There was once a flower. Beautiful. It was a bright red, dancing with the wind that blew along the garden. She enjoyed the sun and the company of other flowers. Her leaves were a rich green and she liked being herself.

She was adored by all. Everyone liked to converse with this little flower. She was kind and funny and everything a flower should be. She made a lot of friends, talking and singing with them. She was really happy.

One day, suddenly, a storm took place. The little flower was very brave and she endured it without a sound. She stood strong, even though all her leaves fell to the garden floor, ready to be devoured by the teeny-tiny insects.

The storm continued for months.

Then one fine day, the storm had stopped. But there was something not right in the little flower's life. She looked around, but nobody was there. She was alone. Her friends had left her and hidden somewhere, forgetting that she needed their help as well. She realized that they didn't really care.

Her parents, two beautifully aged flowers held on to her stalk. They were angry that the little flower couldn't do what the others did and that she had lost all her leaves to the ground, unlike the rest of her friends who had the presence of mind to hide. The little flower felt terrible, that she had caused pain and shame to her parents, for she wasn't like the others now. She hadn't met up to the expectations. And now she was lonely.

She kept to herself for a while. She knew, with time, that all her friends will come back to her when she grows new leaves. She firmly believed that time will heal everything.

The other parents started whispering. They started making fun of the little flower in their own ways. The poor flower was disgraced. And she felt bad for her parents. She yearned for someone who'd understand her, but alas, no one ever did.

One day, a gardener visited the garden. He decided that the little flower and her parents needed a different place to start afresh. The little flower didn't want to, since she felt alive here, in her own land. The place where she was born. But her parents agreed that this might be the best decision for her. The little flower was very sad, but she accepted the decision considering her parents' happiness. She left her land, with tears sparkling in the sunlight.

A few days later, she found herself on alien land. The environment was different, and so were the other flowers. They looked at her and whispered about her. Discussed about why she was here, in their land.

The little flower, however, was very nice to them and wanted them to include her in their circle. Grudgingly, they did. The little flower was happy; she finally wasn't alone.

A few months passed.

The little flower was popular. But not for all the right reasons. The other flowers were smart, for they talked and laughed with her for their own selfish reasons. They frequently asked her for help and they knew that she will never say no. So they began exploiting her. When their needs were fulfilled, they went back to themselves, leaving the little flower alone, lost in her thoughts.

The little flower tried to talk about it with her parents. But they were busy in their own lives and didn't pay attention to the poor flower's pleas. They had to leave their home for the little flower, and now they were trying to establish themselves in a land unknown to them. They believed that the little flower was capable of making a few friends herself. They didn't understand that the little flower was on her way to getting herself withered in sorrow.

Day by day, the little flower wept in misery. She grew back all her leaves, but she lost her inner beauty. And she shrunk within herself. Her parents noticed, but they didn't make anything of it. The little flower kept on waiting for someone to approach her.

And after days and months of waiting, the little flower finally grew and transitioned.

Into the lost flower.

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After a few days, she wilted away. But she was happy.

She had finally found peace. And she was now in a better place.