How Did it Get This Way?

2 - Mr. Flower Man

I woke up to the blinding light of the sun falling in through my blinds. God I hate mornings. I cover my face with my blanket and try desperately to slip into sleep again.

It failed...

After about half an hour of tossing and turning to fall back asleep I angrily throw the sheets off of me and sit up. Why are mornings so horrible?

I get off my ass and go to the bathroom for that daily Post-Sleep Piss™ and go to my kitchen. I look in the cabinet and pull out a half empty box of Frosted Flakes and the milk from the fridge. I make and eat a bowl of cereal and put the dirty dishes in the sink, I'll wash them later.

I go back to my room and take my phone off the charger, checking the time. It reads as 9:27 am. I decide that I should get ready to go to that shop now so I can get there when it opens. I slip on my hoodie, a pair of gloves, and my shoes. I make sure I have everything and head outside.

It's a little colder today and the store is farther away so I decide to drive there. I see a few people I recognize from school; Clyde, he's working at the new Taco Bell they put in a few years ago, Bebe, she's visiting from some collage for thanksgiving, Craig, he's doing an online internship for NASA.

A lot of people have become relatively successful in life now. Some, however, end up worse. Like Cartman, we won't get into that now though.

I arrive and park in front of the store. I get out and lock my car. I walk in, no one else is there so I just look around.

All of the plants and bouquets are astounding, the colors and scents. I see one that I love, yellow carnations and iris' mixing with white tulips as an accent. There's even a couple added grasses to make the flowers pop out more. I admire the bouquet for a little while longer before leaving it.

I turn around and see something else that catches my eye, but as I get closer, I realize that that something is actually a someone.

He has shortish blonde hair thats a little less vibrant than mine that fades as it goes down, bright blue eyes that just sparkle, a light blue button up with rolled up sleeves and the company's logo on it, blue jeans, and an apron and gloves with dirt on them. He's holding a pot of dirt with tiny seedlings.

He looks at me and I don't realize I'm staring until he looks at me and asks me a question, "Well hi there mister! How can I help you?"

I snap out of it and just say "Oh, I was just looking around," I divert my eyes, simultaneously looking everywhere and nowhere. "A friend of mine told me about this place, got a bouquet from his fiancé." I look back at him now, he's positively beaming.

"Well that's just swell! I sure am glad to hear people are recommending my little flower shop," he takes a turn to look around, probably admiring this place and the work he's done for it. "Y'know, I moved here all the way from Mississippi? Got tired of the people there and my parents didn't exactly approve of my work. But now I'm here and I'm glad to be!" He flashed a smile.

"Oh! I nearly forgot," he started walking off but continued so I followed, "my name is Leopold Stotch, but you can just call me Butters, everyone calls me that." I looked at him, a little confused at the nickname, so I asked.

"Why Butters?" Genuine confusion lacing my voice. He stopped walking and turned to face me. "Because no one liked me, calling someone butters means that they are 'ugly' or 'disgusting'," he used air quotations, looking a little hurt. I felt bad, sure, he wasn't a 10 in most of societies eyes but he definitely wasn't ugly.

"Oh, I'm sorry." His expression changed to one of slight surprise. "Oh no, it's fine!" "No, it's not. I'll just call you Leopold."

He cringed. "Please don't, I don't know what my parents were thinking when they gave me that name but I hate it. It makes me sound like an old man." We both laughed at that, even though anyone who wasn't a part of the conversation probably wouldn't find it funny.

"Ok, how about Leo?" I asked, he laughed lightly. "Sure, that sounds good to me, uh... What's your name?" His face still happy but obviously wondering.

"Oh, uh, I'm Kenny McCormick," I feel my face get slightly hot in embarrassment at the fact that I forgot to tell Leo my name.

"Ok!" He beams. "But, since you gave me a nickname, I think it's only fair I give you one." He points at me and we chuckle. "Hmm, how about Ken?" I nod in agreement at the name.

We fall into a silence and after a while, I break it. "So, can I give you my number and we can maybe hangout sometime?" He lights up, excited at the prospect of it. "Oh my! I would love to Ken! What's your number?" I chuckle lightly and give him my number.

"Ok it's 720-163-8802, just send me a random text so I get your number too." He nods and then tells me to stay still for a second and takes a selfie of us. He sends it to me and I save it.

We say our goodbyes and I leave with a small pot of buttercups.

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