Chapter 10: The gardener

Today was Wednesday and fashion week was next week; I'd been in Amoris town for 12 days now, I sighed as I headed outdoors, I was in art club right now, we had put on our passes and were supposed to go anywhere in the school and draw a picture of something that fascinated us; Violet wasn't here today, she was out sick so I didn't have anyone to hang out with even if we didn't talk all that much. I headed to the garden and clumsy me tripped over a stone and fell on some…guy? Oh god how embarrassing. I laid on the grass as he got up, I was frantically signing how sorry I was.

The boy had green hair with eyes to match, he was wearing overalls and brown gardening gloves and I'd just messed up his work, I felt so bad I couldn't stop apologizing. "Hey hey hey it's okay." He said taking my hands lowering them so I wasn't signing anymore, he smiled a sincere smile at me with a beautiful gaze to match. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, I took a moment to think about that question and when I realized I was fine I nodded.

"Okay, I'm Jade!" He said releasing my hands and smiling a cheerful smile at me as he held out his hand for me to shake as his other hand rubbed the back of his head. "Nice to meet you!" he said cheerily and I was still a little shocked from the collision but soon realized that he was okay aside from his head and smiled sheepishly with a blush on my cheeks before I took his hand and shook it.

Before pulling out a piece of paper and writing my name on it and handing it to him.

"Selene huh? That's a pretty name!" he said with a bright smile on his fine features, I smiled at how cheery he was, I took back the paper and started writing.

[i]*Are you in the gardening club?*[/i] I wrote down and handed him the paper again and a look of disconcert crossed his face for a brief second before he chuckled sheepishly.

"Haha yeah, I'm kind of one of the only people who takes care of this place, although these two girls Maxine and Cameron, and this guy Ken help out occasionally. They're a nice bunch." He said sincerely. "So what are you doing out here?" he asked curiously with a tilt of his head, it was actually pretty cute.

He handed the paper back to me. [i]*I'm here for art club, I was choosing to draw a nature landscape.*[/i] I wrote, when he got the paper back he smiled.

"Oh really? That's super cool! Yeah I love nature it's my all-time favorite thing in this world!" he said enthusiastically which made me smile. "So what are you planning on drawing?" he asked looking around at the plants and flowers wondering which would be the lucky selected for the sketch I was gonna do. I looked around and pursed my lips in speculation of the art around me and finally decided on a section with a variety of color. It had roses, tulips, chrysanthemums, carnations, bluebells and violets, it was really beautiful and the green of the vines simply outlined the flowers and their vibrant visage of color. I pointed it at it and he smiled.

"That's my favorite section too, it's so colorful, like the rainbow!" he said and I chuckled silently and nodded in agreement. Realizing I was still on the ground Jade offered his hand and helped me up. I mouthed 'Thank you' to him and he smiled. "My pleasure!" he said and looked at him with a smile…he was so bright and cheerful, it was like nothing bad had ever happened to him…or if it had…he hadn't let it get him down…I wanted to know how he did such.

[i]*I haven't seen you around before, are you from this school?*[/i] I asked curiously and he shook his head.

"Nope I go to Maple Grove, it's south of Sweet Amoris, I come here for the gardening club here sometimes as I was asked too and plus I love gardening, I love everything to do with nature, it's….it's like it's a part of me." He said sincerely and I watched him as he spoke so passionately about what he loved…I used to speak that way about fashion, and design…I used to love making designs and then making my works, I love watching people where my creations, I loved shopping and clothes…I love everything having to do with fashion and yet…now everything seemed so superficial…it didn't mean I didn't like fashion design anymore…it just meant I'd lost my passion for it.

[i]*I used to be that way with fashion and design…you're lucky you have such a strong passion.*[/i] I wrote and he smiled with a nod.

"Yeah, it's like one of my soul purposes, or that's how it feels." I smiled, this boy was so honest, and caring…it was beautiful to witness such a pure heart. "So may I ask what made you lose your passion for fashion?" he asked and I looked away sadly before letting out a soft sigh. I turned to look into those beautiful Jade eyes that were filled with such sincerity it almost hurt to look at him, but being around him, it made it seem easy to open up to him…

[i]*I…"[/i] I sighed as my pencil hovered over the paper…[i]*I lost my heart and soul to a fire….it made me realize there was more to life than just fashion…it doesn't mean I don't like it still, I just…lost my passion for it.*[/i] I finished writing and handed him the paper, he looked sad when he read it and before I knew it I was being embraced in a hug.

"I felt like that for a long while when I lost my brother Patrick, I was really depressed for a long time, but I figured something, Patrick wouldn't want me to be sad and mourn over him all the time, he'd want me to live my life. Patrick loved nature he loved everything having to do with it, and when I garden…I feel close to him." Jade said as he hugged me, my heart felt like it was constricting at his words, it was so hard not to mourn my family though…but what Jade said…it made sense, I felt that way when I did art, I felt close to my mom and Tommy, I hadn't done anything with fashion since they died but maybe I'd feel closer to Savannah if I did…I looked up at Jade and smiled.

"T-Thank you J-Jade." I voiced before kissing his cheek and making him blush, I smiled at how very adorable he was.

"M-my pleasure, um I have to go now, but here's my number if you ever need to talk, it was really nice meeting you Selene." He said and grabbed his supplies before waving and heading out of the garden.

After Jade had left I got to work on my art feeling as if I was close to my family for the first time since the fire, it made me smile thanking Jade for his comforting words.