Inflorescence • Poison Ivy's Daughter

chapter eight ~ pomegranate

The two were reunited in biology, but despite Dicks witty remarks throughout the class Calla lost her hold on consciousness, falling asleep with her head resting over her arms, the position squishing her cheeks together.

Dick gazed at her smiling with amusement and mischief as he quickly snapped a close up of her face. The camera let out a soft click and Dick straightened in shock, slipping his phone in his pocket in lightening speed as Calla startled awake slamming her hands on either slide of her desk with a sharp gasp. Dick turned his attention to his work as the teachers' cool gaze snapped from her work to Calla's direction, as the rest of the class turned to find out what the noise was about.

'Is something the matter, Ms. Isley?' the teacher asked sharply.

Calla blinked as she took in her surroundings, awareness dawning on her face as a slight blush crept in on her cheeks. 'N-no miss everything's fine.' She replied, her voice slightly rough having just woken up.

'Try to keep the disruptions to a minimal, Isely, or else I'll be forced to send you down to Miss Jenson.' her voice was slow and patronizing as if she were talking to a five-year-old. ' Do you understand?'

'Certainly Miss, I'll try.' Calla smiled at her with tight lips and a forced cheer in her tone. The teacher glared back at her for a few seconds as the students lost interest then adjusted her glasses and turned her attention back to her work.

As she did so Calla whirled her gaze at Dick, her tight smile replaced with an ugly snarl and fiery eyes. Dick suppressed a smug smile from his face at the sight of her glare. His amusement was cut short by her unwavering glare as she dragged the nail of her thumb along her throat, Dick couldn't suppress his shiver as his skin crawled in fear.

When the bell rang for the end of class, Dick was the first to bolt out the door. Relieved to have put a few meters between him and Calla he released the breath he had been holding. He got a few strange looks as he kept his fast past through the hall and out to the dining hall. But the pit in his stomach grew the further away he walked, he slowed his pace to a stop. He was going to have to make things right and fast if he wanted any hope of seeing tomorrow with all of his limbs attached.

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He found Calla in the woods, in the same spot they met every break, under the branches of a young weeping willow tree. She lay on the grass under a patch of sun where the willows trees leaves failed to block it out. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell slowly with each breath. Dick's presence was noticed almost immediately, her hazel eyes flickered opened to met his and immediately darkened when she saw who it was.

Dick held out his hand defensively in front of him as she sat up, 'Don't freak, I've brought gifts.' Her eyes flickered from him the paper bag around his wrist. She looked at the bag in consideration for a moment then shuffled over in a silent invitation for Dick to join her. He breathed a sigh of relief and took a place to her side leaning his back against the tree.

She didn't wait for him to get settled before grabbing the bag from his hold and sorting through its contents, she smirked in approval as began sorting through the array of fruits inside. She chucked Dick a persimmon and began peeling off the tough skin of a lychee.

'Well done.' She said popping the lychee into her mouth. 'How did you pull this off. Half these fruits aren't even in season.'

'I know a guy, who knows a guy,' He grinned crunching into the persimmons orange flesh. Calla rolled her eyes but her smile didn't leave her face as she took out a pomegranate and cracked in it open. Red seeds spilled out like jewels onto the grass below.

Dick considered her, opened his mouth and closed it again before finally speaking. 'You alright?' his voice was unusually quiet and gentle.

Calla froze for a second before turning to him, her lips, stained red with pomegranate juice, formed a bright smile. 'Awh, you're worried about me?' she teased.

'Yeah, I am.' Dick admitted.

Calla's smile didn't disappear but it no longer reached her eyes, 'I'm alright, didn't sleep much last night is all.' she shrugged.

Dick nodded slowly, unconvinced. But he heard the warning tone in Calla's voice and left it at that, taking another bite of his fruit.

After an uncomfortable amount of silence he spoke up again, 'So I'm taking you to mine after school?' When Calla gave him a blank stare he continued, 'Study night! Don't tell me you forgot.'

Calla's face scrunched up in realization, she hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. 'Damn it, I completely forgot.'

Dick scoffed, 'Whats news?'

Calla ignored his comment, 'So sorry, I forgot all about it. I don't think...' Calla trailed off when she saw the look on Dicks' face, although he hid it well she saw the disappointment that flickered in his eyes. She sighed running her fingers over her hair, 'I just need to text my mom.'

Dick smiled a little as she pulled out her phone, going through her recent calls finding the last number and sending it a quick text asking to move their arrangement to a later time. Hardly a minute later her phone buzzed, the message popped up on the screen reading, 11. Calla smiled packing away her phone as the bell sounded from the school building.

Calla moved quickly, getting to her feet, sweeping up the bag of fruit and turning back to Dick who was still waiting for an answer. 'It's a date.' she smiled popping a strawberry between her teeth as she walked back to the school.

Dick didn't move just yet, his breath hitched slightly as he felt his heart skip a beat. He placed a hand to his chest and took a deep breath, confused by his sudden panic.

He stood from the grass a straightened up his uniform, somehow a smile found its way back to his lips as he thought about Calla.

'A date..' he repeated to himself, his words lost in the rustle of leaves.