Marigold and Daisies (H.S.)

Nine

Marigold's POV

"You told him that you love him??" Allie asked for the third time as she sat across from me on the couch, her legs curled up against her chest with a mug cupped in her hands. I groaned loudly and nodded, hiding my face in my hands.

It's been a week since I last talked to Harry, since I confessed that I still loved him. I scared him off, that's the only possible explanation. He hasn't made any attempt to contact me, over the phone or in person.

"I know!!" I shouted into my hands, still kicking myself for confessing to him. I explained what happened to her maybe five times already but she insisted that I repeated it to her again and again.

"It's a little early don't you think?" Allie frowned, she knew how I felt about Harry and was just completely shocked that I had admitted it to him. I shot her glare for stating the obvious.

"I know!!!" I repeated myself. "I know it's too soon. I know. I didn't mean to say it, we were arguing and it was very much in the heat of the moment." I sighed deeply, dropping my hands into my lap.

"But you do love him? You were serious about that?" Allie looked at me sadly, knowing there was a mental battle going on in my head right now.

"If I'm being honest, I don't think I ever stopped loving him." I shrugged. "Sure, he put me through a lot. But the love never left or faded. To be fair he's been my best friend since we were in diapers!" I raised my hands up defensively.

"Now am I in love with him? I don't know. But everything I said to him is true and for him to sit there and tell me that it wasn't good enough.." I shook my head bitterly, recalling the argument.

"And he hasn't reached out to you since then?"

I shook my head at her question. I thought Harry needed space, but it's been a week now and it's been radio silent. No messages or no pop ins at the shop, nothing. It was like a punch to the gut. His team never reached out to me to confirm what our decision would be, but they did say that Harry would be the main point of contact.

"I hate to say this, but maybe you should call him." Allie scrunched her nose, already knowing I would hate that suggestion.

"And be the one to chase him??" I shook my head no. "He told me he wasn't going to walk out and leave again, he told me that he wasn't going anywhere. I need to know if that's true. Me crawling back to him to beg him to talk to me is the exact opposite of that."

"This isn't healthy Mari.. For either of you." She tilted her head, knowingly.

"I know and I get it, but I can't just run back to him."

***

The next day was business as usual. I woke up at the crack of dawn, got ready for work and left when Meredith arrived at the apartment. I went through the normal routine of opening the shop, getting everything ready for the day ahead before sitting in the studio with just under 5 minutes to spare till we officially opened.

With spring coming to an end soon, we had to rotate our floral selection, obviously changing with the season. I pursed my lips as I ordered new flowers and restocked other supplies we were low on.

My phone vibrated in the desk next to the keyboard, Mya had texted me to let me know she's running late meaning I had to man the front end of the store. I groaned, knowing I've been avoiding working the front end of the store since the articles had dropped. There have been people in and out of the store, staring at me, taking pictures and whispering to one another. It's been rough, I couldn't say I was too pleased at the attention I was receiving. I couldn't even work in my own shop in peace anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy the shop was getting so much business, but I hate that I'm the center of attention.