Delphinium: The Demurral of Love

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That saying never made more sense to me until I met him. He’s the embodiment of craziness—the answer to the question, “How crazy can one man be?”. Where are my manners? I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Edward Michelson, your humble narrator for this extraordinary story. I’m here to tell you about him. Before we dive into the details, let me give you a few warnings. First, if you’re reading this, it probably means… I’m dead. (Just kidding!). I’m perfectly fine and alive, and I’ve just finished writing this supernatural story. I call it supernatural because it’s the craziest story you’ll ever hear. Is it magical? Yes! For the girls who love fairy tales. And is it fictional? A little, yes! For my boys in the front row who love heroic stories. This is a remarkable story, and it started where all astounding stories start from, the beginning. His name is Caesar. His father gave him that name because he believed Caesar would have a commanding personality, which is kind of funny because newborns don’t have personalities yet. Caesar was named after Augustus, the emperor. Henry, Caesar’s father, was very rich—one of the richest In his community. His wife died in childbirth, a tragedy that left Caesar with lifelong guilt. Henry inherited family money and invested it in mining, making a fortune and becoming the richest man in the city. He loved his late wife so much that he decided not to remarry, believing it would affect his son. With his brown eyes and strong, bearded chin, Henry was quite the catch in town. Henry had a lot of trouble trying to connect to Caesar, so it is safe to say the father-son relationship is quite complicated. But enough about Henry. Let’s move on to the real star of this story—Caesar, the so-called villain of this tale. With the physique of an Athlete, standing at 6’2, and curly hair, he was already a catch. Add wealth on top of that, and you’ve got the icing on the cake. Needless to say, many girls wished Caesar would look their way at school. But Caesar wasn’t always the ladies’ man. Before that, he was just a dull, ordinary high school kid. With your permission I’ll love to take you back to when it all started—7years ago. After a major breakthrough in his financial life, Henry decided to move into a different neighborhood than the one Caesar grew up in. So this automatically means that Caesar would have to change his school, but Caesar never loved this new school, almost every kid here is richer than his father, and with that trauma comes a lot of mixed feelings, so he decided to change to another school that suited him better. He was in the 11th grade at the time, and Henry felt all high school students should do what they want. Caesar wouldn’t have liked this school if he wasn't shown the class he would be in. As he walked past, we All knew what he saw and where this story was headed. If you think what he saw was the prettiest girl with a curve-shaped body and blue eyes, then you can’t be any more correct. Stephanie was one of the best science students in Caesar’s class, and not just that alone, she’s also one of the hottest girls in the whole school. I wouldn’t say Stephanie returned the feelings Caesar had, but girls like that never do. Caesar, like most guys, was also of the idea that wearing girls down by niceness would get him the girl of his dreams, so he decided to do nice things that made his feelings for the girl so obvious to everyone in the school. Stephanie, on the other hand, was enjoying all the attention, so it is safe to say Caesar was played for months. Caesar made sure he sat adjacent to his dream girl in class and made sure she got everything she wanted. He gets to school earlier than every other student in his class, cleans his seat and that of Stephanie, Caesar would always lean on his desk with his chin rested on his two hands with a dreamy gaze whenever he looked at Stephanie. He was a boy of action, he did things to get her attention. There are days he would buy her lunch but won’t take it to her himself as some part of him is scared of being rejected by his dream crush. He thought, “What better way to get into a girl’s heart than with gifts”. Stephanie lost her money, and the money was for something she needed to buy, but it was taken from her bag, it was quite much for a student to have, and she looked and searched for it, but to no avail. Then her friends told her to ask Caesar for help. “He has always loved you, and he would jump up to help you,” they said to her, but she was reluctant. Caesar hearing was so good and he could hear things some meters away, so he couldn’t help but overhear their conversation. He clenched his fist so hard as he fights to hold back his anger, Caesar was hurt that she wouldn’t ask for his help, he definitely doesn’t have that amount of money with him, so he went around the whole school to borrow money from everyone he knew till he got his targeted amount. He gathered the money, rolled it, used a rubber band to hold it together, and dropped it into her backpack. Still battered and trying to hold it together he picked up his bag to go home, he never wanted anyone to see how angry he is, so the best things is to walk away when he got to the door, looked at her, Stephanie could see the tears he was trying to hide. “Check your bag” hen said with a shaky baritone voice, then he left heartbroken that evening. Love was in the air and Caesar was so confused on what to get Stephanie for Valentine’s day, so he raided his father’s wallet for days, and at the end of the domestic robbery, he had a substantial amount of money. Without haste he sprinted to a jewelry