×Three Years Later×
Aiden groans as the sound of his alarm clock goes off, putting it out there it was time to get up. His hand slides out and hits the alarm on his phone, happy to stop the annoying beeping. Thinking he was going to get five more minutes of rest was a joke, slamming the door open, his overly loud roommate walks in.
"Get your ass up Aiden! It's time for school!" John walks over to the bed and yanks the blanket off of him.
"Ugh! But I don't wanna!" Aiden whines as John grabs his ankle and starts pulling him out of bed, literally.
"Do you think I want to go!? Hell no! But Wendy will have our arses if we are late!"
Aiden frowns into his pillow as he still holds it over his face, knowing John was right, Wendy WILL have their asses. Slowly but surely, Aiden gets out of bed and gets ready, vocalizing his sleepy aggravation.
"Yes yes, I'm well aware you're upset, and I don't like it just as much as you do." John sits on his bed, legs crossed as he watches Aiden comb his hair.
"Well jesus, who in the hell came up with starting school at seven thirty!?" Aiden sets the comb down and looks at his roommate.
"Who knows, you ready?" He stands up and walks over to the door, placing his hand on the handle as he looks back at his shorter friend.
"Yeah, let me get my bag." Aiden walks over to his small desk in the corner, grabbing his shoulder bag off of the back of the chair.
Sliding his phone into his sweater pocket, Aiden dragged his feet towards the door, glancing one last time as his bed.
I'll see you tonight love....
John rolls his blue eyes at the brunette, shaking his head. The two walk down the long hallway, every door leading to their classmates rooms. The two step out into the cold air of September, the location of the school didn't help with the cold weather either. Prince Hall sat onto of a hill in all its glory, allowing the people in the surrounding town to see it every day, its beauty drawing many tourists to come see it. Aiden however hated the places, it being filled with nothing but overly self induced asshole, except for John and Wendy of course.
"Jesus you two, I never thought you'd make!" Wendy walks up to them, her arms dramatically waving in the air. "Let's get to class already!"
Aiden and John look at each other, both frowning. Wendy was shorter than John, yet taller than Aiden, her long red hair reaching down to her waist. John was the tallest in the friend group with blonde hair, and Aiden being the shortest at 5'2. The three met each other on the first day of school, John and Aiden met in their dorm room, and then they met Wendy in the opening ceremony.
"Hey Aiden, got anything after school today?" Wendy asks, smiling at her friend as they walk down the hall.
"Of course he does, he's going to the garden, like always." John answers for him.
It's true, Aiden spent all the free time he got at the garden, or in his dorm room with his friends. Moving up here was a kick in the balls for him, or a culture shock as others may call it. Only luck allowed him to stumble upon the the gorgeous garden hidden behind the school, past the yard, and hidden behind the large green house. A small old man greeted him with a warm smile as Aiden had ran in, hoping to hide from a rugby player had started chasing him. The old man let him stay, and when Aiden saw he was planting some tulips, he asked if he could help, the old man more than delightfully smiled at him, saying how young ones never wanted to help anymore. Thus how Aiden and Scott, the gardener, became such close friends from then on.
"Yeah, today me and Scott are planting the new Fox Gloves that got in yesterday!" Aiden smiled at his friend, happiness oozing out of his pores.
"I don't think I've ever seen someone be this happy to garden." John chuckles, shaking his head at his friends excitement.
"Oh John, if it makes our little boy happy, then we should be happy for him!" Wendy comes up and hugs Aiden, his face too close to her breast for his comfort.
"Uh Wendy, your boobs-"
"Sorry!" She pulls back and a faint blush covers her cheeks.
"Jeez Wendy." John laughs, shaking his head. "Let the poor boy be."
"Oh shut it John!" Wendy huffs, turning and walking away.
"Well, see ya Aiden, I'm heading to class." John jerks a thumb towards the opposite direction Wendy went.
"Bye John." Aiden smiles and opens his locker, grabbing his calculus book.
I guess that means no breakfast today....
"He fag." Someone pushes Aiden's shoulder, making him hit the locker.
