Flowers
Summary: As long as there was air in his lungs and strength in his legs, Deuce would always bring Rocky flowers. Number 31 of the 100 Theme Challenge.
A/N: This is also an entry for iGoogleZayn's 50 Themes contest.
Disclaimer: I do not own Shake It Up!, nor its characters. I only own this story.
Love was clearly in the air at John Hughes High School one cold, February morning. Red, white, and bright pink confetti was scattered throughout the hallways. Posters advertising the school's upcoming Valentine's Day dance were plastered all over the walls and doors. Students were exchanging flowers, chocolates, and a variety of gifts with each other. It was a magnificent sight.
Deuce Martinez was leaning against his open locker, thinking about the type of flowers that he could give Rocky, the love of his life, for Valentine's Day. Every year, during this romantic holiday, he would present her with a different bouquet of flowers, just like he would for any other holiday. Although the Latino stated numerous times that the beauty of each bouquet could never compare to her beauty, Rocky loved them nonetheless.
Ty passed by and noticed his friend deep in thought, so he asked him, "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything's good," Deuce answered, turning to close his locker door.
"You sure?" Ty asked. "You seem like you have a lot on your mind."
"I was just thinking about my V-Day gift for Rocky," Deuce said.
"What are you going to give her?" Ty asked, curiously.
"Flowers," Deuce replied. "I just don't know which kind."
"You get her a flower bouquet for every significant holiday," Ty pointed out. "Don't you want to get her something different this time, like, a wreath of flowers?"
"Not really, she was never the type for extravagant gifts like that," Deuce explained, "Besides, she loves the bouquets I get her. I get her a different bouquet every holiday and she loves them."
"That's true," Ty said, understandingly. "She loved the tulips you gave her during your first V-Day as a couple."
Deuce nodded, remembering how the brunette's eyes lit up when he presented her with the pink, yellow, and white bouquet two years ago.
"However, she did freak out when she found a dead bee in one of the tulips," Ty continued.
Deuce bit his bottom lip as he recalled how loud Rocky screamed upon finding the lifeless yellow and black insect inside one of the tulips in her bouquet. She never really was fond of bees, alive or dead.
"Don't worry about it, man," Ty said, slapping his friend on the shoulder in a friendly way. "I'm sure she'll love the bouquet you get her this Valentine's Day."
"Thanks, man," Deuce said, cracking a small smile at Ty.
Ty grinned and walked away, leaving the Latino to continue his brainstorming.
Lunch time began within a matter of hours and Deuce still had no idea what kind of flower bouquet to give Rocky. As he stood in line to buy a hamburger and fries for lunch, he mentally went through different kinds of flowers, but none of them seemed to be perfect for his girl.
When Deuce exited the lunch line with his lunch, he spotted CeCe sitting at a table by the cafeteria window and immediately made his way towards her. CeCe was, and always would be, Rocky's best friend. If anyone could help him determine what kind of flowers Rocky would like best, CeCe would be the person to go to.
"Hey, Red," Deuce said, getting CeCe's attention. "I need your help."
CeCe rolled her eyes and said to him, "For the last time, I'm not helping you wax your eyebrows."
"No, that's not what I need help with," Deuce said, quickly.
"Are you sure about that?" CeCe asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
Deuce's hands flew to his face and felt the light patch of hair between his two eyebrows. His eyes widened slightly and he made a mental note to take care of the issue later.
"Look, that doesn't matter right now," Deuce said, exasperated. "I need your advice."
"Okay, but I should warn you, people sneeze better advice into tissues," CeCe told him.
"That's true," Deuce said, missing the offended look on the redhead's face, "but your advice might come in handy in this situation, since this is Rocky I've come to talk to you about."
"Well, I'm all ears," CeCe said, attentively. "What's the problem?"
"You know how I give Rocky flowers every single year for Valentine's Day, right?" Deuce asked.
"Yeah, like, you gave her yellow daffodils last year," CeCe said, remembering the day, "and white lilies for her sixteenth birthday. What are you planning on giving her today?"
"That's the problem, I have no idea what she'll like," Deuce explained. "I give her a different flower bouquet every V-Day, every anniversary, every day that is special to her. I'm running out of ideas."
"So, I'm guessing that's where I come in," CeCe said, pointing at herself.
"Yeah, got any ideas?" Deuce asked.
CeCe sat there in silence, going over all of the flowers that Deuce had ever given Rocky during the previous two years that they were together. He gave her tulips for their first Valentine's Day and daffodils for their second. For her birthday, he presented her with lilies one year, and cherry blossoms for the second. He showered her with daisies on their one-year anniversary and lotuses on their two-year anniversary. CeCe was surprised that Deuce did not even consider one flower in particular, one that every romantic girl was fond of.
