ASMEEN blinked at him before rapidly turning and rushing out. She went blindly, running out of the town hall without realizing it, the wind cold against her bare skin. She didn't watch where she was going, and when she finally stopped moving, she realized she was in the gardens behind the town hall.

"Asmeen!"

She didn't turn.

"Asmeen!" Aven said, rushing to stand in front of her.

Asmeen looked away. Still, she could see the conflicted expression on his face.

"Asmeen, please," Aven said, running a hand through his hair and utterly ruining the neat style. "I didn't—"

"What? You didn't mean it?" Asmeen said, noticing with horror that her voice was trembling. Still, she kept talking. "Because it seemed like you meant it."

Aven bit his lip, clasping his hands together anxiously. "Not really, I—I just said it in the heat of the moment. I was angry, from yesterday, and—"

"Well, it's not like you're the only one who has a right to be angry!" Asmeen exclaimed, finally looking him in the eye. "You messed up plenty yesterday!"

In all honesty—they were fighting. They were hardly friends. She wasn't sure why this had hurt her so much, but it did.

Aven nodded, his gaze dropping to the ground. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Asmeen's lips parted. Had he ever apologized to her before? She drew her lips in. "Why did you say all that? We've fought before—have you been saying things behind my back all this time?" Surely, he hadn't said that in front of Nyma—she would've told her.

But still, to talk about her with his friends like that...

Aven shook his head, looking at her with beseeching eyes. "No! I swear on Lelitë, I haven't. I just—" He sighed. "I wasn't in...the best mood today, and it—I took it out on you. It's not your fault."

"Well, it sounded like it had a whole lot to do with me," Asmeen said, pursing her lips.

Aven nodded. "I'm sorry. I'll tell them that all of that was wrong. That I was wrong."

Asmeen shook her head. "What did you even mean? That it doesn't seem like I want to be here? Since when do you know me?"

Aven twisted his lips, looking to the side, his face catching the candlelight. "Well, the first day we met...when I asked you why you wanted to be a Flower Child, you said it was what your father wanted. So I thought—"

"You had no right to think anything," Asmeen said sharply. "I've been working and working and working for five years to get into the final round! Of course I want to be here!"

Aven nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't have said anything."

Asmeen sighed, looking away. "It doesn't matter." Her anger was melting away, all she felt now was...tired. Disappointed. She turned, ready to walk back into the hall.

Aven caught her arm, lightly tugging her back to face him.

"What?" Asmeen said, giving him a hard stare.

"I really am sorry," Aven said, swallowing. "I didn't mean any of that. Honestly, I think you're incredible. Not many people would come back after failing so many times, and you're so talented, and funny, and—" He shook his head. "I think we could be friends."

"I thought so too," Asmeen said.

Aven licked his lips, fidgeting. "You didn't deserve that. I swear, I'll make it up to you. I won't insult you at all from now on, I swear, I'll be a true gentleman."

Asmeen sighed, her shoulders dropping. "I...I know you were mad. But you shouldn't have..."

"And I'm sorry," Aven said, staring her in the eyes. He really meant it, Asmeen could tell.

She closed her eyes, letting out a breath. "Fine."

Aven let go of her fingers slowly. "Your flower crown is slipping."

Asmeen blinked, reaching up a hand to touch her head. Her crown had indeed started slipping as she'd run, and was tilted diagonally on her head. She touched it hesitantly, not sure how to fix it without ruining her hair.

"Here, let me," Aven said, reaching out a hand. Asmeen nodded and he took a step closed, his eyes focused on her head. He took it off gently and smoothed down the stray hairs, his fingers patting her hair gently, before putting it back on. "There you go."

"Thank you," she said, as he stepped back.

"It's nothing," Aven said, attempting a weak smile. "Are—are you going back in?"

Asmeen nodded.

"So am I," he said, and when he started walking, Asmeen only waited for a moment.

Then, unexpectedly, a laugh bubbled out of her mouth.

"What?" Aven asked, turning back.

Asmeen couldn't help grinning. "Your—your flower crown." Somehow it had slipped from his head and was hanging from on of the shiny buttons of the shoulder of his dark suit.

Aven reached behind his head, giving her a confused look.

Asmeen rolled her eyes amusedly. "Turn around." He complied, and she walked up, pulling the flower crown off of his suit. His button was a bit loose now. "Turn again." When he did, she stood on her toes and placed it on his head so that the chrysanthemum was in the front.

