⊱Merde, c'est reparti pour un tour⊰

Shit, here we go again

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"Welcome to Lei flower shop."

I bowed to the high school students pouring in, laughing amongst themselves, ignoring me. A usual sight. Their faces seemed somewhat familiar but I wouldn't be able to recognize them anyway. It was not like I would interact with people. I had more important things to do like studying for my next SAT exam.

I continued cutting off the dried parts of the roses on the counter, minding my business while the students kept chatting and pretending to look at the flowers on display. I sighed at how I was wasting my time. Mom said she would be here at seven, but it was already seven forty. I was supposed to do two past papers by now.

"Did you hear? Mia got into Stanford!"

My hand slipped and I accidentally cut my thumb. A hiss left me and I dropped the scissors. Stanford, huh...

The others gasped. "No way!"

"Layla said she received her admission this morning and she got into freaking Princeton!"

A lump formed in my throat and I gulped. I knew her. Layla was hardworking, but she was often going around the city wasting time. She got in while I was here, trying to practice for my admission exam again. What did I do wrong?

No no, I just had to try harder. Hard work should pay off one day.

I fished my jeans pockets to put a bandaid on my thumb. Daisy patterned bandaid decorated my finger once again. Funny how this time, it wasn't the rose thorn but my own self cutting this skin.

"These flowers are so expensive," one of the boys groaned. "Let's just buy chocolate for the gift."

"You do realize they're around the same price?"

"But flowers die so fast. They're so useless."

My blood pressure spiked. What that ignorant boy said hit a nerve. I wanted to smack him with a book about flower languages.

"Ain't no way!" Another one showed them his phone screen with shock plastered on his face. "Jay got into Harvard!"

"The fuck?!"

"No way!"

Every boy and girl around him shouted and leaned in to see his phone, and cacophony of shocked sounds filled the flower shop. Among them was mine. I didn't expect anyone to get admission to Harvard, but Jay was not too surprising. I never spoke to him since he always looked cold. He was rich, his family owned multiple companies and he was on a different league than everyone. It was easy for someone like him to get into Harvard.

I sighed and continued cutting the roses. This time, more aggressively. Lord, when is my time? I'm working hard, so when?! I want to go to Harvard, too!

The students marched out of our shop, leaving me alone with my prayers. Although it was turning into curses. I had to work hard. If that wasn't enough, I had to work harder. Successful life! Just wait for me!

I took out my phone to check the time and it was already eight. No calls or texts from mom. I whined, "Mom, I have so much to do! Why aren't you coming?"

I snapped my head up when the chime jingled and a red- no, maroon haired man walked in. With his eyes set on me, he walked straight up to me and not gonna lie, it made me panic.

"What flower represents luck?"

My breath hitched when I heard his deep voice. I didn't expect that voice when I saw his face. Big double eyelids with thick lashes underneath and heart shaped lips with bigger upper lip. He was pretty, but his voice? Scary.

Oh wait, he asked me a question!

"Uh... C-Clover...?"

His eyes widened and he threw his head back with a deep chuckle. A stark contrast to his first expression. It was a different person.

"Ah, how could I not know?" He shook his head with a bright smile that made him look childish and cheerful. "Clover! Of course! Do you have a clover?"

I blinked a few times. "N-No... It's kind of rare...?"

He pursed his lips and nodded. "Right. But do you want luck?"

I scanned the shop, wondering what this weird man was trying to do. Mom didn't warn me about such customers.

"Of course. Everyone wants luck."

The chime jingled again and a very pale skinned, black haired man walked in. Mom, I'm scared. In the evening, there are men coming in.

The weird man in front of me turned around to look at him while the pale skinned man gave him a lazy smirk, walking past him. He reached the counter and said, "One rose, please." Another deep voice, but a rather lazy and raspy one.

I picked a red rose from a bouquet and handed him. "That will be fifty cents."

He placed a coin on the counter and pushed it towards me. When I grabbed it, I felt a little sleepy. I was probably tired from all the studying. But no way I was sleeping until I finished today's practice.

"Interesting," the man murmured and thanked me before walking out the door.

The other man who was watching him had a deep frown on his face and he looked scary again.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled and I tilted my head, not understanding. Maybe he apologized for not buying any flower. People usually didn't apologize for that.

"It's okay, sir."

He pursed his lips and shuffled out of the door.

"Weird men," I said under my breath and sighed.

I took out my phone and tapped on my mom's contact. I had so much to do and I couldn't wait any longer. I was dying to study that I couldn't stand still.

The line kept beeping.

Mom didn't pick up.

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As the title says, here we go again 🙃

Who's here since book 1 lol. You da real MVP 💜
Also, sporadic updates warning 😅

Thank you for reading this chapter and please don't forget to vote if you liked it 🌼