Ｄａｉｓｙ woke up when the daylight that peeked in the crevice of the window pelted her face. She rubbed the sleepiness off her eyes and snuggled between her cotton pillow and her sleeping buddy which is a medium-sized white teddy bear— spreading her legs and arms to accumulate the cold surface of the mattress. When the burning sunlight didn't leave her alone, Daisy pulled the duvet up to her head and tried to tempt the sleep again but, she abruptly rose as the shrilling sound of the alarm clock decided to join the sun for waking her up.
Being grump and groggy, she stretched her body and every bones inside cracked without delay due to its passive state for a long time, making her muscles ache slightly and her backbone to become stiffed.
I'm busy with work— A reason fit for a lazy person.
Daisy set her foot on the carpeted floor and get her phone on the nightstand when it lit up. Two messages were sent just a couple of minutes ago from Bryson. The moment she read the texts, her eyes went wide open because of a sudden realization that breached her drowsy mind as she scurried from her lax position towards her closet.
－Ｂｒｙｓｏｎ★
Good morning baby :) I miss you. Hope you slept well. I'll be there in just an hour. I'm gonna cook our breakfast this time 'kay?
－Ｂｒｙｓｏｎ★
I'm on my way. See ya soon! Can't wait to see yah pretty face ;)
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How could she forgot that they started eating breakfast together? And on top of that, it's Saturday meaning, in just a few hours they're going to the mall to buy some materials for the flower shop. Daisy immediately padded to the bathroom to take a quick shower. When she's about to squish some lavender scented body wash on her hands, a memory from yesterday suddenly flashed in her head, the card. Daisy smell the product warily— seeming to have a debate whether she'll use it or not. But, since she has no time to stalled for a long while, Daisy just ignored the cautious feeling and just finish her bath.
After changing into her casual attire of black high-waisted jeans and a plain white crop top paired with her white sneakers, Daisy sat in front of her vanity table and started fixing her face. Blow drying her tangled and long hair then styling it in a french braids afterwards. She also put light make up to hide the haggardness and finally sprayed some perfume.
Daisy roamed around her closet to choose the bag she wanted to use. Some girls might have trouble picking up the clothes to wear but, for Daisy it's about the bag that it was sometimes the reason why she was late for work or during meets up with her friends. After deciding which sling bag to use, Daisy hurriedly headed outside her room when she heard the doorbells resounded.
'Hi baby.' Bryson greeted with his bright smile that could blind even an already blind person and his usual attire of ripped jeans paired with plain white v-neck shirt and white sneakers.
They didn't talked about what to wear for this day but, it made Daisy think if they actually did and she just only forgot as their outfit were perfectly match with each other.
She smiled shyly and signed the 'good morning' too before inviting Bryson inside. When he walk past her, his intoxicating smell of cologne and natural scent of mint wafted her nostrils— it's too early for her heart to perform a circus inside her ribcage so, Daisy just bit inside her cheeks to refrained it from flushing like the blooming flowers on her backyard.
'Flower for you.' Bryson stopped walking and leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen. Looking at her while he held the single stem of Primrose in front of her.
Daisy timidly received the flower as she brought it to her nose to smell the sweet fragrance.
Bryson cleared his throat before speaking again. 'So this time. The meaning behind that flower is. . . I can't live without you.' She chuckled because his voice decreased an octave almost meant for his ears only to hear when he said the last part.
'I can't believe I'd said that but, its true.' He muttered to himself and pulled away from his position and finally went inside the kitchen. She just followed with her eyes the retreating back of her boyfriend— he was like a kid after giving a flower to his puppy love. Daisy smiled to herself and smelled the flower one last time before following Bryson behind.
'What do you want to eat?' Bryson asked, searching inside the fridge for their potential meal but, after a few moment he closed it again and put some raw ingredients on the counter.
'Is eggs benedict good for you?' Daisy just nodded her head.
'I'll just go upstairs.' She signed and went to her room again after Bryson hummed in answer.
Daisy added the Primrose to her collection in one of her favorite porcelain vase. She placed the round vessel on the vanity table, near the window wherein the plants could basked in the sunlight. She organized it in an intricate arrangement and then sprayed some water. From the moment Bryson gave her the first flower, it becomes her most price possession, she never forgot to fed it with some clear liquid and refill the water inside the vase to prolonged its lifeline.
Even if the flowers wilted, Daisy oath to herself that she'll still gonna treasure the simple presents from her boyfriend as it represents the stepping stone of their relationship because, everyday, every moment with Bryson is just a beginning and that beginning is something she will always look forward to.
