When The Roses Bloom

3- Sing Me a Song

(Y/N) followed the stream of students as they left the school for today, each in their own group and talking about whatever it is they felt like. There was, in fact, a friend (Y/N) was looking for, but they both seemed to be lost in the crowd.

That is, in fact, until she heard the familiar sound of yelling and running. The girl spun herself off to the side, away from the crowd and in clearer view of her friend, who was now running to her while panting like a dying animal.

"(Y/N)! (Y/N)," the girl cried when she reached her, hands on her knees, "did... did you hear the news?"

"...what news?"

"There's an influx of new substitute teachers coming in starting tomorrow. I heard the first two are going to be for French Language and English Literature."

"...and? What does that have to do with me?"

"I heard they're smoking hot men, (Y/N)! Something to fawn over! Beautiful hunks! And they're going to be teaching us at our school for an indefinite period of time!"

"So what happened to the actual teachers? Do you not care?"

"...not really? I just want want to see hot men. I'm talking hunkalicious! Nobody who teaches in this school is hot at all! They all look like they're in their mid-life crisises or something."

"Please. You probably have a better chance at getting with those mid-life crisis teachers than with one of the new substitutes. I mean, come on. You're in high school."

"And?"

"Nia."

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"And how old are they?"

"They look like they're in their early thirties or something."

"Why are you so concerned with men almost, if not, more than twice your age?"

"I know a hot son of a gun when I see one, (Y/N)! Get this- I snuck a peek at the conference room and I saw some of the substitutes! They all looked dashing!"

"Glad to know your amazing, dead-set priorities are getting you a good reputation as the school whore."

"Wh- no! Let a girl dream, (Y/N)!"

"Haha, no. Anyways, shall we walk home? I don't want to hear you fawning on about men who are most definitely already in relationships."

Nia huffed, scanning the crowd.
"Where's your brother?"

"He took the opportunity to book it to the café so he didn't have to lose braincells listening to you."

"That's cold, (Y/N)."

"Cold as ice, I know. Less talking, more walking. I'm hungry."

.    .    .

The comfortable clink and clang of the dishes as they were washed, dried, and put away was calming. The sound resonated in the downstairs area, wrapping it up in a calming embrace.

"(Y/N)." Austin called out to the customer area when the dishes were done.

"Yeah?" The girl called back, a bit softer. "What did you need?"

"...sing me a song. Like Mom and Grandma used to."

There was silence for a split moment, in which the boy presumed his sister was thinking of a reply to his request. Most likely, he thought, she'd decline in some way while self-deprecating herself.