🌶️😉Kissing
Spring.
Melodic clinking drifts from a wind chime hung on the porch awning and dances through a gentle breeze. Clouds coasting through the bright blue sky step in tune to the sound of a world yearning to blossom into a new season. Spring finally finding her time of rest welcomes the new days of summer and blistering sunshine.
Crates that Lewis had thought to drop off a few days prior are stacked high amongst the garden beds you have been working diligently to recover. Mud caked onto your hands dries your skin unpleasantly as bulbous heads of cauliflower are ripped violently from the ground, ripe and ready. The crates are filling quickly in bounty of your hard work on the last crop of the season. A separate, smaller crate sits alone awaiting its own fill of the cauliflower Harvey had helped plant. Just as the others had, his grew to be lush and gorgeous, almost too tempting to wait for cooking.
The gardens look uncomfortably empty without their occupying crops, but they will be soon enough filled with summer seeds. Bordering the walls of the farmhouse are freshly tilled flower beds also awaiting seeds of poppies, spangles, and sunflowers to crowd into the fertile soil. Although in a bit of a withered state, the farmhouse is alive and well.
Today not only marks the end of your spring work season, but also the day of the flower festival. As this will be your first time participating in the fluttering celebration, you work as quickly and carefully as possible. Tucked snugly within the crates, the fresh produce will be fine to wait a day before being sold off to the general store in town.
With a final ounce of your energy, the produce is nestled safely in the living room for the day. The dirt caked on your hands and fingernails is less than presentable. You recall the calendar in town notes the festival to begin at 9 am sharp, brunch to be served at 10:30. Having woken before the sun broke day allowed you ample time to work the garden beds and still have room to get yourself ready.
Still on an empty stomach you squeak the shower head on and test the water until it's hot enough to stain your skin pink and red. Steady streams of dirt and salty sweat pour down your legs and into the drain, cleansing you of your backbreaking work.
While lazily tilting back into the rush of water and cleansing your scalp, a heavy rapid knock reverberates through the hallway and into the bathroom. The noise shocks you from the disassociated state you've drifted into. The knocking echoes through again after a few moments of waiting, giving you another summon to the door.
A sloppy trail drips behind your path to the door and renders the towel wrapped around you somewhat purposeless. Allowing the door to open just enough to poke out your sopping wet head it gives way to Haley standing somewhat squeamishly on your aged porch. A bulging tote bag with white cloth peeking out the top is slung beneath her arm and digging angry red lines into her bare shoulder.
"Haley?" Your surprise to her visit isn't much of a secret, "What are you doing here?"
Her expression is no less than annoyed in response to her presence on your property, which surely was not a choice of her own. "Emily asked me to give you this, your festival dress." You notice a pale yellow bicycle rests against the porch railing.
A furrow creases your forehead, "Festival dress?"
She groans dramatically and carelessly slings the bag towards the crack in the door, "Yeah, festival dress, for the flower dance." Her disgust in your lack of knowing is clear.
The door opens wider and you take the cloth bag from her, inside mounds of tulle and satin overflow the capacity.
A snobby laugh calls your attention back to her, "Wait, don't tell me you didn't know there was a dance? All the single people in town have to participate." She looks nearly incapable to keep from bursting into a tearful fit. "Do you even have a date?" She nags you.
Your heart sinks deeper than your toes. No. In fact you don't have a date. And now despite the town calendar designating the dance you still are caught unprepared to participate.
"Have you seen the dance before? The moves?" She questions more.
"Um- well no, I haven't. This is my first time."
"Yikes, well good luck I guess." She turns and steps down the porch to the dusty dirt path and mounts her bike.
Scrambling out the door in just your towel still you try and stop her, "Haley, wait! Are you going with someone?"
Her face contorts in disgust and she eyes you from head to toe, "Ew, don't even try asking me, I'm going with Alex." She quickly pedals off in the direction of town.
Utterly defeated and now riddled with a newfound anxiety for the festival you do your best to prepare yourself. Slippy material tries to fall from your hands and to the muddy floor when the dress is pulled from the bag. It's no less than beautiful and lush. A dainty sea foam blue ribbon is tied around the waist and adorned with delicately handmade faux flowers. The ribbon wraps into a large bow in the back of the dress that drapes gracefully down the thick, poofy tulle skirt. Dropping the towel onto the sofa you delicately pull the dress over your head and it settles tea length against your legs. Entirely unsure of how she managed, Emily had sized it perfectly, hugging your curves tastefully. In the bottom of the bag are a pair of flats accented in embroidered flowers and ankle ribbons that match those on the dress.
