The Flower Girl

Snapdragon

❄People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.❄

s n a p d r a g o n

[s y m b o l iz e s   g r a c i o u s n e s s   a n d   s t r e n g t h   . a l s o  d e c e p t i o n]

I was excited the fourth day and this was stupid on my part to feel this way. I should be stressing about the function, about the deadline but I was excited. Last I left her stunned at my words and I wanted to see her again.

As I entered the flowershop, for the first time she was not behind the desk but in the far end of first shelf of flowers. Artificial flowers, she was arranging them and with a perfect alignment and elegance. I knew she was artistic, a decorator but she herself was not aware of this. But I also knew there was no way she will agree to work for me. She looked like a guarded person.

And before I become the uptight CEO of a company, I was a fun-loving flirt in my college days that made girls smile and spill their secrets. That part of me was in slumber since I joined cutthroat business world but now something about her made me want to use those charms and make her open up.

"It is irresponsible to leave the front desk empty," I called out to her and she immediately looked at me.

The look of exasperation crossed her face making me wonder did she disliked me or my persistent nature?

Whatever it was, the idea was really displeasing.

"It is a dull neighbourhood, we get very few customers." She replied and walked towards me now.

"Where is the Amelia you talk about?" I asked curious all of a sudden if she was lying about this Amelia person.

"Why, you finally got back your senses and want to hire the person with talent?"

She was in a bad mood today, her sharp tone and frown said that much.

"As far as I can see, you have talent." I pointed out to the flowers she just arranged.

She ignored my compliment and returned to her usual place and I sat on the small yellow chair.

"You know I am your customer, you can  maybe, be more courteous." I teased her.

"As far as I know you are a student here." She answered flatly.

Definitely not in a good mood.

I sat there silently and made plans what to say next.

"What company do you work for?" She asked surprising me.

"Umm...Holt Dreamweavers."

"so you make people's dream event come true." Her voice was sad, really sad now.

"Yes."

"Weddings too." She asked, this time turning back and selecting a flower.

I was pretty sure she was crying. What was it? Bad divorce? Wedding gone wrong?

"You know dreams never come true." She mumbled without looking at me.

"Maybe not, but there is a reality we can work for."

"What if the reality is too harsh?" Now she turned to me and I searched for emotion in her eyes.

"Then we leave it and begin new," I suggested not sure what to say.

"Is it as easy as it sounds?"

But before I could answer, she added, "Is it so easy to hurt someone and feel no guilt?"

And she was looking at me, squarely , right into the eye.

I was at a loss for words, as I saw raw pain on her face. She was hurt before, badly.

She sighed when I didn't reply, too stunned to do so.

"Snapdragon, your flower for today. It represents strength and graciousness, the word dragon helping a lot for strength part. But this flower also has a double side, like every human and that depicts, deception." Her words were blank, emotionless.

"I will buy them, as usual." I finally found back my voice.

And I was a freaking CEO suppose to be eloquent in speaking.

"For?" This time, she asked the reason.

"For strength." My answer was simple but she gazed at me for a moment too long.

"Why do you buy them, you just want to know about them, believe in them, right?" Her eyes narrowed at me.

"I can't take lessons for free now, can I?"

She shrugged at my simple response.

"And ,Aster." I called out as I was about to walk out.

"Hmm?" She looked up at me.

"Not all humans are deceptive.Not everyone will hurt you." I tried to judge her reaction.

She could snap at me for crossing the boundaries.

"And do we know a single one like that?" She asked with an arched brow.

"Me, who else?" I answered her with a confident grin.

❄ ❄ ❄