Sunflower | h.s

12

Aaliyah Moreno

Me and Harry made our way back up to the hill after what feels like ages of walking. I couldn't help but feel like I'd hurt his back even though he kept reassuring me that it was okay and that he was just happy I got to feel the flower for the first time.

We sit down next to each other, closer than we normally do. It was enough for me to smell his scent, it was hard in the fields because all you could smell was the sent of the flower. His smell reminded me of the coffee shop which sounds weird I know, but I loved the smell. It was a smell that made me feel so...at home. It reminds me of when I sit down at a table with my coffee in my hand while I sit down to read.

Nothing is more immediate than the sense of smell. In an instant, it has the power to transport you. Your sense does not only connect to the memory itself, but the emotion you feel when that memory is made. While I'm reading I feel safe and protected. So I guess that's what Harry's scent was. It was endearing yet strong.

"Aaliyah." Harry says as he breaks the silence. I totally forgot that I wasn't talking because I was just focusing on his scent.

"Yes." I say as I bring my knees up to my chest, wrap my arms around them and rest my head on the top of my knees as I look over to Harry.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asks catching me off guard slightly. I never normally thought of what I was doing the next day, but I don't think I was doing anything.

"Nothing. Why?" I ask and smile.

"You know that uh... coffee shop." He says while rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment

"Yes." I say as I look up at him.

"Would you like to go there tomorrow? With me? You can show me around the place?" He says while smiling lightly

I sit up and brush my arm. I felt butterflies in my stomach go crazy.

You know the feeling?

The butterflies that fill and flutter in your stomach. That huge uncontrollable smile you do and can't help to stop? Better yet, to the point where you cant even say a single word because of it? The silly giddiness that takes over?

Yeah. That feeling.

That is what I felt as I looked into Harry's eyes as I nodded while feeling my cheeks hurt from smiling. He exhaled a sigh of what looked like to be relief, he probably thought I'd say no which makes me sad a bit. I'd love to get to know him better.

"Thanks." He says as he looks at me

"For what?" I say as I raise an eyebrow

He shrugs his shoulders as he blushes and smiles, causing his dimples to pop

"I love your smile." I say as I chuckle a bit

"I love your laugh." He says while smiling harder

I hated my laugh. Absolutely hated it.

"Really? I don't like it. It's so loud."

"Let them know your laughing darling. Let them know your laughing." He says as he nudged my shoulder playfully.

"I got to head home to watch my brother-"

"Let me walk you back." He cuts me off while smiling.

"O-okay." I say while standing up and taking Harry's hand in mine.

We start walking slowly back to my house while our forearms brush against each other as our hands intertwine. I don't know what it is about hand holding that I find so beautiful. Maybe it's the simplicity because intertwining fingers can say so much, more than words or poems that try to hard. Or maybe because it was I now understood as to why people held hands, I'd always thought it was about possessiveness as if to say "this is mine," but it's actually about maintaining contact and both simultaneously thinking that no matter what the world chucked at you in that moment, you didn't have to face it alone.

Harry's hair swayed lightly in the wind, as did mine as we get to the gate of my house. He stops and placed his hand in his pocket and uses the other one to brush his brown, curled hair out of his eyes. He just looks at me deeply as he didn't know what to say. So I said something for him, not literally though.

I gave him a hug, and he hugs me back.

His arms rest over my shoulder as they lock behind the back of my neck, while my arms wrap around under his waist and meet at his lower back. My head rests on the side of his chest as he nestles his nose in my hair.

Hugs are one of the most underrated things in my opinion. Especially those hugs that are tight that you can literally feel the other persons heartbeat and for a moment, everything feels calm and safe. Like nothing can hurt you because you're so consumed in the other persons embrace, an embrace that makes you want to never let go.

"See you tomorrow Aaliyah. I'll drive you there. I'll pick you up at 9:30 if that's okay."

I smile brightly and agree.

"Goodbye Harry." I say as I walk off, smiling greatly to myself as I feel my heart flutter against my rib cage. I go to walk in my house and turn around before waving goodbye and chuckling to myself.

I watch him walk back to his house as I go in and shut the door behind me. I rest my head against the back of the door and lightly bite my lip and exhale through my nose, still processing what just happened.

I slip my shoes of and run upstairs. I thought I'd read more of my book. I lay down on my bed, creasing my dress in the process, and I grab the book of my bedside table.

// the stage after roots is to become strong enough to help yourself get to the surface. To do this you need to ensure you have enough light, energy and water provided.

The light should be where you chose to see the good things in life instead of focusing on the bad. If you do that, your plant will wither and you will not succeed. You need to sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes rely on happiness in life. You have to find light no matter how dark it may be under the soil.

The energy and water provided is about how you look after yourself. You need to ensure you provide yourself with enough nutrients so you find the strength to help yourself blossom.

This light and energy will not only help you blossom, but they help you through the entire process. You see; once you have started finding that light and energy, throughout the process you manage to find different ways in which you can maximise your opportunity of growth.

What I'm saying here is, there's always a chance to grow, no matter the conditions. There will always be light, there will always be nutrients, you just have to eventually bring yourself to help find them, and when you do. Never let them go.\\

I close my book and lie down on my bed and realise that the light I found, was Harry. I've been through many dark stages in my life, but I'm glad I waited.