"What about roses?" CeCe suggested. "I'm surprised you've never given her those."
"Aren't those a bit cliché?" Deuce asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I would love nothing more than to give Rocky roses, but guys do that for girls all the time. It's nothing special."
"Then, make it special," CeCe told the Latino. "Do something with the roses that guys typically don't do with them when they give them to girls."
"And how do you suggest I do that?" Deuce asked, curiously.
"You're smart, you'll figure it out," CeCe reassured him. "Günther and I are going out after school, but I'll text Tinka and ask her to keep their mother's floral shop open long enough, so you can go after school and pick out the arrangement of roses you think Rocky would like."
"That would be great, thanks," Deuce said, gratefully.
As soon as the final school bell of the day rang, Deuce was the first one out the school doors. He hopped on a city bus that took him downtown to Squizza's floral shop. Once he was in the store, he examined every rose bouquet in the store, trying to find the perfect bouquet for Rocky.
Fortunately, for Deuce, the store was empty because Tinka turned the store sign around to indicate that it was closed. The reason for this was because she was closing the store early, once Deuce was finished, so she could go home and get ready for her date with Ty.
Twenty minutes into the search, Deuce still could not find what he thought would be Rocky's ideal rose bouquet. To matter matters worse, Tinka was glaring at him from behind the front counter, tapping her fingers on the wooden surface impatiently. She did not really like Deuce as a person, but she respected his desire to buy Rocky flowers. However, she did not think that he would take so long.
"Could you be any slower?" the blonde questioned him, sarcastically.
"Don't rush me!" Deuce said, exasperated. "I can't just grab a bouquet and go!"
"Well, I urge you to hurry because Ty is picking me up at my apartment at six and part of my cocktail dress still needs betwinkling!" Tinka spat, furiously.
"Cool your jets, Glitter Girl!" Deuce cried, examining a display of roses. "I'll be done in a minute!"
Tinka huffed and turned to rearrange a bouquet of red roses in a nearby vase. This caught Deuce's attention; when he turned to look at the bouquet she was working on, he noticed that the roses were made out of paper.
"Hey, are those origami roses?" he asked for clarification.
Tinka shot him another glare and asked, "Why do you ask?"
Deuce did not reply to her question. Instead, he turned back around to look at the display of roses. He selected four white roses, four pink roses, and three red roses, then made his way to the front counter to pay for them.
Tinka raised an eyebrow at him as he showed her the eleven roses that he wanted her to tie together with a silk ribbon, and said, "Men typically buy women a dozen roses for Valentine's Day, goat for brains!"
"I know," Deuce said, pointing at the origami roses. "I'd also like to buy one of these."
"They're not for sale," Tinka said, confused.
"Don't care," Deuce said and, with a firm voice, added, "I'll take one."
When Deuce exited the floral shop, he glanced at his watch and thought it would be a good time to go see Rocky. Clutching the bouquet of roses in his hands, he hopped onto another bus that would take him to see his girl.
Once he got to his destination, he crossed the street and continued his journey down a path covered with snow. He shivered as the blast of cold wind and snow hit his face, but continued to walk. He would go to the edge of the Earth and back for Rocky, so walking a short distance on a cold winter day was nothing to him.
In a matter of minutes, he stopped in his tracks. A soft gust of wind blew and he could feel strong arms wrap around him, and a head rest on his right shoulder, but no one was standing behind him. He closed his eyes, reopened them, and tightened his grip on the bouquet of roses in his hands.
"Mi amor, this Valentine's Day, I'm giving you twelve roses; eleven real and one fake," Deuce stated, lovingly. "I love you, Rocky, and I will continue to love you until the last rose dies."
Another soft gust of wind blew as Deuce kneeled down and gently placed the roses in front of Rocky's tombstone. He closed his eyes again, as a tear slid down his cheek, and he silently cursed the heartless, drunk driver that cost Rocky her life six months ago. However, the Latino smiled when another cool gust of wind blew, and he could feel Rocky's spirit with him once more.
CeCe, Ty, Günther, and Tinka were surprised when they first learned that, despite the fact that Rocky was no longer around, Deuce had placed hibiscus flowers in front of her grave last Christmas and sunflowers on their anniversary in January. However, they were also touched and they respected Deuce's decision to continue the tradition of getting Rocky flowers, as a way of thanking her for being an important part of his life.
As long as there was air in his lungs and strength in his legs, Deuce would always bring Rocky flowers.
Nineteen down, eighty-one to go! Questions? Comments?
A/N: I hope this entry for your contest pleases you, iGoogleZayn. I am happy at how this one-shot turned out.
Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D
~TeenQueen661