COSMOS | E. SMITH ROWE

• 26 •

The radio is playing quietly while Lily's is mopping the floor and Emile's putting the flowers away for the night. They work in complete silence.

Since she went to the movies with Mason, Emile has distanced himself from her. He still comes to the shop to help her out, but they don't joke around a lot anymore.

Suddenly a song by The Kooks comes on the radio. Lily drops her mop the floor and sprints to the radio to turn the volume up.

"This is one of my favourite songs," she exclaims and she start singing and dancing along to song.

Emile has to stiffle a laugh, because both her dancing and singing are quite terrible.

Lily starts dancing towards him, takes the bucket with flowers out his hands and puts it on the ground. "Dance with me Emile," she says and takes his hands. "I wanna make you happy!" she sings along.

Laughing Emile dances along with her. Lily has to smile as well. She really missed his laugh echoing through out the shop the past few days.

They're both too busy dancing with each other that they don't notice someone entering. Mason stands still when he notices the pair dancing and laughing together. Bukayo had already warned him about their connection, but he still liked to believe he stands a chance, definetly after their "date". But now that he sees the two together, he realises that he has to take a step back.

"Mase, what are you doing here?" Lily asks surprised when she stopped dancing and noticed Mason standing there.

Emile immediatly let's go of Lily when he hears that name and resumes his work. The smile slowly leaving his face.

Mason walks towards Lily. "I wanted to ask you out on a proper date, but I can see now that I don't stand a chance," Mason answers while looking at something behind her.

Lily follows Mason gaze. He's looking at Emile, who has his back turn to them.

"Bukayo already told me about you two, but I didn't believe him then. Now that I've witnessed it with my own eyes I do."

"There's nothing between Emile and I," Lily says.

"There is Lilian. You just have to open your eyes," Mason says sincerely. "So I'm going to leave now and you'll tell Emile how you feel."
He turns around and walks towards the exit of the shop. "He's going to make you happy, Lily," he says before walking out the door.

Confused Lily turns her head to look at Emile. He standing there while picking at a lily, lost in thought. After her chat with Bukayo a few days ago, she started thinking about her feelings for Emile, but then he distanced himself from her and she realised that maybe he didn't feel the same way. Now Mason shows up and says this.

"Emile?" she calls out to the boy. Slowly he turns around with the lily still in his hands.

"Oh Mason's gone?" he asks surprised.

"Do you like me Emile?" He's completely taken aback by her bold question.

He keeps fidling with the flower in his hands while searching for the right words to say. Does he tell her the truth or does he play it safe? "Of course I like you. We wouldn't be friends otherwise." He plays it safe.

"Emile I want to know how you really feel before I get my hopes up and get my heart broken again. I want to know if you like me more than a friend," the girl says.

Emile takes a deep breath and slowly walks up to the girl. "Yes I like you Lily. I liked you since the first time we talked to each other," he confesses.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She looks up into his warm brown eyes.

"I don't know at first I wanted to give you time to get over Thomas, but then your mum got sick. Those weren't really the right times. Then Mason came along and I thought you liked him."

"Well I think now is a right time, no?" Lily grins.

"I like you so much Lily. Will you go out with me?" Emile slowly brings his hand up to put the lily he's been holding behind her ear.

"You know that's a lily right?"

"I know. I think they're the most beautiful flower in the world," he whispers, with the most confidence she's ever heard of him. "Just like you. So what's your answer?"

"Yes of course Emile! I could never turn you down after that confession," she smiles while wrapping her arms around to pull him in a hug.