Lonely Flowers

18: reminded

Song: 100 letters - halsey

~~~

Iliana

Slowly, I turn around, finding myself face to face with him. Mason. I swallow hard and take a step away. "Leave me alone."

He grips my arm, bringing me to a halt. "Hold up. I just want to talk."

"I don't." I yank my arm away, making a beeline for the door back inside, but it's blocked by some of his stupid friends I recognize, goofing around like Mason intimating girls into talking to him is a common occurrence. Which I'm sure it actually is.

"Just give me one second, Iliana."

With a deep breath, I turn back on him. "What could you possibly want from me?"

He shrugs. "I missed you."

"You missed me? Seriously?" I shake my head. "God, this is such a waste of time."

"I mean it. When I saw your car outside, I knew I had to find you. Once I came in here, well," he grins, the way I used to find charming but now makes me nauseous, "you're a hard girl not to notice."

"I'm not doing this with you." A younger me might've been swayed by his words. But I'm not so naive anymore. Not when it comes to him, at least.

He sighs, looking up at the sky like I'm being unreasonable. "You know, I was reminded of you again, recently." My chest tightens. He keeps talking, "I stopped by your place the other day to check in, but your mom told me you moved out. Became a gardener for some rich family?"

"Whatever I'm doing now has nothing to do with you," I snap.

He holds up his hands, a lame attempt at seeming casual. Making me look like I'm blowing things out of proportion. "I'm just looking out for you, Iliana. You know the wealthy of this city are close knit. And, well, I can think of one person who would be really interested in how close you're circulating."

I knew taking a job like this was a risk when I agreed to it. I let myself be optimistic--I thought nobody would pay attention to a random gardener, especially when the Shepherds wouldn't even be in town. I could just do what I love under the radar, make some money, and then go off to start my new life.

I didn't expect things to go like this.

"I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm not talking about him—" Apart from telling Zeke all about Delacroix being my dad. I'm still not totally sure how far that'll backfire on me. "And I'm not going to try to contact him. I just..." I grit my teeth so hard I'm almost scared they'll crumble "...needed this job."

He gives me a pitying look. I want to slap it right off his face. "Sure, sure. But it'd be a shame if someone told him the opposite."

I shove him away. "What benefit would you possibly get from doing that? Petty revenge because I'm not giving myself to you the way I used to?"

"Revenge? No. Of course not. I just wanted to remind you how well I can keep a secret." He leans towards me, and I back up until the brick wall scrapes at my back, nowhere else to go. "With the right motivation, that is."

I shove him away with every fucking ounce of my strength. He pulls back only a little, still grinning like a cat playing with a mouse. "No fucking way."

"Oh, come on, Iliana. We had some great times back in the day. Remember that?"

"That hasn't meant anything for a long time," I try to say it with strength, but it just comes out as a whisper.

He chuckles, shaking his head. "You were so much more bold when we met, you know that?"

My voice scratches my throat now, the flood of memories choking me up in regret and too many years of hurt resurfacing. "I was fifteen when we met. I didn't know anything."

Now I know. I know I don't want him, or any of the toxic shit he has to offer. Even if I don't deserve anything better, I'd rather be alone than deal with this again. From anybody.

I glance at the door, praying the coast is somehow clear. But his friends are still there, watching this scene like my discomfort is the best thing on TV.

I make another attempt to tug my arm away, but Mason's grip doesn't relent.

He opens his mouth to say something else, when he's shoved backwards and all at once, a figure is standing between us.

"Is there a fucking problem here?"

~~~