fℓσωєяѕ fσя уσυ 💐 | Ongoing 🟣

Marigolds

Marigolds are one of the most popular and common flowers. The flowers bloom to different colors like gold, orange, white, and of course, yellow. Marigold flowers with maroon outlines make them appear even more beautiful. Marigold flowers are associated with sunlight, which is supposed to carry a positive meaning; however, it has also been perceived to be associated with darker qualities. It can symbolize jealousy, cruelty, sorrow, and grief. Some cultures also associate this flower with death.

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Marigold's fingers tapped against the keyboard with much speed as she worked efficiently to eat her lunch on time. Someone knocked on her cubicle, bringing her attention away from the bright screen.
     "Sam, what's up?"
     "I just came back from lunch to see you still working. You're not going to eat? You have," her colleague checked her watch, "twenty minutes left," Sam stated with concern on her face.
     "Oh, don't worry. I just have a few more left, and I'll be off for lunch," Marigold responded with a smile.
     "Alright, whatever you say." She waved goodbye to her, and Marigold resumed working.
     When she finished, she pulled out her lunchbox from her bag and started stuffing sandwiches into her mouth then washed it down with some orange juice. Just as she finished the last bite of her food, she noticed a delivery man entering the office with a petite bouquet of yellow flowers with many petals that looked curved or ruffled.
     "Is there a Ms. Lightburn here?" he asked, searching the office with his eyes.
     "Yes, I am she." She raised her hand and stood up.
He walked towards her and handed the bouquet to her. "These are for you, Ms. Lightburn."
     "Oh, okay, thank you." She held it from the stalks secured in a transparent wrapper and tied with a red ribbon. "May I ask who it's from?"
     "Sorry, but the sender asked to keep it anonymous." He bowed apologetically.
She nodded slowly then a small smile formed onto her lips as he left. 'It must be from Travis again. . .Oh, gosh! Why does he keep sending me these flowers? And at my workplace too. How embarrassing. . .' she thought as she sniffed the flowers with a light blush on her face.
     She remembered receiving her first flower from him about a month ago. It was the same flower but in white. She was confused as to why anyone would send her a flower at work the first time.
     It made her think for a while—which kind of lead to her becoming a bit paranoid—but she ended up asking her boyfriend, Travis, about it where he confirmed that it was from him. She thought it was sweet of him to do so, but she didn't think they'd continue coming.
     A few weeks later, she received the same flower again, but it multiplied to five in a different color, gold. Now, she received a small bouquet of about ten of them in yellow.
     Each time, the sender wanted to remain anonymous according to the delivery men; however, she knew they were from Travis because he admitted to it the first time.
'I didn't think he'd be so cheesy! I mean, it makes sense since it's only been three months since we started dating. They always say couples are really lovey-dovey early in the relationship.'
     "Oh my! Another gift from someone?" asked Sam.
     "Yeah, I don't know when it'll stop." Marigold chuckled a little.
     "It's always the same flower, isn't it?" She nodded. "Hm, maybe it means something."
     "What do you mean?" she asked.
     "Well, usually, people don't send the same flowers over and over again unless it means something. You'd switch it up sometimes, right? I mean, there are so many others to choose from. Even if your favorite is one type, it doesn't hurt to send another kind, and if they're from an admirer, it makes more sense why they're sending the same one repeatedly. They're probably trying to tell you something!" Sam exclaimed excitedly.
     "An admirer?" Marigold laughed a little. "Maybe. . ." Sam didn't know about her boyfriend because it never occurred to her to let her colleague know she was dating someone. 'Maybe I should tell her now. . .'
     "Here, let's search up flowers and their meanings. I've seen this kind somewhere, but I've forgotten the name of it." Sam scrolled through a website on her computer until they reached one with a picture that looked exactly like the flowers in Marigold's bouquet. "Marigolds, that's right! They're marigolds! What a coincidence too!" She laughed heartily.
     'Marigolds. . .Oh, Travis.'
     "Okay, marigolds are associated with sunlight, which is supposed to carry a positive meaning; however, it has also been perceived to be associated with darker qualities." She slowed down, and the excitement in her voice subsided. "It can symbolize jealousy, cruelty, sorrow, and grief. Some cultures also associate this flower with death. . ." She blinked a few times before closing the window and laughing nervously. "Well, that's just another meaning for the flowers. They're associated with sunlight, right? Maybe the person wanted you to know you're like a ray of sunshine to their darkness?"
     She smiled a little, and Marigold returned it. "Yeah, maybe. Don't worry about it, Sam, they're just flowers. Besides, I know who sent the flowers."
     "Oh, really? Who?"
     "My boyfriend," she replied.
     "What? You have a boyfriend? Since when?" Sam feigned offense.
     "Uh, a while ago. . .Sorry, I didn't find the right time to tell you."
     "Oh, it's alright. I'm just playing with you. It's your privacy anyway, but aw, that's cute. Your boyfriend's being all cutesy with these flower gifts," she cooed.
     "Haha, I guess so." She caressed the soft petals.
     Later that day, Travis came to pick her up from work, and she hugged him tightly then laid a kiss on his lips outside his car. "What was that for?" he asked with a smile, leaning in close with their noses rubbing each other's.
