it happens.

         “  would  i  be  a  terrible  person  if  i  say  yes  ?  sometimes  i  just  want  to  run  off  and  live  in  the  european  countryside  .  maybe  the  french  countryside  ?  but  what  makes  you  say  you’d  be  the  best  coffee  shop  owner  in  the  world  ?  ”

“     well,     i would have been surprised if you said no,     actually…     but wait,    what’s the difference between both countrysides…?     aside from the fact that one is,    you know,     french and the other is european—-     and i would be the best coffee shop owner not only because i make a mean coffee but because i have ideas:      coffee shop slash flower shop slash souvenir shop that hosts holiday parties every now and then with themed drinks,      nothing but good and welcoming vibes.    just some fixing and adding and removing myself from here and there and i could make it a reality.      if only i wasn’t under a contract.     ”     he sighs.

         “  i  think  it  depends  on  how  far  you  want  to  be  from  new  york  and  you  didn’t  film  at  any  of  those  locations  ,  right  ?  bali  will  definitely  give  you  some  options  depending  on  if  you  want  to  relax  or  explore  ––  and  it  feels  a  little  more  remote  .  but  maybe  i’m  just  thinking  to  when  i  had  to  film  there  .  ”

“      very,     very far away from the city and no,     i haven’t filmed in any of those places but i’ve stayed in puerto vallarta once…      loved the vibes at the beach and i had a really good time,     but i’d like something more secluded.     i need a detox.     ”

turning around abruptly, neo almost drops the weight he's holding, again. but luckily, he places it down as cool as he can, which really means awkwardly and slowly. "o-oh, uh. hi. it's you... and, uh, no, i didn't." he almost facepalms, realizing that probably makes it sounds worse than it is. he's just a loser, who's shy, and doesn't know how to text a girl. especially one that referred to him as the ultimate life form, shadow the hedgehog. he almost blushes. "but! i've been wanting to see you, you just weren't around. what uh, brings you back? or, i guess, stopped you from coming by?" he scratches at the back of his neck, "oh, and sorry.. about not texting. i-um. i'm not really great at most forms of communication."

she waves her hand dismissively at his apology,     pretending as if she wasn’t taken a little bit too back at the sincerity at the beginning.     mayhaps…      she went in a little bit too hard?     she did,     however,     brighten up knowing that he has been wanting to see her.     “      you’re good,      no need to apologize.     it’s just good to know that it wasn’t because you thought i was weird.     ”     because who in their right mind would ever throw their number at someone only to talk about their interest?     “     and about my absence,     i had to leave the city to do some filming overseas.     got the worst luck ever:     paid to join only to leave the next day,     funny,     no?     but now i’m back to do the yapping.     with some exercises on the side,     i guess…     ”     she laughs,     “      no one has pointed out your tattoo,     yet?     only me?     ”

                    “   okay   ,   let’s   just   get   this   out   in   the   open   .       assumptions   were   made   ,   some   …       not - so - nice   things   were   said   ,   very   bad   things   were   thought   .       called   you   a   gold   digger   ,   said   you   were   using   lari   for   free   jet   rides   ,   called   you   a   fake   ,   cursed   you   ,   went   full   csi   :   wiki - how   edition   trying   to   figure   out   how   to   dispose   of   a   dead   body   …       all   that   .       clearly   ,   there’s   something   i’m   missing   here   .       so   how   about   i   buy   you   a   drink   and   you   tell   me   where   i   got   all   these   “   unfair   ”   ideas   about   you   ?   ”       //       @rainforum

“      …or you could just buy me a drink and actually apologize, no?     ”

         she  listens  with  interest  ,  nodding  every  so  often  to  follow  along  .  “  i  heard  about  that  .  it’s  like  a  replica  with  crystals  and  semi-precious  stones  instead  of  actual  diamonds  ,  right  ?  ”  ana  muses  with  a  light  nod  .  “  i  think  you  hold  so  much  power  for  being  able  to  keep  the  real  crown  .  but  how  do  you  even  insure  that  ?  and  security  ?  ”  even  the  crowns  within  the  thai  royal  family  stay  locked  in  a  vault  at  some  undisclosed  location  .  not  exactly  something  you  can  wear  everyday  .

they dismissively wave their hand once they’ve processed the inquiry,     playfully scrunching their nose on the process,     “     i’m not sure,     i’m afraid.     my manager would be a better answerer than i since he’s the one whose been dealing with everything since negotiations were made during my reign.     my apartment’s security is pretty tight,     so i don’t worry too much about it.     however,     i’ve been considering my manager’s advice on keeping it in a vault back home but,     call me silly but i am going to miss it—     it’s my crown!     have you ever gotten attached to a crown before?     if yes,    you would understand me,     no?     ”

