Purple Violet Flowers: Book One

Chapter 23

"Thank you for coming today." Sunflower dipped her head as the costumers walked out.
"Hey, you're really getting the hang of this." Kate smiled as she leaned on the counter.
"I just feel like today is a special day, since Gabby is coming home in all. I also feel like studying for our midterm." Sunflower pointed out.
"We're on break in fifteen minutes?" Kate looked at the clock. "When the break starts I'll just head upstairs." Sunflower pointed out as she cleared off the table.
"I should start studying soon too, after our midterm exams it's our winter break. I don't wanna have bad grades and make a fool of myself." Kate sighed as she started to scrub the dishes.
"Hey, its gonna snow soon right?" Sunflower questioned Kate as she looked out the window.
"Yeah, it's been getting colder after all." Kate continued to wash the dishes.
Sunflower took a moment to enjoy the scenery outside the window, its been two weeks ever since Gabby ended up in the hospital, and when my sister came.
A lot of things have happened, I discovered what a needle was, for it is a torture device. I've also seen Kate and Louise mysteriously doing things.
It was terrible. Some would even say traumatizing.
Sunflower went on over to the counter, she grabbed a cloth and began to wash the tables.
I wonder if any more costumers are coming? We'll be closing for the day, what time is it?
Sunflower looked at the time, it was 4:25pm.
Just five more minutes and It'll be our break. "I'm going to put away the teas, can you start putting the chairs up?" Kate asked the girl.
Sunflower nodded, she began to stack the chairs. I still can't believe Jesse stabbed me with a needle, I understand it was for the flu or something on that topic but she did it while I was asleep.
I don't deserve this treacherous treatment of pain.
Sunflower shuddered at the thought. Once both of the girls were done, Kate locked the back door.
Sunflower took off her apron, she placed it in her 'locker.' She closed her locker, she took the elastic out of her hair, she took apart her braid.
She made a ponytail, it flopped on her right shoulder. She walked out of the locker room. It was time for lazing around, at least until Gabby came back.
She was unsure about when the girl was gonna be released and arrive.
Sunflower walked up the stairs, she went into her room. She walked to her closet, she changed her clothes.
She wore a shirt that was white with short blue sleeves, she put on the dark blue shorts that Jesse had given her.
Sunflower walked to her desk, she grabbed her textbooks, placing the textbooks next to her, she grabbed her paper and began to study.
She got used to English, even though she spoke it she found it weird she rarely knew how to write in it.
She was thankful Jesse and Aqua taught her. Sunflower's eyes narrowed to her bookshelf, she had put new things on it.
She figured her room was more mature looking than Kate's and Gabby's. She had no idea how to decorate her room.
"Maybe... A light tan wallpaper?" Sunflower pictured it in her head. It would look nice, she'd also like a dull brown floor.
She had the money to afford it, what was there to hesitate about? Maybe she could run an errand, and perhaps find a hardware store- or whatever its called, a mechanic store? She had no idea what to search for.
Sunflower grabbed her supposedly 'wallet' she put on her white and gray sweater, walking to the door she closed it slowly. She might make too much noise.
She understood Kate was studying too, she didn't want to disturb the girl.
Kate's door was open, the light shone in the hallway.
Maybe she wanted to be disturbed.
Sunflower walked to Kate's room. "Hey, I'm going for an errand. I'm going to buy some paint for my wall." Sunflower called out as she peeked her head into Kate's room.
"Yeah, okay. Can you pick up some orange juice on the way?" Kate looked at the door as she sharpened her pencil.
"Sure, anything else?" Sunflower questioned. "Maybe another binder? My blue one is breaking, I need to write down my assignment so I might need another sharpener as well." Kate explained as she looked down to her papers.
"Alright, I'll be back around 5:15? If I can find my around." Sunflower waved bye before going down the stairs.
She noticed Kate was a different person when it came to studying, she is completely serious.
It's kinda weird, she is always goofing around but now she is actually serious. I guess I can rely on her now, even if it's for a little while.
She walked down the stairs, going out the door.
Before she went out she bumped into someone.
"Ow." The person whimpered.
"I'm sorry I-." Sunflower stopped to look at the person, it was Gabby.
"Sunflower!" Gabby smiled brightly and hugged her.
She's alright.
She isn't hurt anymore.
"I'm glad you're alright- I heard you were coming out today but I was confused at what time." Sunflower smiled as she broke the hug.
"It was a surprise for me too. I was kinda worried for you too, since you haven't visited me at least once. I understand you needed your space. After what all had happened I didn't really expect you to come." Gabby looked at the ground, with a worried look.
"Ehh.. I don't like thinking about it as much, but.. I've been doing good. I promise."
Sunflower smiled reassuringly.
Other than seeing hallucinations of Lottie and my father dying I've been doing good despite that. Everyone is trying their best but I don't really think I need their pity now.
"Well that's great! I'm glad you're doing well. I thought you blamed yourself for what happened to me but this happens all the time so its no sweat." Gabby beamed.
"All the time?" Sunflower tilted her head.
"Oh.. I forgot, you don't know. I'll tell you and the others later, for now let's go see Kate- if she's here." Gabby smiled.
"Oh- I was just about to run an errand. But it could wait." Sunflower nodded.
"Let's go. I've missed my home for a while." Gabby walked inside.
Sunflower walked in with her. "Wow. Its so clean." Gabby giggled as she walked to the stairs.
Gabby seems happy, I shouldn't really ruin it for her. I have to throw away this guilt, at least for now.
