Short Stories

Petals [Short Story]

A/N: Hope you enjoy!

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Honor Reed stomped through the halls of Greens High School in her hometown. The students standing against the lockers during lunch hour faded from her mind. Her eyes were filling with clear hot tears as she walked. She felt her heart breaking but also there was anger bubbling just under the surface. The sounds of her sneakers seemed to echo against the tile floor.

"Honor!" she heard her best friend behind her. Ignoring the single voice toward her, she continued walking. There was only one person she wanted to talk with right now. He had another thing coming if he thought he was off the hook. He had done some bad things through the years, but this was crossing the line.

"Honor Reed!" her best friend called yet again from behind her. Honor shoved her voice away as a moment of clarity was coming through. Her best friend, who was like a sister to her, was not about the ruin her train of thought. She was determined to the find the culprit even if it meant getting suspended from school. He was going to pay for what he had done.

~*~

Twelve Years Ago

Honor Reed walked out of her house carrying the tiny doll in her arms. The smell of her mother's garden brought a smile to her face. She walked with the doll under her arm into the tiny greenhouse behind their house. Inside, the smell of roses, daisies, tulips and nearly every flower Honor could think of filled her nose. Breathing in the familiar scents, she walked through the aisles of flowers, her smile never wavering. Eventually, she found a woman bent over a huge gathering of beautiful lilac flowers. There were so many different kinds, but the woman in front of her was tending to a group of White lilac.

"They're beautiful," Honor breathed staring at them. The woman turned in her dirty jeans and glove covered hands smiling at her. "Did you know that White Lilac symbolizes humility and innocence?" the woman smiled at her. Honor being the young girl she was didn't quite understand the big words the woman used. "Is that why you like the flower, momma?" Honor asked her with a smile. The woman nodded grinning gently toward her daughter, "Yes, part of it. Though, your father gave me the purple ones when he asked me out in high school," the woman answered.

Honor couldn't help the excitement she felt when she heard her parent's love story. High school sounded like a such a great place to learn, make friends, and find the love of your life. Her parents were lucky to have been married for so long already. Of course, they had their spats, but nothing that broke them apart. Honor stepped closer to her mother watching as she tended to her flowers, the flowers that were every part of her. Honor smiled at her mother when she got a speck of dirt on her face. "Momma? When I get older, can I have your garden?" Honor asked. The greenhouse had always fascinated her, her mother's love for flowers had transferred over to her daughter.

The woman turned her head wiping the splash of sweat against her forehead, "Of course, Honor. Who else would take care of my babies?" The woman pointed toward the lilacs with a gentle smile that graced her features. Honor couldn't help staring over the many flowers that graced the greenhouse taking in the sight and smells around her. It was a day of complete peace and happiness, but it was one of the last good days Honor could remember with her mother.

Five Months Later

Honor sat beside her father in the waiting room of Dr. Marshall's office. For three months, her mother had been coming to this doctor regularly. Honor didn't understand why her mother, who never appeared sick to her eyes, was suddenly going to the doctor once or twice a week. Her father had a grim smile on his face, but Honor was kicking her legs against the plastic seat. She was restless, ready to get home to play with the girl across the street. Her best friend, Charity, had red hair and green eyes which stood out against Honor's fair skin, blue eyes, and dark brown hair.