just fall | ✓

36.

That night, I left my room and followed the moonlit corridors to the doors outside. Even though I hadn't lived in Angeles for long and it had been over two years since I'd been there, there was something oddly familiar about the path, and I didn't get lost as I once had. There were two Guards at the door, as usual, and although they were young and I didn't recognize either of them, they wordlessly opened the doors and let me out into the gardens.

They were just as wonderful as I remembered, the air still heavily perfumed with the scent of flowers and rain and green. I padded barefoot through the soft grass, fully intending to get lost for a few hours before my insomnia succumbed to the heaviness in my head and eyes and limbs. 

My solitary wandering was seemingly destined to be interrupted, a fact I had unknowingly accepted before I stumbled across Alexander, sitting alone on a stone bench. He was dressed as he had been earlier in the day, twirling a cluster of purple heliotrope in his fingers. He seemed far more interested in whatever he was thinking than the flower itself, but he was staring quite intently at it. 

I wondered what he was thinking of – surely not his sister, whose favorite flowers had been the chrysanthemums. I couldn't think of where I had seen the flowers before, but there was something familiar about them.

I must've made a noise because Alexander looked up. He smiled at me. "Wandering as usual?"

"Always," I replied. "Sorry for disturbing you."

He shrugged and scooted over on the bench. "I don't mind the company."

I hesitated for a moment before forcing my feet to move forward. I sat on the bench beside him; the stone was cold, despite the day having been hot. "Couldn't sleep?" I asked.

He shook his head, returning his attention to the flower. "No. You?"

I shook my head. "I forgot to take my medication tonight."

"I stopped taking mine a few weeks ago. It was making me fall asleep in meetings."

I giggled. "Are you sure you weren't just bored?"

He let out a snort of laughter and cracked a half-smile. "Pretty sure, but I appreciate the concern."

"It's what I'm here for," I said and nudged him with my shoulder. We fell silent for a few moments. "So what's with the flower?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You don't recognize it?" I shook my head. "It's the official flower of Kent, you know."

I felt like an idiot. Of course it was – the flower was all over Kent in some form, and I still can't believe that I hadn't recognized it, considering I'd spent my entire life surrounded by them (more or less). It had even been pinned to my shirt the day I left for Angeles! I was an actual, complete idiot. Seriously, I was.

His grin was a pretty clear indication that he knew I'd forgotten about it. My face flushed. "You're cute when you blush," he said. "Did I ever tell you that?"

"I-" I shut my mouth. "What? Are you flirting with me?"

"Maybe. Is it working?"

I gaped at him. "This...this is not happening right now." I stood up like I was going to leave, then stopped and turned to face him. "This is not okay. You are – you were – a total and complete ass! I shouldn't be falling for this!"

He actually looked amused. "So it is working?"

"Alexander!" 

"What?"

"Can you not be happy about succeeding at flirting with me while I'm having a crisis?"

"Why are you having a crisis?"