Always, Tulip

▫️Eleven

"I saw her during a mission," my thoughts trailed back to the night we first met. Dull, gloomy and cold was how best that day could be described as. It was an emergency setup for us to rescue people in flood zone areas and I was glad to have piped in.

"Just after new year," I held back from telling more. How I even remember the date and I couldn't let Reece know how much taken I was by Ginelle. He'd tease me endlessly, more than he even was at the moment.

But I didn't seem to care. Her shaking body on the bus as she clung onto me. My body going stiff at the unusual contact and despite my selective interaction with people, I found myself trying to comfort her.

She was so shaken and her body was numb but I could strangely feel some sort of warmth seep into me. Her small fingers over my biceps as she trembled made me want to immediately put her to safety.

Up until now, I wasn't sure what got over me that night though I could tell something in me had changed. I wasn't sure what it was but when I went to her store in the excuse of returning her card, I began to figure out.

"You're so gone," I blinked after zoning out as Reece slightly banged the table's top.

"You even went on the merry go round," her rolled his eyes as he added. "Mayella has been trying to get you on but you wouldn't budge."

"Not that I'm mad but are you over your phobia?" Reece knew I wouldn't stand anything spinning since I was young but that day it had taken all the courage in me to go on board. I clinged on her soft hand for comfort.

My phone rang before I found the words to say though Reece head quickly whipped to the vibrating machine in my hand.

"Is it her?" He poked his head further to get a better look but I shoved his head away. His hair was annoyingly getting into my face.

Nana

"Hello," grandma's worried voice came through and I relaxed into my seat as I replied. It had been almost two weeks since we last spoke.

"Hello nana, how are you?" Reece's face brightened and I decided to put the phone on speaker. He was a huge fun of her stories.

"I'm fine, are you at work?" I could hear some noise in the background and I hoped she hadn't bumped into anything.

"Hello nana," Reece cut in, catching the attention of those around us while Nana joined in giggling and squealing like a girl.

"Oh Reecie, is that you?" I heard the scrapping of a chair on the floor and I knew she was getting a seat to have a long conversation.

Nana wasn't that old as per the current technology since she could catch up on most of the slangs Reece used. She was very familiar with most of what was happening at the present world.

She was my only family left, having brought me up since I was five. She had always been there, cheering me on and encouraging me even when I felt like giving up.

"Gris!" Reece kicked my leg under the table as Nana's voice rose. "I promise we're fine." I answered after Reece had mouthed what she had asked previously.

"I spoke to Williams yesterday," she said and I gave Reece a questioning eye that he shrugged. Grandma had acquainted herself with Reece's family after we'd become friends.

"I'll be visiting you soon." That was a surprise. She never liked how loud the city was after having only visited twice.

"Shall we pick you up?" Reece excitedly asked but Nana cut him off that I held back a smile.

"I might be old but I'm surely not blind, I will find my way." she coughed bit and I heard her flip through some pages, perhaps checking the calendar.

"Remember to take your meals on time," I had to remind her as we neared the end of our conversation. The help I had hired to take care of her reported that she was often busying herself in the garden.

I hung up after she'd promised to eat on time and work less. That was before Reece spilled out that I had finally acknowledged a girl. Nana could have probably had an heart attack.

It was just that hard to believe because I'd always distanced myself from females since I was young. I knew they were there but I didn't feel the need to have any in my life.

Nana, Mayella and Reece's mom were enough to me. I didn't know of their importance in life, especially mine until her. She was my first female contact other than Nana and Reece's mom.

"Did you get your injury checked?" Reece jumped as if he had suddenly remembered.

"Just a graze," I played it off but before I could even blink, he pulled me up, dragging me out perhaps to get treated.

"Wouldn't want Miss Elle getting worried, would we?" He faked concern as he led me to the infirmary. I could only follow along.

"Captain," Reece's friend, Enzo greeted as he disinfected my arm and I nodded back. We had talked a couple of times when I came for check ups.

The two spoke over random stuff and I at times listened on their conversation, "Will you join today's team dinner?" Enzo asked as he finalized bandaging my arm.

"Of course, the new girl will be there." Reece replied as if it were the most obvious thing and from the corner of my eye I saw Enzo cringe.

"Grey you'll come right?" There was a loud rumble outside and I immediately stood up from the edge of the bed. I checked my wrist watch, feeling my phone from the front pocket.

Dark sky, low hanging clouds.

"You hardly attend group hangouts at night," Reece attempted to coax me but my mind was elsewhere.

"Talk later," I patted his back and hastily thanked Enzo in a nod before I dashed out. Their voices called over from behind me but that wasn't my priority.

I quickly took my car and speedily reversed out of the massive parking lot not even getting a jacket. At least I had changed out of my work clothes.

The sky was getting dark and I pressed on the gas as another rumble of thunder came. I couldn't care of the honking cars as I weaved through the traffic.

Ginelle, I had to get to get to my tulip the fastest possible.

I tried cutting away the image of her shaking at the corner of her room as the thunder cut through the air shaking her to the core.

I squeezed through even as the first drops fell and the path became blurry as the cars before seemed to stop moving.

The cold breeze blew through my half open car window as some raindrops got to my shirt but I pressed on wanting to get to her quicker.

I wouldn't let her feel the cold of the night rattling her teeth together as she huddled to herself.

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There's this webtoon that I've been reading, Midnight Poppy Land. It's a bad boy good girl and a grumpy x sunshine too. If you're interested you can check it out on webtoon.

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