Rose's POV
"I'M SORRY I'M LAAAAAA-" I exclaim, bursting into the lab but tripping over my own two feet on my way in, "...ate... Again!"
Doctor LeFrog sighed, "Rose, Rose, Rose... Just go on and join your team..."
I grin sheepishly and nod in apology once more before going to join my team at our table.
"Rose! Thank goodness you're here! I-" Hawk excitedly starts before Astoria cuts him off.
"Sorry Hawk, but can you talk to her later? Rose, Doctor LeFrog is giving a test on making a harvest potion!"
"Don't worry it's unweighted," Joy pipes in.
"But it's still a test!" Astoria continues, "Anyways, we've got the ingredients. So just help us with the mixing alright?"
"Sure thing!" I smile cheerfully at Astoria.
We finish mixing our potion and leave it in the cauldron to boil and Hawk pulls me aside.
Ahhh... Wonder what it could be about? Wait. I did tell him I love him right? Oh no... Why'd I do that? What if he doesn't feel the same?
"Rose, I know this probably isn't the best time but I just ca-"
"Uh- Sorry Hawk! I... I gotta go... Help... Astoria with... Something." I stutter and dash off to find Astoria.
What did I just do?! Did I just- ditch Hawk??? Ugh what's wrong with me...
Hawk's POV
I slump against the counter and slide down to the floor, burying my head in my hands.
Rose... Why did you have to be so amazing... And beautiful and selfless and energetic and caring and...
Selena's POV
I stare at the potion brew boiling in the cauldron. I'm so glad that they trusted me enough to let me watch it. I mean... Hawk and Rose were here too but Rose ran off and I don't even know what Hawk is doing so...
All of a sudden, I look down and I'm holding a vial of liquid. Where did I get this?! I never took it!
Pour it into your mixture~
What?
Pour it in, Selena~
ARGH! WHAT AM I DOING- What's wrong with me! I... must... control...! No... I- I can't do it- I-
Rose's POV
"Hawk? Hawk I'm sorry abou- WHAT IN PUMPKIN SEEDS HAPPENED HERE?" I run back to the counter.
Selena is standing with her hand on an empty vial of our potion in front of our sprout but there's a huge mess of droplets of potion splattered all over the counter. That's not possible... Our potion was supposed to be perfectly clean.
My eyes land on Hawk sitting leaned against the counter.
"Hey Hawk! I'm so sorry about running away earlier, I just-"
I feel his finger pressed against my lip and I stop talking and just look at him. The sight of his clear blue eyes staring back at me with that loving gaze he seems to only reserve for me makes my heart flutter and my face burn but I don't look away.
"Rose..." The sound of his voice saying my name makes me shiver. "I lo-OOK OUT!"
Hawk pushes me out of the way and ducks out of the way of a... Root?
I turn around to find a montrous plant behind me. Is THAT what happened to our little sprout? How? Astoria double checked everything!
"EVERYONE GET OUT OF THE LAB!!" Doctor LeFrog croaks? Yells? Croak-yells!
All of our classmates rush for the doors of the lab. I pull out my wand and activate it quickly.
"Pumpkin- HEY!" The monster smacks my wand right out of my hand.
"Fairytale of my dream, mirror shield make the scene!" Hawk cries, his family relic materialising in his hand.
He jumps in front of me and blocks a vine blow.
"Frog magic!" Joy fires a frog magic blow at the plant.
It disappears in a puff of smoke. "Ribbi-" it starts before transforming back into a plant.
"No good! It's too strong!" Joy yells.
"Watch out Joy! Fan magic!" LingLing pushes a vine away from Joy's head.
"Fury magic!" Travis chops a vine clean off of the plant, but it grows right back.
"EVERYONE! WE NEED TO RETREAT AND REGROUP! GET OUT OF THE LAB!" Astoria yells, taking off towards the door.
"Fan magic!", "Fury magic!" LingLing and Travis cry in unison, holding off the monster's vines.
We race towards the door, but Joy trips on her way and her shoe flies off.
"Joy your-! SHOE!" I dive back into the lab for the shoe.
"Rose! No!" Hawk cries out, but it's too late.
A vine wraps around my waist and lifts me into the air, squeezing me tight.
"SAVE THE SHOE!" I cry and throw Joy's shoe out of the door. What? I have priorities!
Hawk's POV
I dodge the flying shoe as it flies towards me.
"ROSE USE YOUR POWERS!" I cry out, my heart racing at the thought of her being in danger.
"N- No! I CAN'T DO IT!" She screams.
"You can do it Rose!" Astoria cheers.
"We believe in you!" Joy continues.
"You're strong enough!" Travis adds.
"You've got to!" LingLing pleads.
"If you won't do it to save yourself then..." I start, my only focus on saving her at any cost, "THEN DO IT FOR ME!"
"HAWK NO!!" My teammates exclaim in unison.
I dash back into the lab, immediately getting entangled into the vines of the plant.
