Lander - Before vs. After

Flowers

Requested by IJustExisting

A hooded figure peeked their head around the corner of the house. After making sure it was safe, they soundlessly opened and shut the door behind them.

    They hurried upstairs as quietly as they could to the bedroom. Quickly, before someone comes back!

    They scanned the room to make sure it was the right one. A desk with homework and drumsticks on it. A picture of him and his best friend on the bedside table. Yep, this is his room. After shutting the door, they got out everything they needed and set it up, making sure not to disturb anything else in the room.

    They stepped back to admire their work. Perfect. With a satisfied smirk, they swiftly left the house unnoticed.

  • • •

    Luke came home from hanging out with the club with a smile on his face. Well, not the whole club - Zander had homework, and Milly had vaguely said she needed to do something important. He wished they could have joined them, but it was fun nevertheless.

    He started climbing the stairs, glancing at the family portrait on the wall fondly as he did so. It was painted in different shades of blues, from a dark, navy blue to a diluted blue so light it was almost white. It was very detailed, too - it looked so lifelike. The painter had done a brilliant job.

    Luke opened the door to his room and stopped, confused. I don't remember putting that there.

    He walked over and examined the flowers that were now on his desk. Oh! There's a note attached. It read:

    Dear Luke,

    I hope you like these flowers. I'm too much of a tsundere to say it in person, but I wanted to tell you that I love you.

  Zander <3

Before:

    Luke could feel his face turning pink. He loves me? He sank down on his bed, dazed.

    After sitting there trying to comprehend it for a solid three minutes, Luke decided to call his friend and ask him about the flowers and note.

    Zander picked up on the second ring. "Hey, Luke! Why are you calling me?"

    Luke took a deep breath. "I, uh, wanted to ask you about the letter you sent me. And the flowers?"

    "What are you talking about?" Zander's confusion was evident.

    "The, uh, flowers you sent me? With the note?" He tried again.

    "What does the note say?" Zander inquired.

    Luke read it out loud. After he was finished, there was silence from Zander's end.

    "Zander? Are you still there?" Luke asked.

    "L-Luke, I didn't write that," Zander squeaked.

    Luke wilted a little. "You didn't?"

    "I didn't send you those flowers either. That was someone else."

    "Oh." Luke felt dejected. He'd thought he actually had a chance, but obviously he was wrong. Zander didn't see him that way, and probably never would. He knew he shouldn't have gotten encouraged, but he couldn't help it. For the first time, he'd had hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, Zander returned his feelings.

    "Well, who did this then?" Zander pondered, breaking into Luke's thoughts.

    "I don't know," he answered.