Hey there, guys! Shadowmistx98 here!

So... This is made out of boredom. I started this while we were doing our music project in school after class. I only finished it this day. The plot is a little under-thought but... meh, I enjoyed writing this one shot.

Warning: OOC, AU, ONESHOT

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.

What does a rose mean?

Some will say love...

For others, some will say it in a general and scientific manner. Like – Roses are flowers or a prickly shrub that typically bears different variations of colors.

But for me, it's just a plant tainted with a red color that drives fangirls crazy if they're given one with their crush.

It doesn't even measure how someone loves you.

You mean to say that a guy gives you 3 roses and it is equivalent to "I love you?" Give me a break!

I watch all my classmates get these kinds of stuff everyday. Not a single day has passed that not one girl will get one.

Geez, guys, stop sending those in our classroom. Our room's turning into a garden!

It's not that I'm sourgraping and bitter that I didn't even get one but… It's just so stupid.

My friend, Tsubaki, will often say that nothing's wrong with giving a flower to someone, but I can't blame her. She's been given a flower a million times already.

To many of us, rose means love. I guess I'm just like this towards those kinds of things because I think love will only be a distraction to my studies.

This day was the 4th of February. A day I dread that the girls in class will scream like crazy.

It was a typical school day and the bell rang for dismissal. Maka stood up and arranged her things.

"Oh my gosh! Tsubaki, look! Kid just sent me flowers!" Liz held a bouquet of roses in front of Tsubaki.

"Um, well… 8 to be exact, hehe" Liz scratched her head.

"Yeah, yeah! Isn't it so cool!?" Patty waved her arms up and down.

"That's great!" Tsubaki smiled sweetly.

"Did Black Star give you one?" Liz elbowed Tsubaki and eyed her teasingly, making the girl blush.

"Uh, y-yeah… T-though, he only gave me one" Tsubaki replied stuttering slightly.

"That's cool. It's rare for Black Star to give something to someone so having one from him is a big deal" Liz grinned. Patty's eyes turned to Maka, who was arranging her stuff.

"How 'bout you, Maka? You received one?" Patty asked as she rocked her body back and forth with her feet.

Liz and Tsubaki looked at Maka.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "No one will give something as stupid as that. I expected that from the day I was born"

"Duh, no one will give you something for Valentine's Day if you still retain your nerd look… Or even like you. C'mon, you gotta admit, the glasses and pigtails take away your real beauty" Liz said.

"I prefer to study" Maka said. The girls raised an eyebrow and looked at each other.

Maka sighed. "Love is only a distraction to studies. And studying is my first priority. I don't want to end up like my mother… And falling for a jerk like my father who just ends up leaving us"

"Excuse me, love is not a distraction. True love that is. 'Love' is an inspiration for all of us" Liz quoted with her fingers. "And don't compare yourself to your mother. Mistakes happen"

Maka sighed and left the classroom with not a single 'bye'.

The three looked at her as she went out of the classroom.

"You think I pissed her off?" Liz asked.

"I think you've done more than that" Tsubaki sighed and arranged her things.

Maka went to the school backyard where all things were quiet and tranquil. She only heard the birds chirping. She sat at one of the benches and enjoyed the scenery of green grass and growing trees surrounding her. The leaves swayed as they fell down from the branches.

Maka inhaled slowly and breathed out. "Man, what a relaxing place"

She took a book out from her bag and started to read. She leaned back.

"Hey"

A deep voice startled her and caused her look to her left. There she saw a young man with white hair, tan skin and red eyes. Based on his uniform, he was a student of Shibusen. He seemed to be smiling at her and enjoying her relaxed posture.

Maka rolled her eyes and closed the book. She stood up.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where do you think you're going? It's rude to walk out like that" the guy said.

Maka placed a hand on her hips. "Just what exactly are you doing in a place like this?"

The guy scratched his head and looked away. "Well… I'm not gonna lie but… I followed you out here"

Maka's mouth hung wide open in shock of what he said.