"Thank you," Aven said as she lowered herself to the ground. There was hardly any space between them, so she could make out Aven swallowing hard before glancing in the direction of the town hall. "Do you—I mean, may I—" He grimaced. "May I dance with you?"

Asmeen's lips parted, and she stared at him. "What?"

Aven turned, his hand automatically tousling the back of his hair, shaking the crown. "You're right, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked—"

"No!" Asmeen exclaimed. "I mean, yes! I—" She let out a breath, calming herself. "I would like to dance with you."

Aven turned to her, his eyes wide. "Really?"

Asmeen nodded, giving him a tentative smile.

Aven's lips widened into a bright grin. "Shall we go, then?" He offered her his arm, and Asmeen clutched the inside of it, letting him lead her down the rosemary and lavender path again.

"We make a pretty picture," she said, half-laughing as she looked between herself and Aven. Her, in all white, her dress breezy and light—and Aven, in an all-black, sharp suit.

"What?" Aven asked, looking down. Then he grinned. "Right."

They went back into the town hall together. About as soon as they entered, they could see Aven's friends huddled near the doors, looking worried. When they saw them, they looked confused. Asmeen gave them a tight smile before looking forward.

A new song was just starting, so Aven led her onto the dance floor, putting one hand on her waist, his fingers shaking a bit, and Asmeen put on one his shoulder and then grabbed his other hand, entwining their fingers.

Aven gave her a breathtaking smile and began dancing. He really was a good dancer, easily leading her through the dance. Asmeen let herself just follow his lead, letting herself relax.

"You're a good dancer," Aven said, beginning the conversation.

Asmeen smiled back at him. "So are you."

"You—you look really beautiful today," Aven said. Then he shook his head sharply. "I don't mean you don't look beautiful every day, of course,—"

Asmeen laughed. "Thank you. So do you."

Aven gave her a sweet smile, twirling her. Asmeen's dress flared out and back in as they joined hands again.

"Asmeen, I'm really sorry," he said.

Asmeen sighed, giving him a reassuring smile. "I forgive you. Just don't do anything like that again."

"I swear I won't," Aven said earnestly, before grinning again. "So...no more fighting?"

Asmeen laughed, shaking her head. "Is this our third time, declaring a truce?"

Aven's eyes narrowed, his head tilting to the side. "I think so. I hope this time it sticks."

Asmeen nodded. "So do I. Let's try not to get angry too easily."

"Let's," Aven said, moving out and back in with the music. "By the way, your archery yesterday was amazing. How did you hit it every single time?"

Asmeen laughed. "It honestly wasn't that hard. You just need practice."

Aven nodded, hissing through his teeth. "I nearly failed that part of the first rounds of training. I might not have nodded."

"I'll tell you something," Asmeen said, grinning sheepishly, "I nearly failed that—the branches, the obstacle course—that part. I also nearly didn't make it."

Aven laughed. "Strangely, I could have guessed that on my own."

Asmeen rolled her eyes. "Sure."

The dance ended, but Aven kept hold of her arm as he led her off the dance floor. "Let me introduce you to someone."

Asmeen followed him, albeit a bit curiously, as Aven led her to a short, lean man dressed in a dapper green suit whose color Asmeen immediately wanted to replicate—one of Aven's friend group, Asmeen realized, with an uneasy feeling.

"Asmeen, this is Kinal, my friend. Kinal, this is Asmeen, my partner in training."

Asmeen nodded at the man politely, and he smiled back a bit awkwardly.

"He's a Flower Child," Aven said.

"Oh," Asmeen said, understanding. For all she'd done, she'd never really gotten a chance to speak to a Flower Child really, except her mother, and her mother preferred not to discuss work at home, even though she was retired.

She remembered telling Aven this during one of their more civil conversations in the infirmary.

"Obviously, she's training to be a Flower Child," Aven said to Kinal. "And I thought, maybe, she could ask you some questions, you know."

"Of course," Kinal said, giving her a pleasant look. "I'm always happy to help."

"I'll leave you two then," Aven said, letting go of her hand. He walked away, and Asmeen caught sight of his proud smile as he left.

Was that a moment? Did they have a moment? Anyways, I've been imagining this scene since before I even started the story. What did you think of it?

See you next chapter!