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'Guys what took you so long? Don't tell me you two baptized every crook and cranny in Bae's place?' Megan greeted them with her sassy tone of voice after situating herself at the backseat. Straightening her slightly wrinkled summer dress before buckling her seatbelt.
Yup. She's the only one that could either ruin the rest of your day or make it eventful. Either ways, Daisy still love Megan and like the airhead that she is when it comes to her friend's strange remarks. The question mark popped up pronto on the top of her head.
Why would they baptized her place? The house blessing was already done when she moved there.
'Don't mind her shorty. It's too early for being brassy Megan. Give us a break and what took you so long too? We've been sitting her inside the car for like thirty minutes.' Bryson said in exasperation and finally started the engine.
'Don't change the subject lover boy and what took me so long? Are you seriously asking me that? Duh. Your life may not be perfect and will never be but, my makeup is and has to be always. Got it? Now. Where the heck is that friend of yours?' Daisy momentarily looked on the rearview mirror, seeing Megan searched everywhere like she's looking for something she dropped.
'So where?' Megan asked again in an impatient voice after not receiving any response from Bryson who is busy driving than having an argy-bargy with her.
Bryson removed his right hand on the console and run it through his brown locks like he had been doing for the last 30 minutes. It looked tousled now but still managed to stay in the right place, making Bryson's bad boy look more charismatic.
'He got his own car ya know. We'll just meet up at the entrance so hold your horses will ya?'
'Geez. Why did he just tag along with us too?'
'Well. . . Sam is not like how you imagine him to be. He— He is like a closed book and— You'll just have to find out once you meet him.' Bryson stepped on the accelerator and put his hand on her thigh. Daisy averted her eyes from the window and looked on his hand then intertwined it with her own. Everyday, the shyness she feels toward her boyfriend is slowly subsiding and Daisy thought it's actually nice to try being bold once in a while by initiating a little bit of intimacy.
Like yesterday. No! No! Erase that. Daisy shook her head to clear it from the vision that suddenly flashed in her mind.
Bryson shortly removed his eyes on the road and smiled down at her. 'This is the reason why I want that Sam guy to be here. I could compete anyone for the most reliable, patient and extremely beautiful third-wheel, I'm sure I'll be the champion.' Megan commented sarcastically.
Bryson just chuckled and shook his head whilst Daisy just looked down, chewing her lips to keep in from pulling upward.
'I bet, Sam will scamper and hide from you the moment you open your mouth— rather, the moment you get close to him.'
'What do you mean Bryson? Are you making any sense? Not.'
'You'll see.'
They drive for like an hour or so since the biggest mall is located at Charleston across the town and they have to drove past the woods memorial bridge to get there.
Bryson maneuvered inside the parking lot and strolled around to look for a vacant spot. After a while, he finally found one just in front of the entrance of the mall, when the car came to a halt, Daisy immediately unbuckled her seatbelt like her two companion did and the three of them stepped outside the vehicle.
'So where is he?'
'Man. Are you really that excited to see him or just plain desperate?' Bryson held Daisy's hand and walked toward the entrance. Megan's footsteps following them behind.
'Shut up Bryson. You either on my side or in my fucking way for having someone to spice up my life. Choose wisely.' Megan replied with a threatening aura exuding her, anyone could certainly sense it even in a distance.
'Fine. Anyone will surely run for their life or lose their mind.' Bryson whispered that only reached Daisy's sense of hearing as they were close and walking side by side together. She just giggled because of her friend and boyfriend's bantered.
'God finally. I have someone to lift the weight in my shoulder. See that Megs. That is Sam. Don't jump on him if you don't want him to ignore you for the rest of the day. Well, no doubt about that anyway.' Daisy's eyes followed the direction where Bryson was pointing with his index finger. She searched everywhere through the crowded entrance of the mall. There are some benches scattered at the middle for people that only wanted to spend their time loafing or waiting for someone like what Bryson's friend is doing.
Daisy's eyes stopped to the guy sitting on a single bench, his head is tilted downward and a phone in his hand, probably busy watching a video or something as there's an AirPods on his ears and he didn't even notice them approaching him.
'Where? Oh shit!' Daisy turned her back to Megan when it cursed in a rather loud voice, who are now struggling to tie the lace of her gladiator sandal.
'Man. You're such a pain in the ass.' Daisy is about to squat down to help her friend when Bryson stopped her and knelt down in front of Megan. He tied the knot tightly while muttering inaudible words before standing up again and dusting his jeans.
She must feel jealous or anything to go by that but, that nasty feeling didn't poisoned her heart nor infiltrate her mind. Instead, Daisy smiled after seeing how sweet and caring her boyfriend even towards other.
