Flower Girl {Editing}

10. Lavender

To my girl and one of my fave readers BadAssKhala

Claude was rewriting his Art notes, his hands busy jotting down what they had learned today about Vincent Van Gogh. He was somewhat fascinated by the man who saw the world in such blinding new colors and had the means to showcase them. He was misunderstood, and he reminded her of August. He sighed and sat back.

How had he gotten so lucky as to have a girlfriend as awesome as her? He couldn't stop seeing her face this morning when he gave her the flowers her smile was wide and it made his heart race and his mind gush from the way she seems to transform into a glorious butterfly who shun as she fluttered in a garden or flowers.

He hadn't noticed that he was grinning, nor that his sister was spying on him from a table away. A flash woke him from his stupor and he shook his head and found his sister waving at him. Ainsley Mason was the eldest of the trio. She had been the first born and had a year on their heads, but in reality, she looked like their younger sister, she was shorter and had more youthful features than the twins. Her long dark brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail. She gathered her books and joined her brother at his table.

He had snuck out to the library while his free period was under supervision by a substitute. He barely found anyone in here that would bother him from doing his work, rewriting notes or reading... and or sleeping, so, seeing his sister here was a surprise since she didn't come here that often. "So, I can tell that all is well in your little fairytale dream." He ignored the tone of voice she used to mock him and she snickered and leaned forward on her elbows. "Oh, come on Claude. You were sitting here smiling to yourself like a lovestruck puppy. I mean—it's type weird, but I can see that you're happy and I'm curious. Is everything really that good?" He sighed. She was as nosy as she was persistent.

"Look Ley(Lee), August is funny and smart and so amazing. She's literally everything that I didn't know that I wanted from a girl and a relationship."

"But? I hear a strong 'but' coming through Claudy." He tsked and folded his arms.

"It isn't as strong as you think it is. We're okay to be frank." He scratched at his chin, her eyes unwavering.

She clapped her hands together softly. "Well, I'm happy that you and August are a great match, but I can tell theirs something more, Claude. What is it?" He narrowed his eyes, she could always find darkness within the light. He hummed, contemplating if he wanted to share this worry with her. "I think August is going through something serious..." he groaned and ran his hands down his face, "I think she's taking it on on her own, but she won't tell me. I think she feels as if she shouldn't burden me with her issues, but all I wanna do is help her... and she won't let me... and I don't wanna push." Ainsley leaned in and Claude mimicked her. "Look, the best thing to do for her, is just be there whenever she needs you. It can take some time for some people to open up and share what's going on with them, especially when it's something personal. You guys have only been dating what? Almost a month? Three and a half weeks? It takes time Claude. Just trust her and give her space... give her time to trust you enough to the point where she can finally tell you what's bothering her." He nodded. Maybe that night had just been too much for her to handle and she just wanted to forget about it. Ainsley's right, he shouldn't push her to talk about her problems if she didn't want to.

He sighed and leaned back. "Okay. Thank you sis."

"Not a problem bro. By the way you own me lunch this week." She said with a shit-eating grin on her face before she stood up and flipped her dark ponytail over her shoulder. Claude looked out the window, ironically his view was of the school's greenhouse where he knew August would be at some point in the day. He wondered if she were there now? He pulled out his phone, his notes long forgotten as he shot her a text.

'Where are you right now?'

He began packing up his things as he waited for her reply. A soft beep. Claude leapt for his phone.

'Heading over to the green house. Why?🤨'

He laughed at her emoji. '😅 I miss you."

'Cute, but clingy😬 but I would enjoy the company. Don't keep me waiting, I'm almost there. 😉'

'OMW', he shoved his last text book in his bag and jumped from his chair, not pushing it back under the table, then jogging back to do so out of curtsey. He sprinted down through the aisles of books and then zoomed out of the library to which he heard the librarian snap after him. He threw an apology over his shoulder but didn't stop running down the hallway, knowing that Percy, the hall monitor wouldn't be around this area, not when the second lunch bell was close and the library was off the main halls of the lunchroom. He pushed his way out the side doors that led to the path where he knew August would be at her most free...

He pulled the doors of the green house back and his eyes shun as he heard soft humming, seeing her there tending to the plants. Her back was to him. Her locks were let down this time. She normally kept them up, but not today, he remembered the blue head wrap that she had on the day he came over for their movie binge.

August was where a burgundy leggings, with a yellow crop top and a long acid wash denim jacket hnaging from her forearms, she wore the paint splattered converse from the other week, he smiled at the memory. "You should really be a Private investigator... you're becoming a pro at stalking people."

He snickered and came inside, dropping his bag next to hers on the bench by the baby trees. "Come help me with this." He saw that she was sitting on the paved ground while she clipped the leaves of some plants. "Why are these flowers secluded from the others?"

"Lavender and Rosemary, one is used to calm the nerves, or decorate culinary dishes amongst many other uses and the other, Rosemary is used as seasoning in cooking. They're apart from the other plants in this area because Lavender and Rosemary plants require well-drained soil, either neutral or alkaline soil. Although the soil isn't all that lavender needs to flourish. It needs dry soil, so little water—take that bottle and feed it just a little bit of water." She told him pointing to a clear water bottle that was closer to him. "After we're done, we need to put them where the sun is, but not too bright. They like the sun."

"Okay." He poured just a little water on the soil at the base of the lavender plants and then set the bottle down. "When did you know that you wanted to become a botanist?" She hummed, somewhat like she was in thought. "I think... it was when my mom and dad told me how they found each other... I haven't told you that story yet have I?"

He shook his head. "No."

"My mom and dad, they met in England first, at the viewing of the corpse flower or the Amorphophallus. It was beautifully disgusting." Claude rose an eyebrow. "When it blooms it smells like rotting meat, some say a dead body. It blooms almost every 7 years then dies the next day. Dad threw up on my mothers shoe... and well, as much as it was common after smelling the flower she didn't take it easy on him, not until afterwards when he offered to make up for it by buying her a new shoe. Luckily, at that time, they both lived in the states and both loved nature, so they hit it off and from there on... it was all history."

"Wow, a perfect story of love and nature. Your dad was a botanist?"

"No, an arborist." She turned to Claude and smiled knowing that he wouldn't know what that meant. "He studies trees, also known as a tree surgeon. It deals with cultivation, management, and study of trees, shrubs, vines, and even perennial woody plants in dendrology and horticulture. Horticulture... those nicely trimmed hedges."

"Ahh," he nodded.

"I know you're still worried about me."

"I won't intrude in your private life if you don't want me there."

She sighed, patting the soil. "It isn't that... it's just that I don't think I'll be able to handle the reality of the situation if I speak it out loud. It'll become too real if I do."

"I understand. Don't do me any favors. When or if you want to tell me you'll figure that out on your own time. For now, let's get these flowers into some sun."

She stood up with the tray of flowers. "You're a really great guy, Claude Mason." He blushed, enjoying the praise as he picked up the other tray. "It's a pity that you're such a creepy stalker." She giggled and rushed off.

He gasped, scoffing at her claim. "No, I am not, August Chandler." He chuckled, her laughter echoed towards him as he kept up the pace after her.