Deitne Academy: Aligning the Stars

Flowers in Bloom

Keith smiled, the morning breeze blew the trees around, each one swaying in a dance. He and Yarrow sat on the floor, making flower chain bracelets for the group. Voshell had convinced Hobble to get up earlier to join them, so the two of them were talking by a bunch of bushes. Alyssa, Cookie, and Alex were by a pond looking at the little frogs inside.

It was a nice morning, like all of them. 

"I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet..." Hobble's voice echoed in Keith's ear, so he decided to listen in on what the two of them were talking about.

"Surely the way he looks at him is obvious enough, right?" Hobble sighed.

"I guess not."

"It's almost frustrating. It's been what, two months of this!?"

"I know... poor Cassidy."

Keith froze solid. Cassidy? Who were they talking about? Does Cassidy have a crush on someone? Somehow, the thought of that weighed down on his heart.

"Keith? You good?" Yarrow tilted her head as she finished her second bracelet.

Keith slowly nodded, "Mhm."

"Alright then," Yarrow gave him a soft smile before looking back at the patch of flowers, picking a small cornflower, "So, how are things?"

"Okay... Cassidy is acting less weird, so I think that's good?" Keith chuckled.

Yarrow nodded, "Sounds good. I heard Lumi got in trouble for keeping a weapon on her... why would she need one here?"

"Dunno," Keith shrugged, "Some people might feel safer with means of self defense on them."

"True," Yarrow looked down at her last bracelet, "You done?"

"Mhm," Keith nodded, showcasing his three flower chains.

Yarrow smiled, "Nice. Let's go give these out then."

Keith stood up and walked over to Alyssa, Alex, and Cookie.

"Ooo... look at that little one!" Cookie pointed at a bright green frog swimming in the pond, "It's so cute!"

"You say they're all cute, though," Alex sighed.

Cookie scoffed, "But they are!"

"Hey, guys?" Keith tried to catch their attention.

Alyssa turned her head and smiled, "Hi Keith! What is it?"

"Me and Yarrow were making these for everyone. Here," Keith handed her one of the bracelets.

Alyssa grinned, "Aw, thanks! You two, Keith has some flower bracelets for us!"

Both Cookie and Alex shuffled over and grabbed different bracelets, putting them on immediately.

"It's like our little thing! Just for us!" Cookie gazed at the flowers adorning her wrist and then back at Keith.

"U-uh, yeah!" Keith smiled, "I guess so."

As the three of them resumed conversation, Yarrow walked back up to Keith, a daisy bracelet around her own wrist, holding a poppy flower chain.

She handed it to him, smiling, "Here. You like poppies, right?"

"I do," Keith took the flower chain and tied it around his wrist. It was like the one he had given to Cassidy. Thinking back to then, his heart sunk a little more.

"Just... know you can talk to me about anything, okay?" Yarrow gave him a soft, comforting smile.

Keith nodded, "Of course."

Sitting in his magic class, the teacher was rambling about the importance of correct pronunciation, so Keith wasn't exactly paying much attention. It almost felt criminal, but he managed.

Keith glanced over to Cassidy, who looked like he was day-dreaming about something. His face was in a humungous smile, and his eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Keith knew that expression, and he could feel his heart sink down into his stomach. He had no idea why he felt like that, but it felt uncomfortable and sad.

Sighing, Keith gave into good behaviour and tuned back into the teacher. There was nothing else productive he could think of doing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cassidy gazed through the window, smiling like a fool. He often spent lecture-time day-dreaming, thinking all about the boy a couple seats in front of him. His beautiful ice-cold eyes that harbored an unfamiliar but cosy warmth, one of a freshly lit fireplace. 

He sighed, his eyes returning to the book in front of him, in place of notes were countless drawings of flowers, each better than the last.

Cassidy chuckled to himself. 

This was getting out of hand.