FLOWERS

Tulip

He was so quiet.

Lilly felt challenged by him. Like one of them were going for the Silent Game, world championship. She'd just watch him from the other side of the classroom. Like a hawk. Every move he made. Everything he said. She had to know it. Like a vulture hunting down its prey. And as overused as that saying is, it completely applied to Lilly. She was a vulture. In every sense, silent, scary and high up.

"LILLY! Get off of the table please! You're gonna break your shit all over my homework!" That was Peggy Andrews. Cute, dark-skinned, redhead, pigtails, sexy, easy. A boys dream. Lilly's worst nightmare, and also her roommate.

Lilly looked over at Peggy and hissed.

"BITCH! Did you just hiss at me like a cat?!" Peggy was funny at least. Lilly couldn't help but enjoy her company. "If you want that boy to notice you, standing on your desk in the middle of English is not the way to do it."

Lilly hopped down off the table and sat back in her chair. She squinted at Peggy angrily.

"I don't care how angry you get. You know I'm right. He's not even that cute. He wears an eye patch for shit's sake. That's like an immediate red flag."

Lilly thought the eye patch was charming. He looked like a little pirate boy.

"And he only wears plaid. Sometimes plaid on plaid." Definitely a little pirate. "He has no fashion sense. Which, that wouldn't even be a problem if he brushed his hair, but he doesn't do that either." Lilly really started to consider that this boy was, in fact, a real-life pirate. "But if you're serious about liking him... I guess I could give you a hand if you wanted.' They really should have been paying attention. The English test was tomorrow, but no one gave a shit in Mr. Debacles class. It was more like a second lunch. He taught creative writing. His class was a breeze. No one needed to listen to pass his course because you came up with all of his papers with your imagination. Even the test tomorrow was going to be a writing prompt. Lilly was sure Mr. Debacles was going to kill himself in the next few semesters anyway. He was quite a waste of space. "Lilly, are you paying attention?" Lilly snapped back into reality and looked over to Peggy. "You need to dress better. The emo shit is old. You're in college now, Hunny. You need to brighten up." Lilly felt offended. She loved her black dresses and awesome necklaces. She had secretly been making one out of Human teeth that she was planning on wearing for Halloween, the only time no one would question it. She wasn't about to change her clothes for some bitchy roommate. "Honestly, I think you'd be sexy in red. Like blood red. You've already got that mysterious vibe going. Why not add to it?" Benny had always said she was beautiful in blue. She always hated blue, but a shade of red wasn't too bad. "In fact, I'll tell you what, I'll even purchase some new clothes for you. It's gonna be perfect. We're gonna have a blast. Let's go right now!" Lilly wanted to argue so she could look at her boy some more, but what was she going to say. She didn't talk. Peggy grabbed her hand and ran through the classroom door.

---

The next thing Lilly knew, it was JC Penny, then Forever 21, lots of Victoria's Secret. A pair of panties from Calvin Cline and finally-

Lilly pointed excitedly at a thrift store across the road.

"Lilly... no... You're gonna get ticks or fleas or something there." Ironically, they'd be less annoying than the tick she was walking around with right now.

Lilly looked up at Peggy with a pouty lip. That seemed more Peggy's style. 'GIRLS BEIN' GIRLS.'

Peggy rolled her eyes. "Fine, but it better be something gorgeous, or I'm not buying it." Bitch.

Lilly smiled thankfully and the two of them crossed the road.

The place was bleak and barren and ugly. Lilly loved it. Every aisle held knew treasures and wonders that brought joy to Lilly's heart. Old creepy dolls, antique necklaces, forgotten family heirlooms. And then she found it. An old red prom dress. Blood red. But gorgeous all the same. Lilly walked to it cautiously. It was mesmerizing to her. She didn't even know why. She ran her hand down its hem until her finger caught a loose thread that tore ever so slightly. She hugged the dress and felt its silky exterior against her skin. It smelled of dust and old perfume that had soaked so far into it that it was trapped forever inside the cloth.