So I have always wanted to do a holiday themed story and I think that with it being that time of year that I would write a short little story and post it. Just something light and fun...I hope. Anyways, tell me what you think about it.
Flora paced in her room thinking how and even if she should ask Helia to the Magix Winter Walk that was held in the city every year. Winter Walk was a whole night dedicated to sleigh rides through the town as well as shops staying open later and providing sales on most of their merchandise. Flora had seen all of her friends go every year with their boyfriends and this was her last year at Magix University so she thought that it was as good a time as ever to finally go.
Flora always stayed behind and was only treated to the stories that her friends told her as they walked into the front door every year with red cheeks and cold noses. Despite the cold, her friends seemed to forget about it when they were with their boyfriends. Flora had yearned for that warmth and the experience.
Flora wanted to ask Helia ever since she met him on her first day of classes in the second year. Helia had transferred from Red Fountain University and when he walked into class, Flora knew that he was the one. Flora fell deep into the depths of his sapphire eyes and his smile comforted her. However, she knew that she was not the only one to feel that way. Helia had attracted quite a lot of attention from the other girls in the college and Flora knew that she did not stand a chance in comparison to either girl. Flora watched as the girls threw themselves at Helia and watched as Helia kindly treated them. Could he not see how amazing he was?
Of course, Flora was also attracted to Helia's personality. Helia was miraculously placed in the same dorm suite as her friend's boyfriends which meant that he was always around when her friends and the boys wanted to spend time together as a group. Flora and Helia were the single ones and they talked when together but there was never any true effort from either to make any type of move. Flora took these moments as a sign that he was not interested in her, but she still couldn't erase Helia from her mind. The way that he talked with such passion made her feel transported and alive as she hung on to every word. He was so vocal on art as well as human rights issues. He had such fire and his soul and Flora never wanted that fire to go out.
Flora continued to pace thinking about what would happen if she asked Helia to the Magix Winter Walk. Would he reject her? Would he laugh in her face or would it just be a firm no? She could never show her face in Magix University again! She would have to transfer schools. Would they know about the rejection elsewhere? How fast do things like this travel nowadays? I will just drop out and work at the coffee shop for the rest of my life. But what if he said yes? Don't be silly, Flora, that would never happen.
Flora's train of thought was broken when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" Flora shouted as she flopped down onto the bed.
"Hey, Flor-" Layla said as she walked in but was stopped to see Flora lying face down on the bed, "Flora, what are you doing?" Layla chuckled.
"Just thinking of my life as a spinster." Flora replied through the muffling of the sheets.
"Flora," Layla said pulling Flora up from the bed by the arms, "you are not going to be a spinster. What gave you that idea?"
"Just the fact that I am the only one without a boyfriend and that Helia is going to laugh in my face when I ask him to the Winter Walk. That is if I even ask him." Flora sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed looking down at her hands.
"I don't think that Helia will laugh in your face. And what makes you think that Helia would laugh in your face?" Layla asked.
"Um, just the fact that he could have any girl that he wants and I am Flora from the Middle of Nowhere, Linphea and that I am really plain. Who am I kidding? Helia would never like, let alone say yes, to a girl like me." Flora responded as she stood up and walked over to her mirror to look at her reflection noticing the plain features that inhabited her face.
"Flora, you never know what he is going to say if you don't ask. Now, Helia is alone in the art room working on his latest project about the rise of corporate Magix or whatever. Go ask him!" Layla exclaimed as she threw Flora her hat and coat and pushed her out of the room.
Flora walked down towards the art building which seemed like the shortest walk in her life. Her feet felt heavy and her stomach was tossing and turning as the nerves built up inside of her. She opened the doors to the art room and walked down the halls covered in student artwork. She stopped as she looked at one of Helia's paintings. It was of a faceless woman emerging out of a tulip as her arms stretched towards the sun. Everything in the picture was golden and even without a face, Flora could feel the yearning and freedom of the woman embracing the warmth of the sun's golden rays. Flora took a deep breath and headed towards the room that Helia was in. She knew that Helia was in the paint studio at the end of the hall. That was his favorite place to work and would always listen to music as he did so. The type of music changed with every piece that he was working on. Today it was a soft and wordless melody that played so Helia must not be painting anything too intense. Flora followed the sound of the music until she reached the room at the end of the hall.
