CRAZY IN LOVE FOR YOU

Escaping the Angry Gaze!

ANNA's POV:

"They are indeed very beautiful. You must be upset about behaving like that." It wasn't the first time someone had treated me poorly at my job. Many underestimate me due to my young age, thinking I'm just bluffing and unaware of what I'm talking about. This is where they are mistaken, as sometimes age is merely a number and people learn things faster than others. This was the case for me.

"Please don't say that. We all make mistakes sometimes, and it's not your fault at all." I wasn't saying all of that just to make myself look good while performing my job. I genuinely meant it, as I know people who only pretend to be nice when they want something in return. I wasn't one of them. Being kind to everyone is important all the time.

"But still, I should apologize for my rudeness. I can't wait to come here again and learn more about these lovely flowers from you," she said, brightening my day. I truly enjoy it when someone shows interest in flowers like this. Most people only focus on their appearance and overlook their significance.

After sending her away and looking at the tip she gave me, I was too stunned to react at that point. It was the largest bill I had ever received, and I could easily cover my college fees for this semester with it. Deciding to work at this flower shop was indeed a brilliant idea; it brings me genuine happiness, and I never feel tired. People are always curious why a 16-year-old girl started working here like this, and even after three years had passed, I was not ready to change my job at all.

I placed the tip in a separate drawer and waited for the owner to return it so that I could inform her and take it, even though I was allowed to do so without informing her. But I don't like to do things like that at all. I still remember how she entrusted me with running this entire flower boutique alone back then, and together we successfully brought it to this level of success. It wasn't easy for me to carry on with my life when my father died while trying to save someone else's life, leaving me and my mother alone.

My mom loved my dad so much that she couldn't handle the trauma and ended up suffering from Alzheimer's in the end. She requires round-the-clock medical assistance, while I have to ensure that I'm doing well in my life with the hope that she will get better one day, and we can restore our lives to what they were before. Even though I can't bring my father back, I'm willing to do anything for my mother's sake.

Sometimes I feel angry at him for leaving me like this for the sake of others, but everyone continues to label him a hero to this day. Observing all those performance awards he received during his time as a detective, I will always feel proud of him. All of this has reshaped my perspective on everything. Despite the storm of emotions brewing within me, I managed to appear composed in front of everyone, and I gained a reputation for being mature and understanding.

"We've all planned to meet tonight at Rachel's place. Don't be late, as we'll work on completing our assignment there," I read the message. They had been in a group call while I was assisting that customer, but everything fell into place for me, so there was no issue.

"Done. See you all tonight," I replied, sending the message to the group before returning to my work. There were a few bouquets left for me to prepare. As I looked at these beautiful roses and tended to them, a profound sense of happiness enveloped me. I was so absorbed in my work that I didn't even realize when the owner had returned.

"Someone seems quite happy today," she remarked, capturing my attention. I enthusiastically nodded in response, my excitement palpable. She was unaware of just how eager I was to share the news, having waited for her return for quite some time.

"I received a tip today," I said, producing the envelope. I omitted the earlier events, not wanting to burden her with any negativity. My intention was always to focus on the positive aspects of things, even though my friends sometimes teased me for it.

"Oh my god! This is fantastic. You've truly made my day," she exclaimed after inspecting the tip and sharing in my surprise. Not everyone responds with such genuine joy, especially when they are your boss, but she was different. She consistently looked out for me, treating me like her own child, which occasionally baffled others. I often wondered what would have become of me if she hadn't been there to care for me in this way.

"I've always told you that this shop brings me luck. You keep suggesting that I look for internships in some company, fully aware that they would never pay me as much, and they certainly don't offer tips," I replied, reminding her of her usual advice for me to pursue a comfortable life with minimal effort. However, my perspective differed. To me, finding happiness in my work was just as important as having money in my hand. There's no other reason for me to engage in anything that doesn't provide internal satisfaction.

"You never fail to impress me with your words. But I have some news that might be a little troublesome," she said, causing a slight unease to creep over me. I couldn't fathom what could prompt her to bring up something potentially worrisome, especially when we were both caught up in celebrating this happy moment together.

"I received an urgent order just now, and I couldn't turn them down. The lady placing the order is a close friend of mine. However, the inspection team is scheduled to visit in an hour, leaving me unable to handle the delivery. Given that you already have a lot on your plate..." she began explaining, laying out the situation.

