Uriah

It was six thirty in the morning and Uriah was wide awake. He wasn't sure if the alarm woke him up or he simply didn't sleep well because the exhaustion from yesterday stuck to him like glue. Groaning, he closed his eyes, trying to fall back asleep and hoping to wake up six hours later, so he didn't need to make a decision now. It didn't work, as he snapped his eyes open five minutes later.

'I'll come by again tomorrow,' Her smiling face flashed across his eyes, with her voice ringing loud and clear.

Uriah really wanted to wipe that memory out of his head. It was giving him a headache right now.

But she promised.

He groaned loudly, again. It wouldn't stop replaying in his mind. The thought that she would faint again from waiting outside a closed shop for hours under the scorching sun popped up in his mind and his eyebrows knitted together in worry.

It was seven already.

She might not come, but what if she does?

Grudgingly, he hopped out of bed.

Jasmine

She stared at the blue flower in front of her with a few kids beside her.

"What do you think it is?" The boy with a small cut on his left cheek asked.

"A flower, silly." The only girl of the trio answered.

"But why is there only one by the riverbank?" The other boy chimed in.

"Maybe it's not a flower."

"Or it's wilting."

"Let's pluck it out."

"No! Don't be mean!"

"Fine."

They went back to staring, and after a short silence, they turned to her and chorused, "Do you know what it is?"

On the way to Astilbe, she stopped on her tracks when she noticed three kids crouching down, staring and having an argument over something she couldn't see. Curiosity made her take part in whatever they were doing, and she listened to them as she glanced at the object.

It was uncommon to see flowers growing in small amounts, but it was even rarer to see only one flower growing out of three stems.

Jasmine shook her head at them, "I don't, sorry."

They pouted and grumbled, before they took off again.

Kids, what short attention span they have. She took one glance at the lone blue flower, already memorized its characteristics and left.

Maybe she would ask him.

Uriah

It was nearly ten when he finally finished his daily work -- watering the plants, checking his flower stocks in the cold storage, trimming the flowers, calling the customers regarding their orders -- but there was no sign of Jasmine yet.

He did his best to not show his restlessness on his face, even when the same thought kept on appearing in his mind.

Would she come?

With a soft sigh, Uriah stepped out of the backdoor, starting to regret his decision. Maybe he should have decided on instinct, not reason. Disappointment shrouded him like the summer heat. Maybe she forgot, maybe he was the only one who treated this like a big deal, maybe she went home and realized it was a bad idea. Thoughts of many kinds rushed through his mind, his anxiety kicking in.

Shaking his head lightly, he tried not to put his hopes high for the rest of the day, and turned on his heels. Uriah stopped abruptly before he could even take a step forward, almost bumping into a tiny thing.

"Hey."

Uriah met her piercing gaze surprisingly accurate even though she was a head shorter. Her eyes were golden-ish hazel, a different hue than yesterday, probably from having sunlight reflected into them since they were outside.

"I'm not late, am I?"

She came.

"Hey."

A smile tugged on his lips.

"Nah, you came at the right time. I'm done with almost everything."

Jasmine smiled.

Thank goodness he got up today.

Jasmine

She entered the shop behind him, taking in the interior design for the first time from the entrance. It had a homey feeling to it, and Jasmine really liked that about the shop. Cool air gently hit her skin, as she was instantly relieved of the heat outside.

"About that Coreopsis yesterday," she started, "I searched up the meaning. Thank you."

"Really, you don't have to thank me. I'm glad you liked it. Not everyone I give flowers to appreciate it, you know." he chuckled. "You can head upstairs first, I'll go get some tea."

"Okay," she watched as Uriah disappear through the door next to the counter, where she assumed it to be the kitchen as she made her way up the stairs hastily, not wanting him to walk up behind her when she was in a sundress.

Jasmine only had less than a minute to stare at the sky out of the window before the sound of Uriah setting two cups with identical floral design on the table snapped her out of her trance.

"Thank you." She smiled, "That was quick."

He nodded, sitting down on the couch opposite her. "I'm the only barista here after all." After some time passed and deeming it appropriate, he spoke, "Are you new in town? I haven't seen you around."

"Not really. I've been here a few times when I'm younger, but my family are back to visit my grandparents for the summer." she said, watching him pour hot water into the small pot, as he covered it quickly again. "And you?"

"It's my hometown, But I moved away when I was seven, and I just moved back here four years ago." He said without looking up, concentrating on making the flower tea. When Uriah lifted the cover of the pot, sweet fragrance wafted out along with steamy air.

It piqued her curiosity why he would move away for years and still come back, but it was too personal, so she shook the thought away.

"I love this town. Do you?" He looked up at her for a brief moment, making eye contact.

"Not so much. I wasn't keen on coming, actually." Jasmine shrugged.

"Really? Minaburgh is a beautiful town though." Without missing a beat, he gave her a lopsided, confident smile that was both fresh and pleasing to Jasmine and pushed the cup towards her, "I'll take you on a tour and show you the secret spots. You'll like it then, I'm sure."

