Flower Crown

Prologue: The Glade

Prologue: The Glade

Aster wipes his nose with a dirty hand, turning his head right and left to find an exit from this woodland. He regretted having his own 'journey' all alone. Who knew that the once-familiar forest can become something horrifying? Well, if I have not been blinded by the thrill of adventure, I might still be in that boring garden, thinks Aster who is so optimistic that it has turned troublesome. He had turned deaf at the warnings his grandfather relayed and immediately packed a flashlight, some potato chips, a camera and off he went.

It was a warm afternoon but Aster couldn't see the sun through the thick leaves above him. He only knew the time because of the Pororo watch his father had given him in his fifth birthday. He strongly relied on it even though it has no other purpose than to tell him that it was getting quite late. Maybe its like a charm to make someone happy, he thought while smiling. Yup, that's it.

Being an only child, Aster Bright was showered with affection by his parents but that did not gave him any negative behavior at all. At the age of 8, he's considered as a smart and charming boy (except for a slight stubbornness). Brimming with innocence and good-looks, he had captured the affection of all his classmates. Girls would would swoon over him and boys would tease him for being a babyfaced and that made him utterly uncomfortable. He had vowed that he would change his image and the first obstacle to do that is to show his manliness by going inside the woods during the holidays at his grandfather's house.

Aster flinched as he heard a snap behind him. He quickly turned around and saw nothing but that didn't diminish the fear he was experiencing. He started walking backwards and kept his gaze on the large shrub that hid his imaginary monster. Accordingly, Aster is a crybaby that goes well with his face and this fearsome development wouldn't stop him from tearing up. When he was sure he's in a fair distance from the bush, he scooted away while bawling his eyes out.

He stopped running when he found himself on the edge of a glade. Accustomed to the dim light of the forest, the blinding yellow glare of the sun was unbearable to him but he didn't care. He was too scared of the forest and he rushed to the middle of the brilliant clearing without thinking.

BAM!

He nursed his aching nose and was about to cry again when he realized what he bumped into: it was a GIRL.

The girl was about the same age as him. Her skin was fair and her hair reached her waist. She was wearing a white dress and most peculiarly, a crown of flowers.

"That kinda hurts," the girl murmured while massaging her forehead. Aster blinked back at the girl and blushed.

"Are-are you a dryad?" he blurted out and immediately felt embarrassed.There was no helping it, the girl was simply stunning as if she just came out of a mythology book. The girl laughed and shook her head.

"Silly! I think you bumped your head to hard," she said and suddenly decreased the distance between them as she worriedly pushed Aster's bangs away. " See? You've got a huge bump,"

"Huh?! Urgh.." Aster yelled and winced as he touched it and felt like tearing up again.

"Stop touching it if it just makes you cry," the girl reprimanded.

"I'm not crying! Why are you wearing that crown anyway?" he said and glared at her, acting all cool. The girl pouted and sat on a rock.

"Okay, that was rude of me. Sorry," she said and touched the headdress consciously. " Is it really that funny?"

" No!" he shouted and looked away. I'm the rude one. " It's nice,"

" Really? I made another one, do you want it?" She asked so eagerly and grabbed his hand obliviously. Aster's heart beats resonated all throughout his chest that caught him by surprise. He was sure that steam will come out of his ears if this continued a second more so he had no choice but to nod his head. The girl took out the crown from a rock behind her and stuffed the overwhelming fragrant flowers on Aster's head.

" Do you like it?" laughed the girl as she took a good look at him.

"Uh- At least, it looks good on you," complimented Aster. The girl turned pink, smiled at him and held out her hand.

" My name is Dianna," she said with such brilliance that made Aster's heart flutter. He cleared his throat and enthusiastically shook Dianna's hand.

" Aster," he answered with a grin. For the first time, he was looking forward to the next 5 days he'll spend here in the countryside.

Tick Tack. The boy stretched his weary fingers as he finished typing the last sentence on the text box. He cast a long look at the boxes on the corner of the room and threw a notebook in one. He stiffled a yawn and closed his eyes to let it rest after looking at laptop, munching on a green apple that was on his desk for an hour already.

"Aster, have you packed your things?" Lilliana Bright asked while carrying a small box filled with books. The fifteen year old Aster immediately closed the laptop he was just using and adopted an innocent smile.

" Done with it- Mom! That's too heavy for you! What'll happen to my little sister?" he frowned and scooted next to his mother to get the box. Lilliana unconsciously touched her belly and laughed.

" Your sister is strong like her brother so a little weight won't hurt her," she said and glanced at Aster's laptop, wearing a mischievous grin. " How's it going for my amateur writer?"

"Mom!"

" Oops! I'm supposed to act like I had not read the first paragraph of your story so please forget I ever said that," teased his mother. Aster ruffled his dark hair and looked away.

" Okay, Mom. I won't bother you, you won't bother me, deal?" he said.

" Sure, sure," Lilliana answered and sighed, looking at their old house with a hint of melancholy. " My son's so grown up already. Don't run into trouble in your new school, 'kay?"

" Here we go again," grumbled Aster but she continued on.

" Don't ever wander all alone, son, and never ever rush things like finding a girlfriend! I just told you that you're all grown up but you're still too young for that romance stuff!"

Aster covered his ears and rushed to the stairs. " Sure mom, whatever you say. I'll just put this on the van,"

Lilliana sighed once more and stared longingly at the back of her son until he disappeared. " You never know," she mumbled and closed her eyes.