Flowers in Spring
A beautiful spring morning. Even between the crowded buildings and narrow streets flowers bloomed and cherry blossoms bloomed. Senpai breathed in the fresh air and held his face up to the sun as he made the familiar walk to school. He honestly wasn't looking forward to class. Not because he hated school – he excelled in every topic- but because the unwanted attention. Tall, blonde, and athletic has made Senpai especially popular in high school. His locker is constantly stuffed with love letters and confessions. It's actually become annoying. The extra attention was great at first. Girls would bring him home-cooked lunches and do his class chores for him. But eventually it created a divide between him and the other students. No one wanted to hang out and be friends like before.
"Senpai! Heads up!"
Except Catnip. Catnip and Senpai had been friends since they were neighbors as children. Catnip was the only one who didn't treat Senpai differently anymore. In fact, she still jumps on his back. Catnip collides with Senpai's upper body after a flying leap, tackling him to the ground.
"Senpai, you were supposed to let me ride on your back! Get up. I hate walking to school!"
Fortunatley, Catnip is smaller than Senpai, so he isn't completely crushed. However, Senpai can feel Catnip obliviously squeezing her large breasts against his back. Diplomatically, Senpai dislodges himself from her attack. His childhood friend had grown into a beautiful woman unexpectedly. He still saw her as a friend though. He hoped that she felt the same way. He would hate himself if he had to break her heart. Senpai says "We don't have time for that. We're going to be late for class."
The duo rushed towards the campus.
Once the teacher dismisses the class for the day, Catnip immediately begins interrogating Senpai.
"So, any new girlfriends this week? Your locker is still overflowing. Are those new or have you not thrown the old ones out yet?"
Senpai sighed, "I don't even know anymore. This morning though a girl handed me a note. She was so nervous she looked like she was going to cry. I better let this one down easy."
"Ah, another trip to the flower shop?"
"Yeah, it's the least I can do."
The flower shop was only a short walk from the school grounds. Senpai and Catnip were on friendly terms with the florist. Bud was only a few years older than them and had inherited the family business. He was most known for giving lovelorn students discounts on bouqets.
Bud greeted, the duo "Hey, my favorite customers! Finally found the girl you want to buy a dozen roses for?"
Senpai grimly responded, " No, more like something to soften a rejection letter."
"Senpai has another broken heart to add to his collection.", Catnip teased.
"Another one? Your high standards are going to make you a lonely man, Senpai."
Bud began picking a carefully selected bouquet and avoided anything with romantic connotations. "I understand where you are coming from though. You have to wait for that right someone. There has to be that spark. Once you find the right one, you'll know it. THAT one will hurt though, so hold on to it tight when you find it. Pursue her with everything you got."
The words seemed to resonate with both of them as Senpai paid and they left the store deep in thought.
The poor girl's reaction to his rejection letter was still fresh in his mind as Senpai sat in class.
The teacher called for the class's attention, "Alright class, we are expecting a new student this week. She will be transferring from a school in Europe, so please welcome her when you see her."
A new student? A girl? This will certainly be what everyone is talking about today…
Senpai and catnip were sitting at the benches by the baseball field during lunch.
"Do you think this new girl is going to become another member of your harem? There are already all kinds of rumors about her flying around."
"You can't really believe rumors. Does anyone know what class she is going to be in even?"
"No idea. No one really knows anything. Either she is a tiny, flat chested, demure loli who wears aprons when she bakes and is super kawaii, or she is six feet tall and a world weightlifting champion. Depending on who you believe."
"Maybe a little of both rumors are true?"
The image of a tiny, muscled loli performing a perfect deadlift of hundreds of pounds plays in their heads. Catnip's face reddens, "That would be… interesting".
The sound of footsteps made Senpai and Catnip turn their heads. As they looked up they made eye contact with the newcomer. Senpai's behavior goes under a sudden and drastic change. No longer is he the morose , aloof Senpai, but an a much more energetic, excited man. His eyes are filled with a fire. A passion that wasn't there before.
"Wow! I mean, Hi! You look amazing! I mean, it's nice to meet you!", Senpai stammered out.
Catnip is surprised by the change in his demeanor. This... this is the first time he has acted like this…
Shocked by the sudden attention, the new arrival looks very surprised and nervous. She quickly turns tail and runs away.
"Wait! Come back! I didn't introduce myself! I'M SENPAI!"
"What is your deal, Senpai? This isn't like you."
"I just met the love of my life."
Catnip angrily snaps at Senpai. "HER? THIS is who gets that kind of reaction out of you? You like that THING? She's hideous! She's not even hu-"
Senpai cuts her off, "Stop it Catnip. I have to find the name of that beautiful creature. She must be the new student."
