Dandelions

"Dandelion, puffs away. Make my wish come true someday."

It's the same rhyme I've said each time before I blow. I watch the seeds carry my dreams away in dances, hoping that at least one would grow to make one come true.

They never did.

I sent less and less of them as the years went by. Then one day I realized that it was pointless to do so, that I was basically another wind just helping them scatter. So I stopped and let the wind take complete control of the field. I just come here out of habit now, especially when I'm feeling down. Maybe my subconscious hopes that the wind will blow me away, too.

One day, I found Ferb here.

He was doing the same thing I did years ago, blowing on the little white seeds. I was greeted with an expression. He knew something was wrong with me and he had the sense not to say anything about it. I sat down and faced away from him, intending to give him his space. However, the intention was futile because a flower suddenly appeared in front of me.

"They say that you can make a wish on these."

"It doesn't work." I shoved it away.

"You've tried it before?"

"Many times." I looked up at him. "You should probably stop now before you get disappointed."

"I don't know about that. This method has worked for me a few times."

"Of course it did." I hissed. "You might have requested something actually attainable like a smart person would do. Mine are stupid wishes that don't even make sense."

We stared at each other in silence for a few moments. He looked away first and gazed at the plant he still had in his hand. Miraculously, it still had the seeds on it.

"What was your first wish?"

"Huh?" I blinked in confusion.

"I asked what your first wish was." He brought his gaze back to me.

"I...It..." I hadn't thought of it in so long that I nearly forgot about it. Then the memory resurfaced. I was about four years old and in my backyard. I had just finished reading a fairytale. In fact, the book had been next to me upside down. I remember grabbing one of the few dandelions that grew around the house. I had wanted to try out the rhyme I had read earlier. I got the words right on the second try. Then I had whispered my request before blowing the seeds away.

"I had wished to become a princess." I mumbled.

Ferb only blinked.

Embarrassed, I hid my face in my arms.

"See, I told you that my wishes are stupid." When he still didn't reply after a few minutes, I lifted my head out of curiosity.

He wasn't there. Figures. He was too polite to laugh in front of me. I sighed and drew my knees to my chest. I didn't bother to look around before zoning out.

That's why I fell over in surprise when someone said my name.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Ferb held out a hand to help me back into a sitting position.

"I thought you had left."

"Without saying goodbye? I do have manners, remember? I'm British."

I couldn't help but chuckle.

"I was behind you this whole time. You didn't see me?"

I shook my head.

"What were you doing behind me?"

"Well, um..." Embarrassment was an emotion that looked odd on Ferb. It wasn't a bad look on him, in fact he seemed cute with it on him. It just wasn't an emotion I saw often on him. He quickly walked in the direction he said he came from. This time my gaze followed him. I saw him carefully lift something off the ground. Shock and happiness rendered me speechless when I saw what it was. Ferb came back and got down on one knee in front of me.

"May I?"

I squeaked my consent. A chuckle escaped from him as he placed the handmade dandelion crown on my head.

"Why did you do this?" I managed to choke out.

"A princess deserves to have her every wish come true."