After class, Thea made her way to her haven: the nursery where she worked part-time. This was where she sought refuge, amongst plants and the little herbal park they have in the middle, from Levi or any other human pest. Whenever she had a minute-long interaction with that wet sock, she had to sprint here and take as much oxygen as she could. She wouldn't be surprised if that little fucker sucked the air and life out of everybody he meet on the way.

The scent of fresh soil and blooming flowers greeted her, instantly calming her nerves. She slipped on her apron, adorned with pockets filled with gardening tools, and immersed herself in rustling of leaves and the gentle hum of insects.

She moved with practised ease, checking the moisture levels of the potted plants, pruning dead leaves, and mutters of encouragement to the seedlings. Her fingers expertly sifted through the soil of a pot containing a struggling fern, and made a few adjustments to its environment and with a gentle spritz of water, she knew it would thrive again.

As she was arranging a display of colourful geraniums, a customer approached, looking a bit lost. Thea smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hi there! Can I help you with something?"

The customer, a middle-aged woman with a hesitant smile, replied, "Yes, I'm looking for something to brighten up my living room. It's got lots of natural light."

Thea's eyes lit up at that. "Perfect! For a bright living room, I'd recommend something vibrant like these African violets. They thrive in indirect sunlight and add a lovely pop of colour. Or if you prefer something a bit more dramatic, these orchid plants are stunning and fairly easy to care for."

The woman looked relieved and intrigued. "Oh, the orchids are beautiful. What do they need?"

"Ah, alright, I will show you the watering schedule and then we can look at the potting mix...."

*******

After her shift, she strolled to their favourite spot at the campus cafe, a cosy corner adorned with mismatched chairs and vintage posters. The scent of freshly brewed coffee, soft hum of students chatting, and the distant clatter of dishes in the kitchen.

Slouching into her seat crossing her arms with a grumpy expression, Thea addressed her friends, who were already settled in and sipping on their drinks.

"Can you believe Levi today?" she groaned, frustration evident in her voice.

Poppy with her fingers boasting an array of rings tapped her thigh and chuckled softly. "Oh, Dot, that boy is acting like a true Sagittarius. If he keeps this up, I can resort to extreme measures for you"

Thea raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Extreme measures?"

Poppy nodded sagely. "Oh yes, like feeding him endless cups of decaf. Maybe that'll calm his overactive charm. Ooh maybe, I can tie his tongue with his own shoelaces using voodoo."

Audrey with perfectly styled hair that never gets ruined, fixed her perfect red sundress and offered a sympathetic smile. "He does seem to enjoy pushing your buttons."

"Maybe he's just trying to flirt in his own weird way." Drew chimed in with her ever-flirtatious smirk and laid-back demeanour.

Thea scoffed, shaking her head vehemently. "Believe me, Drew, Levi's idea of flirting is pure annoyance."

"Speaking of annoying," Poppy interjected, "I had the most bizarre encounter with my professor today. I swear, he thinks he's the reincarnation of Shakespeare."

Audrey sighed softly. "My day wasn't much better. One of my group members for the project disappeared without a trace."

Drew raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Who does that?"

Thea leaned back in her chair with her hands covering her face, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she vented to her friends.

"Thanks for enduring my daily dose of drama, guys," she muttered into her hands. "I'd be wandering the halls aimlessly without you."

"You know," Drew quipped with a playful grin, "if Levi keeps this up, we might have to start a 'Surviving Levi Support Group'."

Thea snorted softly, crossing her arms. "That might actually be necessary."