The Irrefutable Flame⎪✓

❨01❩

♀︎

The walk home from work is liberating and I find myself breathing deeply, savoring the last evenings of summer before fall comes along. Don't get me wrong, I unquestionably cherish every season the year has to offer, but somehow, I still feel a twinge of a bittersweet flavor on my tongue, whenever something has to change. Including the seasons.

The nightly air makes for a great thinking space and allows me to disconnect from everyone. Work hasn't been bad at all, my little shop filled to the brim with flowers is as intimate and flourishing as always. My boyfriend, Flynn, works in Hetdale as well, he and I are currently in disagreement because of my need to work and his need to provide for me, apparently, a woman shouldn't be working if she has a husband. What he doesn't understand is that I absolutely adore my work, that he isn't my husband, and that I won't ever bow down to the old fashioned gender roles of society. I've decided not to let that affect my work ethic though, it's his decision to be narrow-minded like that, and I don't even bother. 

The little town I've always called home isn't very populated, with the entirety of 1324 people residing here, Hetdale makes for a cozy town where literally everyone knows each other. I grew up here, my high school 10 minutes away from my newly bought house. This is where I want and need to be.

Reaching my street I admire the lights brightening the path I'm strolling along, the white picket fences and porches in this neighborhood always caressed my love bone. Which is why I deliberately searched for a house here, luckily for me, I found one with the specific criteria I swear by. 

Approaching my house, number 31, I take a second and appreciate the sight in front of me. The grass as green as ever after my florist hands' touch, red roses outlining the small porch linked to my front door. My house is two stories, the cream color eased my spirits the second I noticed it a year ago and absolutely everything about it yells my style. This is my home and it's a sentiment to the fact that I did myself well by dropping out of my major in college. 

Smiling to myself, I approach the house and a man raises from the bench. His familiar eyes look into my own and I smile at him, "Hi, Flynn."

"Hey, Dakota," He says and drops a little kiss on my cheek. "I was out earlier today, so I thought the two of us could get some dinner together. What do you say?"

He waves a bag of sushi around, I'm not the biggest fan of seafood but I smile and nod anyway. Unlocking the door I guide him inside, "How was work?"

"Same old, there was this annoying customer that brought her child, but I guess it could've been worse. I just looked forward to seeing you today," I still have no clue what he works as, his workplace is right across from my shop and that is how the two of us got to know each other. He gave me some rides home and eventually asked me on a date. 

Removing my shoes, he trudges inside with his muddy shoes on and I cringe, "Flynn, please remove your shoes, you know that is a pet peeve of mine."

He sighs loudly but obliges, "Goodness woman, you need to relax."

Ignoring his arrogant comment I walk into the charming kitchen with white marble countertops and golden handles on the white cabinets. I love the arrangement of flowers on display all throughout my home, it makes it feel more welcoming. Grabbing two plates from the top cabinet, I arrange the sushi evenly on both plates. 

"Can you eat half of it?" He asks in confusion when he sneaks up next to me. 

"I have no issue with eating, so yes, I definitely can."

He grabs my chin in his right hand and urges my face to the side where he leaves a small peck on my lips, I smile at him in appreciation and offer him a plate. We sit down by the kitchen table and he starts talking about work, I really try to listen, honestly, but it simply doesn't interest me. His stories about how annoying children are and how spoiled they can be, I don't fucking care. 

Eating my sushi in silence I once again question what I'm doing with this man, he makes me happy in some circumstances and I had a lot of butterflies at the beginning of the relationship. Now, after 4 months, they're gone. He shows up at random hours and barges into my home whenever he feels like it, things are getting too comfortable. 

But then again, I'm 24, I should be fine with a man getting comfortable in a relationship with me. This is serious and both of us are committed so, of course, it's comfortable. He should be content and feel safe in the space with me, I'm glad I can be that person for him. 

Looking at him now, his lips are moving and both of us are done with dinner. His blond hair is slicked back, his blue eyes cut to me and he smiles lightly. I return the gesture. Confusion washes over his features, "Are you listening to me, freckles?"

My heartbeat quickens immediately and I clench my fists, my mind is instantly in the hallway with Caspar again where he taunted me with my sick dad the same day my mother slapped me, "Flynn..."

The warning doesn't affect him as he smiles innocently, "What? Some childhood trauma still tugging at the roots of your freckles?" 

"I've told you countless times to stop calling me that, why can't you just accept it?" The sheer annoyance on my voice is damn hard to miss.

He practically rolls his eyes, "Come on, Dakota. It's the only way to catch your attention if you're in your own head. Besides, the only way to get past a childhood trauma is to face it."

"You don't get to determine that for me," I spit at him and he appears shocked by my reaction. "Thanks for dinner, but I would appreciate it if you left."

"Are you mad at me or something?" He laughs in ridicule.

His indifference bothers me to my core, "In fact, yes. I'm mad that you appear to disregard everything I wish for, even a simple thing such as me not wanting you to call me that. You're making it a matter of principle when it shouldn't be."

"Hold up," He states and raises his hands in surrender, he seems shocked but I've told him this exact thing too many times to count. I don't get why he's making it a big deal, if I want him to stop he should stop without another thought. This seems unnecessary, "Sorry, didn't know you were that sensitive."

"Please leave," I state and walk away from him, opening the front door. He gives me a kiss on the cheek and does as I ask him, no more words are uttered between us that night.