Sunflower walked with Gabby up the stairs. Kate's head appeared at the door. "I thought I recognized your voice! You're back!" Kate beamed, her eyes shined.
"Of course I'm back- nothing could kill me." Gabby did a signature pose, smiling.
Now that you think about it, Gabby is acting more cheerful than usual. Something is clearly wrong.
She just got out of the hospital, is this just a matter of pride that she's out?
Kate and Gabby were cheering and doing a little happy dance.
Sunflower was clueless, what was happening?
"Oh! I have great news! We must gather everyone here." Gabby beamed.
"I'll text them." Kate nodded.
Great news? What's gonna happen now? A hell place?
.
"During my visit in the hospital- I've found out there is gonna be a carnival today just outside of Pigeon Ocean, we just gotta head west beside the ocean." Gabby beamed, her eyes were stars.
"And I suppose you want us all to go?" Erlen smiled as she closed her eyes.
"Of course, this is a time for bonding. We must celebrate." Gabby smiled.
"Would we even have enough money?" Elisa questioned.
"Don't forget I'm here." Sunflower raised her hand, stopping towards her neck.
"Of course. She's loaded. I have a feeling we're gonna be fine." Jesse smiled.
"Shouldn't we consider the point that we have to study for our midterms?" Kate cleared her throat.
"Your such a party killer Kate." Louise stared at her with lifeless eyes. "I mean- I'm fine with studying. So I'll be able to go, besides the soccer team is going to the carnival so I couldn't miss out on that." Aqua smiled.
"Its always soccer team this, soccer team that, when will you have time for your real friends?" Jesse glared at her.
"I can't be at two places!" Aqua hissed.
"Does only your popularity matter?" Jesse muttered. 
"Stop fighting you two. Or else." Lavender death glared at the two girls as she slowly turned her head, her eyes were scary and dark.
"I have a question." Sunflower cleared her throat. "What's up?" Lavender brightened from her devilish form.
The eight girls looked at her.
"What's a carnival?" Sunflower questioned. The whole room fell silent. "What? Do you live in the 19th century still?" Erlen questioned the girl.
"Wasn't there carnivals in the 19th centu-."
"Of course she wouldn't know." Kate looked to the side smugly.
"This is a carnival." Gabby pulled out her phone, she scrolled up and down her phone.
Its that communication device everyone talks about, its called a phone? I'm not very familiar with it but Kate showed me a few times.
"Here, this is a carnival." Gabby passed her the phone. Sunflower's eyes shined as she looked at the device.
Her expression immediately changed once she looked at the screen.
Sunflower froze in place, it was a literal hell place! Its a torture arena!
Sunflower got up, she put the phone on the table gently before walking away, she stopped at the stairs.
"Its a hell place. Its a torture arena. No way I'm going." Sunflower had a dark, terrifying expression.
"You got the wrong idea-." Kate was cut off as Sunflower went up the stairs.
"What photo did you show her?" Elisa grabbed the phone from Gabby's hands. She looked at the screen. "You showed her a shooting range and a blow dart range?" Elisa looked up dangerously.
"What? I did? I thought I went on a merry go round?" Gabby swiped on her phone.
"Oh- she accidentally swiped the screen." Gabby sulked.
"What do we do? She thinks a carnival is a torturing place. We all know here she's sensitive about it." Jesse pointed out with a frown.
"We just have to talk her into it. After all, we need to celebrate." Gabby smiled. "About what? This whole time I've been curious why you keep telling us we're going to celebrate." Lavender tilted her head curiously.
"Well.." Gabby smiled worriedly. She stood up, she looked down to them. "The truth is, I could've died. Right now I wouldn't of been here if Kate and them hadn't rushed me to the hospital. I'm sure you all know I have a weak body, I was born with the same condition my mother had. This is why I prefer to stay on the sides of a wild situation. I'm also certain you all know that I almost died over twelve times, this injury was closest to my death bed but I fought the wariness. This is why I want us all to celebrate, I wouldn't of been able to see you guys. Keep this a secret too, I don't want Sunflower knowing. She'll blame herself more, we don't want that now do we?" Gabby ended the sentence with a smile.
.
Sunflower sat at her desk taking a deep breath, she didn't want to go. She didn't want to go through it again.
The nightmares stopped about her current experiences but she couldn't sleep without a light on. She was always scared that Lottie would come back again.
She had no idea where the girl had gone, but she was certain she was still around.
Its like every time I close my eyes, I feel like she'll be there. Watching me from the corner with those dark scorching eyes of hatred.
Her laugh, her yell, her face. Its like it can't go away, she'll always be here. No matter what I do. Sometimes I wake up and see her across my room, I understand that the traumatic experiences will live within me but sometimes I have the slight bit of hope that she'll leave me alone, the other is that she'll continue to haunt me. That she'll continue to scare me to redeem for my past actions.
How I killed my father, how those dark memories will forever haunt me. Lottie made it worse for me, now I feel like I'll never find the happiness I once wished for.
Except, the bright side is that my friends gave me the happiness I needed, but I'm leaving in two years so can I really continue to make them suffer?
It's like what Skye said. I can go home if I wanted to. Whenever I wanted.
But do I really want that?
I miss home, but that's where everything happened.
I can make up my mind. Something has to make me want to stay, something has to come out and grab me. Someone like..
The door opened, Sunflower turned her head.
Jesse.
Jesse waved. "Please come with us, it wouldn't be fun without you." The girl frowned.
She'll be the one to make me happy, but should I throw away my experiences and lay it all out just to rely on a single person?