shop to get a pearl necklace, but while he was checking, something caught his attention. The diamond sparkled under the store’s fluorescent lights, each facet catching the light and throwing a tiny rainbow across Caesar’s face. “Is that… a diamond?” he whispered, overwhelmed. “Yes!” Replied the salesperson, “How much for the ring?” Caesar blurted out without hesitation. “Nine thousand,” she replied with a little chuckling. “I want that,” he said with an Authoritative voice. He knew all he had with him was two thousand, but getting that as a gift for the woman of his dream was everything he could think about at the moment. So he ran back home to see all he could sell to make seven thousand. Caesar ended up selling his favorite bicycle and sneakers to be able to get a diamond ring, I don’t need all this he said to himself. When he got to school the next day, people could see the glow in his appearance, he smiled with his eyes making it obvious he has something going on with him, and out of excitement he showed the wonder to his friend. “You are 16 for crying out loud, Caesar, it’s too early to buy rings,” Kenneth said with frustration. Kenneth was 2 years older than Caesar, but he was the only close friend Caesar had at the time and he wasn’t really a fan of Stephanie. “I don’t care!” Said Caesar as he flung his head toward opposite direction. He was eager and at the same time anxious to bring the ring for Stephanie on Valentine’s Day, Caesar’s fingers fumbled over the gift-wrapped box as he approached Stephanie. He cleared his throat three times before finally speaking, his voice barely louder than a whisper. “This… this is for you.” Stephanie who wasn’t interested in Caesar or his feelings suddenly wanted to see what he had with him. After handling her the ring, he saw a spark in Stephanie’s eye and there he knew she has never received anything of that value before. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, “Thank you”. Caesar’s breath caught in his throat as Stephanie’s lips grazed his cheek. For a second, he forgot how to breathe. His face burned, the heat rising up his neck. He awkwardly scratched his ear, unsure of what to do with his hands. “Uh… I… um… Thanks,” he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. He turned away, heart racing, replaying the moment in his mind a hundred times before even leaving the room. He thought, “Nothing wins a girl over like gifts.” Week passed and Caesar felt his relationship with Stephanie should have gotten to the next level but Stephanie barely glanced at Caesar as he walked by her locker. When he waved, her smile faltered, and she quickly turned back to her friends, who giggled as if they shared a secret. Fridays are the best for Caesar as he gets to engage in sports and head home early, but this particular Friday had something In stored for him, he asked Stephanie if she would play some basketball with him. And she said no problem, she would just get some stuffs and get changed. The school halls were unusually quiet for a Friday afternoon. Caesar’s footsteps echoed as he made his way down the corridor, heart beating faster than it should. He was heading toward the locker rooms, where Stephanie had said she needed to grab something before meeting him. His mind replayed her soft voice over and over again. “Just give me a few minutes, okay?” she had said with that dazzling smile, and Caesar, of course, had agreed. As he approached the locker room, something gnawed at him—a feeling, an instinct. It wasn’t clear at first, but then he heard it. A faint laugh. It wasn’t just any laugh. It was hers. Stephanie’s. But there was something else—a deeper voice that he recognized, a voice that didn’t belong to him. His stomach twisted. He slowed his pace, creeping silently along the wall until he reached the door to the changing rooms. The door was slightly ajar, and through the thin c***k, he could see shadows moving inside. Caesar’s breath caught in his throat. Curiosity got the better of him. He hesitated for a moment but then leaned closer, pushing the door slightly so he could see better. There they were. Stephanie, leaning against one of the lockers, her back slightly arched, her lips pressed against none other than Marcus, the senior who had always walked around like he owned the place. The sight was like a punch to Caesar’s gut. Marcus’ arm rested casually on the locker beside Stephanie, his face close to hers, too close. Caesar’s vision blurred. His chest tightened as the blood rushed to his head. His mind screamed, but his body wouldn’t move. He felt frozen in place, as though time had slowed, forcing him to witness every detail. Stephanie’s hand slid up Marcus’ chest, and that was when Caesar felt something snap inside him. His heart pounded so hard he thought it would break through his ribs. The warmth of her lips on his cheek just days ago now felt like a distant memory—a cruel lie. He wanted to shout, to barge in, to demand why. But he couldn’t find the words. All that came was a soft whisper, barely audible even to himself. “Why…?” The door creaked under his hand, and in an instant, both Stephanie and Marcus looked up, their eyes widening as they saw him standing there.