Megan just rolled her eyes but thanked Bryson nonetheless. He once again held her hand and walked in front of his awaiting friend.
'Hey man.' Bryson slapped his friend's shoulder and he slowly slanted his head upward to looked at him. He tapped something on his phone then inserted it inside his jeans pocket before standing up to his extremely massive height.
Daisy has to craned her neck just to looked at the guy that is more taller and build than Bryson. His slightly dark and even skin stone is glistening in the light and hair is the same updo as Bryson but, him is pitch black and slightly curled, eyes are a color of chocolate with curly and thick eyelashes that accentuates the orbs. A prominent and sharp jaw that could probably cut even the diamond and a piercing on his left ear. Wearing a gray shirt that hugged his body like a second skin and paired with black jeans and Jordan— all in all, he looked dangerous like Bryson but, his gentle aura says otherwise.
Daisy find the guy handsome like one of those models but, of course there is no one that could compete with her Bryson.
'Hey man. What took you so long?' The guy spoke. He flashed his even and white teeth after having a weird handshake with Bryson and a pat on each other's back.
'Sorry Sam. Got to fetched my girl's friend.'
Sam, as Bryson called him looked down at Daisy whilst she immediately remove her eyes on him and just focus it on Bryson's knuckle that was interlaced with her own. Her cheeks blushed as Sam caught her ogling him and the penetrating gaze of him that didn't leave her alone.
'This is ya' girl man?' Sam asked. His voice was deep and brusque but still soft and quiet like he was just talking to a kid.
'Yeah man. This is Daisy and that is Megan.' Daisy finally looked up but her eyes only reached Sam's chest.
She pouted her bottom lip after realizing that she's the only one that is small in all category between the four of them. Megan is also considered as huge for most of the girls since her height is 5'6 ft. and a body of a supermodel unlike her exact height of 5'2 ft. that unfortunately stopped growing since she couldn't remember. How unfair.
'Hi Daisy. My name is Sam. Nice meeting you.' Sam raised his big hand in front of her in a fairly manner. Daisy is even surprised because of how polite he is unlike the other guys she had met inside and outside the shop that were more. . . forceful and overbearing. She timidly shook the guy's hand who just smiled on her.
'Oh wow. Is that him? Dude. You didn't mentioned that he's basically looked like a walking god or something.' Megan's lively voice boomed and the three of them looked at her who is now eyeing Sam up and down shamelessly like she's only performing an x-ray as there are no part of his body that will passed the scanning eyes of her.
Sam scratched the back of his neck and looked down before nodding his head towards Megan without saying a single word.
'Man. You never listen to me.' Bryson said, giving Megan his 'I told you' looked.
Daisy felt lost from the exchanged of words so she just wandered her eyes to the three of them whilst Megan rolled her eyes toward Bryson but then smiled sweetly to Sam.
'Hi. I'm Megan. Very nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you.' Megan said in her sweet tone of voice, hand raised in front of Sam whilst Daisy's eyes formed into slit because Megan never used that kind of voice to anyone before. She became a totally different person.
'Sam.' The guy replied shortly, shaking Megan's hand and removed it afterwards in a flashed like their skin didn't even touched.
'Is that it? Just Sam?' Megan's eyes narrowed dramatically and looked expectantly at Sam whilst the guy just nodded his head slowly and almost timidly.
'So where to?' Bryson butted in when Megan's eyes didn't leave Sam's avoiding one.
Why does she feel like Sam and her are with the same personality? Like how she react towards her opposite sex cause Sam is just standing awkwardly and can't even look at Megan.
'Let's go to Bulaklak shop first to buy the materials.'
'What about you man? Aren't you gonna buy your cleats?' Bryson asked.
'Yeah. I can do it at a later time. Let's just— accompany the. . . gals.'
The four of them started their shopping trip. Bryson is still intertwining their hands while Megan and Sam are following them behind. Even without glancing at the two of them, Daisy could almost feel and sense that those two are an inches apart, like they don't know each other and just purely both stranger, strolling and window shopping. A thought that was nagging inside of her head right from the very start finally decided to come out in a form of sign language. Daisy removed her hand from Bryson's hold that made the guy looked at her straightaway, raising one brow and giving her a confused expression.
'Why is Sam acting like he doesn't want to get close to Megan? Does he hate Megan?' Daisy asked innocently. She put down her hands right off when her eyes momentarily caught some of the shoppers, stopping their businesses and started staring at her weirdly after she signed the words. She slouched her back and made herself even more smaller than she already is just to appear invisible or
something.