I quickly grasped the situation and realized there was no way I could let her carry this stress while in my presence. I had to interrupt her, reassuring her that she had me, just as she always had.

"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, we can manage everything. Show me the order," I spoke confidently, aiming to put her at ease and take charge of the situation. I was ready to take on double the work today, thanks to the boost of excitement from receiving the generous tip from the elderly customer.

"It needs to be delivered to the airport within an hour. You know the airport is nearly a half-hour drive from here. And it's not just any regular bouquet; it's one of our special deal arrangements," she explained, causing me to briefly question my decision. It wasn't going to be easy to handle everything within such a short time frame. I found myself wondering who would order flowers with such a tight deadline. It's not like ordering food that can be delivered in thirty minutes or so. But I had already assured her not to worry, so backing down wasn't an option. Even if it meant sprinting to the airport on foot, I was determined to ensure the delivery was made right on time.

"Leave it to me and just order an Uber for me," I said, taking her phone from her hand and darting into the store and the back area where most of our packing supplies were kept. The bouquet was an intricate arrangement of various flowers with a specific decoration style, roughly the size of half my body. I was fully aware of the challenge I had taken on, but there was no turning back now.

"Be careful, dear. These are our VIP customers," she reminded me after letting me know that my Uber ride would be arriving in fifteen minutes. I pushed away any anxiety and focused on preparing the bouquet to perfection.

"The Uber is here. I told you we didn't have much time..." She began to speak worriedly as she joined me at the back, but her words trailed off into complete shock as she saw the prepared bouquet before her.

"Tada! I told you I would get it done, and now it's time for delivery," I said with a smile, and she responded by clapping her hands in approval. I grabbed the bouquet, made my way outside, and carefully settled into the car, holding the precious creation so it wouldn't be damaged during the journey.

"Please get me there as soon as possible," I requested the driver, who nodded in agreement and started driving. As we moved along, I gazed out the window, observing people immersed in their daily activities, each living a unique life that stood apart from the others. It was fascinating how diverse everyone's experiences were.

"What's the rush with these flowers? Seems like they're quite important to you. Special someone waiting?" the driver inquired, surprising me. I assumed he knew I was just the delivery person.

"Oh, you've got it wrong. I'm just delivering them," I replied with a slightly nervous laugh. His unexpected question touched on the amusing fact that I had never dated until the age of 19. My father had always been overprotective, and his passing had left me focused solely on my studies. I aimed to build a successful career and take care of my mother in the future. Dating and such activities weren't a priority in my life.

"I see. My wife loves flowers, too. But whenever I buy them for her, she scolds me for spending money on something like that. She always puts our kids' future ahead of her happiness," he shared, piquing my curiosity about the kind of person who made such choices in this day and age.

"Thank you so much for getting me here. Here's our shop card, and I'll give you a special discount so you can gift her something without spending too much," I rushed to say, handing the Uber fare and our shop card to the driver before dashing inside the airport. I heard his words of thanks as I hurried away.

Running with the bouquet while ensuring it remained intact was challenging, and I focused on getting to my destination on time. The bouquet's height obstructed my view of what lay ahead. As I neared my destination, a large trolley loaded with suitcases suddenly blocked my path. I had to halt abruptly and step back, as the person pushing the trolley couldn't see me either. Amidst my efforts to manage the bouquet, I inadvertently collided with something hard behind me, possibly a pole or some other object.

"What the—" a male voice exclaimed from behind me, making me realize that it was a person, not a pole. Checking my watch for the time, I turned around quickly, unable to see the person's face completely. I could sense his anger at my clumsiness.

"I'm so sorry. Truly sorry, but I need to get there urgently," I apologized, shaking my head and feeling a pang of remorse for my carelessness. Without lingering, I hurried away, knowing that time was running out.

"Hey, you can't just leave…" his voice reached me again, compelling me to turn around and face him this time. I acted as if I didn't know what he was talking about, a somewhat regrettable choice but seemingly the only one at that moment.

"Thank you so much for your help," I expressed my gratitude upon reaching my destination on time. His wife was departing for five years, following a fight between them. Despite managing everything and being ready to leave, I couldn't forget the angry expression on the face of that young man. It was clear he would have scolded me if I'd stuck around. Fortunately, I had managed to escape the situation, hoping to never encounter that wrathful countenance again, as just the thought of it still sent shivers down my spine.