Love, Zed

25. Shades of Purple

Aria

"Zed? You mean that Zed?" Tessa looks at me open-mouthed, stressing on 'that'. Her expression bears so much shock, I roll my eyes.

"How many Zeds you know, Tessa?"

She shakes her head at me and exhales. The barista arrives with my frappuchino and smiles at me. I smile back but Tessa launches into a walk to find a table. I stumble after her with my frappe.

"Aren't you getting anything?" I ask her but she just dumps her backpack on the table and sits down. I sit across from her and before I could take a picture, my sister starts.

"Of all the decent boys out there, you had to go and get yourself a Zed." She mutters.

"Excuse me?" I blurt pushing my glasses up. Yes, I'm wearing glasses today. It's black-rimmed, over-sized, very sexy.

"There's something off about him. There must be. Haven't you seen people he hangs out with? Do you know what everyone says about Logan Ramírez?"

"Who cares?" I shrug. "And everyone is talking about everyone. Didn't you learning anything from High School? Ramìrez and I are cool, and that's all that matters." I say and dig into my frappe.

"And, Molly and Nate-"

"All my friends are problematic, huh?" I shot my eyes to hers. "Missed someone, Tess?"

She turns pink, struggling internally to counter me. I know who she's thinking about.

"Steph?" I say instead.

She visibly relaxes. "She's nice."

I feign choking on my drink.

She crosses her arms. "She's anything but nice, Tess. Mark my words." I tell her and click a snap of my frappe and send it to everyone on my Snapchat.

"I'm just worried for you, Aria." She expresses.

"I know." I moan. "Zed has been nothing but nice to you."

She ponders over it and exhales. "I don't want you to make the same mistake-"

"Stop it, Tessa." I demand. I refrain from mentioning Scott but she has to go and bring up Jamie? My stomach tightens.

"I'm sorry, Aria." She utters looking keen.

"I have a class and you too, so shut your pie hole and pick up your ass." I say roughly and walk out.

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I stalk all the way to my French class leaving Tessa behind. She makes no move to initiate talks. All the better. The last thing I want to do is hurt that bitch while she's mourning her first bad boy kiss. I roll my eyes.

Logan is walking out of the lecture hall in a hurry and I almost stumble into him.

"Watch out, niño." I huff.

"What a cringe, Aria." Logan cooes flashing me his flirty smile.

"Not today, boyo. I'm late." I try rushing into the hall but he grabs my hand and takes me aside.

"Hey!"

"Your professor is such a dick." He declares. My eyes widen. "He's in there? Let me go!"

"Zed won't be coming to French today." He explains and I see a hint of worry in his brown eyes. Just then I notice multiple tiny cut marks over his face and his neck. Some unknown fear starts building up inside me.

"Why?" I manage to ask.

I see him struggling, a hair strand falls over his forehead. "He-he's busy. But he told me to tell you this." Then he smirks. "As he has been warming your bed these days."

I narrow my eyes. "Why can't he just call me?"

Logan shrugs looking away. I see why why he's so popular. He has got charm and he knows how to bring it to use. Brownie points for a chiseled face and hot body. Unlike Zed, Logan enjoys attention and knows how to handle it.

Zed, well, he would choose flowers over people any day. He doesn't hate people, he is attentive, caring and respectful, yet, a good deal distant. His eyes always assessing. Wonder what made him like this.

"No overthinking." Logan calls me out of my thoughts. I frown at him.

"He really likes you." He says in a coaxing yet genuine tone.

"Yeah? And you're his pimp?" I smirk. He guffawed.

"Trying to be a good one." He winks. A group of girls walk by giggling and turning to look at him. Pathetic.

"Later." I state simply and move to get in my class.

"Please don't leave him, Aria. He's at the brink." He says urgently. I let out a breath.

"At the brink of what?" I question.

"See you, niña." He winks strolling backwards and turns away.

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ZED

"Yellow ones?"

Jim lifts up a pot of yellow roses in front of my face. This morning I brought all my red roses to his Greenhouse. He could have all of them while I experiment with my garden.

My let my eyes linger on those velvety yellow petals for a few seconds then snap out of it.

Something purple. Or shades of purple.

"Lilacs." I blurt what first appears in my mind.

"Lilacs?" Jim mutters looking dazed then walks further in his shop; I follow him. I've been buying plants from him since I got here. He has a large collection of Garden Supply and he takes good care of his plants. I'm actually impressed of him. And he offers great discounts to me. Don't know why.

"Here." He gestures to a large pot filled with lilacs. I crouch to have a closer look, inhaling its heavy, sweet scent. My mind reels. Quite fresh and beautiful. And purple. Still I don't feel much satisfied. Something's not adding up. I look around the place.

"You're never confused, what is it you want today?" Jim questions.

I walk across rows of faintly purple roses. Without even thinking, I touch the soft petals. Not quite purple, more on the -ish side.

And she doesn't like roses.

I keep walking. "I'll know when I see it." I mutter. Jim takes the cue and walks away before patting my back.

I stroll scross rows and rows of stunning flowers possessing shades of purple. Verbenas, Bellflowes, Irises, Alliums, Hyacinths, Fuchsias flowing down from a suspended pot. A charming pot of Crocuses stares at me but I leave it behind too. My jaws clench.

Richly aromatic yet not too sweet, beautiful yet not belonging to bridal hands. One which mends and heals, mind and heart alike...

I stop in my tracks as the puzzle piece fits. I lift my head to the other side of the greenhouse where I saw them once. I don't know if they still got it there. I rush ahead, grinning like an idiot.

There. Rows and rows of them. Planted in big ass pots. I bite my knuckles walking closer to them. Their scent already dominating those around them. I allow myself a smirk and get to work.

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Btw, whom do you imagine as our Logan Ramírez? 😏 Do tell in comments!