           ۟. 🐻               ៶               “   cartoon   animation   ,   for   sure   .      just   let   me   study   your   features   a   bit   ,   maybe   take   some   pics   with   poses   for   a   reference   when   i'm   drawing   ?      nothing   too   crazy   ,   i   pinky   promise   .   ”

“      okay,     okay,     i got you,     i will try my best to give you exactly what you need.     what pose are you thinking?      maybe... this?     ”

          “  babe  ,  you  are  so  lucky  you  don’t  know  what  that  is  .  what  i  would  give  to  be  that  person  again  .  but  you  got  it  right  on  the  money  .  it’s  a  bagel  with  the  insides  scooped  out  .  it  literally  makes  NO  SENSE  .  why  get  a  bagel  if  you  don’t  want  all  that  ?  ”

“      oh wow?     makes me wonder if they were actually being for real or if it was just for funsies…     who knows!     maybe their go to influencer or favorite celebrity made a joke and now they’ve got to try it out.     i would get a scooped bagel if dolly parton told me to,     not gonna lie...    ”

         “  don’t  forget  selfish  !  like  come  on  ,  at  least  let  them  have  their  day  before  you  pop  the  question  .  and  like  you  said  ,  worst  comes  to  worst  and  the  relationship  doesn’t  work  out  ?  yikes  .  it’s  passable  to  hate  valentine’s  day  .  that’s  pretty  much  a  prerequisite  for  half  the  people  who  live  in  new  york  .  but  to  hate  your  own  birthday  or  not  want  to  celebrate  it  because  of  a  failed  relationship  ?  god  …  i’d  want  to  change  my  birthday  .  ”

“      that would be a serious case of pick a struggle.     now you’ve got me wondering if anyone has been ever gone through that and fuck,     if this is someone’s reality,     i hope they’ve been together since they popped the question.     new yorkers are…      interesting,     so i wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more than five.     twenty,     even!      ”

“  aw  ,  that’s  sweet ⸻ i  was  hoping  they  didn’t  just  get  tossed  in  the  trash  ,  “  couldn’t  imagine  letting  such  beautiful  florals  go  to  waste  ,  especially  this  time  of  year  .  “  what  the  fuck  is  potpourri  ?  is  that  not  the  stuff  you  spray  in  the  toilet  once  you’re  done  ?  “  eyebrows  furrow  ,  maybe  somewhat  fresh  flowers  was  the  secret  to  making  it  smell  so  good  .  she  can’t  help  but  let  out  a  laugh  at  mona’s  passionate  insistence  on  taking  her  flower  picking  very  seriously  ,  “  i  didn’t  know  you  were  this  into  flowers  ,  i  always  forget  about  flowers  until  spring  comes  around  ⸻  i’ve  had  a  bouquet  of  roses  in  my  kitchen  for  a  week  or  two  now  ,  i’m  honestly  shocked  they’re  not  dead  yet  ,  “  she  nods  at  the  hydrangeas  ,  fully  willing  to  reap  the  benefits  of  mona’s  secret  stash  of  knowledge  for  floral  arrangements.  “  oooh  definitely  yes  on  the  eucalyptus  ,  i’m  obsessed  with  the  way  it  smells  ,  “  she  nods  ,  plucking  two  from  a  nearby  bucket  and  adding  it  to  the  growing  collection  in  her  hands  .  “  one  day  this  summer  we  should  go  to  one  of  those  flower  fields  .  .  .  i  think  they’re  over  on  the  east  side  somewhere  , they  have  a  huge  sunflower  garden  and  they  let  you  pick  a  couple  for  five  bucks  ,  have  you  ever  been  ?  “ 

“      nooooo,      potpourri is more…     ”     they tap a finger to their chin as they consider their explanation,     “     …dried flowers,     spices and such that are kept in a bowl or a plate for a fresh scent.     similar to those air fresheners in the bathroom,     yes,     but not really,     because potpourri just needs to be there to be smelled.      they are also pretty to look at,    too.     ”     and mona grins when aria plucks the mentioned blooms without asking any questions and doubting their own knowledge,     feeling just like a florist themselves.    “     i’m surprised you didn’t know,     actually,      sometimes i fear that this is my only personality…      my manager once told me walking into my apartment felt like walking through a flower field     —-      and i’ve heard of it,      yes,     but as saddening as it is to me i’ve never had the time to visit it.     do you know how devastating it is for me to know that there is one field i haven’t run across?      ”      they sigh dramatically,      dainty hand resting upon their chest and everything.     this was a very serious matter for mona!      “     we need to go once we have the chance.     we could wear matching dresses and leave with a bouquet of sunflowers.     a literal dream.    ”