     "Nothing," she replied. "I just wanted to give my boyfriend a kiss." She giggled, and he shook his head lightly then kissed her forehead. All of a sudden, she felt the hairs on her neck stand, and she looked behind her.
     "What's wrong?" He tilted his head, and she shook hers.
     "Oh, nothing. Felt like we were being watched, but it must've been my imagination." He opened the door to the passenger's seat for her to get in, the unsettling feeling not leaving her. A few days later, Marigold was working at her desk when another delivery man came with a large bouquet of orange marigolds. 'Again?'
     "Ms. Lightburn?" he called out, and she walked to him.
     "They're for me again?" she asked, and he nodded. She took the bouquet, and he left without another word. This time, there was a small card sitting between the flowers. Her brows furrowed as she opened it then she gasped. 'Break up with Travis!' was written in red inside the card. 'W-Who sent this? Is it not Travis this time?'
     "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost, Mari," said Sam as she put her hand on her shoulder.
     "I-It's nothing." Marigold closed the card and crushed it in her hand tightly. That same day, she got home and confronted Travis about it. "Travis," she called out.
     "Yeah?" he responded with his eyes stuck on his laptop.
     "Did you send the bouquet today?"
     "The what?"
     "The flowers, the marigolds." He looked up from his laptop at her.
     "What are you saying, Mari?"
     "You didn't send them?"
     "Yeah, I didn't send any flowers to you."
     "Then that means someone pretended to be you to catch me off guard, and they've been watching us. No wonder it felt like someone was watching us that day. . ." she mumbled.
     "What? What are you talking about? Someone pretended to be me?" he questioned and closed his laptop. "What happened?"
     "Someone sent me a bouquet of marigolds, and I thought it was you since you've been sending them, but then I saw the card."
     "Wait, what?" He looked at her in confusion. "I didn't send you marigolds at all."
     "What do you mean? You've been sending them for a while now. You even admitted to it when I asked you." She furrowed her brows and watched him.
     "When was that?"
     "About a month ago?"
     "Oh, God, I must've been too absorbed in my work that I nodded unconsciously." He rubbed his face.
     "Wait, so if you aren't the one sending the flowers then who is it?"
     "Did the other flowers come with a card as well?"
     "No, only this time."
     "What did it say?"
     She hesitated as she watched his worried face. "I-It said to break up with you. . ."
     "What? The person was telling you to break up with me?"
      "Yeah. . .Do you have any idea who it could be? Oh my God, what if it's a stalker?!"
     Travis thought for a while. "Calm down, Mari." He caressed her face gently and brushed her long brown hair away from her face. "It's not a stalker. I think I know who it is." The next day, he stood at the park waiting for someone.
     "Travis!" a girl with short black hair called him as she waved at him delightfully, and he watched her with a bland expression. Her wide smile slowly disappeared when she neared him and saw Marigold behind him, and she glared at her, seeming like a different person. "What's she doing here?" she asked coldly.
     He glared at her, and she averted her gaze. "Marigold is here because she's my girlfriend, and she deserves an apology from you, Gabbie," he said her name through gritted teeth.
      "Excuse me? Why do I need to apologize to her? You called me here to do that?" She placed a hand on her hip, scowling.
      "You're the one who sent the threat and flowers," Marigold spoke up.
     Gabbie frowned. "And?"
     "Gabbie, we broke up long ago. I thought I told you to stop chasing away my girlfriends," Travis said sternly.
     "She's done it before?" Marigold asked, and he nodded.
     "After we broke up, she kept pestering me, and whenever I got a new girlfriend, she'd scare them off."
     "Well, what else do you expect me to do?! We're meant to be, Travis! I swear there was nothing between me and Kris!"
     "Sure, Gabbie. Kris confessed to me that you guys slept together," he responded, hurt.
     "You cheated on Travis?" Marigold asked in disbelief. "How can you expect him to get back with you?"
     "What do you fucking know, bitch?! It was just a mistake, Travis! I was drunk, and Kris took advantage of me!"
     "Stop lying to me, Gabbie! Kris would never do that to me nor would he lie! You got him drunk and took advantage of him!" Travis burst out angrily, and Marigold frowned; she didn't know about any of this. Gabbie looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Now, apologize to Marigold and leave me the fuck alone from now on. If you do this again, I'll report you to the police, and I might even consider a restraining order." He stared her down coldly, and she started crying.
      "Travis. . ." Marigold knew he was angry, but she felt bad that he made his ex cry. Even if she did these things, she didn't deserve to be treated this harshly. She was just blinded by her love for him. "It's fine. She doesn't have to apologize if she doesn't want to."
      "What?! Of course she has to! She scared you and—" She put a finger to his lips and shook her head.
      "I'm sure Gabbie understands now. No need to make her feel any more worse than she does already. Right, Gabbie?" She looked at her with a small smile.
     Gabbie wiped her face and bit her lip as she nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Marigold. I was just jealous. . ."
     Marigold hesitated before pulling her into a hug. "It's fine. I understand. You're forgiven now. Just don't do it again."
     "Thank you," she said quietly then left.
     "Why are you so nice?" Travis questioned.
     "Hm, I guess I just understand since I'm also a girl, and I'm dating you, so I know how much of a catch you are." She giggled a little as he held her close to him, and she leaned in for a kiss. 'Ah, jealousy. . .Makes sense now.' She smiled to herself.