It suddenly make her feel uneasy and derail as some of the people are still looking at her like she's an animal in the zoo or an alien roaming around on a human species planet.
'No. He's not like that. Well, Sam is kind of really awkward. Sometimes people mistook him for having a split personality since his friendly and boisterous attitude towards the same gender turned into 180° when it comes to the opposite. He becomes extremely shy and reserved.' Daisy heard Bryson's answer but, she's too busy looking down on her shoes that she didn't even noticed her pace slowed down.
••
'See what you did? I told you to stay inside your room. You never listen!' You're such an insolent kid!'
••
No! Why did she have to remember that part of her life all of a sudden? Why did it suddenly appeared out of nowhere?
Why are she feeling so small all of a sudden? Like she's not belong to the place. This is really the first time Daisy went to mall or in such a crowded place. She thought, maybe it's a good thing if she haven't went along and just stayed in her room like how she usually spent her day off.
'Hey baby. What's wrong? Are you tired? Bryson stopped right in front of her when he noticed her presence disappeared beside him. It makes their other two companion to halt too. She could almost feel their burning gazes on her, waiting for her to respond or something.
God. Now she made a full show for those watchful eyes of the bystanders.
'I'm sorry. It's nothing.' Daisy signed hesitantly with modest moved of her hands.
'What's wrong Bae? Is it because of this Goliath? Tell me, did he make you feel uncomfortable?' Megan asked. Daisy finally looked up from her shoes to diverted it towards Megan. Her friend is staring at Sam with a narrowed eyes and raised one eyebrow like she's trying to interrogate the guy due to it's bad deed he isn't aware of and not guilty.
'I—I'm sorry Daisy. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I— I'll just probably go on my different way.' Sam said in a quiet voice, looking sheepish and awkward again. Daisy instantly shook her head together with her hands to emphasized her disagreement.
If anything, she was the one that made their situation uncomfortable by acting like a kid throwing a pity tantrum all of a sudden.
'It's not you Sam. I'm sorry, It's just me. I just felt uneasy and cautious when people stared at me when I started to sign language.'
Bryson immediately hugged her small body and peppered her head with small kisses. Megan's eyes softened but a brewing irritation is hiding underneath it, Sam looked at her too, smiling fondly like how a big brother to his little sister.
Bryson removed his face from her head and bend down to her level to cupped both her cheeks. 'Baby. Don't mind those blockhead okay? They're just purely making a judgement for something they don't know of and don't understand. Don't even bother to give them your attention as they're not even worth it okay? You're perfect and always be no matter what. Nothing less only more. Got it?' Bryson captured her wavering eyes as she tried to control herself from crying.
Daisy don't even know why she felt emotional all of a sudden, in the middle of the busy mall with people galavanting and even some stopped from walking to just showered them their unwanted attention. But, Bryson's words instantly ceased the worries and self-pity that are eating her away. Daisy nodded her head timidly and finally get the courage to looked directly into Bryson's ocean blue eyes. The guy smiled sweetly on her and planted his lips to her forehead before standing up straight and intertwined their fingers again, giving her knuckles a sweet and loving kissed too.
'Yeah Bae. Don't freaking mind those thick head as they couldn't comprehend something new to their eyes due to their ignorance.'
'I— I actually like you.' Sam suddenly meddled whilst the three of them looked at the guy with different reaction.
'I— I mean. It's not what you think it is. I just like her as a friend or a little sister since she's nice and all. And sign language are pretty cool too. . . Man stop looking at me like that. No one's gonna steal ya girl.' Sam raised his hands in surrender when Bryson stared at him with his extremely serious face and clenching jaw but, it loosened after hearing Sam's explanation.
'Gosh I can't believe there are still a lot of morons nowadays that's why alien won't visit us. Come on Bae. Let's make a blast and just shop to our heart's content.' Megan linked their arms together and pulled her, untwining her hands with Bryson and leaving the two guy to pursue them.
She just let the girl dragged her to their destination, after her friends and Bryson's little pep talk and encouraging words earlier, Daisy never let her kind and innocent eyes conjugate with those judging and vex one again.
So what if she can't use her voice like a 'normal' person. So what if she's using other methods to communicate with her friends and loved ones, so what if it makes her different. At least she have someone, even just a few person that supports her and that is more than enough for Daisy.
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'What do you think of this color Bae?' Megan asked, holding a roll of scarlet colored satin acetate ribbon while she's busy looking for a flower wraps on the papers and every objects for handicraft section.
