lavender; nishimura riki

ten.

4/26 8:32pm - on set.

"Ugh." You whine. "I'm so tired from the zoo why did Felice and Mateo decide to take us there?"

"You have to admit that the baby tigers were cute." Riki says.

"The baby tigers were cute." You agree with a sigh.

"Alright everybody, get settled and let's get going!" Director Lee calls. "Done complaining you two? You get nearly a whole week to rest after this."

"Four days is not nearly a whole week." You mumble to yourself. Riki stifles a laugh beside you. He places a hand to the small of your back and pushes you slightly. "Just go get on set and let's get your scene over with." He makes a face. "You know, I didn't even have to come but out of the kindness of my soul I came with you."

"You came with me because Mateo didn't want to trouble Felice in driving all over."

Riki doesn't respond and just pushes you slightly harder.

"Fine!" You move away from him.

———

Tara doesn't bother to announce her arrival once she returns from Leo's house because her mother doesn't typically care after all. All she does is hound her and scare her and leave her with bruises. Tara climbs up to her room to set down her box of cake and the bloodred carnation Leo handed her before she left, but as she does, she realizes that she doesn't hear her mother's usual shuffling and clanking of bottles. She glances around the room them gently leans into the hallway. "Mom?" She carefully moves out, taking small footsteps. "Mom?" She wrinkles her nose at the scent of old cigarette smoke wafting from the bathroom. She pushes open the creaky door- she should remind her mom to get them oiled -and steps inside.

The first thing she's met with is her very own reflection on the wall in front of her and the sink below it. There are old chewed up cigarettes balanced on the edge and both of their toothbrushes in a little cup with paint around the edges from when the two used to pursue art projects when Tara was still little. "Mom?" Her gaze slowly drifts towards the shower curtain. It seems sentient with the way it shifts slightly with the movement of Tara's body towards it. She wouldn't be incredibly surprised if her mother is hiding behind there, waiting to scare her (she'd done things of the such before) but there is something simply unsettling about the stillness of the room. A certain uneasiness that hangs in the air.

Tara reaches for the curtain and pulls it aside with a swish. For a moment, she doesn't comprehend what she's seeing. There is a line indicating where the bathwater had once been filled before it begun to evaporate and the current level of water is slightly below, completely tainted red. Red. Like blood. So there the source of the blood lies. Tara's mother, head thrown back, eyes open, tear streaks down her cheeks and a smile on her face.

It occurs to Tara, that from the moment her mother committed suicide, while she shared smiles with the one person who cares, she's been an orphan.

———

Tara is calling Leo frantically from the home phone, heart thundering in her chest and hands shaking. The moment he picks up, she's crying. "Leo! What do I do? What do I do!?" She sobs. "My mum is dead."

———

4/26 10:03pm - in your hotel room.

The bags that Mateo and Riki left of snacks are still lying on your bed. You reach into one bag and produce a small package of cookies. You hum as you tear it open, at the same time twisting the lavender Riki had given you around in your fingers. You're admiring it. Admiring a flower that a boy gave you. A flower that the boy you like gave you? Pretty much.

"Felice!" Leaving the lavender on the bedside table, you throw your legs off the bed and stand up, going into the bathroom where Felice is doing her skin care. She stares in your direction when she hears you coming, eyes closed and face covered in soap.

"Uh, do we have anything to keep the lavender in?"

"Probably." She makes a sour face and spits in the sink when she accidentally eats the soap. She gently cleanses her face so that she can look at you and speak without getting a mouthful of skincare. "I think there was a cup lying around her somewhere." She shuffles around the things in the bathroom and produces a plastic cup.

"What is that?" You lean over to peer at it.

"Pretty sure it's from those cough medicines, you know? I have it for some reason, dunno why."

"Ohh." You hum and accept it, squinting at it slightly. "It works! It's tall enough." You quickly fill it with water and walk slowly out, placing the cup one of the nightstands. You let out a relived huff to find that you haven't spilled any water. Gently grasping the sprig of lavender, you place it into the water. Then, you reach for your phone to click a picture and send it to the very boy that gave it to you. He doesn't respond immediately, rather after a couple of minutes. The response isn't much response either. He just likes the photo. You sigh. Fine. If that's how it is.

———

4/28 10:26am - hotel dining room

10:26

that annoying guy
ate yet?

you
eating
you?

that annoying guy
not yet

you
where u
come to dining room
theynhave croissants

that annoying guy
how fancy.

you
mhm.
just hurry you ass cause breakfast ends at 11:00am
read 10:28am

"Hey."

You jump in your seat slightly at the low voice behind you. You glance around, confused, then look straight up. "How's you get here so fast?"

Riki crosses his arms, staring down at you. "I'm so sorry to have hidden this from you for so long, but I can actually fly." He says with a straight face. You return that with an unamused expression, "Very funny. Now get your food and sit down."

Just to piss you off, he doesn't sit down after getting his food. Instead, he stands, taking long sips from his chocolate milk. You sigh. "Fine, whatever, but I have plans for us today. You can decline if you want to."

Riki raises his eyebrows, setting down his chocolate milk and running his tongue over his lips, "Plans? With you? Immediate no."

You roll your eyes. "Well, it was just to go out for a movie or something, you know..." You mumble. Riki's lips turn up at the edges. He clears his throat, "What time?"

You bite your bottom lip to keep yourself from breaking into a smile. "2:30. Meet me in the lobby." You push your chair out and exit the dining hall.

As you walk, you clutch the hem of your shirt, registering the burn in your cheeks. Your afraid that you're falling. Hopelessly so, and you don't want to be.

Even so, it's about time you accept it.