And life goes on...

Chapter 4

"Mine was fine. Busy with customers. The usual. Though I was irritated when Ben showed up again with her girlfriend whom I despise a lot. But forget about it. How was your day?" I asked Alex handing him the ice-cream I bought for him.

"It was .. interesting." He said taking a bite from the ice-cream.

"Ew! Why did you do that? Don't do it again." I said scrunching my nose with disgust.

"Do what?" He was clearly clueless.

"You just took a bite from ice-cream and didn't flinch. That's gross. I don't trust people who don't flinch over an ice-cream bite." I explained.

"What? That's ridiculous." He argued back.

"No, it's not." I stated.

"Alright, fine. I would flinch if I take a bite. Happy?" He said giving up.

"No. That's not how you're supposed to at ice-cream. You have to lick it. It's a cone. Biting a cone is like biting children. Very offensive." I grinned.

"Do you remember when I told you that you are the most logical person I've met? I take it back." He said teasing me. I made a face and shoved him lightly while walking.

"So you were saying your day was interesting. How come?" I asked coming back to the earlier topic. He nodded.

"We learnt about the heart today. Do you know that the heart as considered to be one of the most powerful and strongest organ of the body?" He asked me. I shrugged.

"I don't believe it." I said shaking my head.

"Why not?" He asked.

"If it's so strong then why does it break so easily?" I asked regretting the second I said that because Alex stopped walking.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." I nervously tucked my hair around my ear.

"Shh. Don't ever be sorry to express yourself. You weren't wrong, you know." He said holding my free hand in his. I said nothing in turn and he kept speaking.

"You know why the heart is the most powerful organ? Because of one thing that keeps it beating. Hope." I looked at him and understood exactly what he was saying. No one could get it better than me. He continued.

"It has so many scratches, bruises, wounds and cuts. It suffers a lot. Yet it doesn't gives up. It keeps beating. Working its way out. Trying to keep the candle of life burning. That's why it's so powerful." I smiled weakly at him and nodded. He suddenly released his hand and I felt disappointed a bit. He searched for something in his jacket's pocket. He grinned when he finally found it. He took it out in front of me. It was one of the most beautiful roses I have seen.

"A beautiful rose for a beautiful lady." He spoke with an ear to ear grin. His expressions were like a child showing hs mother a drawing that he drew for her. And though it was horrible, he wanted his mother to approve it. I didn't like roses - or flowers in general. May be because no one gave it to me before. May be because they're used in life like I was but I had to thank him. So I took it and said,

"Thank you."

"Why do I get the vibe that you didn't like my gesture?" He asked seriously.

"No, it's not that. I'm happy that you considered me good enough for that." I said honestly. He stopped me in the middle of the road and said,

"Fess up. I know something is bothering you." Since when did he start reading me so well? I decided to tell him.

"I never liked flowers." I said in the lowest voice possible.