My Precious Flower

Chapter 5: Bumped Into Him

As the last of her students left the classroom, Evita found herself alone in the quiet space. She gathered her materials, placing the stack of books neatly into her bag. The weight of the books in her hands served as a tangible reminder of the knowledge she had shared with her students that day. As she headed out, walking through the empty corridors of the school, her thoughts inevitably turned to the lesson on the word "enchanting" and, once again, to Tobias. The word had taken on a new layer of meaning, carrying with it the memories of the dream and the mysterious encounter with the charming stranger.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. Ah, thinking about that mysterious stranger again, am I? she daydreamed. Of course I would be... I can't erase him from my memory in a snap, even if I tried.

It's inexplicable,  we only saw each other once in the real world. she thought, her heart giving a slight flutter at the memory. But enough of that, she chided herself. I should leave the class. There's nothing more for me here.

With her mind still engaged in contemplation and the memory of Tobias lingering in her thoughts, Evita walked the miles of road from the school towards her apartment. As she approached her destination, a realization struck her. She needed to restock her kitchen essentials.

Oh, I totally forgot! she mentally scolded herself. Stupid me... I need to buy gin and salt; otherwise, I won't be able to cook proper meals at home.

While Evita was entering inside a local grocery store, she didn't notice Tobias in the background. He observed from a distance, his gaze following her as she moved through the store.

"That's the gracious girl from the flower shop!" he exclaimed to himself. "I need to talk to her again..."

I'm feeling rejoiced upon seeing her for the second time, thought Tobias as he watch her walking by, but then he wondered, What should I do to make her remember me in case she forgot about our last encounter?

Another thought crashed into his brain. Oh, that's it! I shall give her the one item that represents her the most.

While he contemplated how to approach Evita without startling her, he noticed the Enchanted Florist owned by Miriam standing right across the grocery store. A thoughtful idea crossed his mind, and he decided to head inside the flower shop. Inside the fragrance of flowers greeted him the same way like last night and Miriam had just finished arranging another pot of flowers on the shelf behind her counter.

Miriam glanced up, her smile welcoming. "If you're new here, welcome to Enchanted Florist! The shop that sells a variety of colorful, unique flowers picked out from the wilderness and watered in the mornings!"

Being attentive to her flower shop, she quickly noticed that there were no new customers except for Tobias, who stood patiently at the entrance.

"I'm afraid there's no one new," Tobias said with a touch of amusement. "It's just me... Tobias, madam."

Miriam's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, so you've returned! I'm rather surprised to see you again, especially after such a quiet morning with barely 3 customers."

"It's unfortunate," Tobias said, his voice tinged with melancholy, "that people today seem to have lost their connection to the beauty of flowers. They see them as meaningless, envying those who possess a rare, true beauty."

Miriam looked at him with renewed interest. "Not only are you handsome, but you're also quite knowledgeable and wise, it seems." 

"Well," she continued, "how can I assist you today, Tobias?"

"I'd like to buy a flower this time," he said, his eyes reflecting his earnest request. "Something red, like crimson passion and bright like sunlight."

"Specifically, I'm looking for a red chrysanthemum."

Curiosity got the best of her when she responded. "That must be for a special someone. Mind telling me who it is, sir?" 

"It's for the gracious maiden you mentioned to me and made me meet on the first time I came around here. Evita," he replied. 

"Ahh, Evita it is," Miriam said with a knowing smile. "I see you grew fond of her quite fast and her name still lingered in your mind."

"Do you like her?" she asked. 

"Not going to deny that I do. Who wouldn't adore a precious flower like her?" he replied confidently. 

"I see," Miriam's smile reappeared again. "Well, I'll find the flower you desire for her."

Without hesitation, she navigated through the colorful arrangements in the shop. Within seconds, her experienced eyes spotted the last red chrysanthemum nestled among other flower types in a vase. Miriam then handed the red chrysanthemum to Tobias, its deep red petals vibrant and full of meaning.

"Here you go," she said amiably. "The very last one we have today. I hope this is what you were asking for."

Tobias, appreciative of Miriam's assistance, cradled the flower in his hands, a thoughtful gesture for the encounter he hoped to have with Evita.

Tobias accepted the flower with a grateful nod, cradling it carefully. "Yes, this is perfect. You have a remarkable talent for finding just what's needed, madam."

He looked around the shop, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I'll make sure to come by more often. It's a shame if others don't feel the same way about your shop."

"If I were the mayor of this town," he continued with faith,  "I'd make Enchanted Florist famous."

"You're a very sweet and kind gentleman, Tobias," she said, touched by his words. 

As Tobias left the Enchanted Florist, cradling the red chrysanthemum, he made his way toward the grocery store where he anticipated meeting Evita. The seconds ticked by, and just as he approached the entrance, Evita came out from the store, holding her small kitchen ingredients. In their distracted state, both Tobias and Evita walked closer to each other, their paths converging until they unexpectedly bumped into one another. Evita, not paying attention to where she was walking, was on the verge of dropping her gin bottle. However, in a swift and timely move, Tobias reached out and caught it, preventing it from shattering on the ground.

Evita looked up in surprise, her cheeks were blushing. "My humblest apologies, sir. Forgive my ignorance and please excuse my clumsiness. I didn't see you walking towards me," she said with cold feet. 

Tobias, however, didn't seem to mind and couldn't be mad with her. "Apologies from you are not necessary. It's me who should be the one apologizing. I bumped into you first..."

He then glanced at the gin bottle he caught before it fell to the ground. "It looks like you almost dropped this...Lucky I caught it before it could fall to the ground and break into a million pieces."

Relief washed over Evita's face as she took the gin bottle from him. "Oh, this! Thank you so much!"

Tobias laughed and he didn't stop staring at her with amusement for a second. "If I recall correctly, this is our second time seeing each other. I'm delighted for us to meet again, Evita."

She smiled timidly but with pleasure dancing in her soul. "And I'm delighted you remembered my name, Tobias."

Tobias responded with mischief but lovingly. "Expect me to forget the name of a young, charming, and magnetic woman who has a heart brimming of strong desires? Definitely not, darling."

While they acknowledged each other, their eyes held a certain warmth, a recognition of the connection that seemed to transcend the ordinary. Without saying another word, Tobias reached into his pocket and revealed the beautiful red chrysanthemum he had carefully selected from the flower shop moments ago. With a gentle and deliberate motion, Tobias placed the enchanting flower in Evita's golden, wavy hair, securing it in a way that added a touch of vibrancy to her appearance. His touch was tender as he stroked her face.

"There," Tobias said softly, a satisfied smile on his lips. "You look even more lovely with the flower in your hair."

Evita was speechless. "I have no words left to say. How did you know what my favorite flower was?"

Evita remarked, "No one else can guess!"

Tobias remained warm and knowledgeable. "Darling, you must know how observant I am. It's easy for me to discover what your preferences are."