“ Caesar!” Stephanie gasped, stepping back from Marcus, her face pale with shock. Marcus simply smirked, an arrogant twist to his lips. “Well, this is awkward, isn’t it?” Caesar’s fists clenched at his sides, the air around him suddenly feeling suffocating. His world was crashing, shattering into pieces right before him. The girl he thought he’d been so close to, the one he’d been doing everything for… had chosen someone else. Worse, she had chosen him. Stephanie took a step forward, her eyes filled with guilt, but it was too late. The damage was done. “ Caesar, I—” she began, but he shook his head, his throat tight with the pressure of everything he was holding back.” I guess I was wrong about you,” he said, his voice breaking. He turned away quickly, not wanting them to see the tears that had begun to burn in his eyes. He could hear her calling his name as he walked away, but the pain in his chest drowned out every sound. For the first time in his life, Caesar realized something: maybe being good wasn’t enough. Maybe no matter how much you cared, or how many gifts you gave, the world didn’t care. And neither, it seemed, did she. Stressed and unable to sleep, Caesar replayed all memories he had in the school and what could possibly made Stephanie not fall for him. He couldn't wait for the break of dawn to confront her as he hoped that deep down she’ll have a good excuse. The next Monday felt like a fog Caesar couldn’t shake off. Everything around him—the chatter of students, the laughter in the hallway—seemed muffled. It was as if the world was spinning at a different speed, and he was stuck, frozen in place. The image of Stephanie and Marcus in the locker room kept replaying in his mind, haunting him. His palms were clammy as he waited by the steps outside the cafeteria, where he knew Stephanie would pass by after lunch. He had been avoiding her all day, unsure of what to say or how to confront her. But now, as he saw her walking down the hallway, laughing with her friends, something in him snapped. “Stephanie,” he called out, his voice tighter than he intended. Her smile faltered when she saw him. She quickly excused herself from her friends and walked over, arms crossed, her gaze dropping to the ground. The silence between them was thick, suffocating. Caesar could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but he had to know—he had to hear it from her. “Why?” he blurted, his voice cracking slightly. “Why did you do that? After everything… I thought…” He paused, swallowing hard. His mind was a mess, the words he had rehearsed earlier now tangled and lost. Stephanie sighed deeply, her eyes darting away, unable to meet his gaze. After a moment, she finally spoke, her voice low and unapologetic. “Caesar… I never asked you to do those things for me,” she said bluntly. “I never asked for your gifts, or for you to sit by me in class, or for… any of this. “Caesar blinked, taken aback. The rawness of her words hit him like a punch to the gut. “But… I thought you liked me,” he said, his voice trembling. “I thought we were—” She cut him off, her tone firm. “No, Caesar. You thought we were something, but we weren’t. I was never into you like that.” The honesty in her words stung more than he could have ever anticipated. He stared at her, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. “Then why… why didn’t you just tell me? “Stephanie shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through her hair. “Because… it was nice, okay? The attention, the gifts. It made me feel special. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. But you’ve got to understand, Caesar—I never saw you that way. “There it was. The truth, plain and brutal. “But… I thought we had something.” His voice was small now, almost a whisper. “I gave you everything. I—“. “Caesar,” she interrupted, her gaze finally meeting his. “You’re a sweet guy, but… you were never him. You’re not Marcus. You’re not… exciting. “The words sank in like cold steel. Not him. Not exciting. Was that all it was? He wasn’t enough? Stephanie reached into her pocket and pulled out the ring he had given her just days before. She held it out to him, her expression neutral. “I can’t keep this,” she said simply. “It was… too much. You’re 16, Caesar. You don’t even know what love is yet. “Caesar stared at the ring in her hand, the same ring he had worked so hard to buy. The one he had sold his bike and his sneakers for. It gleamed under the cafeteria’s fluorescent lights, but now, it looked cheap. Like something meaningless. His throat tightened as he reached out and took it from her, his fingers brushing against hers briefly before pulling away. He looked down at the ring in his hand, a lump forming in his throat. Everything felt wrong. Everything felt stupid. How could he have been so blind? So naïve? His chest burned with the weight of humiliation, anger, and sadness all at once.” I… I thought you’d like it,” he said, his voice barely audible. Stephanie sighed again, softer this time. “It’s not about the gifts, Caesar. You can’t just buy someone’s love. I don’t want to sound cruel, but… I’ve never felt that way about you. And the more you tried, the more I realized it wasn’t fair to either of us. “Her words were logical, reasonable even, but they only made the ache in Caesar’s heart worse. He felt small, insignificant, like a kid who had tried to play a game that he didn’t even understand the rules to. Caesar nodded slowly, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. He didn’t want her to see him cry. Not now. Not like this. “Okay,” he muttered, his voice barely steady. “I get it.” But he didn’t. Not really. All he knew was that something had shifted inside him, something had broken. He slipped the ring into his pocket, his fingers curling into a tight fist around it. Without another word, he turned and walked away, feeling more alone than he had ever felt in his life. As he walked down the hall, the tears finally came. He wiped them away quickly, furious with himself for letting her see how much this hurt. He knew one thing for sure now: he wasn’t the same Caesar he had been yesterday. Something had changed in him, something darker, something colder. And he