You clatter around the tiny bathroom for an hour or so trying to make your hair and makeup match the taste of the dress. Much to your surprise you manage to suit your appearance to accentuate the outfit. While fixating on finishing touches another rapid knock rattles from the front door. You double check yourself before quickly whisking away all of your products and answering it, yet again.
Haley is there again but now alongside Emily, both wearing dresses and shoes that sister your own. A bicycle is tipped over onto the porch steps, Emily standing over it onto the stoop, wearing her own handmade gown. Just as the dresses do, three bicycles match in style. Haley's now familiar in a gentle, doughy pastel yellow straddled beneath pounds of tulle. Her hand grips onto the handle of a fair petal pink bicycle to hold it upright, and the third lying against the porch is a brilliant lavender tone. All are adorned with matching handle baskets.
"Oh my Yoba you look beautiful!" Emily nearly squeals when she sees you, "I'm so relieved the dress fit you so well!"
"It's perfect, I don't even know how you managed." You say and do a silly twirl for her.
"We all look good, Emily! Can we go, I need to get my practice in!"
Emily rolls her head over her shoulder in annoyance to her sister, "Okay, yes, we can go, just calm yourself, please." She turns back and pulls you down the porch, "We brought this for you," she takes hold of the pink bike in Haley's grasp, "It's our mom's but she hasn't used it in years so I thought we could pass it on to you."
"Are you serious?" You ask in disbelief, "Emily this is really too much, I can't."
"It's not like we get much use out of it, all it does is clutter up the yard." Haley chimes in to your surprise.
"You're absolutely sure your mother won't mind?"
Emily picks up her own from beside the porch and carefully swings a bare leg around it. "Really, yes, she never even rode it often when she still lived here. It's yours."
It takes all of your strength to hide the joy bubbling inside of you. Quickly as not to annoy Haley more than she always is usually, you run back into the house and retrieve your tote bag. Perfectly it sits inside the handle basket and you head off to the south of the property. Surprisingly the cruiser style bike rides very well on the uneven terrain of the farm and into the thick woodland grass.
Early day birds are still perched between trees and bellowing their final springtime songs. The light breeze becomes stronger as you pedal between the trees and it blows through your hair and up the round skirt of your dress. Somehow now as you put your strength into riding through the woods, the air becomes more refreshing against the bared tresses of your skin.
Emily leads down a lightly compressed grass path to the southwest edge of the woods. Around the bend the three of you rumble across a small wooden bridge and into a clearing. It is remarkably resemblant to the wildflower fields your grandfather had raised for you and your mother. The grass is long but not uncomfortably high, and whips like deep sea waves through the air. Emily dismounts and steadies her bike near a booth Pierre is tending. Haley takes no time at all to abandon you both in search of Alex amongst the bobbing heads of townspeople.
"(Y/N), Emily! Pleasant to see you this morning! Would you like to see our selection for today?" Pierre calls you both over to him in hopes of making a quick sachet of gold.
The tables of his booth are crowded over with small sprouting plants. A few freshly picked bouquets of wildflowers are tied with delicate twine and brown paper, some of miniature sunflowers and dainty jazz blossoms. A tall handcrafted scarecrow leans haphazardly against the side of his covered station, threatening to fall and take down any unsuspecting passer-by.
He watches you carefully and notices interest in the small potted plants, "Now, these are all ready for the summer. They won't die out at the end of the season and are meant to bloom year-round. They do seed and wither but always come back quickly." He explains.
You take time to select a few and fish out the gold for them. Excitedly you nestle them into the woven basket on your new bike for safe keeping. Villagers periodically begin to wander past you carrying heaping dishes of food to the same long tables that had been used during the Egg Festival. A mixture of lunch and breakfast foods are being served together. Fresh fruit salads and French toast, paired nicely alongside crab cakes and finger sandwiches on tea trays. No time is wasted as people swarm to the tables and load up their empty plates when the last dish is uncovered. Emily sticks closely beside you and follows while you take your fill and her own. In shaded grass beneath a large tree you both sit carefully in your white dresses and dig in.
