My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose

Chapter Three

Just a quick trigger warning for implied misgendering in this chapter.

Lauren stormed into the florist's, slamming the door behind her with force that made the wind chimes hanging in the doorway rattle dangerously.

"Woah, who peed in your coffee?" LaFontaine asked from behind the counter.

"None of your business."

Lauren walked over to one of the displays, rearranging a bouquet that was squint.

LaFontaine must have picked something up, because after a while they asked, "you gonna tell me what's up?"

"Nope," came the reply through clenched teeth.

"Do you wanna work in the back room today?"

Lauren stopped her violent assault of the flowers, leaning her head on the shelf and trying to ignore the painful aching in her chest.

"Yes," she whispered quietly, lifting her head and walking into the storeroom, getting a comforting pat on the back from LaF as she passed. They had a sort of agreement called 'when Lauren's in a bad mood she doesn't have to deal with human contact and can spend the entire day sorting though stuff in the back room.' This arrangement had been made after a particularly aggressive altercation with an old lady who ended up filing an official complaint (a fact that LaF would NEVER let Lauren live down.)

There was something therapeutic about the monotony of unpacking the flowers, folding the cardboard boxes up and then taking them out to the trash outside once the pile got large enough. It was routine. It let Lauren's mind wander.

And of course it wandered to Camila.

Camila, with her adorable smile and her tendency to hug people she'd just met. Camila with the way she rambled when she was nervous. Camila with her beautiful art on Lauren's skin. Camila and the way she rambled when she was nervous. Camila and how Lauren had been about to kiss her.

Camila and Alex.

Lauren folded another box, chucking it on the pile and ignoring the stinging behind her eyes. She was not going to cry over a straight girl. She had too much dignity.

But it was just humiliating. She'd thought she had a shot, she thought Camila liked her, and the fact that she'd been wrong felt like a punch in the throat.

What kind of a name was Alex anyway? His parents must have hated him enough to call him Alexander, and then he must have hated himself enough to shorten it.

Camila shouldn't have to date anyone with that name.

He could be an ex, but that still didn't change anything. Not to mention the fact that Lauren totally noticed Camila's scar before it was pointed out.

So, ha.

Who's the better person now, Alex?

Lauren sighed, putting down the box and running her hand through her hair. She was being childish. She knew she was. Resorting to petty insults because she was jealous. She was more mature than this.

Still though, who the frilly hell did this 'Alex' think he was?!

"Hey, Lauren, can you go pick up the delivery?" LaF asked hours later. Lauren had already unboxed everything and was at this point sitting with her feet up reading a book.

"You still don't wanna see her?" Lauren asked.

"Nope."

"Alright then." Lauren slowly stood up, laying her book down on a shelf. She sort of understood LaF's hesitation, but at the same time if she was annoyed with someone she'd come right out and tell them.

Still, LaF had been asking her to get the deliveries for weeks now and if they let her work in the back room when she was feeling down, the least she could do is pick up a few flowers.

"Is the truck here already?"

LaFontaine just nodded, then mumbled 'thanks' as Lauren walked over to the door.

"Hey, what are friends for?"

They smiled super wide at that.

-

Perry was standing outside the truck, already starting to unload boxes, when Lauren arrived.

"I have everything here except the pear blossoms, but they should arrive any day now," she said, handing over the first box to Lauren, who put it into the trunk of her car.

They worked in silence, until the last of the boxes were packed. As Lauren slammed the trunk door down, she saw Perry look at her sadly.

"They didn't want to see me?"

"Nope."

"I don't blame them."

"Neither do I," Lauren crossed her arms. Perry was obviously looking for Lauren to reassure her, to say that 'everybody makes mistakes!'

But she wasn't going to.

"I... I know I really hurt them but we're best friends! Or we were at least."

"Really? Because the last time I checked best friends supported one another," Lauren replied cooly.

Perry bit her lip and her forehead creased.

"I made a mistake!"

"Look," Lauren could feel the rage building up inside her. "I get it, it's difficult. Hell, even I still slip up sometimes and it's been three years. But when I do, I fucking apologise."

"I'm trying to-"

"Yeah? Too little too late, Duracell. LaFontaine may be too polite to actually tell you when you're being an asshat, but I'm sure as hell not." She started to get into her car, but turned back to Perry first. "And for the record, they asked me to come which proves they don't wanna see you either. So back off."

And with that Lauren got into her car, slammed the door, and drove away. She was actually quite proud of herself.