How To Build A Flower Shop

Chapter THIRTY EIGHT

This is one big sick and twisted joke. It's surreal. Sitting against the door, still, Bobbi lets out the biggest breath she had ever held, trying to come back down to Earth. She's been lied to this entire time. Her world is shaken. Everything she cherished is ruined. Nicholas, Gracious Gardens, Roberto. Everything she has been building up to be better stripped away. In a matter of a few months her life has been flipped, and a few minutes ago it was flipped again, and she doesn't know which way is right-side up. She's trying to find her place, get a hold of direction and her life but obstacles keep knocking her down. She's trying to balance on a floating block in the sky and it constantly, abruptly, turns one way and she has to catch her footing before she falls into an abyss. She's never ready. Every step is a constant slip.

Bobbi can't hide anymore. She must face reality. Her heart is weak, but beating, so she tries to take a breath in however it only gets stuck in her chest. Forces a breath out, hands shaking, mind clouding.

Everything was fine. Her life was good. She was moving through life with her best friend, her boyfriend, and her dad. She was working part-time and occasionally in Gracious Gardens. She had a good school performance. The life she had set out for herself flipped once they got that knock on their door that one night. That one night changed everything. Who knew? It's scary to be aware that it takes a second in life to take a 180-degree turn. This entire experience taught Bobbi that nothing is set in life. Change is inevitable. Life is going to do its own thing, hold the control, and there's no point in questioning why. All one can do is adapt.

Roberto speaks up from outside. 'Bobbi, I'm so sorry.'

His voice sets her feet back into reality and outside of her mind. Bobbi thought he left.

'Let me in and we can talk. You need a friend right now.'

She recalls Nicholas' words from outside. He told her how Roberto said to him he never cared about her. He said Roberto was rubbing it in his face at how close they were getting. Said how Roberto could've told her to truth this whole time if he really didn't care about hurting her about it but found pettiness in it. Nicholas could be lying, but what if it's true?

Nicholas asked to have a moment with her and had an honest moment with her by confessing, so was he being honest about everything? Could someone really lie about something like that? Why would Roberto take the time and effort to get close to someone just to get at someone else? That takes work, and who would have it in them to orchestrate something that requires building a bond with someone and spend so much time with someone- then again, all his time is taken up by working in Gracious Gardens and who was he all that time? Who was he with all that time? Of course: Bobbi Grace. What if he used this new change and his environment to his advantage? Who would go out of their way and be inconsiderate of the feelings of someone and use someone to be petty towards someone else? What would happen to someone to make them carry out such a cruel and disgusting plan?

Maybe it takes getting framed for burning down a business and for the real culprit do nothing to make it right. Bobbi hides her face in her knees. It can't be true because you can't fake that bond, Bobbi tries to reason within herself. Roberto couldn't have faked their friendship. He couldn't have faked their laughs, their deep conversations. They shared secrets and were vulnerable with each other - there's no room for that to be an act. Unless he's really good at acting. He said his first career choice was acting. If what Nicholas said about Roberto is true, why is he standing outside? What more could he want from her? What would he have to say? If Roberto didn't care like Nicholas said, he wouldn't be here. This is Nick. This is Nick getting in your head. This is Nick playing the victim and shifting less blame on him when all of the blame belongs to him. He's trying to twist the truth into something else and hurt you because that's all he seems to know. She stops and hears her last thought. She takes a moment to be hurt with all Nick has done in these last couple of months. What have I done to deserve that? Tears fall down her cheeks.