Promise by Aridea Moons

Flowered hearts

CLOUDS POV
I woke up today to the sound of bells outside which woke everyone up it only meant that the sun came out. Im twelve years old and honestly, I really dislike picking out weeds in the garden. The scenery was so peaceful like every morning when I look outside to see the sun shining on the garden making the flowers and fresh vegetables healthy as always.
Cl: "Cmon honey, hand me that bucket" she said while on her knees in the garden reaching for me the bucket in my hand. I handed her the bucket but as soon as I gave it to her my eyes looked to the side as everything just stopped, I heard a ring in my ears as I saw her pass by with her long black hair. As usual I couldn't take my eyes off her, I've done this so many times that I always ended up falling in a hole while digging in the garden or hitting something on my way like for instance the other day I hit my face against the door when my mom opened it. I was so embarrassed all those times because every-time it happened Tifa would look over to me and I had to pretend like nothing happened. Anyways, "Im taking out weeds remember!" I said as I was slapping myself silly then my mom looked at me then she looked away waving, "Oh Hi Tifa!". Then I was startled that I kneed down on the plants quickly hiding myself but my mom just laughed.
C: "How could you do that to me!"
Cl: "She wasn't there silly, your crushing on her"
C: "Whatever"
I immediately took out the weeds in the garden and then I heard Tifas laugh that my eyes shot up to see her smiling.
Cl: "Well?"
C: "huh? Ya sorry"
Cl: "if you stare too long it'll make her run away"
C: "I wasn't staring...was I?"
Cl: "Haha of course you do as always, you should go talk to her"
C: "I have"
Cl: "You know she brings home made jam every week, I think she likes you"
C: "I didn't know she did that? And I don't think so"
Cl: " oh why not?"
I looked at my mom wearing a sun hat and her pink dress kneeling on the dirt with her apron on, she smiled at me and I kept pulling out the weeds with my oversized gloves.
C: "well..." I stuttered and blushed, "She has friends, Shes really pretty and I don't think her dad likes me not after what happened"
Cl: "Aww sweetie I dont think that for a second, it happened when you were nine now you're twelve besides you want to join SOLDIER dont you? I think you should leave with a goodbye"
C: "I dont- I just- I don't think she would come even if I invited her besides she's out of my league anyways she has me outnumbered on everything"
Cl: "She looks at you when your not I see that"
C: "What?! No way!"
Cl: "Alright if you dont believe me, here"
She handed me some gil
Cl: "Go to the shop and buy whats on the list here" she handed me a list and I took it off her quickly
C: "Fine but it won't prove anything"
I stood up and took my gloves off dropping them on the dirt, as I walk towards the shop I purchase some stuff on the list then from the window I caught Tifa glancing at me from a distance. I think to myself "nah she just happened to look this way"
I walked out the shop carrying a big bag then I keep my eyes at my mom then she tilted her head so I look at Tifa and we stared at each other. We both blushed making a face of nervousness, in fact it was so awkward that I stopped on my tracks and completely froze then I got the courage to call her over.
C: "Hey Tifa!"
I saw her she was so adorable with that face she made, she slowly walked on over with her hands behind her back and she was fiddling with her feet avoiding eye contact.
T: "y-ya?"
C: "I uh do you want to meet me up the tower?" I said holding my blush, my whole face felt like it was burning and I stared at the sky.
T: "uh why are you looking at the sky?"
C: "huh? Oh uh" I looked at her and I couldn't stop staring at her which made things even more awkward! Oh gosh she's so cute, "uh nothing I was just thinking"
T: "oh were you thinking about me?- I mean my hair- I got a haircut see!" She said looking away showing me layers of her hair and I just froze on how pretty she looked
C: "uh- ya it-it-it looks nice" I said feeling really nervous that I scratched the back of my head
T: "So are you asking me on a date?"
C: "huh! Uh if you want it to be..sure" I said looking down
T: "Okay then, Ill meet you up there tonight" she smiled then skipped away to her friends and I blushed at her skipping. I immediately walked over to my mom and gave her the bag then I immediately hunched down to my knees staring at the dirt.
Cl: "So? How'd it go?"
I didn't say anything I was so embarrassed that I can practically feel my whole body blushing then my mom touched my forward.
Cl: "Oh no"
C: "What what is it?!"
Cl: "It appears you have love fever"
C: "What??! Is that a real thing!?"
Cl: "haha no silly" she said smiling at me and I knew she was teasing me but I actually wanted to know if I was sick or that it was just sun burn or something. Anything to explain this mess of emotion that Im in, "I can't believe I talked to her. Thinking about it makes me..huh? Whats this feeling in my chest?" I clutched on it as it was beating quickly, my face a never ending strawberry. My mom went inside cuz we finished pulling out the weeds and as I was going inside I felt uneasy without me even looking I was so distracted that I didn't even see Tifa was right in front and we butt heads.
