H I M
Ｌａｓｔ week of the month of August, and I am driving my car through the long cemented highway to Beaufort, South Carolina where I basically grew up for the last 19 years of my life, the radio is on with some R&B music's playing on the background. It's good to be back after a year in the training camp at Fort Leonard Wood in St. Robert, Missouri for military since my father decided to sent me there, if I had a choice, I'd rather enjoy my life fooling around, and doing whatever the hell I want but I guess, the conflicts that I did last year was the last straw that snapped my father's last thread of patience. Yes, I'm ashamed for most of my actions before so, I was just glad that I went to military camp since it helped me in a lot of way.
Before driving straight to our house a little way over the edge of the town that was surrounded by cosmic of trees, and lakes– I decided to buy some flower, and treats for my family cause it had been a long time since the last time I saw them, and as I much as I don't want to admit it, I missed them terribly.
The life that I was accustomed on living here is really different to the life inside the camp, every routine, every action, and even the way you speak there were calculated. You have to follow every rule, and act like a controlled robot in front of your commanding officers even in your fellow cadets. It basically disciplined us. Not that, we are not anyway– but, over the year, some of us somehow enjoyed staying there more than we anticipated.
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I parked my car at the parking lot designated for the customer only in front of the flower shop that was located at the center of the town like most of the store. Lucky for me I spotted it a few minutes ago while driving around looking for some bakery for pastries treat. There are a bunch of different kinds, and colors of flowers displayed outside which I don't have a single idea what the name were except the red roses.
When I pushed the door open, the bell at the top of it jingled. A smell so sweet like candy assaulted my nose the moment I stepped inside but, there's a particular smell that stand out the most, I'm not quiet sure what it is– maybe a fragrance like lavender, and vanilla. I let my eyes wander around the shop, the space are a little small or maybe because I'm just a huge man with a height of 6'3 ft. but nonetheless, its tidy and there's a homey ambiance.
'Hi! Good Morning. How I can help you sir?' A brunette with an apron along her torso beamed at me behind the counter. She gave me that over enthusiastic smile that I bet her usual expression whenever there's a customer. I looked around the room to find something that will catch my attention— ignoring the girl or florist that following my every move with her expectant eyes.
'Would you like me to assist you sir? What kind of flower do you like? We have here—'
God. I don't know if I'm just tired because of the long drive but, her voice is kind of ringing inside my head, it sounds like someone is dragging a chalk on a board.
'That one. How much is it?' I cut off her rambling by pointing with my index finger a white, and yellow flower before her voice could seriously damage my ears and I snap at her which is not a good idea considering, I need her help for whatever I came here for. Remind me again why I'm here.
'Oh that one? It's a daisy. Good choice I bet whoever—'
'I want a dozen of that one.'
The florist shut her mouth the moment I looked at her direction for the first time. I'm guessing she didn't expect the slight irritation in my voice because, her eyes went wide open for a fleeting moment before it went back to its usual enthusiastic expression but, not like the one before. I'm just tired.
'Ok sir. Just give me one moment. How would you like me to wrap up the flower?'
'Just like a bouquet style or something.'
She just nodded her head and start arranging the flower. I tapped my combat boots impatiently on the tiled floor, and check my phone for any messages. A one missed call from my dad ten minutes ago, I probably missed it since my phone is on silent mode, and I've never usually used it when I'm driving. I just put my phone back again in my jeans pocket, and crossed my arms over my chest. Rubbing my right hand on my eyes, trying to lessen the sleep-deprived on it. Didn't work though.
A minute or two I heard the jingled of the bell behind me but, I paid no attention to whoever it is not until someone tapped my back. With a scowl on my face, I turned around my entire body to face the person that had the nerve to touched me but, the moment I laid my eyes on the petite girl with strawberry blonde hair, and a chestnut colored eyes, all my stress and exhaustion went straight to the trash bin outside the shop. It's like someone punched me in the gut. What the fuck?
The girl's height should probably just over 5'3 or 5'2 ft. considering the top of her head didn't even reached my chest. She's holding a pile of pots while looking at me with such innocent I don't even know if it's possible.
I just stared at her for longer than necessary just trying to memorize such beauty in front of me that I won't be probably seeing again. Not that I plan to make that happen anyway– but, why am I so mesmerize with her like this is my first time seeing a woman? She even looked like a kid.
'Daisy! You're already here.' The florist exclaimed which break the enchantment that Daisy bewitched on me without me even knowing. I shook my head to clear it from a dazed-state.
Daisy. What a coincidence since that is the flower that I'm buying right at this moment. The name suits her really well because of the delicate feature of her face and the savory sweet smell that emits from her body which reached my nostrils. It's the lavender, and vanilla scent.
Daisy peeked on the right side of my body since I'm blocking her view in front, and a smile so bright it almost blinding flashed on her face. It brought something inside me that I don't quiet decipher, I've had seen a lot of smile before, some even laughed that squinted the person's eyes but, the one she has on her face is so captivating that I want to see it everyday just to brighten up my mood. I think– I'm going crazy.
'Sorry sir. You are blocking her way. Can you let her through, that pots are kind of heavy.'
My attention caught the pots Daisy was holding and I didn't miss the slight trembling of her hands that encasing the bottom of it. Without even thinking, I gently pried off the pile on her hands and bring it close to my chest, her chestnut eyes went wide open, and she's about to protest but I beat her to it. I face the florist with the same expression as the beauty behind me.
