*insert creative title*

A Fresh Flower

Kara sat under the willow tree, twiddling the grass absentmindedly. The breeze was fresh and cool, the perfect mix for a fine spring day. Clouds moved lazily across the crystal sky. She turned her gaze to the earth beneath her feet. A little ladybug clung to a particularly large blade of grass. She chuckled, putting her finger under the little critter, letting it crawl on her. She brought her hand up, examining it. The pattern of spots was pretty, the shell of the bug sprinkled with dew. She was so enamored with the bug that she hardly noticed the second person until he sat down. With a jump, she whipped around to face him. Ah. Aiden Acharya. The boy to whom she confessed, despite feeling near nothing for him. The boy to whom she hadn't spoken to in months. There wasn't any resentment between them, nothing of the sort, actually. It was just... awkward. They never truly got to work it out, instead they just let it hang between them.

And life had gone on, as it does. Aru and Aiden started dating, Kara worked things out between her sisters and Rudy and everyone else, and that was that. Nothing big. And yet, every time they were in a room together, they would say nothing to each other. What would they even say? "Hey, haha, I know I kinda confessed to you, but I don't actually like you." That was too awkward, even by her standards. For a while, they didn't say anything, and instead just sat under the shade of the tree. The silence was uncomfortable, but not unbearably so. Kara could almost ignore his presence. "So..." Aiden started, tugging at the blades of grass, "How've you, uh, been?"

Kara snickered, hiding her face in her hands to try and stifle the laughter. Aiden stared at her. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no! That was just- it was just a funny starter."

Aiden blinked. "I... guess it was?"

She shook her head to clear her laughter, then turned to him. "I've been good. You?"

The conversation was stilted, but better than nothing. "Good as well. We haven't talked much in a while."

"We haven't. How're things with you and Aru?"

A slight blush dusted his cheeks at that, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Hehe, things have been good. Better than I expected, I guess."

"Yeah? That's good! She's happy with you," Kara told him, a smile on her lips. He looked up at that, eyes wide.

"Really?"

"Yep!"

He smiled softly, gazing at the ground. She turned her eyes back to the blue sky, letting him daydream whatever it was that lovers daydream. Her eyes started drooping, the quiet of the park lulling her to sleep. And she would have fallen asleep if Aiden didn't suddenly clear his throat. She turned to him and saw him twisting a flower in his hands. He offered it to her solemnly and she took it. Soft yellow petals all over, she instantly recognized it as a daffodil.

"Thanks?"

"It's a friendship flower."

Aiden said that with such authority and seriousness, Kara almost didn't giggle. But the situation's absurdness won over and she laughed. "Fr-Friendship flower?"

"Yes!" Aiden said, sounding so deeply offended Kara immediately felt bad.

"No, no! I like it, that was just funny! It's a very nice friendship flower."

Aiden chuckled. "We should start over. It's a bit awkward coming over to Aru's and then not talking to you. Feels bad, y'know?"

"Mhm," Kara hummed, twirling the flower. 

A fresh start sounded nice. And it would start with her favorite flower, too.