C: "ouch!"
T: "uhh!"
I saw her lowering herself down to the ground while touching her forehead.
C: "uh! Tifa im so sorry!"
I immediately kneed down and she looked up then as I saw her face was pink that it made my face turn pink too. My entire body froze for a second as we were staring at each other and I stuttered, "uh I-I I'm sorry does it hurt?"
T: "No its fine!" She said almost yelling closing her eyes then I leaned closer to see if she was okay and she slapped my hand away then she started tearing up, she immediately got up and ran away.
C: "uh! Tifa wait im sorry!" I said yelling then I went inside with my head down and pike usual my mom could see right through me.
Cl: "Oh what happened?"
C: "nothing Im going to my room"
Cl: "Hold on a second what happened in front of the door?" She said as she kneed down grabbing my shoulders.
C: "Well..I accidentally butt heads with Tifa and I didn't see her then she ran away from me and I apologized too!"
Cl: "Oh dear, that didn't scare her away hon no need to worry"
C: "But..I-I hit her"
Cl: "it was an accident"
I lowered my eyelids because I felt guilty
Cl: "Now then clean your room and help me do laundry alright?"
C: "Sure"
I ran to my room and threw all my dirty laundry in a casket. I left outside as I saw all the kids playing together, I walked over to see Tifa doing laundry.
C: "uh you do you're dads clothes too?"
T: "huh? Oh yea ever since..mom"
C: "oh..Im sorry, Im also sorry about earlier..I can do your dads clothes"
T: "No its fine" she said washing the clothes by hand then I set my clothes next to her as I began washing mine. Suddenly a kid took one of my clothes and ran away, "HEY!" I ran after them as Tifa followed me.
T: "Hey Georgie stop!"
The kid kept running
G: "Hahah c'mon Tifa catch!"
Tifa raised her hands in the air only to have another kid behind her catch my shirt and ran away, Tifa ran after the kid then someone pulled her hair and they all started running around us.
T: "Ouch! Stop it! Hey!"
No one listened to her and I kept running after the kid but then Tifa screamed in the center.
T: "AAAAAAAAHHH! STOP ITTTT NOWW!!"she yelled closing her eyes with her hands tightened into fists.
The kids stopped on their tracks and said, "but we used to do this sort of thing all the time?"
"Ya, why are you even hanging around this kid anyway?"
"Hes a loser! He has no friends"
T: "He's my friend! So stop, I thought you were all better than this" she said looking at the ground and I grabbed my shirt from the other kid.
"You never play with us anymore every time you hang out with us all you do is stare at blondie over here" I blushed by his response
T: "My mom is dead! You think I care about playing anymore?"
Tifa walked away and all the kids looked down silently but I ran towards her realizing she was hurting.
C: "Tifa" I grabbed her arm and she turned around
T: "leave me alone" tears fell down her face
At this moment, I had no idea what I was supposed to do but for some reason I pulled her in for a hug as she cried on my shoulder. I realized that Tifa isn't just some girl who dresses pretty, she is pretty inside and out. To be honest I felt like I didn't even want to leave her but I want to protect her because I dont want to see her cry ever again.
C: "Tifa.."
She kept crying silently then I felt her hand tugging at my shirt which made me blush
C: "....uh..we should do our laundry dont you think?"
Tifa sniffs and looks up at me which made me turn red because of how close she was then she stepped back looking to the side.
T: "Im sorry..I..Ya lets do laundry" she went back to the water barrel washing her clothes as she wiped her tears away but I didn't like seeing her like that so I helped her wash her dads clothes.
C: "Your dads working right?"
T: "uh ya.." she said as she looked at me helping her wash, "Thanks" she smiled to herself.
C: "Its no big deal, actually about tonight you dont have to come"
T: "uh but I want to" she said looking at me with her big eyes that made me blush to myself
C: "Is it true that you..stare at me?" I said looking directly at my hands doing the washing
T: "uh!" She gasped and looked at me then blushed to herself, "uh..sometimes.." she said stuttering
C: "Oh..I do too sometimes" I said trying not to make her feel embarrassed but we both ended up feeling embarrassed to even look at each other. It was the most awkward moment ever but mom was right, its so much easier to get closer to her rather than running away all the time.
C: "Im sorry about your mom...I don't know what I would do if I had my mom gone.."
T: "Where's your dad?"
C: "He left us when I was born"
T: "oh..Im sorry, your mom is nice. I see you never refused to help your mom before"
C: "I dont have friends so...I dont have anything better to do"
T: "well me and you are friends now, we can talk and hang out together" she smiled at me cheerfully and I couldn't help but think about me leaving to join SOLDIER but I would have to wait a while to enlist due to my age.
C: "Ya.."