Jayden

The honey shade cast by the sun over the warm beach sand reminds me of the pumpkin pie that nana used to make for us every Halloween. The same pumpkin pie that me and my sister, Jenna, went crazy over. I remember the obsession we had with the desert like it was yesterday.

Every Halloween, we'd wait patiently for nana to come and visit us, so we could pretend not to know what her 'festival suprise' was, only to end up ravishing the pie once we get our little monstrous hands on it.

The memory is laced with a sense of comfort and raw happiness that makes me smile a bit, but it quickly washes off once I see my desired destination.

The flower shop stood tall and strong, like it has been for the last six years, the hanged sign swinging from the slightly violent wind today. Seeing the flower shop still standing tall after all these years brings a wave of nostalgia over me, and I smile again, happy to be here.

Leaving no time to linger, I push the glass doors to the shop and step in. The bell directly above me rings alerting the cashier who sat at the main desk, skimming through a magazine. One about technology and the newest computers.

She looks up for a second and her brown eyes stare right into mine. Suddenly in panic, I wave awkwardly and smile. She stares at me and doesn't budge from her place to return my gesture before going back to her magazine.

My face flashes red from embarrassment as I close the door behind me and fully walk in. I pretend to scan the shop as I walk over to the counter. I proceed to awkwardly place my elbow on the counter, and look at her expectantly.

But she doesn't look up, even when I'm pretty sure she sees me because she keeps glancing at me through her lashes. My knees feel weaker everytime she does that, because it's so God damn *attractive* and my stomach turns roughly.

Finally, deciding to break the silence, I speak up.

" D-dinah ", calling somebody's name can't really go wrong, can it ? I'm almost sure sure that I took a safe route, but that's when she looks up at me, and she looks genuinely and truly annoyed as she stares me down.

"What."

When she finally speaks, her voice comes out harsh and unforgiving, which would've scared me away if I didn't know her well enough.

"Um.. I was wondering if..", the words are caught in my throat and I curse mentally at myself as her stare turns more and more cold and harsh.

"Speak up, Jayden."

This time when she speaks, even if her stare signifies distaste, I notice it falter. And I know it's because she doesn't usually mean to scare me, but it's how she just deals with people.

"I-I was wondering if you were free this Saturday ?"

My face feels hot and I wait breathlessly for her response. But to my disappointment, she just looks back to the magazine, "No, sorry, I've got a shift her on Saturday."

My eyes drop noticeably, but she doesn't look up anymore. And I have to remind myself that I shouldn't give up now, because I know she doesn't trust people easily.

"Oh no no, it's totally fine, I'll have to ask some other time then. Have a good day, Dinah."

Out of common courtesy, she wishes me a good day as well as I open the door. 'I'm not giving up on her, not yet.' Determination surges through my body and I'm over my disappointment quickly as I plan my next attempt at asking her out.

But only now, when I'm leaving the shop do I notice the paper glued onto the glass, stating that the shop isn't open on Saturdays.

>> ♤ <<

Dinah

I don't feel bad for lying to him.

I really don't, I should feel bad and that's what the little bit of kindness present in me says, but then I remember that Jayden will probably try again tomorrow if he realizes I lied to him. If he doesn't, he'll try again next week. Either way, I won't burst his bubble. And either way, I don't care.

Because for the past month, Jayden has tried to ask me out about 23 times so far, and I've found a way to reject him each time. Yet, he never stopped trying.

I wasn't looking for romantic love these days, and probably at all. Because I didn't need that, when all it ends up in is shambles with broken hearts. Just madness.

Besides, I got my closest friends to fill the loneliness I might suffer from every now and then, and that's more than enough for me to last forever.

Fiction

🌟 Jayden and Dinah : A very short love story.

Tulips And Thorns : Part 1.

🌟 The Arcana :

Nothing yet.

Nonfiction

🌟 The world : A series.

A Reason To live.