Ashes (Flame Ash Burned Backstory)

Chapter 26: Happy Valentines Day

14th February 2013

It was Flame and Marshall's one-year anniversary.

Flame sat alone in her bedroom, busily wrapping up a box of Marshall's favorite type of chocolate and some of the wine he had told her that he had tried once and liked. 

She hadn't been all that sure of what else he would have wanted her to get him for Valentines Day, but she figured he might appreciate a card and some roses. She knew that roses were typically what guys buy for girls, as girls are seen as being more into that stuff than men, but she knew he probably wouldn't mind.

He was supposed to be coming over to the Fire Castle before 12 O'clock, and they were supposed to be going out into the forest for a picnic alone. Then they were supposed to be going back to the Fire Castle to watch movies, cuddle and probably make out on the couch.

Flame felt quite apprehensive as she finished wrapping her gifts and bundled them together in a shiny red gift-bag. 

Would he actually like what she had gotten him?

She had noticed him acting distant for the past three months, as well as other little things; like how he stopped putting kisses at the end of his texts, showed her less affection than he used to, and didn't seem to be all that attracted to her.

So, Flame put on the most attractive black dress that she owned: one that was short, and showed off her cleavage and curves. She brushed her wild fiery mane of hair, and left it wavy rather than straightening it. Marshall had always told her that he preferred her hair the way she wanted it to be.

She sprayed on some perfume on her wrists and neck, which made her smell like vanilla cookies, picked up her gifts and exited her bedroom.

"Hey, hot-stuff." Jaws pretended to flirt, grinning as he stopped in his tracks and looked her up and down. "You're going to give some poor unsuspecting man a boner. And knowing him, it's probably going to be Phoenix."

Flame smiled, rolling her eyes. "Oh, shut up, you oversized tuna." She let out a little giggle. "I'm going to go over to your brother's house and surprise him with the stuff I got him for Valentines."

"But he texted me last night and told me you guys had broken up..." Jaws looked down at Flame with a confused expression on his face. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and leaned back against the wall of the corridor.

Flame laughed awkwardly, hoping that Jaws would speak up and say he was just kidding. 

But he didn't...

"I don't understand..." Flame felt her heart sinking. "He never broke up with me. We had plans for today..."

"I'm so confused..." Jaws told her. "He definitely told me that you two had broken up. I've got the text on my phone to prove it. But he never told you anything, huh?"

"No... He never told me anything..." Flame's voice quietened.