The Boy Who Loved Flowers

ten | f i g h t

feeling iffy about this chapter ☹ what do you all think? trying to amp up the drama, hoping the next chapter will echo back a greater effect. 

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I STARED DOWN at the long, overdue bundle of missing assignments in front of me, mocking me with their mere presence. I glanced back up to my science teacher who, in return, pointed at my school work. I gave a small nod, pursing my lips as I doodled light swirls onto my paper. Should I work on my missing assignments? Yes. But was I going to? ... Yes.

I returned my eyes to the top of my paper, quickly scribbling my name and the date. It was near unreadable, but that's the price a teacher must pay for forcing an unmotivated student to come in during lunch hour.

"Vivian, eyes down," Mrs. Carlton ordered, her tone tight and strict. I hadn't realized my gaze had rose to meet the bare, brown wall in front of me.

"Yes ma'am," I muttered softly, once again fixing my monotonously stare to my paper. I skimmed the words on the page, regretting my absent studying habits. Then again, perhaps I should've completed my chemistry course when I was a junior. I wish I could slap younger me, it would be quite satisfying.

On the same note, maybe present me could use a nice, big push in the right direction as well...

A soft rustle and the thud of books reached my ears and I could feel the new presence beside me, but as Mrs. Carlton said, 'eyes down'.

"Ignoring me?" A deep voice purred, sending shocks down my spine at the mere sound.

"Yes." I filled in the blank next to the question, What are the most common elements in the human body?

Ashton scoffed, I could hear him leaning back in the plastic seat. "Your answer is wrong."

"Which one?" I mumbled, sneaking a glance at Ashton. I was fairly sure that he was talking about my assignment, however it was more than possible he wanted me to say 'no' rather than 'yes' to his former question. I wasn't completely sure.

Ashton chuckled, peering over me once more to read my paper, "I'd say both but right now, it'd only be fair to say the one on your homework."

"And why are you helping me?" I sighed, flipping my pencil to erase the supposedly incorrect answer.

"I'm your tutor, aren't I?" Ashton smirked, placing a hand behind the back of my seat, "I got the go-to from Mrs. Carlton, too. Isn't that right, Mrs. C?"

She didn't respond, which might as well have been a yes.

"Fine," I groaned, dropping my pencil and bringing my hands to rub my temples. I warily looked to Ashton, seeing an amused smile dimple his cheeks. "What's the answer?"

"No." He frowned, shaking his head though his eyes were filled with sly mirth. "You have to earn the answer."

I began to get up, "Okay, I'll go get the books-"

With one quick pull, Ashton put my back into my seat. "Mm. Wrong again. Is that going to be a pattern with you, Miss Willow?"

I blinked, tilting my head as I did. Slowly, I resettled into my chair while I kept an eye on Ashton's smug expression. I didn't trust it, but then again I didn't trust him in general. "Well, how do I earn it?"

Ashton's eyes flickered from me to Mrs. Carlton, causing my stomach to collapse in apprehension. His volume only slightly lower, he shrugged and hinted, "How would a princess reward a knight for saving her?"