The Graves siblings nymphs

1

A woman shot up from her pillow, gasping and in a cold sweat.

Her neutral golden skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, her long rose petal hair slightly messy and her deep yet exotic midnight azure eyes wide with fear yet glazed with tears. She rose out of the bed and went out to the balcony, the cool night air caressing her skin before she noticed a plant blooming out of the corner of her eye and walked to it, her bare feet making quiet slapping noises against the smooth stone.

It was one of her powers as an Anthousai, a Greek nymph of flowers. She picked the flower from the vine offering it to her as she looked at it. the petals were scarlet with darker spots on the base as a small diamond tear ran down her face.

Of course.. an Adonis annua or 'autumn pheasant's-eye'.. it means 'Sad memories'...

She held the scarlet-hued flower in her hands, bringing it closer to her chest. the scarlet flower brought back a memory she had buried a long time ago.. one she wished she would not remember. the woman sunk down to the cold ground and rested her hot back to the cool stone wall as she clutched the stem in her hand and pulled her knees up to her breasts as she shook like a leaf. then.. the memory she would rather came back to her full-force.

It had been a slightly warm day since it was mid-April. Sage had been picking flowers from her garden to use in her new floral arrangement as she hummed 'Two voices, one song' by Melissa Lyons and Cassidy Ladden while selecting flowers to use and putting them in her basket until Sage and her sister, Serenity's mother, Lilian called the girls inside the house because she had something to tell them. Once Sage and Serenity got back inside, Sage put her basket down as the women were instructed to sit down as Lilian handed her daughters a paper.. Sage's eyes read through it and suddenly an array of cacti and dark blooms began to sprout. on the paper was the death certificate of Andrew and Ashley Graves as Serenity broke down sobbing, clutching the amethyst folds of her dress as rain poured down from the sky.. both of the girls were inconsolable that horrible day.

Sage gulped back a cry.. when nymphs loved once, they would never love again. it was a simple rule she and Serenity went by. She looked down at the scarlet-hued flower as she sung the last words to a song she and Andrew knew by heart:

"love me-- that's all i ask of you..

Anywhere you go, let me go too..

Love me-- that's all i ask of you..~"

She dropped the flower off the balcony, removing the tears that had fallen from her eyes and turning around, going back inside her room since it was almost dawn..

A gentle shake woke the rose petal-haired woman up as she sat up, a woman with the same skin as Sage beside her but with warm chocolate eyes and midnight shoulder-length locks. This was Serenity, her little sister. Serenity was dressed in a crisply ironed snowy blouse with a ebony blazer with gold buttons, a knee-length cloudy skirt with a leather belt, midnight tights, and caramel loafers. her hair was up into a neat and strict bun with a rose sapphire bun clip, the very color of Ashley's eyes.

"Sis, i got to go to work, i'll be back later, ok?" said Serenity with a smile that didn't fool her own elder sister. but still, she nodded and Serenity left her room as the jingle of keys and the engine sound of Serenity's light blue Chevrolet Tracker was heard as she left the driveway. Sage got out bed as she quickly tied her hair up in a high ponytail with an emerald ribbon.

Emerald.. the color of his eyes.. I'm so sorry, Andy.. i failed to keep you safe.. it hurt didn't it? when you were burned in that fire..?

She shook the thoughts out of her head, her ponytail following behind her as she went down the stairs. the smell of peppermint filled her nose as she smiled softly and took the small cup, taking a few light sips as she looked at the small Television as the news about a dead hitman was heard.

"My god.. I can't imagine what the poor victims had to go through with losing their loved ones.. there were lots of my co-workers' families who were victims.. there was even a point in time i had to carry pepper spray and locking the doors and windows because of a hit that happened nearby.." as she stared into the murky depths of her tea, sighing. the cup settled down with a clink sound as she bit into an almond creme pastry. Her azure eyes locked onto a framed picture.

the picture was her and Andrew back when they were kids when they first met after moving to a new place due to their father's job.

Andy.. you and i were like two peas in a pod to the point everyone considered us an item in the future and when we were teens, you confessed to me in front of the entire school during a production of Romeo and Juliet.. If i could turn back the clock.. i would relive all those nice memories with you..

a little bit of water landed on the glass panel between the photo and the tear she let shed out of her eyes. she had failed to protect the one she truly loved and it would forever scar her until her dying breath. the damage on her heart was deep because of the news she had gotten all those years ago. Serenity was only 18 at the time, her heart was not ready for the breaking point of her love for Ashley, one of the Graves siblings whom they loved dearly.

She wished she could turn the clock and just make sure they were ok..