"Okay," she accepted the cup of tea as she squeaked out her answer while trying her best to look casual about it. She really didn't want to admit that she was looking forward to it already.

After few mouthful of tea, Jasmine asked, "Is this Jasmine tea? It tastes a little different but still similar."

"Yep! It's the same tea but with different base, so it gives off a different aftertaste. It's heavier than yesterday's, isn't it?" He grinned, "You seemed to know tea quite well though."

"Well, as you can see, I like flowers, so I guess I couldn't stop myself from trying out flower teas whenever I get the chance to." She laughed, a little bashfully as she tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ears.

"That's cool. Not many people I know really like flowers, and without people like you, I'd be out of business."

Jasmine chuckled lightly. She had already relaxed so much and gotten comfortable around him even though she was only here for awhile. Listening to Uriah talk and laugh oddly made her just as happy.

Not wanting the serene atmosphere from dying down due to her awkwardness and lack of social abilities, Jasmine brought up what was bothering her in an attempt to continue the conversation.

"I saw a blue flower by the riverside just now. It's tiny, with five petals and yellow centered. Do you have any idea what it is?"

Uriah hummed, looking at no place in particular, seemingly deep in thought. Jasmine fiddled with her fingers, waiting patiently for his answer with her gaze glued to him.

He looked tired. Not just the kind of exhaustion from lack of sleep, but something much more.

"I think it was Forget-Me-Nots that you saw," Uriah looked back at her as she waved her thoughts away. "It's the right season and habitat."

He was always looking straight into her eyes. She liked that about him. It made her think he was someone really honest, without lies, a sincere person.

He stood up and walked towards the small shelf behind them. Running his hand through the books, he pulled one out and made his way back to the couch. "Give me a sec,"

Uriah flipped through the pages, looking intently at the pictures, and Jasmine waited just as she was told to.

"Found it," his face lit up and he passed the book at her, "Here's the picture. Is it the right one?"

Uriah

"Yeah, it is." she nodded with a small frown. "But it's strange."

"What is?"

"The pictures show them growing in a bunch. But I saw only one single flower." Jasmine looked up from the book, her light caramel hair falling back to places, on her shoulders, "Is it normal?"

"It's not," Uriah hummed again. "It's true that they grow in a huge bunch, but it's rare to find one lone flower especially in summer. Well, it's not impossible. This reminds me of the myths I read about them in a book."

He paused, trying to recall the details. Every flower has its own story, myths, legends. No one could ever verify their authenticity, yet they were passed down from decades and centuries ago. What made them so special? Why were they remembered and believed in even though they are so ephemeral?

Jasmine

There he went again, falling into deep thought all of a sudden. Carrying such a lost expression, he looked so fragile. Then, like previous times, before she could even think of what to do, he snapped out of it and smiled at her. It was only polite to not keep her waiting, but somehow, it only felt like his self-defense mechanism, stopping others from having the slightest chance to get close.

"Interested?"

She nodded.

Yes. In you.

Uriah

"I'll start from the flower meaning." Uriah flashed a toothy smile at her, like an excited kid.

"Just as the name implies, Forget-Me-Nots mean remembrance. It can mean the remembrance of good memories like when two people are together as a couple. It also signifies true love."

"That's beautiful."

He smiled fondly, "Yep, it is. That's why it's really common for people to express their love with this flower. It's sweet, I guess. But sometimes, they are also used in a different occasion."

"Like, for an example, a funeral. For this case, it brings a different message. 'Take the time to remember those you love, even if they're still with you right now. Make memories that last and extend your care to those that need it the most. And always keep the people that aren't with you anymore in your heart.' Like its name, Forget-Me-Not, it's almost as if this tiny flower is begging not to be forgotten."

How scary would it be to be forgotten?

Jasmine

Jasmine stayed silent. It was as if the words wouldn't get out of her. It was really meaningful, but before that, his expression was even more of a shock.

His eyes were blank, hollow. And he didn't look 20, like someone older than her anymore. Uriah had looked like a child, having lost his way.

She felt a strong urge, like a pull, to reach out within him, for his hand.

Uriah

"Following that, based on a Christian lore, the story about Forget-Me-Nots is that God was walking in the Garden of Eden. He saw a blue flower and asked it its name. The tiny flower whispered that he had forgotten his name. God then renamed it as Forget-Me-Not and He left saying that He will not forget the flower."

"That's great. Sounds like the little flower was redeemed." She said softly.

"Yeah." He replied absentmindedly.

It was just luck. If it wasn't saved, it would forever just an insignificant flower that was lost, not even knowing the meaning of its existence and in due time, will wilt, alone and forgotten.

"As a story for lovers, Forget-Me-Nots were first mentioned in a legend of a man and his wife who were walking beside the River Danube. They saw the beautiful blue flowers that this plant had growing on the other side of the river. The man leapt into the water to get the flowers. Although the current was strong, the man crossed the river safely and got the flowers."

