The Boy Who Loved Flowers

one | h i m

HE WAS TALL and lean, with gray eyes full of mischief and a sharp jaw set in a perpetual smile of defiance. He personified the attitude of the 21st century spitfire, a belligerent boy with a tongue sharper than a razor. All and all, he was kind of a dick.

In truth, I, alike to many girls and boys in our high school, fawned over him - you know, as you would any bromide bad boy. I tried to resist temptation, knowing his poor reputation that often went over his next victim's head. He was a womanizer playing a dangerous game.

I tried to forget about him, tried to chastise myself and withhold walking in the same halls he did...But to no avail. I knew I wouldn't talk to him, or I would try not to. It didn't seem to matter much anyway, he didn't know my name or even my existence, which was alright by me.

Yet sometimes when I passed him in the halls, as I darted my eyes to catch a glimpse of his face, I suddenly wanted to be known by him. See, he reminded me of a cigarette, really:

At first glance, maybe even the second, he looks harmless. But, then word gets around. First, it seems like nonsense. Then, you get a good look around at the sneering girls that strode past him, but in secret they desperately wanted him back. You realized that just like the cigarette, once used, you were done for. He became your drug, your addiction that would never let you go. Even saying his name left a bitter-sweet taste on your tongue, a reason why I rarely said or even thought of it.

As any young, cliche girl would immediately think, he was a nightmare dressed like a daydream. The fact that I even thought of Taylor Swift around him should tell you something. Yet, he was constantly on my mind.

Clearing him from my thoughts, my gaze swept the green field; in search of my one and only friend, Kiera. I thought she would be simpler to find, considering her rambunctious personality and often bright attire. I should have known that on a beautiful day like this, it was doubtful she would be standing still. I could only hope she would find me as I awkwardly stood in the middle of the scattered cliques.

We were the outcasts, and we knew it. We also accepted it with eager, open hands. Everyday something new happened in our school, and you were lucky if you weren't apart of it.

"Vivian!" Out shot Kiera, almost smacking me in the face with her animated movements. A crease between her brow informed that something was up. And as soon as she said, "So..." I knew that it had to have been big.

"What is it?" I interrupted, studying her features closely, trying to read her indigo orbs that contained an unusually radiant sparkle. It starkly contrasted with her knitted eyebrows. Whatever she had inside was either killing her or enlightening her, maybe both was possible.

"Okay, so I was like, in Mrs. Laskin's room, right?" Kiera paused, looking expectantly towards me. I thought she was taking a breath of air after such a long string of words, but instead she wanted acknowledgment. I nodded, trying to appear as solemn as one could. Kiera gave a faint smile, satisfied with my weak response, "Anyway, I was in there, trying to find my poster for her stupid project - oh, speaking of which, do you know when that's due?"

I opened my mouth, the answer was on the tip of my tongue, but she put up a finger, "Wait never mind that, that doesn't matter right now. So, I was going through the bins and I just couldn't find it! I figured I would just wait for her. After about five minutes I realized that she might be on her lunch break so I got up, and walked towards the door when - BAM!"

I grimaced on the last word as eyes landed on us, Kiera's outburst gained attention quickly. I scolded her with my eyes, mentally telling her to quiet. Kiera laughed it off, waving a hand to the people staring, "Oops. Like I was saying, bam, the door opened, almost breaking my nose! It was him. You know who," her voice dropped to a whisper at the name of her crush, "Nick. Well, once he saw me he smiled and asked m- -"

Oh. My. God. It was him. Standing right behind Kiera, grasping her shoulder with long fingers, a smirk forming once he saw her body tense. Kiera slowly turned around, a frown threatening to tug her lips down. Kiera looked him up and down, obviously enjoying the view. But with realization of who he was, it must have dawned on her not to poke the bear as she woodenly said, "What."

She didn't even say it like a question, just merely said it. I brought a hand up to muffle any snickering that tried to spill from my lips. He quirked an eyebrow up, the smile drooping ever so slightly, he nodded over to my direction, "What's her name?"

Kiera almost scoffed, she seemed to think his innocent question was a confession of a sinner, "Excuse me?"

"What. Is. Her. Name?" He now spoke as though he was speaking to a toddler, speaking slow words that were separated by three second pauses.

Her lips formed a thin line, "Vivian."

With my name now out in the open, fading into the world's atmosphere, his smile brightened. He had dimples. "Hello, Vivian."

The way he said my name made me feel someway that I knew I shouldn't. I swallowed the feeling, keeping a straight face. He licked his lower lip, almost in thought, "I'm Ashton."

There it was, his name. I wondered if he knew the effect that his name caused. Probably, considering who he was. I was left with no words and a churning stomach, gladly without a hazy mind.

Speechless, I gave a soft smile and gave a single wave. Ashton laughed, grinning at my shy action. He then turned away, throwing some words over his shoulder, "See you later, Vivian."

"Ew." Kiera disrupted my mind before it could begin replaying the scene over and over. "I mean, really hot, but ew."

I shook my head up and down, trying to remember how to speak. A feeble laugh escaped my mouth, "Y-Yeah."

"Vivian, no." Kiera's voice was hard, predicting the thoughts my mind was about to unleash, "He's unhealthy! He's the hot, human version of a McDonald's cheeseburger!"

"What?" I laughed, tilting my head to the side. Once I saw her scowl I knew my mistake and quickly pulled on a serious expression, "Yeah, no, you're right."

"Ugh, Vivian, come on," Kiera scolded.

"Huh?" I raised both eyebrows as her index finger pointed at me in accusation.

"Stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?"

"Liking him, just stop it," Kiera frowned, "Every bad thing has strings of consequences attached."

"Well I'm sure that if there were 'strings' Ashton would've cut them off," I muttered, kicking a pebble off into the distance. It may have sounded like a joke, but it most certainly was true.

Kiera exhaled noisily, "You know what I mean. Don't put your toe in the shark-infested water even if it looks clear, okay?"

"Okay," I smiled, "You're just full of crappy analogies today, aren't you?"

"That I am, Viv, that I am."

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and that, my dear friends, is the introduction to your cliche bad boy adding on to your typical shy girl. lovely, yes? ☺

(not revised).