the ripple effect - tmnt (1) [edited ✔]

v. jupiter's ripples

five. jupiter's ripples

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WHEN FLORENCE WAS LITTLE, she always wanted to be an astronaut. She wanted to go to space and see the stars, the sun, to see if there were aliens that she could call friends, or to even name a planet after the mother that she was sure she once had. 

There wasn't much that Florence knew about her mother. Davis had mentioned her name once and told Florence that she was once a scientist, but her name was never mentioned again. 

Yet the name Simone still suck with Florence and when she'd think of the woman, she'd imagine a caring mother who would sing her lullabies and congratulate her on learning how to braid her own hair. She would think of moments spent in the kitchen with the mother that would teach her how to cook or how to flirt with boys. 

Reality didn't settle in until Florence was in sixth grade. When she started to be bullied by anyone and everyone, especially after disclosing her dream of being an astronaut, she abandoned the idea.

Like most little girls in the world, Florence's goal was to leave her mark on history. Whether it was for discovering a planet or not, she wanted her name in a history book or even in a newspaper for a good reason. 

Florence's father once told her, "If you need me, you can always find me in the stars." It took her a moment to think about what he meant, but she knew that he was right. No matter where he was, she knew that he was looking at the same sky; it was a small saying that meant the world to her. 

So Florence knew that if she'd be an astronaut, Davis Carter would just be looking up to the stars, right where she was. 

Davis' quote was why Florence was laying on a blanket on the roof of her apartment building. She wore a pair of leggings and a long white shirt that was lowered to her mid-thigh. With her brown hair up in a bun and her hands behind her head, Florence gazed up at the stars, the reflection shining brightly in her green eyes. 

She checked her phone screen, frowning. It was nine. Davis was usually home at seven and there was no sign of him. Florence was sure that he was just caught in traffic or still kept after class by his boss or the other professors, but her worry grew.

"He's okay," she whispered to herself, gazing up at the sky. "Dad's going to call."  

An involuntary shiver coursed down her spine. The wind picked up, pushing through her sweater and caressing her exposed skin, sending goosebumps down her arms. 

Florence tried her best to dial her father's number in her cracked phone once more, the familiar voicemail echoing almost instantly.

"You've reached Davis Carter. Sorry I couldn't answer the phone-"