wasn’t sure he’d ever be the same again. That night, Caesar lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His room was dimly lit by the soft, orange glow of the bedside lamp, but it felt darker, like the light couldn’t penetrate the heavy cloud of thoughts swirling in his mind. He had spent the rest of the day in a fog, mechanically going through the motions, but the confrontation with Stephanie replayed in his head over and over. You’re not exciting… I never saw you that way… You don’t even know what love is… Her words echoed relentlessly, sinking deeper into him every time. He couldn’t shake the feeling of failure. He’d done everything he thought he was supposed to do. He’d been nice. He’d been generous. He’d been… devoted. Yet, none of it had worked. Caesar sat up and grabbed the notebook he kept on his desk. The one he used for random thoughts, ideas, and plans. But tonight, it was going to serve a different purpose. He flipped it open to a blank page and stared at it for a moment, his pen hovering above the paper. “What did I do wrong?” he muttered under his breath, his brows furrowed in frustration. He didn’t know how to fix something if he didn’t understand what was broken. He couldn’t just let this go without learning from it. He put the pen to the paper and started writing, his hand moving almost automatically. Reasons Why Stephanie Didn’t Go Out with Me: I Tried Too Hard. Maybe I overwhelmed her. I was too eager to make her like me, too focused on trying to impress her. I bought her gifts, but she never asked for them. Maybe she saw it as too much, too fast. I Wasn’t Confident. I acted like I didn’t deserve her, and maybe that’s why she never thought of me in that way. I was always too nice, too accommodating. I never stood my ground or showed her that I had a backbone. I Was Too Predictable. She said I wasn’t exciting. Maybe she was right. I always did the same things—sitting next to her, buying her stuff, being around whenever she needed something. There was no mystery, no excitement. I didn’t challenge her. I Didn’t Stand Out. In her eyes, I was just another guy. Nothing made me different from the others. I was nice, but that wasn’t enough. She didn’t see me as someone special. He paused, staring at the list. It hurt to admit these things to himself, but he needed to face the truth if he ever wanted to be better. He had made mistakes, and now, he had to learn from them. But as much as he tried to figure out what he did wrong, there was something else that kept nagging at him—Marcus. What made him different? Why did Stephanie choose Marcus, out of all people? Marcus didn’t seem special, at least not to Caesar. But clearly, he had something that Caesar didn’t. Caesar turned to a new page and began writing again, this time, focusing on the senior who had taken his place. Why Girls Like Marcus (What Makes Him Different): 1.Confidence. Marcus walks like he owns every room he steps into. He doesn’t try too hard—he doesn’t need to. He knows who he is and doesn’t seek validation from others. Girls like that about him. He doesn’t chase after them; he lets them come to him. 2.Charisma. He’s not just good-looking, but he knows how to talk to people. It’s not what he says, it’s how he says it. His jokes are bold, and his attitude always screams, “I’m in control.” Girls love the way he makes them feel when he talks to them—like they’re important. 3.Physical Appearance. Okay, I can’t deny it. The guy’s built. He’s on the basketball team, and everyone knows it. He’s tall, athletic, and he’s got that ‘bad boy’ look girls seem to fall for. His presence is felt. Unpredictability. He doesn’t follow the same routine. One minute, he’s paying attention to a girl, and the next, he’s off doing his own thing. He keeps them guessing. They’re never sure what he’s going to do next, and that keeps them hooked. He’s Not Afraid to Take Risks. Marcus doesn’t play it safe. He’s the type of guy who acts first and deals with the consequences later. Whether it’s sneaking into the locker room or pulling off some crazy stunt, girls think he’s exciting because he lives on the edge. Caesar stared at the list in silence. Everything Marcus did, everything he was—it felt like the opposite of who Caesar had been. He was careful, thoughtful, always trying to be the “nice guy,” but it wasn’t enough. As the realization settled in, Caesar felt a shift inside him. It wasn’t just about Stephanie anymore. It was about him—about the kind of person he wanted to be. He had spent so long trying to be someone he thought girls would like, that he never really thought about why they didn’t. He tossed the notebook onto his bed and stood up, walking over to the mirror on the wall. He stared at his reflection, at the boy standing in front of him. He wasn’t Marcus. He wasn’t the confident, charismatic guy who made heads turn. But maybe… he could be. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the diamond ring, the one he had worked so hard to buy. He stared at it for a moment, the light reflecting off its surface, and then placed it on the desk. "This has to stop,” he whispered to himself. Caesar didn’t know exactly how yet, but one thing was for sure: he wasn’t going to be the same person anymore. Not after this. He had to figure out who he was, who he wanted to be—not for Stephanie, not for any girl, but for himself. As the night stretched on, Caesar sat down at his desk, flipping through the pages of his notebook, his mind racing with plans. He didn’t have all the answers yet, but he was determined to find them. Because next time, he wouldn’t be the guy left heartbroken. He’d be the one In control. And this time, he wasn’t going to let anyone take that from him.