With large plates of fruity cakes in hand, Vincent and Jas are running rambunctiously through the open field, already hopped up on the sugar.
"Some day, I'm going to be the flower queen!" Jas shrieks and giggles.
Vincent is less than amused, "That's not fair! Why can't I be the flower queen?" He is telling to be near a fit much similar to that at the Egg Festival.
Emily laughs beside you through mouthfuls of food.
"Vincent really, really can't stand to be second place can he?" You comment.
She scoffs, "Not at all. But let's hope he can grow out of that."
All of the older women and mothers are in their usual huddle, Robin with her bored-faced husband skulking beside her. It makes you wonder if he had always been so unenthusiastic to partake in romantic events with his wife.
"So who are you going to ask to dance?" Emily interrupts your thoughts.
You sigh and scan the crowd, matching powder blue suits stick out like sore thumbs and can be assumed to signify the male dancers. "I'm not sure, I don't think anyone would really want to dance with me anyways." Which you know is not entirely true. At least two people you can think of would want to, but glancing through the crowd you can only find Harvey, not Shane.
"It can't hurt to ask... just don't ask Haley." She chuckles to herself.
Your paper plate floats to the ground now empty of treats, "No, no, I know that wouldn't be the best idea."
Sitting in the wildflowers you find yourself staring off to where Harvey stands in the grass beside a red haired girl and Maru. Even if he hadn't noticed you yet, it's somewhat upsetting to see him so near to her. Feeling though as you may puke, you find the courage and rise from the grass, dusting off the butt of your dress.
"And off she goes." Emily cheers a plastic cup of punch toward you.
Your vision distorts while your heart tries to lunge from you walking toward Harvey's posse. Halfway through the grass he spots you and waves kindly, calling you to him. The girls glance over their shoulders to you and you can't help but struggle to read their faces of either welcome or distaste. But before you can make such an assessment your line of sight in disrupted.
"(Y/N), I was hoping you'd make it... it's your first time here and all that..." Sam speaks and interrupts the simmering nervousness in your gut.
Surprised by his pop-up you crawl a few steps backward to a more comfortable distance. "Sam, hi!" Your breath is shortened.
He takes the opportunity of your retreat to glance from your toes to the tamed threads of hair on your head. "You look great, I'm sure Emily made this dress for you?" He questions.
Your eyes wander past him to Harvey who has turned back into his conversation with Maru and the red haired girl, "Yeah, she did actually. Somehow perfectly too." Suddenly aware of yourself your eyes follow your hands smoothing down the skirt.
"She did a really good job too. Really, you look..." He stops short to find the right word, "Pretty. You look really pretty today."
Pink flutters to your cheeks just as the falling spring petals do to your hair. "Your suit looks good too, the color and size are perfect on you."
"Aw, yeah. Mom adjusts it for me almost every spring, but I'm sure it won't need to be tailored again..." His voice falls off.
You peek past your shoulder to Emily still seated beneath the trees, now unaware of the food in her hand as her eyes are dead-locked on you and Sam, curious.
"So, I was wondering..."
Sam's voice calls you back from Emily's killer stare, "Yeah, what's up?" He has your undivided attention.
From behind his back he produces a wildflower bouquet he must've purchased at Pierre's booth, "Would you want to dance with me today?" He runs a hand through his golden blonde hair.
"Oh, um. You want to dance with me?"
"Well, yeah! I really like you...a lot. And I would really like to dance with you.... I promise I won't let you trip, I can teach you."
"Sam... I-."
He raises his hands to stop you short, "Before you say no, I want you to really think about it. You know, when we were together the other night... I had a great time... Well, more than great actually. I've just been thinking about you a lot since." His fingers toy at the delicate flower petals in the bundle.
The words are caught in your throat, let alone your tongue, as there is no way you can think to word your rejection. Sam's eyes are fixed on yours and are nearly puppy-dogged in hope for a yes to his invitation.
"Someone already asked me." It comes out quicker than your mind is able to filter your words.
His hands fall in disappointment but he tries his best to maintain his composure, "Oh, really? Who are you dancing with?"
"It's no big deal, seriously, I'm really sorry... there's always next year, right?"
"Um... Yeah, I guess."
Again before you even register what you're saying, "But would you like to join Emily and I for some punch later?" And you regret asking.
