FLORA LOVED THE SCENT of nature. It was one thing that always managed to make her feel at ease, because it always reminded her of her mother's flower shop.
It was the place where she had grown up, among the blooming colors and beauty of nature. It was one thing her mother had taught her ever since youth, to always appreciate and love nature.
She had been crouching down besides a few flowerpots, a sack of earth in one hand, a few seeds in the other, when her mother's voice interrupted her from her work.
'Hey sweetheart.'
Flora's eyes immediately softened when she saw her mother, the pretty woman practically the embodiment of gentleness. Time seemed to have taken no toll on her, her face still as youthful as ever, her vivid green eyes a mirror of Flora's own.
She had been told they reminded people of a spring day. In her own eyes she hadn't seen it, but now, when her mother stood in the light, she couldn't think of another way to describe them.
'I need to do some errands,' her mother said as she tied her dark curls in a bun,' do you mind staying an extra couple of hours?'
'Of course,' Flora said.
'Are you sure?' her mother frowned in worry,' didn't you have plans with your friends later?'
'They can wait,' Flora reassured her,' they won't mind.'
'Thank you, sweetheart,' her mother said, pecking Flora on the cheek before hurrying out of the shop.
Flora honestly didn't mind prolonging the time to see her friends. Although she loved them to death, she knew inevitably the subject of the flower shop was going to come up and she wasn't sure enough of herself to tell them anything with conviction.
Although she loved working here and felt at home among the flowers, the fact that her mother had always seen it as normal that Flora would eventually take over the store had always made her feel so suffocated. She knew her mother meant well and that she was too protective to let Flora go to college, but a part of her couldn't help but wish for freedom.
She almost wanted to make a big change in her life, just to see she could.
The silly thought almost made her chuckle as she shook it out of her head. Just when she wanted to return to planting the seeds, the ringing of her phone disturbed her.
She wiped the dirt off on her white apron as she picked it up, brushing a lock out of the way as she spoke.
'Hello,' she said.
'Flora, when are you coming?' a voice said,' we've just entered a random bar and I lost Amara already.'
'Hey Theo,' Flora smiled,' I just wanted to call. I'll probably be later.'
'Why?' Theo said indignantly.
'I need to stay at the shop for a while longer,' Flora said,' my mother is doing some errands.'
'Your mother is making you live there,' Theo said,' if she knew we were taking you anywhere outside of a three kilometer radius from her house, she wouldn't even allow you to go out.'
'She's just a bit protective of me,' Flora protested, although her voice was feeble.
'Yeah,' Theo scoffed,' she almost wants to lock you up.'
'Well,' Flora said,' I'll be over soon. I'll text you, alright? Find Amara in the meantime.'
'Before she does anything stupid?'
'No,' Flora said,' because you got there together and she may be lost. Bars can be dangerous.'
'Oh,' Theo said,' Flora, you sweet, innocent girl. I need to protect the bystanders from Amara, not the other way around.'
Flora chuckled as she said goodbye to Theo, before putting her phone away and concentrating on her work. Soon enough, her mother returned and Flora stood up, ready to clean herself up and go out.
Although her idea of a good time was mainly sitting at home with a cup of tea and good friends, she didn't mind going along with Theo and Amara's crazy plans sometimes. She knew her mother would mind it very much though if she knew Flora was visiting any place but Theo and Amara's house, but she had learnt long ago not telling her mother everything was better than the truth sometimes.
She didn't want to worry her mother more than she already did after all.
When she reached her room, an array of pastel colors everywhere, she quickly slid into a green dress. It didn't take much time to do her make up and brush her hair, so by the time she was out of the house only minutes had gone by.
'How are you going?' her mother frowned at her.
'With my bike,' Flora said,' Theo will drop me off with his car later.'
'Be sure to be back by ten,' her mother said.
'Of course mom,' Flora smiled, already too used to her curfew to complain.
When she reached the spot they had decided to meet up, the sun was already fading out of the sky, the lingering rays warming her face. She spotted her friends as soon as she entered the bar, both of them standing out way more than any ordinary human being could.