He rubs his shoulder as he watches the asshole and his friend walk down the hallway laughing. Shaking his head, the small brunette walks down the hall the other way; pulling out his earbuds, and paces them in his ears, he instantly hits play on his playlist.
Sigh, what a great start to my day!
_________
Aiden smiles to himself as he pats the dirt softly, making sure not to damage the flowers stem. Humming to the song playing, Aiden doesn't hear Scott call his name more than once. He feels a soft tap on his shoulder, nearly making him jump out of his skin.
"O-oh, yes Scott?" Aiden pauses the song, pulling the earbuds out as he looks back at the short old man.
"When you're done with that one, could you please take this to the principal?" Scott holds a small pot with a small Fox Glove in it.
"O-of course Scott!" Aiden smiles, always happy to help this man.
Scott and Aiden were good friends, having known each other since the first day Aiden started going to Prince Hall. Scott was like a great mentor to him, always teaching him something new; don't get him wrong, Aunt Becky had taught him many things, but Scott new far more than his Aunt did.
"I-I can take I-it now if you want." Aiden slides his hands out of the gardening gloves.
"Oh no, when you get done there is fine, no rush what so ever." Scott smiles and sets the pot down next to Aiden.
Smiling back, Aiden nods and grabs the pot. He's happy Scott asked him to do this for two reasons, 1) most students should be gone by now, and 2) the principal and him got along quite well. When Aunt Becky brought him to school, she had personally introduced the two. He stands up and gets his things, and grabs the pot.
"Bye Scott, I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Bye Aiden."
The two wave at each other before Aiden leaves the green house, a smile on his lips as he looks down at the small plant. He walks by the small fence indicating that you're now entering the yard, still smiling down at the plant and not seeing the three tall guys walking in his path. Aiden walks right into a broad chest, dropping the pot.
"Oh no, the Fox Gloves!" Aiden drops to his knees as he starts carefully picking up the plant. It doesn't hit him that all the dirt had landed on the person's nice dress shoes. "O-oh gosh, I-I'm so sorry!"
His hands start dusting it off when suddenly his head is jerked back by his hair, hissing in pain, Aiden looks into dark green and blue eyes that are filled with anger.
"And how do you think you'll pay for my shoes?" They hiss out, tightening their grip on Aiden's hair.
"I-I can't-"
"What do you mean you can't?"
"I-I can't pay f-for them!" Aiden feels soft tears run down his cheeks, his breathe catching in his throat.
"Oh you fucking will little shit!" The taller brunette jerks his hand back, pulling Aiden's head farther back.
"P-please-"
"Please what? YOU want ME to do what?"
"S-stop..."Aiden's voice just below a whisper, so soft the taller could barely hear it.
"Fuck that." He throws Aiden on the ground. "You even had the damn balls to worry about this stupid flower before asking if I was okay."
The guys foot slams onto the flower, crushing it completely.
"No!" Aiden pushes his leg making him stumble back, but that doesn't stop Aiden from jumping forward and grabbing the small flower, it barely holding onto life.
"You piece of-"
"Hey!" Aiden looks up to see Wendy and John running up to them. "What the fuck Brett?"
John comes over and kneels down, his hand resting on Aiden's shoulder.
"Take you and your sorry ass and leave, haven't you done enough damage?!" Wendy starts yelling at the tallest of the three named Brett.
"Hmm, feisty." One says stepping up to her.
"Oh shove off Caleb." Wendy sends him a glare.
"Come on, we just want to have fun~"
"Jesus, shut up Taylor." John says, standing up and walking up to him. "Fuck. Off."
Wendy and John fight with the three, leaving a sobbing Aiden to sit on the ground as he holds the small plant. Soon, his breathing becomes quick, brain fills with memories, and he feels as if his throat is tightening shut.
"What the fuck is wrong with him?" Brett asks, looking between Wendy and John.
"Aiden!" Wendy runs over and puts a hand on his back. "Hey, baby just breathe, just breathe."
"Hey bud it's okay, it's just a flower-" the minute John said those words he knew he messed up, so did Wendy by the look on her face.
