My Flower

Chapter 21 - Armageddon

~ ~ ~ 1999

   The fluorescent lights of the school cafeteria hummed, a familiar soundtrack to another Wednesday lunch in Westmount Virginia. For Blossom, this Wednesday held a particular significance – the fifth bet date of Hunter's elaborate, if somewhat misguided, attempt to prove the existence of love. As she settled into her usual spot at the large round table, a sense of comfortable familiarity washed over her. The table was full with teenage chatter; laughter and half-finished stories swirled around them, a cozy bubble of friendship.

   Blossom flipped open her lunch bag, a vibrant turquoise color that clashed delightfully with the drab beige of the cafeteria. Her eyes met Hunter's, a spark of amusement dancing in their depths. Their earlier tiff had been resolved, their banter now as light and effortless as a summer breeze. They dove into a conversation about upcoming movies, their voices rising and falling in their shared excitement for the latest blockbuster.

   "Oh my gosh, have you seen the trailer for 'Armageddon'?" Hunter exclaimed, his hands animatedly mimicking a meteor crashing towards earth. "Explosions galore! I need to see it opening weekend."

   Blossom giggled, playfully rolling her eyes. "You and your action movies. I'm more excited for 'Ever After'. Drew Barrymore is going to be amazing as Cinderella."

   Their playful debate continued, the typical back-and-forth of their friendship, punctuated by the occasional shared glance and stolen smiles. But the harmony of the table was about to be disrupted. Chance, who arrived slightly later than the others, approached the table with a hesitant smile. Blossom's face hardened, her jovial expression replaced with a cold, distant glare.

   "Sorry, there's no room at this table for you, Chance." Her words were sharp and clear, leaving no room for argument.

   Chance's smile faltered, his shoulders slumping. He looked around the table hopefully, but no one dared to challenge Blossom. Lily, his best friend wasn't there today otherwise Blossom knew she'd be going off on her right now.

Her usual warmth was replaced by a steely resolve, and her other friends knew better than to cross her when this wall went up. They knew of her fiercely protective nature, especially when it came to her family. There had been an incident, a vague story that was never fully explained, that seemed to involve Chance and how hurt her brother was. The specifics were cloudy, but Blossom felt the transgression deeply, and she was determined to make him pay.

   Chance looked helplessly at the group, his eyes welling up as he realized no one was going to intervene. Tears began to spill over, his hurt and humiliation evident to everyone. He quietly grabbed his lunch and, with a choked sob, turned away, rushing towards the quiet refuge of the school library.

   The silence left in his wake was thick and uncomfortable. No one quite knew what to say, and before they could move on, another voice broke through the quiet.

   "What the hell, Blossom?" Ethan yelled, his anger echoing across the cafeteria. His face was red with fury, his usually easy-going personality replaced by a fierce protectiveness. He had witnessed the whole ordeal and felt a surge of indignation on Chance's behalf. He stormed over to the table, his eyes locked on Blossom.

   "Leave him alone! Why do you have to be such a jerk?" he spat, his usually sweet voice coated in a layer of anger that was both surprising and jarring.

   Blossom stared back at her brother, shocked at the intensity of his outburst, not understanding where this level of anger was coming from. "He hurt you, Ethan. You know he did."

   Ethan scoffed, his anger escalating at her assumption of the matter, "Mind your own business. I can handle myself. He's not the one that needs fixing here." He turned on his heel and chased after Chance, leaving Blossom and their friends in stunned silence.

   The rest of the day was a blur for Blossom. Her earlier lightheartedness was replaced by a heavy sense of unease and guilt. She picked at her food at the table, lost in thought. It seemed that, in her attempt to protect her little brother, she had further alienated him and hurt a classmate in the process. The familiar faces of her friends seemed distant, and the laughter that had filled the lunchroom just minutes before felt foreign.

   Hunter, ever observant, did his best to cheer her up. He made silly faces across the classroom, told her ridiculous jokes that she usually found funny, and even offered her part of his Snickers bar during their afternoon break. But his efforts were met with a polite smile and a distant gaze. While grateful for his attempt, she couldn't shake the feeling of being wrong and misunderstood.

   The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Blossom gathered her things, avoiding eye contact with Ethan, who was still avoiding her. Her guilt was palpable, but she couldn't muster the courage to talk to him just yet.

   Before she could dwell further, Hunter grabbed her arm, a mischievous grin plastered across his face. "Come on, let's get out of here! 'Armageddon' is playing in half an hour."

   He pulled her towards the car his parents were in, waiting for them. The familiar rumble of the engine eased her tension a little, and she managed a small smile, grateful for his unwavering presence.

   The movie theater was a welcome escape. The darkness was a comforting blanket, and the gigantic screen offered a new world to get lost in. But even amidst soaring spaceships and dramatic explosions, Blossom couldn't fully forget the day's events. She glanced at Hunter, who was beside her, eyes wide with fascination as he watched the movie, his parents in the row ahead of them just as fixated on the screen.

   The closeness of the seats had their arms brushing accidentally, sending jolts of electricity up her arm. Hunter had a sly smirk plastered to his face, clearly riling her up on purpose. Each stolen glance, each lingering touch, sent a blush creeping up her neck, making her face feel like it was on fire.

   Blossom, however, wasn't going to give in so easily. She wasn't willing to admit the butterflies he caused, maybe not ever. And she definitely needed a distraction from the troubles of today. If Hunter thought he could fluster her, she'd do it right back. As he laughed at a particularly funny moment on the screen she lightly touched her hand to his, feeling his hand flinch beneath hers. She took it a step further, slowly, playfully running her fingertips along his palm. She watched as his ears turned bright red and his attention quickly turned from the screen to her with wide eyes. Satisfied that he was just as flustered as she felt just moments prior, she turned her attention back to the movie.

   But the tension was still there, hanging in the air between them, a silent acknowledgement of the complicated feelings that were beginning to bloom. The movie faded into the background as their playful game of one-upsmanship continued. Each soft touch, each accidental glance, was a spark on a dry log, igniting a flame that neither of them was willing to acknowledge, not yet.

   By the time the movie ended, Hunter was a blushing mess, unable to meet Blossom's eyes, his usually confident swagger completely deflated. As they stepped out of the theater into the cool evening air, Blossom couldn't help but smirk. She was not going to make this bet easy, and she had a feeling these next few days would be very interesting indeed.