'Where should I put these?'
'Uh. . . Just over there sir.' She said hesitantly with a flabbergasted expression while pointing her thumb at the right side of the shop with a wooden table.
I put the pots on the table and brushed off the dust that clung on my hoodie. Daisy is still standing on her position while still looking at me with her big doe eyes, and mouth slightly open.
'Uhhm. . . Thank you sir but, you don't have to do that since you're our customer.' The girl name 'Megan' said. I saw the name tag on her shirt.
'Its no problem. Are you done?'
'It'll be ready in just minutes sir.' Megan smiled before going back to her task. I tried to avoid looking at Daisy because, I don't want to make her uncomfortable due to my ogling but, I guess it's kind of hard considering– her presence is bothering me, not in a bad way– but, in a way that I want to grab her petite body and embrace it on my chest so, that I could feel her small frame against my own and inhale her delectably scent. I'm such a creep, and she will probably freak out if I do that.
What hell is happening to me anyway? I've never been this pussy before.
I was too preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't even noticed Daisy was now standing in front of me. My pulse traveled from my wrist up to my throat by how wide, and pure her smile is while looking at me with her twinkling eyes like I just save the world from global warming.
She motioned her hand like she was giving me a flying kiss or something. What is she doing? I don't have a freaking idea. Regardless what it is, it enlightened my mood even more and she's so fucking adorable I want to bring her home, and lock her up in my room so, that I can have her all by myself.
'Oh she's thanking you sir.' I averted my attention to looked at the florist with a puzzled expression on my face. Thank you? Why didn't she just say it out loud? I want to hear her voice anyway, I bet it's soft, and velvety.
'It's a sign language. . . I mean what she just did. Daisy can't speak sir so, she mostly done commuting by sign language.'
What? She can't speak? What does that even mean? She can't speak since birth or there were something that happened to her life that cause her for not speaking again? I mean– I met a guy during my training that lost his voice because of an accident, so I have a bit of knowledge about it.
Well, that's kind of very intriguing. It suddenly fuel my curiosity to know more about her.
Fuck! I'm going soft and I don't know if it is a good thing or not.
'Here you go sir. I'm sorry it takes a while. That'll be $15 sir.'
I'm still looking at Daisy and trying to read whatever it is that are running inside her head. Is she intimated by my presence or creep out by how much I stare at her face? I hope not the latter. Should I ask for her number? What? Why would I ask her number? I just only met her like an hour ago but, I became too attached already that I don't want to let her go. What if she rejects me because, I look like a human trafficker. Woah, where the hell that came from?
Fuck it! I will ask her number whether she give it or not. How am I suppose to ask her that anyway? I don't know sign language. Fuck.
'Sir?'
Megan is looking at me expectantly with narrowed eyes while holding the bouquet that were now wrapped up beautifully in a sky blue wrapping paper.
I paid the flower and thanked the florist who just gave me a tight-lipped smile. Gathering my courage to ask Daisy's contact number but, before I could even do that, my phone vibrated inside my jeans pocket. Dad's phone number flashed on the screen, I deliberately answer the phone while my eyes followed Daisy that went to a door at the left side of the shop near the counter.
I missed my chance.
I just gave the florist a nod before going outside. I'll just go back here some other time.
'Hello son. Why are you not answering?' A gruff, and deep voice of my father reverberated in my ears that brings my senses back.
'Sorry, just done buying flowers for mom. What's up?' I open the driver's door of my car and put the bouquet on the passenger seat with one last look at the flower shop, I get the key in my pocket and inserted it in the ignition to start the engine. Left hand on the steering wheel while the other is still holding the phone close to me ear.
'How was your trip? I was calling your mom, but she wasn't picking up. She's probably on the garden again. Tell her to answer her phone when you get there.'
'Just fine. I'm still going to buy some treats. So I'd probably arrive at home in less than 20 minutes. I'll just tell mom to call you back instead.'
'Alright son. Take care of your mom for me and remember what I had said, stay out of trouble.'
If not for the seriousness in my father's voice I would be laughing my ass off of what he had said because, growing up I heard that countless of times already but, right at this moment, that sounds like a warning which I shouldn't bet my luck on.
'I know dad. I'm hanging up now cause I'm driving. Bye.'
When I put phone in the cup holder, my mind stumbled back again to a certain girl with strawberry blonde hair, and chestnut colored eyes. I've never seen her before I went to military since our town is not that big and I had basically lived her all my life.
Did she just moved her while I'm in training? Is she still in high-school? What is she doing at the flower shop? Working there? Probably yes, since she was carrying the pots and the florist seemed to know her very well. My mind is a jumbled mess and my heart was tied in a knot, all of these are so foreign to me but, I want to see her again that I think I'm going crazy. I don't know what is happening to me or what is this feeling but, I want to figure and sort it out.
Maybe I should visit the shop again after my class.
Class. Yes, I still have one year left in school since I missed my senior year. It wasn't really necessary for me to finish my classes since I'll be serving the military if I decided of not going to college after I graduate.
Mom only want me to at least get my diploma and I don't want to disappoint her again. Even though I'm till trying to figure out what the hell would I should do with my life but, right now all I can think about is a girl with a name of a flower that is now lying comfortably in my passenger's seat. How ironic.
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