Flora peaked inside of the small window in the door and saw Helia sitting down on a stool and painting what looked to be like a woman crying as she desperately clutched onto a necklace on pearls. Flora examined from the outside of the room how Helia carefully and deliberately placed each stroke of paint. Each stroke brought the painting to life even more. Flora could not see how the painting could get better but with every stroke, it did.
Flora then took a deep breath and opened the door. Helia spun around hearing the door handle unlatch and sighed when Flora walked in. "I hope I didn't disturb you." Flora whispered as she held onto the door.
"Of course not, Flora. You are welcome here anytime. Please come in, I enjoy the company." Helia replied as he looked at Flora. "Is there anything that you wanted?" Helia asked. Helia stood up to grab more water for his paintbrushes.
"Actually, there is." Flora shyly answered as she slowly walked into the room, letting the door quickly close behind her.
"What is it?" Helia asked as he rinsed out the old wash cup. Flora's heart beat fast and she knew that there was no way that she could back out of asking him.
Flora gulped, "I was wondering if you had ever been to the Magix Winter Walk."
"Me? No, I have always been so busy." Helia chuckled as he started to walked over to his seat with the new cup of water. "Why do you ask?" Helia said as he sat back down on his stool and started to rinse off the paint brushes, back towards Flora.
"Well, I was wondering if you would want to maybe go with me?" Flora prepared herself for the rejection but instead Helia froze but managed to knock over the water cup onto the floor. Helia spun around and turned to look at Flora with his eyes wide.
"You want to go to Winter Walk with me?" Helia asked staring at Flora.
"Yes?"
"Winter Walk? With me?" Helia asked again.
"Yes, keep up." Flora chuckled.
Helia then stood up from his chair and walked over to Flora. Flora held her breath as Helia approached getting nearer and nearer. "I would like that a lot." Helia smiled down at Flora. It was now time for Flora to be surprised.
"Wait, really?" Flora questioned as she looked up at Helia.
"Yeah, sure. Why not? I think that we could have fun. It would be better than sitting alone in my room watching another documentary on how the coal industry is slowly killing our planet." Helia shrugged.
"Thanks? I guess I will see you tomorrow then." Flora mused. Helia then held out his hand and shook Flora's and then returned to his painting. Flora stood in the studio confused but then ran out of the room.
Back in the dorm room, Flora burst in and saw Layla, Tecna, Bloom, Stella, and Musa sitting in the common room working on homework. Layla looked up and saw Flora and immediately put her book down.
"Flora! How did it go? Did you ask him? What did he say?" Layla exclaimed. Flora went over to the available chair and slumped down and pulled her rose pink hat over her face. "Not well I take it."
Flora then yanked away the hat to reveal a head full of messy hair and a face still in shock. "He said yes." Flora said quietly but it was loud enough for the rest of the room to notice.
"Then why are you so upset? This is what you wanted, right?" Bloom asked.
"Yes, but you all should have been there. There was no enthusiasm whatsoever. He acted like it was either me or Netflix. He then shook my hand. Who does that? Helia is so passionate and I get a handshake." Flora sighed.
"Well maybe he was nervous too?" Bloom tried to provide answers for Flora.
"Helia? That boy has never been nervous. This is the same guy who led a movement to stop the pollution of native land by the pesticide company. Helia doesn't get nervous." Flora replied.
"At least he said yes. Just see how tomorrow goes." Tecna suggested.
"In the meantime, we need to plan your outfit." Stella beamed.
I think that I will stop here and then post the next part either tomorrow or sometime during the week. The semester is winding down and I have papers due this coming week.
