FLOWERS 🌸 ʰᵃʳʳⁱˢᵒⁿ

「 02. ❀ PEONY. 」

CHAPTER 002

" peony (honor) "

The initial rush of having a customer for the first time all day wore off and George felt himself fall into 'worker mode.'

"Hi, can I help you?" George chirped.

The girl —shit, it was a girl— didn't reply at first. She just trailed up and down the aisles, checking out flowers. She picked some up, smelled them, and then put them back down. 

Either she was ignoring George or honestly didn't hear him. He wouldn't put the latter past her, though. He knew that he had a reputation for being soft-spoken sometimes.

Trying again, he called out. "Um, miss? Do you need anything?"

This time, he got an answer. Unfortunately, it left him even more confused than the first.

"Nope. Thanks, though."

George's bushy eyebrows furrowed. 

Who in their right mind comes to a flower shoppe and doesn't ask for help?, he thought.

It was like going to -- going to -- okay, so George didn't have a good analogy, but he knew that it was crazy for her not to want help.

Abandoning his calculus homework (that was another headache for another day), he walked out from behind the counter and approached the girl with an unsure air about him.

George took note that she had lilac hair and was wearing all black. Was she some sort of weird emo kid?

No, George, that's not nice, his inner voice scolded.

Whatever. George was still afraid of her, not because she had lilac hair or that she was wearing all black, but because she was a girl. He never knew what to say around the opposite sex (or the same sex, for that matter). 

Trying to find his voice, he stuttered out, "A-are you sure?"

She clearly wasn't expecting him to be so persistent and jumped a little at the sound of his voice. Calming down quickly, she shook her head before looking back to the peonies. "They're lovely."

George gazed at the flowers before picking one up and inhaling the scent.

Peonies were his grandmother's favorite flower and he remembered her growing countless bushes of them all around her backyard when he was younger. He'd always call them 'fairy wands' because their round shape made them kind of look like there was magic shooting out of them.

Don't ask, George was an odd child.

The girl looked over at him and watched a small smile form on his face.

"You really like this stuff, huh?" she asked.

He stopped and looked at her. "What?"

"Flowers. This is your niche." she returned to looking at them. "It's cool. Everyone's got their niche. This is yours. You got that cute little smile on your face when you smelled that flower. It was like you were coming home after a long day of work, or something."

George stared at her in sheer and utter awe.

"Are you a poet?"

She laughed out loud, returning her green gaze to him. 

"Hell no. I couldn't write if my life depended on it. I'm an artist but, I can't even call myself that anymore. I haven't created anything in weeks and just, ugh." she grunted, pushing past him and walking down the aisle. She continued to speak. "I've been to every store in town. I bought fruit thinking that I'd do a still life, but I made fruit salad instead. How fucking lame is that?" she asked, looking at him. Pressing on, she ran a hand through her lilac hair. "I am just so wound up and I need to let it all out, but I can't."

George didn't know what possessed her to vent everything out to him. He was glad she did, though. It was nice hearing about someone else's life, and he liked to help people get through things.

"So you came to the flower shoppe to buy something?"

The lilac girl let out a small yell. "Obviously! You're not the sharpest tool in the shed."

Instantly, he replied. "I'm smart. It's my friend, Paul, who's the idiot."

"I'll have to meet him one day and then I'll get back to you on that one." she cocked her head before smiling at him. "Where are my manners? I'm Colette. Colette Bonadio."

George bowed. "George Harrison. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." she walked back to the spot next to him and pointed to the peonies. "So, do these have a meaning? I know all roses have a meaning, but do peonies? I think they're cute."

George honestly tried to remember something about peonies. He was sure there was, but he didn't want to confess forgetting about it and have this conversation (surely one of the only ones he'd have all night) be over prematurely.

"Honor, I think? They're kind of symbolic of China, and the Chinese are all about honor." George told her what he knew off the top of his head. "They're also an omen of good fortune."

She commented wistfully. "God, I'd like some good fortune right now."

"Wouldn't we all?" he gave her a smile.

She returned the gesture.

oooOOoOoOOOOoOoOOoOoh!

sorry abt the long wait (both of you reading this lmao) but finals have kicked me in the shin but i am alive!!!! i am no exam's bitch anymore!!!!

also for my mccartney humans in the building check out my story 'star' it's a paul story about aliens oooOoOoOoOoh!!!!

pce out n ily all!!!

xoxo