Florence || H.S.

Chapter Eight: 6:34 Again

"Your favourite colour is blue?" Florence made a guess at the question Astoria had just asked. They were currently sitting on the floor in the lounge room, in fluffy pyjamas, getting to know each other better.

"Halfway there." Astoria giggled.

"Purple!" Oliver exclaimed, almost jumping into the air. They'd skipped dinner and instead decided to order a large tray of various desserts to taste test them all.

"How did you guess that?" Florence frowned.

"Easy duh, Blue and red make purple so blue is halfway." Oliver was smug.

Harry was the only one not on the floor. Instead, he chose to observe the game from where he lay on the lounge. He had a stomach ache from all of the sugar but didn't want to miss out on anything. Florence glanced at him from time to time to check that he was okay; just as he had done for her.

Ophelia seemed to have tuned into the programme playing on the television. it's volume was down low and she relied on subtitles to gather information.

They had discovered a lot of similarities within the group - aside from the obvious ones like being the same age. They each had a pet and at least one sibling, a hobby that they liked doing, and a big toe that was longer than the second toe.

Despite all of these things, it still felt as though there was a divide in the room. It had nothing to do with class, although they all knew they weren't within the same one. Maybe, it had to do with how long they had know each other and the underlying tension would ease with time. Florence had drifted off thinking about it all.

"Do you think Yellow matches with dark purple?" Oliver attempted to ask Florence. "Florence, hello?" He followed up after receiving no answer.

Florence raised her eyebrows and turned her head towards Oliver. "They're opposites on the colour wheel right? So they match."

"When have you ever seen anyone wear Yellow with Dark purple?" Astoria chimed in.

Oliver looked towards Florence almost begging her with his eyes to corroborate her point. "Um, you know the football jerseys? The broncos?"

Astoria shook her head.

"Their away jerseys are Dark purple and yellow." Harry mumbled from the couch, not quite facing the group.

Astoria sighed, seeing Oliver's point proven. He was designing a new clothing range and had brought up a picture on his phone. Astoria was worried about the colour choices and how they would look on her. She'd always been one to wear neutrals or bold singular colours as opposed to patterns before she befriended Oliver. While sometimes it was terrifying, she loved how he had helped her develop her style.

Oliver thanked Florence with a whisper as he showed her some more of his designs. The night continued in similar entertainment until each person decided it was time for bed. They trickled out of the room until it was only Ophelia watching the finale of her programme, and Oliver flicking through a magazine.

"What do you make of this trip?" Oliver asked after some moments of silence. Ophelia seemed so drawn into the television that she had to look twice to realise they were alone.

"I'm glad Astoria invited me." She said after some thought. "I still find it a little weird how she didn't take everyone from your friendship group though."

Oliver nodded. "Harry told me that she wanted to surround herself with kinder people."

These words seemed weird to Ophelia. She'd never considered herself one of the kinder people. Sure, she didn't go out of her way to be impolite but that didn't necessarily make her kind.

"What's wrong with the other girls in your group?" She couldn't help but enquire.

Oliver shrugged. "Nothing." His answer seemed to close the subject. Ophelia felt as though she had touched a nerve so she didn't push it.

"Why did Astoria trust Harry to pick people?" Ophelia softly asked after a while.

Oliver contemplated her question before he came to a definitive answer. "They're really close." He paused before continuing, "I guess she likes him because he's always so straightforward. He'd never intentionally lie to her if you know what i mean."

Ophelia nodded. She'd never spoken to Harry apart from a little 'hello' or a nod when passing him in the street. When Florence asked her about coming on this trip, she was at first skeptical. However, she agreed because on the same terms as Astoria with Harry, Ophelia really trusted Florence.

She yawned causing Oliver to as well. The television show she had been watching was finished so she switched it off, leaving only the dim table light to distinguish the room.

"I guess i'm going to head off to bed." Oliver told her, earning a nod. They both parted and went their separate ways into their bedrooms, ready for a long nights sleep.

Florence awoke five hours later to the sound of birds squawking while flying over the building. She repeated her usual routine, wondering what she would do when she finished school and had no need for it anymore.

She wasn't sure on the days plans so decided to dress in red plaid patterned shorts, a cropped black v neck, a light red jacket and black boots. Florence made sure she had a key on her before she left their room.

The hotel was so large that she considered going down to the reception to ask for a map. This was decided against only because getting lost would make her adventure more fun.

Florence took the elevator to a floor she had not yet stood on and began to explore. At first, all she found were suites but eventually she had circled around to the theatre. It was too early for anything to be showing so Florence was able to sneak a look at its interior.

The stage was made of stained wood that looked completely void of a single speck of dirt. Long red curtains framed either side of the stage, their colour matching the audiences chairs. It resembled theatres Florence had read about and seen on movies, she had never been to a performance in a room like that.

Once she was sure she had captured all of the rooms details, Florence made her way through the remainder of the floor.

Outside, she discovered the long pool. She figured it could be a plan for later in the day, when the sun had finally surfaced. Everything about the hotel screamed money and wealth. Florence almost felt as though it were a sin to be standing in such a place considering who she was.

The girl stayed around the pool, breathing in the fresh morning air for a while longer, before trying to find her way back to the room. She managed to take a few wrong turns before finally arriving at the door. The key fitted easily in the lock and before everyone was awake, she was back within the warmth of their walls.

-

i don't really know how to write but i'm studying shakespeare again in english so i guess i felt the need to have minor characters in the spotlight to draw away from the tension.
- A x