Let's Be Birds (OLD VERSION)

☀17☀

"I can't believe you made me drive four hours to hear that speech." I say, sighing. Hannah giggles but links her free arm through one of mine. "That tour guide drained the life out of me, I swear."

"It wasn't that bad?" She tries but I give her this look and she sighs. "Okay, it was."

"The lady talked about freaking grass for half an hour! And it wasn't even grass that's in this garden!"

We were wandering around the house of George Washington now, arms linked together and legs feeling like jelly as we viewed all of the flowers in bloom. I thought all of them looked kind of ugly, especially this one flower that's supposedly called Love lies Bleeding. It's just ugly.

"That one is so cute!" Hannah points to the bloody one and I cringe. "Also, the fact we had to listen to her speak of the many species of grass has got my head in a whirl. I mean, who knew grass was so diverse?"

"Now I do. I can't wait to get back home and tell everyone about the things I learned today about grass."

Hannah gasps. "Oh my God, did you know that grass is in alcohol?"

"No! But did you know that grass can keep your home cooler?!"

"Say it isn't so!"

We fall about laughing, causing people behind and in front of us to stare at us curiously. Hannah pats my back before rushing to one of the flowers labelled Oleander. It's not as ugly as all the other flowers. In fact, it's actually sort of pretty with pale pink petals and a reddish green. It reminds me of someone.

"Can we pick these?" I ask, absentmindedly.

"And taint the image of George Washington, one of the forefathers of our amazing country? How could you?"

"I'm not from this country. At least, not really."

She shrugs. "Fair enough,"

I quickly look around before plucking a flower from a shoot. Hannah gasps.

"Nate, I know we were joking and stuff, but I seriously think you can't pick those!"

"They won't miss it."

She pokes my side and points to a security guard by the gift shop. "How do you know we won't go to jail for that?"

"He's too busy talking to the old lady over there who is - oh wait, she's holding tens of thousands of these flowers and is actually giving one to him!"

He smiles at her and she waddles into the gift shop. I suddenly begin to notice loads of people holding flowers and putting them in their hair so I offer mine to a sceptical Hannah with a bow.

"For you, m'lady."

"Keep it for Chloe – or better yet, Candela!"

I glare at her when I straighten up and she giggles before taking the flower off me and making it part of her braid. "Thanks, Nate."

"I want it back."

"We all want what we can't have,"

I shrug. "Fair enough. Let's get some souvenirs for my butt face of a brother."

"Tanner's kinda cute," Hannah says airily. When I look at her with sheer horror, she chuckles. "Cute in the 'I'm muscular and jerky' way, don't worry."

"I think that flower is messing with your mind."

We wander towards the ever popular gift store, nodding at the now adorned with flowers security guard. He smiles at us and makes a joke about how Hannah looks like Pocahontas. When she looks to me for confirmation, I tell her to her dismay that I don't see it at all.