"Now, that is what I call rude… More like stalking" Maka tried to walk past him but he blocked her way.

"For your information. It's not stalking. I was about to give you something in your classroom when you suddenly walked out. And you even managed to drop one of your things on your way out" the guy said.

"Oh, so it's my fault?" Maka asked.

"Partially, yeah, it's your fault" he replied.

"Urgh" Maka groaned. She decided to cool herself down and looked at his nametag.

SOUL EVANS

"Soul… What a weird name… And a familiar one…" Maka shook her head.

"So, Soul… I believe you said I dropped something?" Maka held out her palm. Soul sighed and placed something on her palm.

Maka's eyes widened as she saw a very precious key chain her mother gave to her.

"I know, it's important to you and I know you'll feel really bad if you lost it" Soul said. Maka looked at it for a few seconds but suddenly glared at Soul.

"Don't think that we're this close to being friends…" Maka said and placed the key chain on her pocket.

She walked to his side to get out of the place.

"Aren't we?" Soul asked, making Maka stop.

"Or in a more appropriate term… Weren't we?"

Maka turned to look at him. What exactly was he saying?

Soul sighed. "I remembered we used to hang out in the music room. We've talked about a few things about each other. You've been the kind of cheerful and optimistic girl during our childhood" Soul paused and looked at Maka, making sure she was listening.

"Until the day you completely shut yourself to the world. You spoke to me less since then. Only to find out that your father left you and your mother" Soul bowed his head.

"You started isolating yourself, started being bitter on almost everything and tried to forget everything that was involved with that incident. And from that, we didn't talk anymore…" Soul said.

Maka swallowed a hard lump on her throat. "Soul…"

Everything just flashed back through her mind. She did know this guy. She just didn't remember because of everything that happened. The trauma. He was her childhood friend. Her best friend. Her closest friend. Things flash through her mind and now she started to realize, how did she forget the one that she spent most of her time with.

"I know that you probably don't remember me that much because of the trauma you experienced when you were young but I remember this pretty clearly" Soul took steps closer to Maka and grabbed something from inside his bag. He took Maka's hand and placed something in it.

A rose.

In another situation, Maka would probably throw it away. But this time, she held onto it.

"You told me right before we started to separate that you don't like roses… But please just think of this as a sign that I'm hoping for the day that we could spend time with each other again like we used to…" Soul said. They stayed silent for a while until Soul decided to leave.

"Thanks for this time… Bye" Soul walked past her.

"Wait" Maka turned to look at him. "Soul" she called out.

Soul stopped walking and looked at her.

She sighed. "I'm sorry… I remember now. I'm so sorry… I should've dragged you into my problems that time. And for earlier… I'm so sorry… I hope you're not angry"

Soul chuckled. "Of course I'm not. I understand you with what happened. I would be a jerk if I didn't. It wouldn't be cool"

"Sooo…" Maka raised an arm to shake hands.

Soul smiled and accepted the hand shake.

"Thank you" Maka said. Soul smiled and then hugged her.

Maka's eyes widened and pushed him back.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who said you can hug me?" Maka pouted. Soul chuckled.

"C'mon, let's go" Soul said in between his laughs as he walked away.

Maka sighed but still smiled. She followed behind him.

So, to sum it up… What does a rose mean?

They are flowers or a prickly shrub that typically bears different variations of colors. But in other terms, it can be used as a symbol.

Hope and sincerity.

I admit, up to this day I still don't like roses that much. But it served as a starting point for me to bring back my precious memories. So, you can say that I do like them a little bit.

Contradicting, huh?

But anything can change…

Right? :)

I'm having some sentimental moments right here... Nah, just kidding XD So, I repeat, this was completely made out of boredom... So it may appear under-thought. BUt nonetheless, I have enjoyed writing this so I hope you enjoy reading this as well. :)

That's all! Shadow out!