A Flower Back ✔

31

Dove treasured the petunias River would leave for her. It was what she would get up for everyday. She brought each petunia home and kept with utmost love and affection. They were tokens of someone's friendship and that's all it took for her to guard each one of them with her life.

She kept them in a vase close to her room's window. But she dare not show them to her brother who she shared an apartment with, for if she did, she would have to face his fury, which was like that of no other. Even though they had boundaries, he wasn't permitted to step inside her room and she wasn't allowed to step inside his, she still feared him. He was drunk and drugged most of the time, giving him no control over his anger, or his tongue. He would say the most heartbreaking things to his sister, and never apologise.

She had been collecting the flora for barely half a week, when her brother, Brian, saw them, having all the letters she received next to them didn't help her case. And even though he didn't care if she dated someone or not, his blood boiled at the thought, maybe the alcohol was to blame. Still, with no control over his thoughts, the lad picked up a flower with delicacy and plucked each petal of. Soon after he grabbed all of the flowers, and tore them apart as if they were paper. Satisfaction rushing through his veins as he dropped the remains of his sister's most prized possession and walked out of her room.

His sister on the other hand, was in school, receiving another flower from her developing crush, a stranger to what had happened back home. Hence, what she saw when she walked into her room took her surprise, and shattered her heart to pieces. She immediately knew who did it, and was off to the culprit's room. 

"Brian!" she barged into his room not caring what he was doing or who he was with, but to her pleasure it was Sabrina, his girlfriend. 

"What do you want?" Sabrina spoke first. 

Completely ignoring her, Dove walked up to her brother and raised her voice immune to any fear. "Who gave you the permission to go into my room? There are boundaries that we both agreed to respect. And you crossed them without any thoughts! And over that you touch my belongings! Gifts! You had no right to even touch them! Maybe I wouldn't care as much if you were an actual brother to me. But all you care about your precious alcohol and cocaine, isn't it? We're still young. And at the time when we couldn't be with our parents we should've been there for each other. But no. You left me to handle my anxiety and depression on my own. What a brother you are Brian, really. It amazes me that people like exist." she let out a lot of pent up frustration, feelings that had been building up inside her since the last few years. She was awaiting her brother's response. But to her disappointment Sabrina decided to speak first.

"I'm sure we can get you more. Don't be such a drama queen."

"Tell me something Sabrina, if someone were to completely destroy a gift from Brian, how ould feel?"

"I'd just ask him to get me another one." 

"That's not how gifts work. It won't ever be the same." Just as i was going continue, Brian's voice got to my ears, making me stop.

"They were just flowers. Buy more." 

"You know exactly why those flowers mattered." I kept my tone low , suppressing the rising anger.

"Why did they matter. Huh? Because a kid who hasn't seen your face gave them to you? That's why? Don't be ridiculous."

"Wait wait wait." Sabrina decided to butt in again. "So this entire drama is over flowers some stranger gave to you?"

"He's not a stranger. He's my friend!." My voice grew louder, and at that moment, I had no regrets. "And wouldn't you like to know who he is."

"What do you mean?" her voice dropped in curiosity.

"Guess. Hint: His name starts with an R."

"River?"

"I don't know. And next time Brian, stay out of my room." With those being her last words, she marched out of his room, slamming the door behind her.