"Of all the girls at the school, Senpai – you like her?"
"I have to find out more about her." Senpai heads off with a fresh sense of purpose in his movements. Catnip bites her lip and looks pensively in the direction the "new girl" ran off to…
The next day at school, Senpai frantically asked everyone for more information on the new girl at school. The mixed rumors were still going around though.
"I heard her father was a famous luchadore in Spain!"
"I heard she trains with him!"
"The new girl? The one who did prison time? It was probably for theft though."
"No way, it had to have been murder to get prison time!"
"She's probably a model. Uhg, another stuck up bitch."
Senpai angrily slammed a fist into his desk. "No, that can't be my angel. She was nothing like that. She had beautiful golden hair, tiny little feet and huge brown eyes you could get lost in."
A passing student overheard Senpai's description," Oh, are you talking about Bella? She hangs out at the front gate before school."
"Really? Then tomorrow I make my move!", Senpai excitedly exclaimed. He rushed out the door. For once he was going to make a trip to Bud's flower shop to buy a bouquet for a confession letter of his own. "Bella. Bella. My love's name is Bella. Beautiful Bella.", He thought to himself.
"Huh, that was weird. I was going to tell him she loves to hang out there but she always begs for food from everyone. He probably should bring her something to eat."
Catnip sighed as she leaned back against the wall. She heard everything from just around the corner of the doorway to the classroom. She brushed a sleeve across her face to dry her eyes. "But, Bella isn't the one meant for you Senpai…"
With a happy bounce in his step, Senpai stepped into the flower shop. "Bud, you'll never believe it. I met the girl of my dreams."
"Really? Well good for you, man."
"Give me a dozen of your finest roses."
"Wow, you are really serious this time. Sure thing."
The next morning at the school's front gate, Senpai paced nervously back and forth. He got up extra early to make sure he didn't miss her. So early, he hadn't really slept. He had done his best to look especially handsome though. He wanted this moment to be perfect. Catnip watched from the shadows. She was worried that she might lose her chance to be with the one she loved. Secretly, for months now she had developed feelings… She couldn't let it end this way. Not when she was so close.
The sun finally started to fill the sky. As the shadows disappeared, Bella revealed herself as she neared the gate. Her golden hair naturally reflected the rays of sunlight. Her mouth appeared to be in an eternal smile, as if nothing bad could happen around her. Senpai couldn't help but notice the way her hips swayed, almost wagging. "Bella! It's ok. I'm sorry I scared you before. My name is Senpai. And, I was hoping you might uh, that is, I wanted to tell you… Would you consider… will you go out with me?" Nervously, Senpai finally spit the words out. He had never known how nerve wracking it was to be on this side of love. He held out the flowers towards Bella.
Bella cocked her head to the side questioningly. She leaned forward and sniffed the roses. Catnip could not stand it a moment longer. She stepped out from her hiding place. "No, Senpai! You can't!"
Startled, Senpai replied, "Catnip? Why are you here? Oh, wait. I must have been stupid not to see the signs. All this time…"
Catnip through tears, "Yes, it's true…"
"You were in love with me. I should have known you would develop feelings for me like all the other girls. But, Catnip, you are my best friend and I don't want to lose that. I'm sorry, Catnip. I can't love you back. My heart belongs to Bella."
"Catnip is surprised by these words. This isn't how she thought this was going to happen at all. "What? No. I don't love you, Senpai. You are too tall and bony. Plus, you are a boy…
I
love
Bella."
Senpai's head is reeling. A whole new wave of different emotions hits him. He had no idea that Catnip had feelings for Bella…
Catnip pulled a pink bag from behind her back. "For a while now I have been coming here before meeting you to share breakfast with Bella. I've been upset lately because I thought you were going to steal her away from me. I can't let that happen, Senpai. Even though we are friends, I won't let anything come between me and Bella." As soon as Catnip opened the small bag, Bella bounded for Catnip. Before Senpai could even see what Catnip was pulling from the bag, Bella snatched it from Catnip's hand and ate it. "Oh, you must have been a hungry girl, Bella." Wordlessly, Bella downed the treat.
Senpai was distraught. "Bella. Bella! BELLA!" But no amount of calling brought her back to him. Bella rushed into Catnip's arms. Catnip ran her fingers through Bella's hair as Bella nuzzled into Catnip's neck.
Catnip emotionally praised her life's love. "Who's a good girl? You're a good girl, Bella! Yes you are. I finally got permission to keep you. Guess who's coming to live with me? You are, you beautiful girl."
Bella was a Golden Retriever.