"You should eat twice a day, one in the morning and one at night. I hope it works for you and don't forget to recommend me."
I took a quick glance at the note before stuffing it into the pastel pink envelope next to the plants.
- Don't you think the recommendation is a bit excessive, Lia?
"Sweetheart, if you want to make yourself known, you must start spreading your fame."
I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, she was lying on my bed next to Lazy who was teasing with a white feather. I watched her from my desk where I had selected the plants that I should send to the more than six girls who had sent me letters this week.
-Fame? Do you forget that I just sell plants?
"That's just the beginning."
I rolled my eyes and finished stamping a second letter, put the money in my little Hello Kitty piggy bank and then lay down next to Lia on my bed as I patted Lazy on the back.
We sat in silence enjoying each other's company until Lia sat up abruptly, shooing Lazy who was resting on her stomach in the process, and spoke in a hurry.
—I would love to continue fermenting here forever but I have time at the gym and it takes me almost an hour to return to civilization from your home.
Lia liked to exaggerate the fact that she lived further than normal from the nearest mall, for her "civilization." When we were little we pretended to be locked in a tower -which was my room-, in a very distant land -which was the orchard and the forest- and we were the victims of an evil witch -who was my mother- and a prince charming had to save us. -that used to be Klaus, although most of the time he forgot to save me and focused only on Lia, with whom he was in love for many years, leaving me at the mercy of the evil witch, having to rescue me alone and without a prince blue to help me.
"I don't understand why you're still in the gym if you're already prettier than Rita Cass."
"I'm glad you're comparing me to the second most popular cheerleader in school but I'm sorry to tell you that this beautiful body doesn't stand alone."
She kissed my cheek and jumped out of my room.
I avoided the temptation to stay in bed until I fell into Morpheus's arms and got up to go find some food in the kitchen. I ran into Doria who was ordering a plate of half-eaten cake, surely it had been eaten by Lia before leaving. I held my laughter and greeted the lady who was looking at me fondly.
I took out a green apple and walked to my orchard.
The grass was starting to dry out from the cold and the leaves on the trees were turning red. We were only in April but it was as cold as if we were in June. They said that this year's winter would be the coldest of the decade and my mother had begun to take measures so that the flowers could withstand the cold days that were to come.
"Hi, Lydia."
I tensed when I heard Alan's voice, even before turning around I was sure he was smiling.
-Hello Alan.
"Are you doing your security rounds to make sure nobody urinates on the plants?"
I felt my pale skin turn red and I looked away from her charming smile. Lovely? Really, Lydia?
When I managed to find my voice, which had been hidden next to my dignity, I spoke more calmly than I really felt.
"Yes, for now you've been the only one who has broken the rules."
"I'm good at breaking the rules." I'm all a bad boy. - I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, I did not know much about bad boys but I was sure they were not dedicated to taking care of flowers and working in flower shops. Alan chuckled. "Okay, maybe I'm not that good at breaking the rules." To seal his words he gave me a smile that wrinkled his nose causing my heart to clench with tenderness, that boy was far from being a bad boy.
"Too bad, I was hoping to meet a bad boy."
A half smile escaped my lips and I feigned disinterest as I spoke. If Lia saw me for sure she would applaud me for my flirtatious attitude, I on the other hand did not even recognize me ... What was this change in my personality due to? Did she have some kind of multiple personality disorder?
- You could pretend that if I peed the flowers, I'm sure a bad boy would do that.
I smiled at his word.
"I suppose a bad boy would uproot flowers."
Alan faked a blow to the stomach and wiped away an imaginary tear.
A laugh escaped my lips and I began to walk to a tree from which leaves were beginning to fall.
"And tell me, what does a not-so-bad boy do working in a flower shop?"
Alan watched me for a few seconds with a smile tattooed on his lips, he wore a black T-shirt tight to his muscles and his hair was messy, he wore baggy gray pants and Homer Simpson terry shoes that complemented the look "ready to go to bed. "to perfection.
"I've always had a weakness for plants."
I looked at him in surprise with my eyebrows raised.
-For real?
-Yes. He looked me straight in the eye for a few seconds that seemed like hours. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my back giving me its last rays before hiding — Mainly to the beautiful roses like you.
I let out a non-feminine gasp and felt the blood turn red on my usually pale face.
-You're kidding?
A laugh escaped Alan's lips, showing that it had been a joke. Yes, the men were apes.
"Goodbye, Alan."
"Hey, little red, don't be mad!" It was a perfect time for a flirty phrase. I could not contain myself!
I turned around to walk back to my house, thus ignoring his words, and trying not to think that his nickname was strangely racing my pulse. Soon I felt his warm hand touching my arm gently. He turned me around a bit to allow me to look at his face, he had a nice mole in the center of his right cheek.
