Chapter 1—

Rose's POV

I wake up to the crashing waves just outside my window. They have a calming sense of monotony, the waves. Maybe that's why I chose this place.

I quickly glance at the time, and notice I have to get ready quickly. I throw on jeans and a t-shirt, nothing that will matter if I get too dirty. I throw my long hair up into a plait and grab a headband from my dresser to keep my fringe back. The picture on my nightstand remains one of my favorites and I can't help but stop to look at it for a while.

When I finally regain my sense of time I rush of to the kitchen to eat a banana quickly before throwing on my new shoes. You always need new shoes here; no shoes ever last the rainy season. My waterproof boots make a nice shelter for my feet during the rain.

I stick my wand in my boot, throw on a raincoat, grab my bag, and fly out the door.

My boots make splashes in the water on the ground. Crap, I realize-I forgot my umbrella.

I hurry quickly down the street to a small, old building on the corner. Inside the building is filled with flowers. Flowers cover every surface of the shop: calla lilies, anthuriums, cyclamens, gingers, larkspurs, dahlias, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, and of course, roses filled every square inch and their aromas mingle and drift through the store.

Anyone who stays in the shop too long smells like an assortment of flowers; as if they tried on many perfumes and couldn't just decide on one.

"I'm here Norman!" I yell towards the back of the shop.

I look for the familiar figure on an old man towards the back. I see him there hunched over a book Flowers and Their Meanings. The book is practically falling apart, only held together by some scotch tape around the binding.

"Norman?" I ask again.

He jumps a little in his seat and I realize that he hadn't heard me the first time. He has been getting on in his years and his hearing has begun to fade.

"Oh hello Rose" he smiles kindly at me, blue eyes twinkling.

"Has the shipment come in yet?"

"No, no, not yet, I would expect it around noon tomorrow. Always expect delays and you'll be happy when things occur on the scheduled time!" he chuckles.

"Right-o Norman! I mock salute." He chuckles again.

"I'm going to go organize some bouquets in the front of the store, alright?"

"Sure, sure, don't strain yourself too much, now."

"Never!"

I place my bag down on the other desk in the room, and move out to the front of the store. I flip the sing from Closed to Open and turn on the register.

A quick survey of the shop revealed that many flowers needed to be organized. Hmm…maybe those white carnations and chrysanthemums would work together…they would make a great bridal bouquet for anyone interested in deviating from tradition. The white chrysanthemums mean 'I think you're a great friend' while the white carnations mean sweet love- making just the bouquet alone mean friendship and love at the same time…

…I quickly fall into a rhythm, humming to myself along the way. Sorting flowers came so naturally to me, more naturally than I had ever thought.

*Flashback*

"Rose" he said.

"Mhmm?" I said, my head lying on his chest.

"I love you."

I stare into those beautifully grey eyes and find myself getting lost in them. He knows me so well, he snogs me senseless, my heart beats faster everytime he's near, I blush practically every time he touches me; could this be anything other than love?

"I love you too" I whisper.

And we snogged each other senseless the rest of the night.

But then the scene changes

"Rose?" he says "I love you."

I stare into those same beautiful grey eyes, I still get lost in them. He knows me so well, he can snog me senseless, my heart can still not control itself around him. I still blush when he touches me.

But this time, I walk away.

*End Flashback*

"Excuse me? Miss?" A voice says to my right.

A petite young woman stands near me in her very own pair of rain boots, just now shedding her rain coat.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I was lost to the world there for a moment- how may I help you?"

"Well it was just the most awful thing! My friend Tanya and I are here vacationing and we decided to try that Filipino-style restaurant one street over?"

At the mention of the Filipino-style restaurant one street over I mentally cringe. The poor tourists who decided to go there were in for a surprise- their 'fresh sea food' wasn't always 'fresh'.

"Well anyway it was just terrible- Tanya got food poisoning!" the woman says in a thick American accent.

"I'm very sorry to hear that" I reply.

"She's at the hospital now, and I just feel horrified because this whole trip was my idea and she's just not going to have any fun now! I heard that you're the best florists in the area so I came right over here to get her a bouquet!"

"I think I can help you with that" I smile at her.

"Well thank God! I heard that you can also do bouquets with meanings, right? You can make say that I'm sorry and other things? You are Rose right?"

"Yes I am. I'm very glad that you chose to come to our shop!"

"Yes, yes, now I wanted my bouquet to say that I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry and that I value our friendship and I hope that we have a great time for the rest of the trip!"

"Hmm...well these purple hyacinths mean 'I'm sorry'" I browse throughout the shop, looking for the perfect bouquet.

"Oh! And these geranium oak leafs will go perfectly with the hyacinths-you know to go with the purple theme- and they mean friendship! Now just something to add a little spice to the bouquet but to also say that you're sincere-

Ah! Perfect! How do you feel about the gladioluses? Just to spice it up a little?"

The woman stands there for a while, contemplating.

"Well, wow. That young man wasn't kidding-you know what you're talking about! I'll take the bouquet!"

I lead her over to the cash register and try to mention as casually as possible,

"Young man?"

The woman giggles. "Oh he was just the sweetest thing! And handsome too!" she winks at me. "He said her works for the packaging delivery service-Aden, Auden, no Austin!"

I smile at her "Austin is really kind; he delivers most of our flowers for us. Well, at least the ones we don't grow here!"

"Well I can't thank you enough! Now I just must get back to Tanya! Poor girl!"

She quickly puts on her raincoat and rushes out of the store, clutching her bouquet.

I stare after her, wondering what the hell possessed Austin to go around promoting business for me. But my answer would just have to wait; Austin wasn't scheduled to bring in the next shipment until tomorrow.

I take the long way home from work, after closing up the shop and making sure that Norman had enough tea. I barely even notice the rain as I walk without my umbrella, making splashes in the puddles.

The waves continue to crash on the shore, if I didn't know any better, the day could just have easily as been starting as it is ending.

I reach my little cottage, the lights on inside. I take my wand out of my boots (not that I really use it that often- you don't need witchcraft for sorting bouquets) and take of my boots and raincoat.

I wave my wand around and music begins to play, dishes begin to come out of the cupboards, and food begins to prepare itself.

It's just a regular night on a regular day in the wondrous regular-ness of my day. It's peaceful and serene and just the way I like it.

But when I go to bed, I see the picture of that blond on my nightstand and I can't help but feel a stab of emotion. I fall asleep wondering the same thing that I have wondered since I made that fateful decision: Did I make the right decision?


A/N: All right I confess, I wans't going to update today. The plan was for tomorrow, but then RoseAmongstThorns (who will now be my awesome BFF-she just doesn't know it yet) reviewed. I was having an awful day but her reviews made me smile so...here is chapter 1...a day early!

Does anyone know where Rose is? Does anybody care? I hope you're all super excited and dying to know what happens!

Let me know what you think!

~wwccd