Sunflowers (Peter's Story) MXM

Part One

[Warning, if you haven't read "The Golden Rule", you'll be very lost]

"I think you'd look nice in a crystal vase," Peter told the bouquet of red roses and calla lilies as he walked them to the fridge. He sat them next to a bouquet of pink tulips, who played nice with the other flowers. "There's an expensive allure to you. If you were real, you'd wear pearls every day. You'll like the tulips. They share the same simple elegance without all the baubles. Your petals and colors speak for themselves..."

Peter closed the door and faced a couple of wilting bouquets on his work table. He smiled softly and sat at his bench. He slid the stack of thick books closer. He never read a passage from these books. All he knew was that these tombs were thick enough to knock someone's teeth out. Not that he'd ever try it.

"I never apologize for not finding you a home," Peter told an arrangement of pansies. He sniped the ends shorter, carefully placing them on the table so they wouldn't crumble. "You were just meant for something else..." Carefully, Peter pressed the flowers between the parchment paper and the pages of the thick books. "Everyone else gets matched up and makes someone happy for a little while, but that didn't work out for you. You're on a different path. There's nothing wrong with being different..." he paused, questioning who he was talking to.

Sighing, Peter turned the radio on to drown out his nagging thoughts. Delphine called him yesterday to set up a date. He lied and said he was suffering from a head cold. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he had given up. Peter knew when to take a hint from the universe. He just wasn't meant to be with anyone.

Besides, Peter couldn't handle any more disappointment.

"Peter," Reyna spoke up as she opened the door to his workshop. She was young and a little petite thing with warm brown skin and long curly black hair. She wore a cute sundress covered in daises underneath her green apron. Peter owned a small flower shop on a street corner called The Green House, since it was nearly all windows, but the outside was painted green. It did well, which was to be expected from a half-fairy florist, but Peter preferred staying in the backroom with the flowers.

He was better with flowers than with people.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

Reyna stifled a smile, acting professional. She said, a sparkle in her eyes, "he's back."

Peter's shoulders slumped.

"And he'd like-"

"Sunflowers?"

Reyna nodded, eagerly and spun back into the shop. He could hear her tell the customer, "We'll have them ready for you in a moment."

And in the voice Peter knew all too well, that man said, "thank you." He had the deepest voice Peter had ever heard. The voice came from the deepest pit, trickling into the air like a sun ray in the summer. It was the kind of voice that tickled the hairs on Peter's arm.

Carefully, Peter slid off his stool but stayed low. He crept up to the door, peaking through the round window inside the door. Standing by the succulent shelf, that man barely moved. He was so still, Peter wondered if he was even breathing. Only his eyes scanned the shelves.

Elias Baines.

Once a week that man came into The Green House and requested a bouquet of sunflowers. Today, he wore a fitted gray suit with a dark red tie and a long black trench coat. With his hair slicked back, he looked like he walked off the set of 1930s romance movie. To say he was devastating was putting it lightly.

"Too bad he's a jerk," Peter muttered, tearing his eyes from the window. "To think someone who likes sunflowers can be so unpleasant." Sunflowers were Peter's favorite flower. He walked back to his fridge, realizing he arranged the sunflowers the moment he opened the shop. Peter was in the routine, that was all. Elias came every Friday.

Peter straightened his shoulder. Today would be the day. He'd walk right up to Elias and demand to know what his problem was. Ever since James and Eric got married, Elias had gone out of his way to avoid Peter and usually, the man just outright ignored Peter. Peter could ask something right to his face and Elias would just walk away. It's not like Elias was inherently rude. Every Friday, Peter watched Elias through that window, speak kindly to Reyna and open the door for people as they left the shop. Without being asked, he'd help people carry their heavier vases to their car.

Once, Elias took out one of his sunflowers to give a little girl that couldn't take her eyes off the bouquet. So why didn't Elias like Peter? Everyone was friends with Peter. He wasn't used to being disliked.

Peter's chest clenched and his grip tightened around the vase, losing his nerve. He wasn't brave like James and Eric or as clever as Delphine. Peter was just a side character in their grand stories. Carefully, Peter stuck his head through the door and whispered to Reyna, "hey!"

She turned and when she found him cowering, she rolled her eyes. Trudging over with her hands on her hips, she stated, "are you really not going to talk to him? He comes every Friday! Even if you don't like the guy, he's still a really good customer."

"Next time," Peter lied and shrunk farther behind the door.

"You said that last time. You say that every time," she huffed, but took the vase anyways. She turned, whipping her hair in Peter's face. He promptly peaked back through the window. She walked up to the counter, flagging Elias. "Mr. Baines, I have your bouquet ready."

"Thank you," Elias smiled and walked over. "But I told you, just Elias is fine."

Reyna's cheeks reddened. "Okay, Elias."

They finished up the order. However, before Elias left, he turned and said, "please give my regards to the owner. These are beautiful."

"I will. I'll see you next Friday?"

"You will," he chuckled and littered Peter's skin with goosebumps.

Peter turned, resting his full weight onto the door. Could it be possible that Elias didn't know Peter owned The Green House? Could it be a coincidence? Then, Peter's mind took a sharp turn. Elias probably wouldn't come here anymore if he found out.

#

Author's Note:

Okay, so here's the first part. These will be little short parts that I'll probably be updating twice a week. It'll be less like a novel and more like a novella. It's been fun so far! I'm excited to see how people react! Lol.

See you next time!

XOXO

Miss Bonnett