Both of them immediately started their shopping the moment they set foot in the shop while the two guy, went to the sports equipment and items boutique just across from them. Bryson was a little reluctant of letting her go and he even insisted of going with them but, just one looked with a murderous intent from Megan and finally the guy cave in while Sam. . . Sam is just the usual, stood awkwardly behind Bryson and avoided being a victim by Megan's threatening aura.
'I think it's a good color. Perfect for bright colored flowers like Nasturtium or Red tulips. Is there any dark one though?' Daisy once again skimmed with her right hand along with her eyes the display on the shelves. She can't find the one she's been looking for like 15 minutes.
'Yeah I think I saw blue and purple. Wait let me just grab it. Did you find any wrapper?' She shook her head. 'I'll just look at the other aisle.' Megan just nodded her head before turning her back and walking across from Daisy's aisle.
She explored the other shelves, search every crook and cranny just to find the one they needed for their business. When she turned at the end point of the shelves to maneuver to the other side, Daisy bumped her shoulder into someone, she stepped back due to the impact but still manage to steady herself. Luckily, she's not holding any unpaid items but, the ones that were on display fell on the tiled floor and strewed all over the place. Daisy bowed her head to apologized but, the one that bumped her didn't even stop walking and just went past her without so much of an apology or even just a glanced on her direction.
Seemed that the person is in a hurry or something. Daisy just followed the retreating back of the stranger with a baffled expression and puffed an air. How kind. She promptly kneeled down to picked every colored papers, gift wrapper and stationery before someone notice the mess. It's not even her fault anyway, well, half of it. Daisy arranged the item like it used to be on the shelves.
She organized the items but a piece of card fell from between the wrapped stationery and envelope. Daisy immediately picked up the card as she thought it was part of the product and maybe a thing or two has a ruined packaging when it scattered. It's just a piece of rectangular white card, Daisy examined the paper and when she turned it around, a note was printed on it in a cursive, bold and bloody red colored font.
'I'm always watching you.'
After reading the text, a bemused and perturbed emotions was instantly tinctured on her face. Its not just because of the words that were printed on it. The smell, its the scent of lavender and vanilla with a hint of daisy that coated the thing. What is happening?
Holding the card tightly in her trembling hands, standing on her position without even moving a single muscles, and filling her lungs with oxygen that suddenly became thinner, making it even harder for breathe every passing seconds. Daisy suddenly feel like she's being pulled beneath the muddy and grime ground without so much of an escape and any means of survival.
It's too early to jump into conclusion and assumed something just based on a piece of card that has no relevant at all. But, it's not just a plain card. It's exactly like the one she found outside the flower shop because if not, where did it came from? It's impossible to tell if its part of the merchandise as all of the items are sealed and blank as how her mind currently is. Someone might dropped it? But who? Is it the man that bumped her before? Is it totally for someone and it just so happened that she was the one that found it? But, why is it so similar to the other two— and what is the note even mean? Who's watching? Who's being watched?
'Hey Bae. Which is better?' Megan's suddenly appearance made Daisy jumped out of shocked as she dropped the card. She pressed her hands to her chest to tame her racing heart.
'You okay? You look pale.' She just waved off Megan's concerned voice and her questioning eyes. Daisy just smiled but it faltered when her eyes connected with the card that's just laying close to Megan's sandal.
'Yeah I'm fine. Just a little bit tired. I like that color.' She changed the topic by touching the roll of aquamarine colored satin ribbons in Megan's left hand— pretending to be interested on the item when the truth is, her mind is currently occupied by a piece of strange paper. Luckily, Megan seemed to unnoticed it as she just keep on looking at Daisy with suspicious eyes. Daisy just widened her smile. 'Are you done? I think there's no wrapper here or anything we can use for the flowers. Why don't we look in another shop? Well, after we eat of course. I'm starving.'
The skeptical looked of Megan changed into realization and agreement as her eyes scintillate just by the mere mentioned of eating.
'Yeah let's eat first since we're almost done with the shopping. Only the wrappers and some other necessities left. Now. Where the hell are those two?' Megan walk past her, holding a basket full of crafts inside and made a b-line towards the counter to pay the items while Daisy collect the card right away before anyone could even notice especially from a watchful eyes of Megan. She inserted it inside her back pocket and followed her friend not before taking a deep breathe and release it in a silent sigh.
For now, she will only let the wary and anxious feelings past and focus on their shopping. Its just probably nothing like how she like and wanted to think about it. Maybe it's her mind being tricky and started fraternizing her sense of rationality again to something that'll only make her lose her shit.
The voices. If she let herself lost in unnecessary and rotten thoughts— the voices will surely started to come out and scream again. That is something Daisy doesn't want to happen and to undergo again.
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