Lotus

In which you know her

My head snapped from the bunch of flowers I'm arranging when the bell chime dinged. For some reason, I am a little paranoid today. Just a faint sound makes me jump from the counter.

Though I have Edina around, I have this gut feeling every time I'm out in the crowd like something is playing the voodoo s**t on me. You know the scary story about an old woman going around the town cursing people.

“Hullo, Miss.” The guy who just walked in gave me a friendly smile despite my crumpled expression. 

Well, I should really stop watching The furies now. I can't stand the feeling. “Hi, how may I help you?”

I returned the cute guy with an apologetic smile. “Can I have one of your best bouquets? Something with Lisianthus and roses? My mom says I can't go home without them. You know typical mother obsessed with flowers.” He chuckled.

His dimple on his right winked at me. Gosh, what's happening to me? I don’t usually notice things like this.  

Normally, I would just ignore looks and focus on my job but being this paranoid, I don't think I can focus on anything. Literally.

“Oh. I think we have some at left aisle. Edina!”

The girl was immersed in a phone conversation so I had to be loud.

“Yes, Miss?” Paddling towards me, I motioned for her to accompany the guy.

When they are out of sight, I continued checking the tulips, thinking about what arrangement would fit.

*ting* 

The sound of the bell immediately stopped me from standing when I was about to.

“Hello-“

I stopped mid air when the most beautiful Italian hunk graced inside my shop with a man tailing behind him.

From his ruffled hair to his shiny leather shoes, he was stood immaculately.

When he looked at me, his face suddenly mirrored mine, jaw-dropped. But his was a mixture of surprise and utter horror.

Wait-what? Horror? 

“El?” one word and it brought me back to shitty reality.

“huh? El who?” I even looked around if the handsome was talking to someone close to me or what.

When I saw no one, my eyes went back to him, eyebrows furrowed this time.

The look he gave made me raise an eyebrow. What the hell is his problem?

“If you're talking to me, my name is not El-well close to my name but uh-“

“ Are you shitting me? What the hell happened to you? I’ve been looking for you for almost my whole life and-“ while he's saying this, he's taking a step forward. His gait threatening.

“Whoa! Hold your horses buddy. First, my name is not El, it's Selena. I don't remember my mom giving me a pet name! And for your second question, I am not shitting you! Nothing happened to me and I totally don't know you! Yes, I think I've seen you on magazines but I don't know you-personally. You could be phone snatcher for all I know.” I snorted and was slightly catching my breath after my speech.

Geez. Phone snatcher? Really Selena? Where can you find a snatcher with fine, all-muscle man like this one? From the looks of it, this guy can have a hundred of iphones at his pocket without even paying a penny. Ugh.

In the corner of my eyes, I saw Edina and the cute boy with their eyes pinned on us. With my awfully loud voice, I doubt Mrs. Griffin next door would not be bothered, jumping on her seat.

“Hey, don't you know who you are talking to?” 

Noticing the warning, I held my head high. “So what if I don't? You gonna chop my head off?”

The sassy bastard was about to open his mouth again when Italian raise his hand to silence him. Good. 

“Say it's true. Turn around.” I froze. What?

I stayed immobile staring ridiculously at him.

“If what you’re saying is true-that you are not my goddamn El, then turn around. I just want to check something.” 

His voice was so chilly that I slowly pivot to the right with a confused brain.

I heard his footsteps behind me then his cold hands on my neck making me nearly jump.

Fuck!

His hands maneuvered my hair in a bun and lifted it.

He gasped when he succeeded. “Stop it.”

I pulled his hands away and fixed my hair. “What is really your problem?”

“I told you, I'm not El.” I added.

Closing his eyes a bit, he turned abruptly.

I think my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw a little disappointment-ugh, forget it.

“They did not even buy a damn.” I whispered when they left so as goodbye. I pursed my lips and motioned Edina to continue.

“Evening sexy.” 

Scrunching my nose, I just snorted at Bryan, my neighbor next door. 