The fact that they were extremely beautiful helped. People had joked about them being blessed by the gods before and Flora could honestly see why. With his dark locks and matching eyes, Theo was the definition of tall, dark and handsome and Amara, well, she was just like an angel.
'Flora!' Amara exclamated as soon as she saw her.
She walked through the horde of guys that had been surrounding her, sparing none of them a glance as she headed over to her friend. As soon as she reached Flora, she pulled her into a hug.
'Amara,' Flora replied fondly,' how have you been?'
'The same,' Amara sighed,' I had to do a shoot for tea today and I think I died of boredom.'
Flora chuckled as she looked at her friend. She had known Theo and Amara since birth, the three of them having grown up on the same street. Although Flora never had been able to get out much, it had been through Amara and Theo's lives that she had started to crave freedom more.
They both were so without bounds after all. Amara was a famous model and beauty guru, something that ensured her travelling and meeting new people all the time. Theo on the other hand owned a string of clubs and bars, his amount of careless decisions almost as impressive as his alcohol collection.
But although they were so different, Flora loved them to death.
'You probably looked great in it though,' she smiled.
'I better do,' Amara said,' I had to pose for four hours for that shoot.'
'Flora, you made it!'
Theo slung his arms over both their shoulders when he came over, the slur in his voice indicating how much he had to drink already. It didn't surprise Flora that much, because alcohol was almost the same to Theo as air was to others, and she took a mental note to refrain him from drinking any more tonight.
'Listen,' Theo said,' you know what I heard today?'
'No?' Flora said.
'Hurry it up, Theo,' Amara said,' what's with the suspense?'
'Hush,' Theo said,' you know I live for the suspense.'
Amara rolled her eyes, but didn't protest this time.
'So,' Theo said,' apparently some fucker is opening a club in the same street as mine. Can you believe this?'
'Really?' Amara said, her eyebrows raised,' who?'
'Rex Aurelium,' Theo said.
'Oh, I remember him,' Amara said,' the casino guy.'
'He owns a couple of banks too,' Theo said,' but I heard he has some shady connections with the mob.'
'I wish I would have,' Amara said dreamily,' the don is smoking hot. Have you seen him? I've been trying to get in contact with him for days.'
'The mafia is dangerous, Amara,' Flora said, her voice filled with worry,' you shouldn't do that.'
'Sweet Flora,' Theo said,' normal people thrive on danger.'
'No, they don't,' Flora said.
'Okay, let me rephrase that,' Theo said,' Amara has weird taste in guys. She literally only likes the violent and angry ones.'
'Mad I won't date you?' Amara said.
'That would be like dating my sister,' Theo said as he scrunched his nose up in disgust.
'Are you saying we're like family?' Flora smiled heartwarmingly.
'A highly dysfunctional one, but yes,' Theo said,' never mind that. We need to sabotage this club.'
'How?' Amara said.
'I don't know yet,' Theo said,' but we'll find it out. It opens on Friday, so I'm going to need you both to be there. Hopefully then I'll have a great plan.'
'I doubt you will,' Amara smiled,' but it sounds like fun, so count me in.'
'Flora?' Theo said as he turned his head towards her,' are you in too?'
Flora bit her lip, some part of her wanting to refuse him but knowing she couldn't. Not when Theo needed her.
'It'll be the first club I've ever gone too, though,' she confessed.
'I still can't believe you didn't want to go to my clubs,' Theo murmured.
'I always need to be home by ten,' Flora said, her voice apologetic.
'Well,' Theo said,' that's going to change today. Tell your mother you're sleeping over or something. She can't control you all the time, you're eighteen now.'
'I'll try,' Flora said, but then when she saw Theo's pleading look, sighed,' alright. I'll come, Theo.'
'That's what I'd like to hear,' Theo said, a big grin spreading on his face.
'What's the club called?' Amara asked.
'Champs de fleurs,' Theo said as he rolled his eyes,' probably was trying to be fancy.'
'Flowerfield,' Flora repeated in English, the word rolling over her tongue,' how nice.'
Although she had never been to a club, this sounded welcoming. At least among the flowers she would feel home.
Maybe it would even be like taking a walk into a flowerfield.