Sam masks his disappointment as well as he can, "Yeah, sure, I'll see you later." He gives a small wave and turns back to join his friends, the bouquet carried in a droop.
The guilt lingering in your gut holds your feet in the weeds like cement. The aqua satin ribbons laced delicately up your ankles now more appropriately serve as a ball and chain. But there is no point in accepting Sam's advances when you know that the attention of someone else is better suited to your taste.
Harvey. Still he's lounging against an old wooden trail fence and enjoying the company of Maru and the red haired girl. The courage to rip from the weeds finds you again.
"Hello!" You wave and announce as you approach the small posse.
"Oh," Harvey chuckles, "well I'm glad that you've decided to come today." He stands sharply in your presence.
Maru greets you, "Hey, you're (Y/N)... did I remember that right? It's been a while."
"That's me!" You fake a bounce in your words, "And we haven't met, I'm (Y/N). I moved into town at the start of the season." A shy hand closes the space between you and the red haired girl.
She sounds as though she recalls, "I think I saw you at the Egg Festival? I'm Penny. Local tutor and daughter of Pam." Her delicate rose fingers motion to an old woman with a frizzy perm camped by the buffet.
"Great to meet you. I can't believe there are still a few faces I haven't had the chance to meet yet."
"Well, you'll make your way around soon enough. At least you know all the big names in Pelican Town." Harvey encourages.
"Of course, Dr.Shaw, I have plenty of time to figure it out."
A throaty chuckle of satisfaction whispers from him. A cheap plastic cup of punch greets his lips and your eyes linger down the length of his throat as deep swallows curve through the flesh.
You clear your throat in a hushed tone, "Dr.Shaw, may I speak with you, actually?"
A puzzled crinkle settles into his eyes and suddenly he becomes aware of the powder blue suit clinging to his skin, his hands smooth the stiff collar. "Of course, ladies, if you would excuse me?"
Maru and Penny whisk away with a somewhat exaggerated twirl of their white tulle skirts. Harvey looks as though the neck of his shirt may be strangling him and his fingers tap against the cup of punch.
"Your suit, suits you well... pun intended."
He laughs nervously, "Thanks to our lovely Emily no less. I take all my new suits to her for some tailoring, she has quite a gift. I assume she made your dress as well?"
Smugly you find it appropriate to spin around and hold out the hem of the cloudlike dress, "She made it perfectly."
Harvey's cheeks flush pink while he takes in the image of you in the springtime sun. Petals falling from the trees still cling to your hair softly like fluttering wings.
"Harvey... I don't have a partner for the flower dance, I don't know the steps to it either... Would you like to be my dance partner?" Your eyes have a glimmering charm in them as you look up to him and you tuck trembling fingers out of sight.
Reluctantly his face falls to the side to avoid yours as he speaks, "(Y/N)... I would really enjoy that, very much so." He is hesitant to continue, "However, it can't be that simple."
Your brow furrows, "What? Why can't you? You've got the suit and I've got the dre-"
A large hand raises to stop you, "I understand that I'm participating in honor of tradition," his voice hushes, "but we cannot suggest such a thing to spectators. My word to Lewis holds true."
The wind is knocked from your lungs and the pit of your stomach sinks, "Harvey? Should I be this confused about how you feel for me?"
The cup in his hand plays sweet to his eyes, "I don't mean to cause such disorientation for your understanding of us, and I feel nothing but distaste in myself for having to sway you like this."
Slightly you tiptoe a step closer to him and lead your hand towards the cuff of his suit jacket, "Harvey... have I misunderstood how you feel about me?"
Before your fingers can grace the stiff sleeve his arm has slinked away from your reach, "It's so alluring to hear my name on your lips, it's going to break me (Y/N)." His hand snakes deep into his pocket.
"Please be blunt with me." The dance he's playing with you is not the type you had had in mind.
Frustration sighs through him and he rakes a hand through the waves in his hair, "I am sweet for you, and I very much want to let that simply be. But I can't make a spectacle of this unless I'm entirely sure... sure that you haven't been led otherwise." His voice falls.
The guilt you'd found for Sam is raining upon you again in this midst. But it doesn't feel the same, as you know Harvey wants you to find yourself.
You start, "Harv-"
He cuts you short, "Please, I can't make this easier for either of us."
