Flower Girl {Rewriting}

8. Chrysanthemum

Claude had gotten a text from August telling him that he could come over for a binge session for any tv show he wanted. He felt it appropriate to not come with his hands empty and stopped by his local store to get them a few snacks and hoped she didn't mind. He got a few chips and different flavored dips, some potato chips, fruits and cookies along with a few fruit drinks. He had gotten paid and was happy enough to spend some of it on the both of them.

He walked to her front door after he parked infront of her house and knocked on the door as he waited for her. He didn't call before he arrived and hoped she didn't mind, but she did tell him to come around noon, and well, it was 12:04pm. He smiled as he heard the door opening and it instantly fell as his eyes went up to meet the brown eyes of a young man who strongly resembled August. "Who are you?"

"I'm Claude, and you?"

"Ames... who are you here for?" His tone was monotonous and his eyes were blank as he stared back at Claude. Claude himself swallowed the lump in his throat as he held Ames' gaze.

"Umm, I'm here for August." A confused expression broke through his stoic face, and his eyebrow rose and he scrutinized him up and down.

"Why?"

"Huh, umm what?"

"Why are you here for her? She doesn't have any friends." That was rude Claude thought.

"Ames, what the hell? Who are you talking to?" August said coming from her bedroom with her hair still damp from her shower. She saw Claude's face from between the cracks of the door where her brother wasn't blocking. "Oh my God. Move." She yanked her older brother away from the door and pulled Claude inside by his wrist. "I am so sorry—."

"Who the hell is he?"

"He's my boyfriend!" She snapped.

He grabbed her shoulder and glared at her. "Boyfriend, who the hell gave you permission?"

She shrugged him off and pushed him back. "Mom did. Don't you have somewhere important to be right now? Why are you home?"

Ames felt the weight of that verbal blow and he set his jaw and shook his head. "No, I don't. Mom didn't tell you, did she?"

She squinted at him like he was on something. "Tell me what?"

"I'm transferring schools."

August's face fell slightly. She moved to reach out for him but he dodged her attempted and scoffed. "Doesn't matter," he shoved his arms into his jacket sleeves, "don't do anything stupid with your boyfriend." He spat before he grabbed his keys off the hook by the front door and brushed past his sister and Claude. August swore under her breath and sucked her teeth. Why did he have to act like this? Her eyes grew glassy and Claude stepped closer to her, reaching a hand out to her shoulder but she stepped back.

"I'm sorry... I just... can you wait for me in the living room, please?" Claude wanted to stay with her and make sure that she was okay, but he didn't want to distress her anymore than she already seemed to be.

"Okay." He bent forward and kissed her forehead, to where she let a choked sob out before turning around and rushing off to her room. He raked a hand back in his hair and walked into the living room, dropping the bag of snacks on the wooden coffee table as he flopped down onto the couch.

》》》》》

"Ames, I didn't know about the school. I'm sorry, please call me back when you get this..." she broke off on a shaky sob, her hands trembling as she covered her mouth. "Please don't do anything stupid. Ames please, you didn't even tell me. Ames... Please don't make mommy worry." She clicked off the call hoping that the voicemail went through to him and he wouldn't just delete it before hearing her out.