"Just a flower!? It's not just a flower John! It was a living thing, it may have not been able to walk and talk like us, but it was able to spread beauty amongst the world. Flowers are able to make others smile, whether it be during a happy time or a sad time, and for this beautiful plant to just die like it did...." Aiden frowns down at the plant in his hands, his tears hitting the ground, and some landing on the flower.
Aiden stands up, his eyes never leaving the small flower. He looks up at Brett, his eyes filled with tears.
"You did this- how could you!?" Aiden turns and runs, holding the plant close to his chest.
"Jesus, what's got his panties in a twist." Taylor asks.
"Jesus- do you never know when to shut up?! You don't know what he's been through, you don't know what he goes through every day!" John glaress at the taller boy, poking his chest.
"Come on John, let's go find him before curfew." Wendy grabs onto his elbow, she picks up Aiden's bag and they follow after the distressed smaller boy, but not after sending one last glare their way.
________
Aiden sits under a small tree, his tears having finally stopped, but his eyes threatened to release more the longer he stares at the flower. Memories of his parents death come flooding back, that day will forever haunt him as long as he lives.
~~~~
Today the Bishops were going on a family hike in the small mountains in Colorado, this had became a tradition for them after Aiden's father tried it. It was always peaceful, only the sound of nature and the animals could be heard around the three.
"Oh Aiden look, it's a Colorado blue columbine!" Aiden looks over at the plant his mother called out.
"Wow!" They walk over and look at it.
His mother was a scientist at the nature research institution here, while his Aunt was a gardener, and they always say they're nothing alike. His father was a big top lawyer, but he always made sure take put family before work, always coming home for dinner and do their family movie night tradition. The Bishops have many "traditions", they all started when they found out Aiden was anemic. The only reason why they go on the hikes is to get him active at least once or once every other week, due to him having to skip gym class and all school activities requiring him to exercise.
"Jesus, Martha at the rate he's going, he'll end up like Becky." His father chuckles and comes up from behind the two as they admire all the different flowers.
"What's wrong with that? I like Aunt Becky, and she has a cool voice." Aiden smiles at his dad.
"Yes she does, doesn't she?" Martha says, smiling at her son. "Yes James, what is wrong with that?"
The three start laughing at Martha's attempt at sounding American. Martha and Becky were born and raised in England along the sea, both grown up by a mother and father who gardened for a living. Martha met James while she visited America on a college class trip, meeting each other at James' college cafe. She slipped and he caught her just in time, and they both said it was love at first slip.
"Come one why don't we go back now, I'm getting hungry." James said.
"You're ALWAYS hungry dad." Aiden rolls his eyes, a small smile on his lips.
"Yeah, you're ALWAYS hungry." Martha and Aiden giggle.
"Why you two!" James jumps and starts hugging them, kissing them both.
"Ah!" Aiden faked scream but hugged back, the three now all laughing.
They start walking down the hill, all talking and making jokes. They stop now and then to let Aiden take a drink and catch his breathe, sadly the effects of the anemia. When they reach the bottom ground where their car is parked, they see other people there as well.
"Hey there, nice day right?" A man asks.
"Oh yes, just exquisite!" Martha smiles.
The man nods, sending her a smile as we and starts opening his trunk. Suddenly, the ground shakes, everyone grabs onto something, making sure to keep family together.
"Mom! Dad!" Aiden reaches out for his parents.
"Aiden!" Martha pushes her son out of the way, just in time for a large boulder to come falling down.
After that is a blur for Aiden, when pushed he fell back and hit his head and blacked out, but not before seeing his parents getting killed by the boulder.
~~~~
Aiden sniffs, standing up and frowing down at the flower.
"Oh thank goodness, Aiden!" Wendy wraps her arms around him, surprising him as he didn't hear them coming.
"Hey Aiden, I'm...I'm sorry about what I said about the flower." John nervously scratches the back of his neck.
"I-it's ok John, I-I know you didn't mean it." Aiden smiles at him.
"Well-"
Wendy elbows him in the gut, making him double over. Aiden giggles slightly, rubbing his friends back.
"Come on John, let's go get dinner."
John stands up, his face scrunched up in pain, yet he gives Aiden a small smile before glaring daggers at a smirking Wendy. The three walk back to the school, laughing and talking.
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