FLAMES

FRIENDS: At The Garden

Johnny's POV

Three years earlier

Kookie's birthday was coming up and she wasn't too excited about it. Her mum and dad are divorced and it's had a negative effect on her. It was her twentieth birthday and I had planned some birthday surprises for her. Kookie loves to read so I thought of different gifts to give her, I could get her a novel so she could enjoy someone else's work or I could get her a journal where she could create and enjoy her own work. The second option sounded better to me. I had prepared to take her out for ice cream, she's also had a soft spot for junk, and I planned a surprise visit from my Banana bro. Keren had made up some excuse to Kookie on why she won't be there for her birthday.

I visited a bookshop and picked the journal, then I got the cover designed myself. The birthday is tomorrow so I put a call through to Keren to be sure she had enough money for the subway and for her gift to Kookie. Keren was still with their mum but Kookie and I were schooling not too close to home. Just as I finished talking to Keren, my roommate came in. David and I had been roommates for some months now, he is like a brother.

"Hey man, what's up" he had gone out to the grocery store as we were running out of food stuff.

"I'm good, just a bit tired" he dropped the stuff he had bought and was preparing for a shower "Were you able to get the journal for your friend?"

"Yeah I was" I brought out the journal from my bed side cupboard and handed it to him. It was a flower themed journal "I haven't wrapped it yet. I would get it wrapped at a gift shop before calling her to meet me up"

"That sounds nice" he gave me the journal and got in the shower. After a few minutes he was out.

Dave and I had become so close that we go almost everywhere together. Since we started living together, we discovered that we have a lot in common, most especially love for football. Both of us are die hard Liverpool fans. Liverpool had a match with Manchester City on Kookie's birthday so Dave and I had a date with the viewing centre also.

"Who's cooking today?" Dave asked settling down to do some school work.

"I think it's me" we usually took turns. So I got my apron and got to work. Dave was at the desk which wasn't too far from the kitchen, just at the far end of the living room, opposite the kitchen.

"Bro I just thought of something" I went over to the sink to wash the vegetables.

"Yeah, I'm listening" he didn't look up from his laptop

"You know we have a match to watch at the viewing centre and I have to meet up with my friend before that"

"Do you need to bail?" he asked looking up from his notebook, the look on his face was like he already knew what answer to expect. Dave knew how close Kookie and I are, we're like family. I've had to bail on him a few times because of her.

"No, not that" I couldn't help but laugh "Why don't you come with me for the birthday surprise. It would be fun, I'm taking her out for ice cream and her sister would be there. We could leave for the viewing centre after that"

"Sounds good" he sounded a bit relaxed and turned back to the desk "Her sister? Mhmmm" he turned back to me with a grin on his face.

"Yeah, her sister, my Banana bro. She's out of bounds Dave" I looked up at him with a playfully serious expression and laughed lightly.

Kookie's POV

Rays of sunshine rested on my face from a little opening of the curtain. I turned to the other side of the bed and covered my face with my pillow. My phone began to ring and I struggled to reach for it.

"Hey Daisy" my dad knows about my romance with flowers, so that's his pet name for me.