He was, as usual, leaning on his white picket fence at eight. Living with his brother and a goddamn pain in the a*s.

He was always this annoying when he wasn't able to get a bimbo for the night. But he is a good neighbor nonetheless. He was always helpful when I get to fix my garden at the backyard.

He would help me arrange the flower pots and even give comments which often gave me bright ideas and arrangements. Thing is, he wouldn't pass a single chance without flirting with me or barking coquet remarks without filter.

I don't mind him playing around as long as he won't do something that would make me run to the hills and shout b****y hell.

“What’s up, b***h?”

I laughed at my friend's greeting when I called her.

Ami, my long time Japanese friend, is currently in Japan so we can't braid each others right now. I met her when I was looking for flower suppliers so I can start operating Selena’s Flowers and Ami or Ayami is also a flower guru.

We are both affable and similar in many ways so we found ourselves teaming up.

“How are you, Ami? How's Japan?”

I'm pretty sure the parks in Japan are packed especially the Yoyogi Park where sakura cherry blossoms are beautifully blooming.

Aaahh. Lots of tourists are enjoying hanami in Shinjuku for sure. I feel jealous.

“Today's the start of big days so we are so busy with Ikebana. There's nowhere to sit because the sakura trees are jam-packed. We were nearly out of sakura Kitkats and a dozen of sakura flavoured sakes are highly in demand. This is hella exhausting but I'm also thankful because its something we all are anticipating.”

I smiled at her rants. 

I can also imagine her cheeks puffing even though its already puffy. Her cute round face and the way she talks in English makes me want to pinch her buns-like cheeks.

“I wish I can visit. Just for a day. I'm also busy with the shop so I can't. Good luck, Ami! I know you can do it. I assume you're going to be busy the whole spring, then.”

“Definitely, yes. I'll call you when I have time, babe. Love you. And you stay safe, alright?”

She always worry about me because I'm in a ‘liberated’ city but I can't blame her though. It’s a place where the strong preys from the weak. Survival of the fittest in the jungle. 

Yes, I admit. Assholes, like someone next door, tried to prey on me being physically frail. I looked really gullible on the outside, with my face almost innocent and height on average, they think I'm an easy catch roll in a sack type of girl. Hah!

Bitch is a black belter in taekwondo and also, my MMA’s active.

I grew up with my dad bringing me into gyms and enrolled me in karate classes for self defense, according to my dad. I was feeling lazy at first, but then I earned friends and since then, I enjoyed it.

“Good morning, people!” 

Edina was startled when I emerged from the sliding door of the shop.

She had a duplicate key and when I came late, she's the one opening early.

“Had a good sleep, eh?”

“Well, you can say that. If eating pizza while watching Wrong turn before going to bed every night will make me have a good night sleep then, I had.” 

We laughed. Yes. Horror is sometimes my fav, depends on my mood though.

“Uhuh. Dreamt of those freaks creeping into your bed? I would say that's rather ‘exciting’.”

Oh no. This perv gal.

“Wouldn’t give them a chance if that's the case then.” I countered.

“Sheez, lady. You're wasting the chance to bed a rare hunk.”

“I'd rather have Bryan chasing my butt, lady.”

“Alright. Your choice.” she shrugged.

“Oh and Selena- someone ordered a dozen of your rare lotus flowers. You know… the one you've been promoting and since it's too rich-expensive, only a few can afford it. But this client is just filthy rich, he wants you to arrange it ‘elegantly’.”

I was stunned for a moment, gawking at the girl. “Yeah. That was my first reaction too. I mean, its un-freaking-believable.”

“You're not messing with me, are you?” 

A nod from Edina and I started fanning my face. 

I can't believe it! After how many agonizing months of waiting for someone to buy lotus flowers, this is it! Though, marketing lotus flowers was on hiatus for a long time because of the rumored assassin- the Lotus girl. It was tainted with the notion of being the catalyst of mayhem so no one ever dared to buy some.