Flashback.......... Riley's POV

I was in front of my full-length mirror, though I was shorter than half the length.

I was twirling my right pigtail. My brother, Caleb had done my hair. Though I shouted at him when he was doing it, cause he was pulling too hard, he said it was to make it smooth and tight.

He tied the two pigtails with yellow ribbons. He used yellow because he knew they were my favourite.

We were on holiday and my dad wanted to take us both to the park. Caleb had picked a short yellow dress, that had flowers on it.

I loved the flowers. I remembered the moment I saw the dress, I told my dad that I wanted to have them and then I started to cry because I couldn't bring them out of the dress.

I laughed at the memory. I heard Caleb call my name and I quickly went downstairs. We entered the car and we left.

The park wasn't all that far from our house, so we arrived there soon. The ride was short.

This was my first time here and I was very excited. I quickly got down and ran to the first thing I saw was a seesaw.

I was running when someone pulled me back. I turned with angry brows to see my brother.

"Hey! Why'd you pull me like that, you know I could've fallen!!", I shouted, but my anger quickly turned into anxiety and I started bouncing as he started talking.

"Please, Cleb.", I couldn't pronounce his name properly so I called him Cleb. "Can I go to the swing now?", I asked anxiously.

"I thought you wanted to go to the seesaw?", he asked confused.
"Yes, but....argghh!!!! I want to go to everything!!!" I shouted, not caring whether people saw me.

He just laughed and I agreed. During my time of play, Caleb had stopped monitoring me and was hanging out with a girl, who I recognised was in his class, as she had come to our house sometimes for homework.

I was playing in a swing set with some girls who were there, when my eyes came across some flowers, which made my smile huger than it already was.

I ran to them instantly abandoning the girls. When I got there I realised they were the same ones on my dress.

I screamed in excitement when I plucked one.
"Honey, what's wrong, did you hit something, did something hit you?", my dad asked frantically.

I showed him the flower and he was still confused. Then I put the flower beside the flower on my dress. He still had a confused look on his face.

I looked up and then back at him, my way of rolling my eyes. Cleb had tried to teach me, but I only ended up doing this.

"It's the same one silly.", I said. "You know, the one I said I love very much.", I said and his mouth formed an o shape.

"You are very funny, little one.", he said pinching my nose. Then he carried me up and we went to a bench with me on his lap.

"You say you love this one very much.", he said.
"Yes!! It's my favourite!!!", I screamed and he went back a bit.

"You are very excited huh?", he asked.
"Yes. I....", he covered my mouth as I wanted to scream again.

"You scream when you're excited, people would think you're in trouble and when they see you're not, they won't be happy.", he said.
"Well that's their business.", I said admiring the flower.

"Daddy? "
"Yes, dear."

"What is this flower called?", I asked.
"Oh, it's a daisy.", he said and my eyebrows shot up.

"Hey! It sounds like my name, Riley, Daisy.", I said bouncing on his leg.
"That's true. Hey, did you know that, your mum was in love with these flowers?"

"Really!!"
"Yes, they were her favourite."
"Then I will love them the more.", I said and kissed them, making a pecking sound.

"Daddy?"
"Yes, dear."

"Can I get plenty? Many?"
"Of course, as many as you want.", he said and I clumsily got down his leg and wanted to get more when he held me back gently.

"But not from here you know. Come on let's go to a flower store.", he said and picked me up.

"Now where is your brother?", he asked looking around and so did I.
"There!!!", I pointed when I saw him.

"Cleb! Cleb!! Cleb!!!", I continued to shout until he saw us. When we were all together, we left for the store, where I had seen plenty of beautiful flowers, but the daisies were still my favourite.

Present Day

I woke up to the ringing of my phone. I checked it was Paloma.
"Hello.", my voice came out croaked, but I cleared my throat.

"Are you alright, you sick?", she asked.
"Yeah, I mean no, I'm not sick I'm fine. I just woke up.", I said rubbing my eyes and silently yawning.

"Hope I didn't wake you?", she asked.
"You did but you're not disturbing me.", I said honestly.

"You didn't come to the church today.", she said.
"Oh, no I didn't, did you go?", I asked.

"No, you know I don't like these things. Anything that has to do with funerals.", she said.

Paloma's family of five had died, one by one. It was like a curse. Her dad was a Mexican drug dealer and in his business when a deal went wrong, the price was your family.

The police helped her and brought her from Mexico to New York. The memories always hunted her. One funeral a week and the people coming reduced, saying it was a curse and they didn't want to be involved.

It was one day that a good friend of her mum saw her mourning her young brother alone. Then he decided to involve the police.

"So what did you do?", I asked.
"I'm now getting ready for a day out.", she said and I looked at the wall clock, it was five minutes past five.

"With who, the day's almost gone.", I said.
"Parker.", she said and my eyebrows shot up.

He had been frustrating her all week, and now she was willing to go out with him. I wonder what had happened for their relationship to get to this level.

"You know if you so want to go out, I'm ready okay? You don't have to go with him."
"No I'm cool with it.", she said.

"Wait, I thought you didn't like him.", I said.
"You know.", she started. "There's a thin line between love and hate.", she said.

"So what, now you love him?", I asked furrowing my eyebrows
"No. But I don't just hate him anymore.", she said.

"And when did this change happen?", I asked.
"He kinda dropped me off on Friday, and we got to talk, he didn't pester me as he usually did, so we kinda got along.", she said.

I sensed that she hadn't finished so I waited, but was met with silence.
"So is that it, you just kinda got along?"

"Oh, and we ran into each other at the park, though he later admitted he was stalking.", she said.