"Well, you should learn to hold back, just like I'm holding back the urge to hit you at this very moment." It was a late response to his words but I couldn't think at a normal speed, I felt a pressure in my chest that accelerated my heartbeat but delayed my thoughts.
Alan resisted the urge to laugh. Why couldn't it sound threatening? Was it due to my small stature? Couldn't anyone be intimidated at five feet? It should be clear that it was five feet of pure evil.
"I'd like to see you hitting me, little red."
"If you keep calling me that, it won't be long before you see him."
"Good answer, you have earned my respect."
I buffet reluctantly and made the move again.
"Don't leave me, little red!" It is boring to be alone watering the plants.
—If you think that, it's because you still don't see magic in nature.
Alan was silent for a few minutes and made a serious face as he admired the scenery. The melody of the night kept us company, the beat of the leaves and the sound of nocturnal insects, it was truly magical. Alan really seemed to be appreciating everything, as if he was noticing every change in the air when a small insect flew by. As I watched the horizon, I took the liberty of admiring it more closely. He had a fairly normal nose, a square jaw, and lips that remained parted. The wonderful thing about his face were his eyes, a honey color that could look very light but at the same time very deep and dark. They were framed by false-looking eyelashes and their almond shape made them even more beautiful.
—If you finished observing me, let me know so I can change position. My neck is already starting to hurt.
"I-I'm sorry."
Alan gave me a sweet smile and waved his hand to show me that it didn't matter.
"Before your curious eyes watched me so closely I was about to mention that I couldn't see anything magical here, do I have to smoke something or what?"
All the idealization that had mounted on him went to the trash.
-You're a...
I couldn't finish my sentence as Alan had stood in front of me with raised eyebrows as if he were daring me to keep talking. Too close. I could smell his scent of flowers and masculine perfume. He was inches from me, so close that I couldn't see his face without raising mine completely. My pulse was racing and my eyes were on his collarbone. I knew I should ask him why he was there or take a step to get away but I couldn't, his body attracted me in a strange way and a feeling never experienced invaded my stomach.
-Me...
I felt his hand on my hair and my breath stayed in my lungs. My heart stopped beating for a few seconds and my breath froze in midair.
"I wanted to touch your hair, I've never seen one so orange." He was silent and continued stroking my hair producing small electrical currents through my body. What the fuck was happening to me? "I thought it was softer."
His words broke all the strange magic of the moment and I sent him a murderous look.
I took the hose that was lying on the ground next to a rake that Alan used to collect fallen leaves. I did not think twice and pointed to Alan who looked at me surprised, the water did not take more than a second to come out, bathing Alan.
"Lydia!" It's freezing!
"Well, so that you learn not to make jokes that don't make anyone laugh."
Alan covered his face while his back was turned to me so that the water would only wet him in that area. "For me they were quite funny.
"Well, this is also making me laugh."
I kept throwing water on it until it was completely soaked. Mission accomplished.
Alan looked at me through the strands of hair that fell wildly over his face and dripped water over the rest of his body. Although his body was shaking strongly, he gave me a warm smile.
"Do I tell you that I am funny?"
I looked at him challengingly, clearly I had won this time and for the first time my dignity had remained in place.
"I honestly don't care."
I spun around like a champion leaving a soggy Alan behind me. If you thought you could make fun of this little red girl without being affected, you were very wrong. I was always victorious and I wasn't going to let a handsome boy distract me with her charms, no, it would cost her more than a couple of cute smiles to beat me.
I hadn't managed to take more than three steps when I felt strong arms catch my waist and draw me to a hard chest that was extremely cold and soaked! I screamed as I felt Alan hug me and fill me with water.
"Ready, that makes me much more funny."
I turned around to face him and tell him how unintelligent I was when I saw his wet torso and shirt cling to his body. I stopped mid-sentence.
The words came out without my permission and, once again, I wanted to be tasted by the land. There could not be a single time that did not suffer from loss of dignity in front of Alan. She had to find out if there were plants for that evil.
I heard her husky laugh as she looked at me with raised eyebrows.
"And obliques and abs and other muscles I didn't learn the names of." If you want I can show you.
My eyes deigned to return to his face where a mischievous smile greeted me.
"No, I ... I think I prefer" I began to walk away awkwardly without breaking eye contact, his eyes had me hypnotized "I think it would be better ... Eh, ... imagine them." Yes. I will imagine them. Goodbye.
I ran up to my room before hearing Alan's response to my stupid words. I didn't stop when my mother asked me why my clothes were wet, I didn't stop until I was protected in my room where I could think more calmly about what had just happened. Imagine it ?! Did I tell Alan that I would imagine him without a shirt ?! Was he an idiot ?! There, I would never leave my room again. Goodbye world. Today my eternal winter begins.
I walked to my bed and took off the wet clothes that were causing the cold to creep into my bones. I put on my fleece pajamas and went to sleep. Against all my wishes I dreamed of Alan, I dreamed of Alan without a shirt.
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