"Harvey, I need you to recognize that I also feel drawn to you, it's not as though it needs to be pointed out."
Quickly he turns over his shoulder and scans the crowd of villagers before his hand clamps snugly around your wrist and he's pulling you through a broken section of trail fencing. With persistence he pulls you through the cover of a few trees until the chatter of the festival has disappeared. He stops and whirls to face you.
"I know you're attracted to me (Y/N), that's not the point I'm trying to make here."
"Then wh-"
His fingertips rest on your lips to silence your thoughts, "I cannot risk jeopardizing your reputation nor mine. Not that I am implying distrust for your feelings, but I am trying to convey that I can't be with you publicly until we're... certain of eachother. We must be able to say our relationship is wholehearted if we are to decide on this."
The realization sinks in that he isn't rejecting you in distaste, but in fondness for your honor and his. Along with it is the understanding that he needs something momentous from you before risking public appearances.
You nod with a straight face and pull from his warm fingers, "I understand. You need me to be ready for always."
"Precisely." His hand falls.
Secondary to this disappointment, you grasp that you won't have a partner for the flower dance, having already turned down Sam's invitation.
"However," He speaks warmly and curves a large hand against your waist, "There is nothing forbidding me from asking you to dance with me now, to the birdsong." His other hand threading through your fingers, "I recall you don't know the steps. May I lead you?"
Your stomach flips inside out by his touch and quickly enough the disappointment is gone. Simply you nod in acceptance and permit his leading. Crunchy leaves beneath your feet crinkle in tune to his practiced motions guiding yours. Smoothly his steps repeat until you've matched his proficiently. The repetitive steps are quick to remember and soon you have little trouble in timing the dips and spins he leads. Within the comfort of the motions he softly hums an unfamiliar melody beneath your ear.
Harvey's hand falls closer to the small of your back, warming you through and through. His guidance pulls you into him, chest to chest. His steps fall into a slow, lazy momentum. "Your festival dress, you look lovely in it. The petals in your hair too." He steals a hand to toy with the fallen bits in your hair.
"Thank you Harvey." You smile up to him gently.
He sighs, "I do truly love hearing you say that." A finger catching your cheek and chin.
Your breath hitches, "Should I keep saying it then, Harvey?"
The familiar tinge of pink stains his cheeks and ears, and you can imagine a shiver of goosebumps is hiding beneath the sleeves of his coordinated suit. He is quick to walk you backward into the trunk of a nearby tree, trapping you. His thighs press into yours and lift the hem of your dress, and his fingers slink toward your chin.
"I'd like that very much if you did." His face is inches from yours. You can taste his breath.
Barely a whisper in the spring breeze, "Harvey..."
Warm breath from his lips creeps against yours in an achingly slow pace, smelling of fresh berries and red punch. His facial hair tickles against your delicate skin as he locks his lips and yours. Perfectly they mesh and warm eachother, the tip of Harvey's tongue tracing your shape.
He whimpers softly.
"Mmmph, Harvey." You manage through him. The brown waves of his silky hair knot between your delicate fingers.
Careful not to ruin your festival hair his hand reciprocates around the nape of your neck, holding you stiffly against him. A familiar tingle of electricity radiates from his thighs pressing into yours in tease. The taste of infrequently enjoyed dessert leaves traces on you following the trail of his tongue against your skin. More hungrily his kisses line your jaw and lead toward your neck then back to your now sore lips.
Harvey pulls away and studies you as though he needs to memorize every delicate pudge of your cheeks and the curves in your nose. "We should be going back." He informs you unenthusiastically.
You nod, "Right, yeah. Emily is waiting for me actually..." Your hands lower to meet Harvey's on your neck and waist.
"Let me go first, wait a few moments before you come back... I'd hate to draw attention to you." A soft kiss is gentle on the top of your head, his warm breath sending a shock down your neck. "If I don't see you again before you leave, I hope you have a wonderful time. I'll call you tonight, my sweet, I'll wait up for you." His hands leave your skin and the absence causes your skin to chill. With a final look over you in your dress he buries his hands in his pockets and walks back to the meadow.
A gusty breath you'd been holding shoves past your lips and you slump against the tree. Only would you be the one who had a hard life, and were rewarded with an even more frustrating relationship... friendship... flirtation? But at the present time there is little to be done.
