When Roots Grow Too Far, You Just Have To Dig Deeper

Chapter Two: A Walking Garden

The sun rose covering the earth with warm rays of light. This was the start of Tuesday, wait.....no it's Wednesday. While everyone woke up with their to start Wednesday, one person didn't awake to the sun's alarm clock. Nugget sat on in his new Nugget Cave on a homemade bed, surrounded by two piles of flower crowns. Nugget had been awake for hours working diligently on his little secret, and just before he had to leave for the school day he knotted the stems and finished the beautiful headpiece. Nugget grabbed the crowns and put them away into a storage container, he sighed, all that work for only yesterday's flowers.

Nugget looked at his arms and decided that the best choice was to try to cover them up and go to school. There's no need to risk hurting himself over time. Throwing on a long sleeve shirt in exchange for his short sleeve, Nugget started his ascent to the surface. "Is Nugget ready to start another day of Middle School?"

After navigating the forest where the cave was hidden and making his way to class, Nugget sat down and took out a sheet of paper. The paper had everyone's names written on the page with the words "Potential Suspects" written at the top. "Which one is Nugget's Soul Mate...?" He whispered tapping a pencil against the desk. But before Nugget could start any investigations, class has begun.

The only time Nugget had time for anything that day was when lunch came around. Everyone sat in their normal groups which meant Nugget got to hangout with his best friends, Billy and Lily. While the trio would usually have So many things to talk about, today Nugget was distant. Ten minutes into lunch, Nugget looked down at his box that was once filled with nuggets in disappointment. A delicacy that was gone too quick for his liking.

With extra time left, he got some flowers out of his bag and started on a new flower crown.
"Hey Nugget."
"Nugget sends nice greetings towards his friend."
"You're a bit quiet today Nugget, when did you start making flower crowns?"
"Billy is nosy today, and Nugget has only made one in front of Billy."
"Where did you get the flowers?"
"Nugget found them in the Nugget Cave."
"IN the Nugget Cave?"
"That is what Nugget said."
"We should go visit your Nugget Cave again, what about after school? It's been two weeks since our last visit."
".....Nugget is busy."
"Busy? Since when were you busy?"
"Nugget is uncomfortab-"
Just then a heavy semi-liquid head the back of Nugget's head hard. Nugget sighed and Lily held out a napkin.
"Hey Mole Creature."
"Nugget isn't interested in speaking with the Mean Buggs."
"Whatcha making?"
"Something the Mean Buggs won't be having."
Nugget expresses some panic when Buggs grabbed the newly started flower crown.
"Do you want this back?"
"Nugget would."
Buggs stomped on the crown hard, in a way that would most definitely kill the buds.
"There you go, Mole Creature."
"Does the Mean Buggs think of ways he can be even more of a Bully?"

Lily got up to retrieve the flower crown when Buggs had left, and gasped when she looked at it. When she handed it to Nugget, it was still intact except for a few bends that Nugget fixed easily.

"That's not a normal flower."
"Billy is correct."
The bell rang as Nugget put the flowers and crown away.
"After school in the Nugget Cave?"
"Nugget will be there."