"However, on his trip back to her, he was swept away in the rapids. Before he completely disappeared, he threw the bouquet of Forget-Me-Nots to her and shouted, "Forget me not!". With tears flowing down her cheeks, she shouted back the same thing and wore these flowers on her hair until the day she died. It was said that she never forgot about him."

Did she?

Uriah sucked in a deep breath and let it out.

"That's about it, I guess?"

Jasmine

The way his voice sounded, it held so much depth, like behind the story he told, they were thousands of other stories waiting to be told, but he wasn't ready to tell yet. Jasmine heard him. She heard something that rarely surfaced.

It sounded like a melancholy melody.

"Jas?"

"Hmm?"

"You seem out of it, are you okay? Is the heat bothering you again?"

"No, I feel fine. It's-- wait," she blinked, "What did you call me?"

"Jas?"

She felt something flutter in her stomach. It sounded nice to hear him say that.

"I thought it was cuter that way. I like how it rolled off my tongue. But if you dislike it, I can--"

"No! It's okay," she could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks, "It's fine. Just forget it."

"...Okay?"

They both stared at each other for a short while in silence.

Then, he laughed. Like, really laughed. The loud and hearty kind.

And Jasmine giggled along.

Uriah

The doorbell rang and they had to stop talking.

"I'll be right back." Uriah said, before running down the stairs.

When he got near the entrance, a boy around his age had entered by himself. Uriah got near enough to take a closer look. He was examining the shop with his dark brown eyes, hands in the pockets of his ripped jeans.

"Can I help you?" Uriah called out.

He snapped his head at him and instantly Uriah noticed how familiar his eyes looked. They resembled someone he knew.

"I'm looking for my sister. It's getting late, and she said she'd be coming here."

"Sister?" He repeated like an idiot, but if he was looking for a girl, then perhaps he knew who.

Uriah heard footsteps and before he knew it, Jasmine stood beside him.

"Trevor? What are you doing here?"

Uriah looked from Jasmine to Trevor, and it took him awhile to realize the uncanny resemblance.

"Dad and mom didn't want you breaking the curfew again, so I was sent to get you."

"Oh," she took a quick glance at her watch, and mumbled, "It's 5 already?"

Uriah stood there awkwardly, not wanting to interrupt anything.

Jasmine

Jasmine noticed the two males glancing at each other and took her cue, "Uriah, this is Trevor, my brother. And Trev, Uriah."

They exchanged glances and nodded at each other. Trevor raised an eyebrow at her, and she immediately added, "A friend. And the owner of this flower shop."

She caught the mischievous glint in Trevor's eyes and had to refrain the urge to glare at him, even though she might have already looked sour. Jasmine really didn't wish to look bratty in front of Uriah.

"Nice to meet you." Uriah spoke up first, smiling at the dark ash-haired boy.

He grinned back. "Right back at cha!"

Stealing a glance at the clock, Jasmine realized they were running late. She started towards Trevor.

"Wait outside for a while, Trev." She muttered.

"Don't take too long now. I know he's hot, but don't drool all over him, kay?" Trevor smirked.

She glared. "Shoo."

Uriah

Jasmine made her way towards her brother and whispered something before turning towards him.

"For the tea," she said, "Both last and this time, how much do I need to pay?"

"You don't--"

"I want to," Jasmine smiled. "Please?"

He stared at her briefly before sighing in defeat, not wishing to turn the determination in her eyes into disappointment. "Alright, two dollars then."

She fished for money in her pocket and passed it to him. It turned silent, and only the sound of the cash machine clang loudly.

"Umm," she started and looked away with pursed lips.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come again tomorrow?"

Uriah blinked. "Oh." He had thought it would be something more serious, like she would say something he didn't want to hear. But this? He had already thought she would be coming and didn't give many thoughts about it. So, with a smile, he answered, "Sure. You don't have to ask next time, just come whenever."

"Great," She beamed, a little bashfully, with a small blush.

They stared at each other warmly, until a voice interrupted them.

"Excuse me. I'm here, just so you know. Your own brother, Jas, who watched you grow up."

"It's nothing, Trev!" She fumed. Uriah held back a laugh. She was a little different when she was with her brother, more open and bright.

"Let's hope so," he grinned and the smile reached his eyes, wrinkles showing more evidently at the corners of his eyes. "Are you set?"

"Yup."

"Let's get going then." He gave Uriah a nod as did Jasmine.

Uriah watched their backs slowly turn small and disappear as a thought popped up in his mind.

He couldn't understand why someone as cheerful and easygoing as Trevor would have eyes that mirrored his own and why he hid his pain, but he had a hunch they were very similar.

***

This is the longest chapter so far! I hope you liked it. Trevor appears again! Do you like him? Do you want to know more about him? Were the myths and stories about the Forget-Me-Nots interesting?

Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

I'll see you again on the next update next week :)