You wait a handful of minutes after watching Harvey disappear past the trees to find your own way back to the festival. Through the woods you reach the broken fence and climb past it. Across the meadow you spot Emily who is rather uncomfortably leaning against the west fence, Clint in front of her. Her face reads less than happy for the situation and you quickly walk through the grass toward her.
"I haven't seen Shane anywhere today, have you?" Clint practically spits and gestures behind him, "Tell me he's here and I'll go, I'll leave you alone."
Emily's hands grip the fence, "He isn't here Clint, I'm not telling you you're wrong."
He becomes more agitated, "Then there's no reason for you to say no! He's your partner every year and the wimp hasn't showed. You can't tell me someone else asked you to dance because everyone else has a partner!" He steps closer and cages her in.
"Don't you speak of him like that!" She points a threatening finger in his face, "Clint, I'm not dancing with you, okay?!" She is practically yelling.
The situation quickens your steps and you plant yourself snugly to her side, "She can't dance with you because she's dancing with me, Clint." Your hand wraps around her arm.
His hands cross over his bulging chest as he scoffs and shakes his head, "You've got to be kidding me. Emily! For Yoba's sake will you PLEASE dance with me this year?"
Her hand finds yours and grasps it for support, "I told you I already have a partner."
Clint throws up his hands and turns away to retreat, "Fine! Fucking whores, you deserve eachother." He grumbles.
"What did you just say?" You step quickly from Emily to follow him.
He turns and practically spits at you, "You dumb bitches beg and cry for someone to love you, and when someone does, he isn't fucking good enough. Did I get that right?" He leans into your face, "Go enjoy her, you ugly fucking tramp."
That's enough for you, your hand instinctively pulls back and swiftly plants a sickeningly loud slap across his face. Before you can stop yourself, your hands are gripping his shoulders and pushing him backward into the grass.
"Say it again! Say it again you piece of shit!" You scream into his face and crouch to slap him again.
Hands tightly wrap around your wrists and pull you backward off of Clint. The adrenaline in your bones causes you to wrangle and attempt to rip from whoever is holding you.
"Dearie, please, that's enough." A woman tries to calm you.
Angry tears threaten to spill from your eyes and you kick at any part of him you can reach, "No!" Your breath is frantic, "Stay the hell away from her, do you hear me?!"
The grip on your wrists remains strong and begins to find your calmness in the rage.
"(Y/N), we're done now." She speaks. Finding the clarity you realize it's Marnie restraining you.
Lewis and Gus rush to you and help Clint to his feet but keep hands on his arms. A small split formed on his lip, and blood red hues where you'd slapped him.
Clint laughs, "You're going to regret that, bitch."
"Okay! That's enough Clint, you're going home." Gus pulls him backward and leads lewis out of the meadow.
Shocked eyes and whispers fumble around the crowd that bring you to realize the spectacle you'd made. Harvey prevented you from making one, and so you'd made another.
Marnie's hands lighten up and hold you softly, leading you back to the spot you'd been sharing with Emily. "Are you girls alright? He didn't try anything, did he?"
Emily holds your free hand, "No, he didn't. He was being aggressive though, entirely provoked."
"Alright, I'll see to it that Lewis knows what happened, and we know Gus is on your side, huh?" She forces a smile and winks. Marnie carefully fixes both you and Emily's hair before returning to Lewis' place to speak with him.
Huddled up with Lewis and Gus a heavy discussion can be seen from across the field. Gus crosses the air in front of him with his arms to signify what could be an 'absolute no' about the situation. Gus and Lewis become more heated in their conversation and Marnie tries her best to mediate them.
"You didn't have to do that." Emily speaks behind you in a hushed voice.
You whirl around to face her, kicking up the skirt of your dress, "Emily, yes I did! He can't come onto you that way."
"Thank you." Her hand strokes her arm softly.
The plush skirts of your dresses meld together when you pull her in tightly for a comforting squeeze. Her breath exhales deeply and her arms wrap around you steadily.
"I'd always do that for you, I love you Em."
She pulls away and wipes a finger against her teary eyes, "I love you too." She manages a giggle which quickly turns into eruptions of laughter from you both.
Lewis centers himself in the crowd and announces, "Thank you all for coming today!" A hush washes across the crowd and eyes turn to him, "I do think we're in need of some fun! In honor of our annual tradition, we will now start the flower dance! Please, may I have our charming bachelors, and lovely bachelorettes make their way to the center of the meadow."
