl's side.

She's trying so hard to not fall into that same trap. Every time they broke up, Flora promised it was the last time, until he would show up again and sweet talk her until the cycle started again. Yes, she misses the sweet moments, the cuddles and the dates. But she doesn't miss the rest. The fights, the screaming, the lying.

"Flora," is all Karl says.

"Giving me a half-assed apology and asking me to the dance less than a week away is so shitty, Karl." She shakes her head. "I already have a date anyway."

He nods. "Of course you do," he says. She can tell he's trying not to break, but his voice cracks a little saying it.

She watches him speed off from her bedroom window.

-

Wil does come, 20 minutes later, and as she hops into his passenger seat, he hands her the aux.

She looks up at him in disbelief. "For real?"

"You're out of your Christmas music phase, yeah?" he asks, already looking like he regrets his decision.

"Never," She responds, but she taps on her indie playlist for his sanity. "Did you get me a pretty corsage?" She asks as they pull up to a red light.

He looks over at her. She's batting her eyelashes and grinning. He laughs and shakes his head at her antics, "Just as pretty as you,"

She gives him a light shove. "Watch it. Going as friends, remember?" He smirks and pretends like he doesn't notice her watching him the rest of the ride.

-

Flora has a missed call when she gets home. It's from Techno. They're friends, sure, but definitely not close enough for this to be normal.

She calls him back once she grabs a snack from the kitchen.

He picks up on the second ring.

"Did Iris tell you?"

Flora blinks. Iris sent a few tiktoks this morning, but other than that they haven't spoken. Techno sounds concerned, and Flora's starting to get worried.

"No, what happened?"

Techno pauses, takes a breath. "I kissed her," he says softly.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Flora shrieks.

"Uh, yeah,"

"Ho-wha-why?" Flora asks, still taken aback.

"You know I like her," He deadpans back.

"Well yeah-" Flora responds, still shocked by the situation. "What uh, happened?"

Techno sighs. "I don't know. She was over like all day, and we were watching a movie and cuddling, and I just did it," He pauses. "I'm so stupid."

"Okay wait, how did she react?"

"She kissed me back like for a while," He starts.

"Okay! That's good, right?" Flora buts in.

"But then she ran. Like, physically ran out the door and raced home," He explains, and Flora's heart breaks.

"Iris likes you, Techno." Flora says, half because he needs it, half because it's true.

Iris has never told her herself per say, but Flora knows. She can see it the way she talks about him, how she acts with him, how she looks at him. Everyone sees it. Well, that's not true, because Flora thinks Iris might not see it. She denies it quickly every time that Flora says something, but she's not sure if that's because she doesn't see it, or if she just doesn't want to admit it. Though, with how she reacted, Flora's leaning towards the first one.

"Then why did she run?"

"Just give her time, Tech," Flora advises. 

-

[𝟶𝟷.𝟹𝟷.𝟸𝟹]