A Tale of Bubbles & Blooms

Chapter One

'Coming, coming!' I yell, sprinting up the path from the orchard, towards the sunset-ridden house ahead. I carefully skirt around the pond (I had a bad feeling about the stepping stones today.) I speed into the cramped parlor, my short, auburn locks swinging in front of my face. I skid through the open back door, into the parlor, my sandals screeching on the polished wood before being muffled by the old rug. Clutching my diary behind my back, I look up to see Myrtle's subtly searching expression. "Where were you this time, Mae? It's 8 past 6, and you know you're meant to be in for tea at 6 o'clock." Myrtle is a strong believer in being on time, as you might notice.

"I-" Sighing, I decided that I had to lie. That I better get used to lying. "I was down by the orchard, no further, and I watered the Longweed." This, of course, is farthest from the truth. I went through the orchard, across Clay Creek, and into the forest, all the way to Dawn's training grounds. Then I walked back up to our orchard and wrote in my diary. Myrtle scoffs. "Hm... Okay. I suppose I can let you off the hook... but before dinner is served, go check the mail, I believe there's something for you!" Myrtle suddenly smiles, a bittersweet smile I had seen her use often recently. I rush out the front door this time, down the neatly trimmed path, and to the rusty red mailbox at the mouth of the road. Lifting the lid, I peer inside. I wonder... Could it be a birthday present? I am 14 now, after all.

I reach into the mailbox, and my hand clasps a fat letter.

I gasp as I read the front- The letter was sent from my parents!

Delia, my mum, and Cypress, my dad, had adopted me when I was very young. I don't remember much of my birth parents, so it felt appropriate for me to treat them as my parents from the get go.

Myrtle is my gran. (Delia's mother.) She lives with my parents and I in the big old house. She used to live there with her husband, but he passed away soon before their children left home. When Mum and Dad got married, they were truly struggling to find a place to live. Myrtle offered to take them under her roof, and later, me.

And now my parents are on a 3-year trip to experience food around the world, and I'm left alone with her and my thoughts.

Maybe that's what pushed me to rebel? Loneliness?

Fingers trembling, I open the letter.

A little folded piece of paper, tied with a rough string, was squashed in with multiple little pouches. I take it out, untie it, and start reading.

Dear Mae,

We hope this reaches you in time for your birthday. Just think of it- You're 14!

To celebrate this special occasion, we've sent along plenty of treats from Xorlan, a few from Tipcor, and a wee surprise for our wonderful daughter. We hope Myrtle's treating you well, and that you've made some friends in town in this past year. We miss you!

Much love, Mama and Papa.

Now, I never call them Mama and Papa anymore, but they still call themselves that. Embarrassing.

I pull out the pouches. Their foreign scents explode out of the paper bags, as if they'd been waiting. One, about the size of my hand, was filled with dried & seasoned Longweed. There were quite a few small ones with unrecognisable berries, leaves, and even insects. Digging around in the fat envelope, I found a small bottle labelled 'Tipcors Finest Dew' and then my hand met the cool metal of what felt like a necklace.

Confused, I pull the necklace out. The chain was made of tiny little gold orbs, leading down to a beautiful gold heart with pink tulips surrounding it. I smile. In Bloom's Corner, every month a certain flower is celebrated. The May flower is Tulips, and even though I'm a July baby, they have always been my thing.

I pull the necklace over my head. While everybody else is worshipping Hydrangeas this month, here I am, forever a Tulip girl.

I feel a strange pulse on my chest. I look down at the necklace - And it's glowing purple, Hydrangeas now the ones clustering around the golden heart. The glow slowly fades away, and the necklace is completely back to normal. (apart from the Hydrangeas.) It looks just like any other necklace. But... it's different. It's warm and welcoming, yet it holds its own weight. The heart is still glowing faintly purple, and a soft, comforting feeling seems to pulse through me.

I make a mental note to show my friends back at the academy.

And how cool, it must change to the Flower of the Month. I wonder what would happen if I -

I take the necklace back off and cup it preciously in my hands.

The glow goes away, and the Hydrangeas morph back into Tulips.

Wow. I think excitedly. Gorgeous AND magical? I love it.

I stuff everything else back into the envelope, drop the necklace over my head, and run back up the winding cobbled path to the house.