LOVE ALWAYS WINS. (book one of the Love Trilogy).

CHAPTER ONE

"Cassie!"

Cassandra Milton looked up from the blue roses she was arranging in the small vase she had purchased from Walmart the day before. Her best friend and only friend,Rafaella Milestone,stood at the entrance of the flower shop with two brown paper bags in one hand and her brown coat in the other.

Cassie shook her head as she picked the vase up and walked out of the back room,where she usually arrange the flowers for the buyer or when she want to put them in a vase.

For Cassie,flowers were it. she loved flowers because they were her second best companion ever since she lost her father five years ago. her father once owned the shop and he loved it,despite the fact that her mother was against it. Cassie didn't love flowers like her father did,but she felt that doing what her father loved best would fill the empty space he left. also because her mother hated it.

"do you have to shout like that?" Cassie approached the racks where roses are kept.

"that's what i get for trying to bring my friend lunch." Rafaella teased as she went over to sit on a stool in front of the counter. "you are welcome." she set the papers on the flat and clean surface.

"sorry."Cassie sighed as she removed her gloves and apron. she walked over to the rack where she hung her apron and gloves before joining Rafaella at the counter. "what did you get?"

"chips and burger, soda and salad with dressing. just the way you like it." Rafaella opened her own paper bag and emptied the content on the table. "it's so amazing how you eat all that and still remain slim."

"some of us are born to be slim." Cassie shrugged as she too opened her bag. "how are things going for you?"

"good, i guess." she said in between chews."i just got this new job in a coffee and cake shop. it has shifts and i am working night this week."

"congratulations." Cassie bit into her burger as she studied her friends profile.

Rafaella was darker than her. she had long mid-back black hair,which was now dyed with purple. she was beautiful,slim and curvy too. her ass was really big and she had the right size of hips to accommodate it. although she was also slim,she loved to tease Cassie about her own figure.

They met each other at the vegetable rack in Walmart. they had hit off ever since,against Cassie's mother wishes.

"how is your mom?"

"she's same as usual." Cassie shrugged as she bit into her French fries. "hmmm, this Taste's like heaven."

"heaven?" Rafaella raised an eye brow. "have you tasted heaven before?"

Cassie laughed and shrugged.

"but on a serious note," Rafaella opened her diet coke. "i don't like the way your mother is treating you. plus your job is not even paying that much."

"i love what i do,Ella."

"you do." she nodded in agreement. "but, you need to find one that will make you earn much. A job that will make you earn much so that you will have a house of your own." she took three huge gulp from her diet coke in an unlady like manner.

"you lack etiquette." Cassie clucked her tongue in disapproval.

Cassie burped immediately making Rafaella to narrow her eyes at her.

"seems like a pot is calling a kettle black." wiping her fingers with the serviette paper in the brown paper bag,she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Cassie, don't you think that it's because you're staying with your mom that she's treating you this way?"

"we have been through this before." she packed the salad away in the brown paper bag.

"And you keep ignoring it." Rafaella sighed tiredly. "this flower shop is great, believe me. but it's not enough. you can't celebrate your birthday, you don't have your own apartment, and your mother is not helping you by collecting rent from you. you need to grow up, you are twenty-three for Christ sake not thirteen!"

Cassie wiped her hand irritably as she wrapped up the remaining burger in the foil. she hated it when she and Ella had to argue all the time about her mother and her financial status. it was not as if Ella herself was any better.

"i love flowers. this is me, this is where i want to be."

"it's not. you are just afraid to step out there because you are afraid to get hurt." Ella knew that she was threading on dangerous waters but she couldn't help it.

when ever she tried to talk to Cassie about the way she was living, Cassie gets defensive always. which always made Ella angry and mad. but today she would not let her be until she had proven a point.

"i'm not." Cassie was beginning to get angry. why did Ella choose today of all days to annoy her?

it's enough that her mother constantly got on her nerves with her endless quest for money. which was why she used the flower shop as her solace. Ella was threatening that solace right now.

"you're too."

"i'm not. would you please keep your nose out of my business? " she snapped at Ella who looked as if she had been expecting her to snap. "i am tried of your lectures. you lecture me, my mom lectures me and demand for money always. do you think that i really don't want money? i do. but this is my daddy's shop and i have to take care of it. you don't have the right to lecture me because yours is less perfect."

Cassie bit her tongue when Ella flinched back with sadness on her face. she regretted what she said instantly.

"Ella, i'm---" Cassie started to apologize but Ella waved her away.

"I'll be leaving now. i have to prepare for tomorrow." Ell got off the stool before grabbing her coat and purse. "see you later."

Cassie watched her as she walked out of the shop with her shoulders slumping forward with sadness. of all the things she could have said, why did she have to mention Ella's less perfect life?

now she would have to find a way to apologize to her. but she knew that Ella would never forget this day. she was not the type of person to forget things that easily.

Sighing again, she got off the stool. she packed the brown paper bags and disposed them before going to retrieve her apron from the rack. As she put it on she admitted to her self what she would never tell any one. not even Ella.

yes,she's scared of being hurt again.