"And you're cool with that, someone stalking you?", I asked.
"No but....why are you questioning me so much. It's just a day out.", she said.

"Yeah, whatever, it's just.....", I stopped when I heard the sound of some things crashing.
"Um Paloma, I'll call you later, bye.", I said and quickly ran downstairs.

I arrived at the kitchen and saw Ansel and CJ, who were picking up broken pieces.

"Hey what happened.", I said coming closer. They both looked at me. Ansel shifted back for me to pass, not that he was blocking me though.

"I..I..am sorry."
"Hey stop. Stop picking them, before you cut yourself.", I said and she stood up.

"I..am sorry.", she stuttered.
"Alright, now go get a broom and clean this up.", I said and she left.

I looked at Ansel. "Do you know why she did that?", I asked and he shook his head.

That was when I really looked at him, he had dark circles under his eyes. His skin looked paler. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but I couldn't just bring myself to ask.

I turned away when CJ came and helped her, when we were done, Ansel had gone. I wanted to go when she called me.

"Yes."
"Ma'am, I actually did that so you would come down.", she said.

"If you wanted me to come down, why didn't you just come call me?", I asked.
"Well, I wanted to see if you would, you know talk to him.", she said.

"You know, he also has some talking to do.", I said.
"I'm sorry, I was just trying to help.", she said, then in a smaller voice, "As a friend.", she said and I smiled.

"Fine. I'll see what I can do to talk to him. Thank you.", I said and she nodded with a tight-lipped smile.

I turned to leave but turned back.
"CJ?", I called.
"Yes ma'am."

"Thank you, for seeing me as a friend.", I said and she smiled.
"That's fine.", she said.

I later went to the garden, Cory had already put the daisies in my room and they were lovely.

I tended to them and sometimes when I wouldn't be able to I would tell CJ to help me since she was the only one Ansel could let into the room.

The daisies were the only things I knew about my mum. I had seen one when I was young and I immediately loved it, after which he told me that it was also my mum's favourite.

The next day, I was watching TV, but my mind wasn't there. I hadn't seen Ansel since yesterday and now I was worried. I should've talked to him yesterday.

I should have gone to his study or something. I should've asked Oscar if he had gone out.

I don't know why, but I was extremely worried. His state yesterday was bad. I hadn't seen him since and it was now late evening

"Ma'am is something wrong?", CJ asked as she held a cup of apple juice.
"No..."

"But you're pacing about.", she said and I stopped not realizing I was.

"Oh, well it's just that I'm worried about Ansel, you know. He looked really bad, and I haven't seen him since yesterday. I don't know whether he had gone missing or....", I stopped when CJ stretched out the juice.

I took it and sat down. I took a large gulp. It was a bit chilled and it calmed me down. I sighed loudly and dropped it, then she sat beside me.

"Apple juice calms me down.", she said.
"And it just did for me, I guess we have something in common.", I said.
"I guess so.", she said.

"Ma'am.", she started. "The young master is a responsible person and he would be fine. If I see him tomorrow, I would make sure he talks to you, and if he doesn't want to I'll do something."

"And what would you do?", I asked.
"Lock the door, lie on the floor. Anything, I'll even threaten to kill myself.", she said, and at this I laughed,

I laughed so hard, I started to feel my eyes tear up. I had to stop myself.
"Oh CJ you crack me up. I would really like to see you do that.", I said and drank up all the juice. She offered to take it back.

I thanked her and she left saying she had some chores to do. Not long after she went outside, my phone rang. I checked the ID caller, it was Jamie.

"Hello, Jamie what's up?", I asked.
"Um... How do I say this I....", I couldn't hear what he was saying, he was in a loud place.

"Jamie. I'm not hearing you, can you leave where you are, go somewhere..."
"Don't worry!! I'm coming over with Ansel. I'll explain later.", he said and hung up.

My worry slowly dissipated. Jamie was a good guy and I'm sure Ansel is safe with him.

Minutes later and I heard the gate open. That must be him. I went outside and I was right.

Oscar quickly closed the gate. The passenger door opened and Ansel came out, but something about his appearance was off. His shirt was rumpled. He had sunglasses on his head, and he came out clumsily.

"Riley!!", he called and almost fell, but I caught him, and tried to steady him as he kept on rambling.

"I saw him at a bar and he was pretty wasted. You need help taking him in?", he asked and I looked to see Oscar nearby.

"Oh don't worry, Oscar will help me.", I said and at the mention of his name, he came and put Ansel's hand over his shoulder, as his other arm was over mine.

"Thank you anyways.", I said.
"Well, I'll be off now. Don't worry Oscar I'll open and close the gate myself, you help Riley.", he said and Oscar nodded.

We got in and Ansel continued to talk.
"Riley, I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean what I said.", he slurred.
"Just keep quiet as we head upstairs.", I said.

"No.", he said and abruptly stopped, but we urged him to go on. "I said I'm sorry, you're not what I said, you're the perfect opposite. You're an angel.", he said as we got up to our room.

"Thank you, Oscar, I'm sure I can take care of this.", I said.
"Okay ma'am.", he nodded and left with Ansel leaning on me.

We entered the room and I closed the door with my leg.
"Riley I...I didn't mean it."

I didn't respond. I attempted to lay him on the bed, but he tugged at the scarf around my neck and I fell on him.

He was silent and we were very close, our noses almost touching. My heartbeat somehow sped at our proximity.

My eyes slowly gazed down at his pink full lips and thoughts came crashing into my head speeding my heartbeat.

Knowing the danger and the consequences of our closeness, I stood and quickly left the room with one question in my head. Why did I suddenly feel like kissing him?

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The Sparkling Authoress
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