Emily is all too thrilled to honor your first dance and pulls you toward the gathering dancers. All of the young women in matching white dresses take their places to the north of the meadow, followed by bachelors in their unflattering blue suits. Emily lines you up with the other girls in dresses.
"I'll take the lead since this is your first time." She reassures you and falls in line with the men. Harvey's mini lesson earlier makes you feel slightly more confident about participating.
Lewis' voice announces again amongst the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, and our festive bachelors and bachelorettes, I invite you fondly to partake in this year's flower dance!" On queue, Marnie begins the music to lead the dance.
A lead weight hits your stomach as the dance begins, but Emily is quick to guide you. Her steps toward you are in time to the music and her lips mouth the pattern of the beat. As the other girls in dresses begin their steps you do as well as you can to follow what Harvey had taught you. Shortly, Emily is now with you and taking the lead into the climax of the dance. Her hands guide you into the twirls and bows, careful not to let you slip. With her hand on your waist and yours on her shoulder, the enjoyment of the dance finds you.
Harvey brushes against you briefly while spinning Maru in his hands. Sam's expression is less than enthusiastic to be leading Penny in the dance. You remain focused on Emily to maintain yourself.
The fluffy skirts of the flower dresses twirl together rhythmically while laughs of joy from you both mingle in the spring breeze. Emily is quick to correct your missteps and gently incorporate them into the dance. Her hands direct you into the final dip, gracefully splaying your skirt and showing off the delicate flowers around your waist. The sunlight warms your ribboned ankle on pointed toe.
Spectators applaud and cheer for the ladies in white and gentlemen in blue. You can't help but gush and grin widely to the praise from the audience. Emily guides you upright as the music transitions into dance music for the whole town to step to. The viewers become the performers mixed in with the uniform suits and dresses. Partners change frequently as friends dance with friends, parents with children, and lovers with one another.
Marnie hoists Jas to her hip to join in, swirling her around and laughing. On the sidelines Sam and his sidekick, Sebastian, are leaning into the fence. The bouquet of wildflowers is plopped on the ground near his feet, already wilting in the sun. Your eyes linger on Sam a moment too long and his eyes catch on yours. The guilt returns to your gut for rejecting his proposal.
"I'm going to grab some punch, do you want any?" You shout to Emily over the music.
She nods, "That would be great, thank you!"
With the excuse to remove yourself, you escape to the buffet tables. Sam's eyes follow you through the crowd, a somber tinge in them. Quickly you wrap some food on plates and return to nestle them inside your bicycle basket with the plants. There's more than enough leftovers to steal a few extra plates.
A small glint of sunlight dances across your eyes from somewhere within the woods. Through the shade of the forest canopy a figure stands amongst the trees. Your hand shields the sun from your eyes and you notice a synthetic blue fabric hugging the figure. Breath catches in your throat as you remember where you've seen the same blue. You begin walking towards the woods and the figure retreats as you do, aware of their impending discovery. They begin to leave more quickly which prompts your footsteps to quicken into a jog through the long grass. Over roots and stones you are careful in the chase.
"Hello?" You call out towards them. They don't stop. Your feet quicken more and wind through the trees after them, "Wait!"
They've disappeared in the thickening bushes and overgrowth of the forest. You're alone with the birds and the salmon berries littering the ground that stain your shoes.
"Shane?"
Silence.
📝💖🌸 hello my loves!!
Long time no publish! I haven't forgotten about our romantic adventure nor you readers whom I love so much! I've been working on this chapter all throughout the summer, and I think it's pretty big for our story.
Last night I did see your concerned comments for my absence as well as praise/rereads of my story!!! I've had a short break to be lazy as I am a Uni student, intern, and wife, very much experiencing burnout. But I'M BACK BABIES!!
I'm working out a REAL writing schedule now rather than writing on a whim. I'll probably be posting every other week from now on to stay consistent! BUT! That also means longer chapters, and short fluff chapters if I have extra time!!🤩
I appreciate your reads so much, never in a bazillion years would I have guessed this fic would become so popular (as my first one didn't but prob because it's too niche XD)
I can't wait to see what you all think of this long awaited addition! Much love, two hands on the phone checkpoint:🤨📸
TOODLES XOXOXOX💖💖💖