Young Writers Society

~1005 words

Grey

As Ivy had gone off into a back room, Grey had time to look around her shop. He had never been in her shop before; he’d never had reason to. Flowers could hardly be used in the workshop. Though, Grey admitted to himself, I probably should read the paper roses more often. Grey could see that Ivy had tended to her plants with a loving hand, and there were even a few pre-made flower arrangements. They were beautiful. Grey felt another wave of guilt sweep over him thinking about how beautiful the mind must be that could arrange flowers into such beautiful bouquets, and how he had caused that mind quite a jolt and a bump. Not only that, but this was obviously Ivy’s safe space, and he had just barged right in, yelling, without regard for the peacefulness of the place at night.

Grey didn’t realize he’d been staring at the floor until a black cat with yellow eyes sat down right in front of him. He had the eerie feeling that the cat could read his thoughts. Or maybe it was protective of Ivy. In any case, Grey interpreted the cat’s gaze as accusatory and searching. Pulled out of his thoughts he could feel Ivy’s presence in the room as well. “Is this your cat?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the animal.

“I guess. He’s kind of new. Name’s Ghost.”

“He has a very… intense stare.” The longer the cat looked at him, the more unnerved Grey became.

“How did you know where I live anyway? And how’d you get in?” questioned Ivy.

Grey finally met her eyes, and they were filled with distrust and suspicion. Dread sunk to the bottom of Grey’s stomach. room He couldn’t tell her that he’d followed her home one night, curious to see where she lived, he just couldn’t. His eyes fell on Ghost again, and again, he had the feeling that the cat could read his thoughts. As if he’d find an excuse there, he looked off into a corner. But no, he didn’t need an excuse. There was a perfectly reasonable explanation for why he would know where she lived.

“I heard Nikki mention a flower shop. Only one of those in town,” he said. “And the door was unlocked.” At least he hadn’t broken into her shop. That would take some real explaining. Ivy looked about to ask a question, and he hurried to answer the question he wanted her to ask next. “As for what I’m doing here, I came to see why you weren’t at the workshop. You could’ve been attacked or something on the way there. You said you’d be there.” He looked back at Ivy, a realization dawning. “Youwerecoming, right?”

Now it was Ivy’s turn to look away in guilt. “I really didn’t want to come without Nikki.”

“You knew she wouldn’t be there, but on Tuesday you said you were coming!”

“I… I changed my mind,” she said, suddenly defiant. “Aren’t I allowed to do that?”

“I guess,” said Grey, dissatisfied. They stood there a moment in awkward silence before he spoke again. “So, why didn’t you want to come without Nikki? You know the way to the workshop now, you have-“

“I just don’t know if I want to go without Nikki,” she interrupted. “I only go to the society to spend some more time with her. I don’t get to see her all the time. I don’t go to the workshop for the society, I go there for my friend.”

Grey felt as if his heart had been ripped out. He looked at Ivy in minor disbelief before he could feel a storm begin to creep over his face. He turned away from Ivy so she wouldn’t see how strong of a reaction her words had had on him. “Oh. I see,” he choked out in a voice that sounded unfamiliar to even his own ears. “I guess I’ll just go then.”

“Wait! I didn’t mean it like that!” Ivy protested. “Of course you’re my friend too… It’s just… I hardly know you!”

“You don’t trust me?” He was still turned away. He felt his eyes grow hot with tears. Even though they had only spent two days together so far, Grey considered Ivy and Nikki among his closest friends. Cooped up with Alder all day, Grey didn’t have many friends his age. But he understood now. Ivy had plenty of friends. She didn’t need a loser like Grey. She didn’t go to the workshop for him. She didn’t even go for the society. She just considered it a joke.

“I… I just don’t know you! How am I supposed to trust you when we’ve only known each other for a few days?” Ivy’s voice sounded pleading.

Grey turned around, not caring if Ivy saw his reddened eyes. “I don’t know. But I trust you.” There. He had said it. The words hung heavy in the air for what felt like forever.

“Why?” Ivy whispered.

Grey had no answer to this. Or rather, he had too many answers, but they were all jumbled together in his head. I could just feel it when we first met. No that wasn’t right. You’re just that kinda girl. No. I’ve been so lonely for so long. While that was true, he could never say that out loud. The silence stretched out even longer. In the end, Grey just shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you would be able to trust me if we got to know each other better?” he suggested. “Maybe spend more time working in the workshop together? What do you say, will you come work with me tonight?” In a pique of frivolity, Grey bowed low with a sweeping gesture, the kind of bow his parents had taught him to use in front of royalty.

Ivy looked flustered at this grand gesture. “I s-suppose,” she stammered.

Grey smiled and offered his arm. Ivy took it. Where her hand rested, warmth began to blossom.