Erika fires off another arrow at the target. The arrow flies with grace in the air and hits the bull's-eye with just as much. The young lady takes a few deep breaths as she tries to calm her mind. This was one of the few things she could do when her mind was filled with so much distress. Her nerves felt as if they would explode but she can't allow that to happen.

"I must calm myself….Maybe a floral arrangement would help…" said Erika as she could feel a spell of weakness coming. The girl takes another deep breath as she went to the locker room to change herself from her archery robes.

Erika looked at the time and saw that it was rather late. She held a white carnation in her hand and slowly puts it into a vase. The piece was a simple one but it was giving the florist a difficult time. No matter how many times she tried, Erika was unable to be satisfied with the arrangement. Nothing looked good with the white carnation and it frustrated the woman if she could allow it to overtake her mind.

"When will she come…?" asked Erika to herself as she turned around to look at her assortment of flowers. Her yellow kimono made a soft swish sound as she turned. "She had promised to come…."

Erika pulled out a bellflower. The way the top part of the flower drooped felt as if it fitted her at the moment. A sense of lost and disappointment filled Erika due to how it was this late but Erika had little to show for it.

"No…This is not right," said Erika as she puts the flower back where she had grabbed it from. Erika had not even placed the flower next to the carnation but knew it was not the right match.

Erika remembered back to earlier in the day. The words echo within her mind as they assured Erika that the melodic voice that had spoken them would indeed return.

"She said that she would be back after her date….," Erika soon pulled out an orange lily. She placed it next to the carnation and stared at it for a moment. It had meant many things but the only thing she could see right now is hatred. Their bright orange color looked similar to a blaze of hate on the lily's petals. Erika hated that there was a possibility that she was only an afterthought. That maybe she didn't really matter.

Erika began to feel weak as she lean against her worktable. She staggered a bit before finally putting the orange lily back in the pile. She tried to close her eyes but quickly opened them. After a few minutes, the spell had passed as Erika stared at the white carnation. She wanted to find the right pair to go with it.

A balsamine flower was in Erika's hands now. She looked at it. The woman placed the flower next to the carnation and fluttered her eyelashes a bit. The woman looked as if she was going to sleep but slowly took a long breath.

"I should be patient…Even though I am finding that hard to be right now," said Erika as she shook her head. The purple petals looked to be leaning forward as if they were patiently for something. She placed the flower to the side and looked at the clock. It was late and clearly looked as if she was going have to keep waiting.

A knock could be heard in the distance. Erika simply ignored it as she looked to be lost in her flowers. There was a purple one that had caught her interest. The knocking continued but Erika grabbed the flower and held it next to the white carnation. The purple petals of the flower simply sprang out and looked to have a loving feel. The flower looked as if it trusted the pure love of the carnation. Their yellow center helped in making their voice heard as she gazed at them. Erika held on to the flower for what seem like ages until footsteps were heard. She slowly turns around and as Erika did, a smile appears on her face.

"Hey there, Pumpkin!" said a cheery redhead dressed in a white swimsuit. A halfway zipped up jacket was wrapped around her but it still made Erika's heartbeat faster. The woman waved at Erika as she walked up to give Erika a hug.

"Misty!" said Erika as she quickly tries to put the flower in the vase with the white carnation. Erika tried to return the hug but it was only half heartily. "I thought you wouldn't come…."

"Yeah. Eheheh~ I kind of got held up by my date," said Misty as she gave a nervous laugh. She then let go of Erika. "My date lasted a little bit longer than I expected."

"Oh…I guess he was that good of a date…," said Erika as she turned to the side to avoid gazing at Misty's happy smile. Erika felt a bit of a pain in her chest for a moment as she spoke those words.

"Not really. He was kind of lame. The guy was kind of cute though so it wasn't all bad," said Misty as she looked oblivious to what was lingering on Erika's body movement. "Maybe he will get a second date."

"I am happy to hear that…," Erika with a bit of pain in her voice as she tried to avoid looking at Misty. She then saw the redhead move up close to her. Misty was only a few inches away from Erika's face, "Misty…!"

"Erika! I am so sorry for running late! I would have been here sooner but stuff came up! If I could, I would have been here like hours ago instead of making you wait so long!" Misty sounded faithful as she spoke those words. Erika could hear that but hurt deep within her.

"I…know….," said Erika who had a hard time hiding her pained tone even if she trusted Misty's words. Erika had her eyes half closed ready to hold off her tears.

"Pumpkin! Erika! I am serious," said Misty as she got closer to Erika. "I love you girl and I wouldn't do anything to hurt you on purpose. You are my girl. We are this tight and I want you to be happy. Now, give me a smile!"

Erika finally looked into Misty's eyes. She stared at them and saw that Misty was waiting. Just like Erika was for her. Erika repeated Misty's words in her mind and then finally gave the redhead a smile.

"That a girl! I would have rather been with you tonight then on that date anyways. I might as well, seeing how much I thought about you the whole time," Misty smiled back at Erika. It had made Erika's heartbeat skipped for a moment. "You are as cute as a button and just as beautiful as any of these flowers here!"

Hearing that had made Erika's smile widen as she could feel Misty pressing against her kimono. Maybe it was her trusting nature but Misty's words made Erika feel better. Her tiredness was slowly evaporating as she wrapped her arms around Misty's waist.

Misty leaned her head forward to give Erika a kiss. Soon Erika was being lifted up and led to the back part of the gym leaving a workbench alone with a vase containing an aster and white carnation.