Innocent Flower

Written by Raven of Darkness Shadows

Nineteen

I groan as I get dragged into the store. Sakura, Crissy, even my mother, are chatting away about what dress would look great on me. I guess they don’t trust me to pick one out on my own, huh? I walk away from them though, looking at all the random outfits. Eventually, I actually find my way to the men’s section and I start holding the clothes up to my body to see if they’d fit. Yes, apparently I’ve lived this way so long that I actually want guys’ clothes now.

After all that I’ve been through, I can’t just go back to being a girl, can I? Worrying about makeup, hair, clothes… I don’t really miss it all that much. Being a guy is just so much easier. Most don’t wear makeup, some don’t really care if their hair is combed, and others don’t care about how their clothes look as long as they don’t stink.

Still, if I want to ever have a chance with Nick… I need to go back to being a girl again. No… I need to be a woman. I casually walk over to the women’s section again, and start looking at the dresses on my own, pretending I don’t know the crazy girls arguing about straps versus strapless… All of the dresses are really pretty, most of them looking like they’re meant for princesses rather than average girls. Right now, though, I’m probably less than average…

I decide right away that I don’t want strapless. After all, I don’t really have anything to hold it up with. I’m not flat, I just don’t have much! The ones with straps look rather plain though, nothing too fancy or spectacular.

So after all the debating, they drag me someplace else and start looking around some. I’m just getting really hungry and super bored… I’m not meant for fancy dress shopping. In my opinion, the dresses here look just like the others had, but the women I’m stuck with tell me that there’s definitely differences.

At the third store, I am almost too afraid to walk in. It’s so pink and girly and ugh! They keep holding dresses up to me to see how they look until they finally realize that pink is definitely not my color!

After a quick break for lunch, it’s back to dress hunting. I kind of wish it would all just stop now. I didn’t really want to go to this silly dance anyway. “Hey, Nana, look at this one!” squeals Crissy, and I turn to her with a frown until I actually look at the dress she’s holding up. My jaw drops. It’s so beautiful! It’s a darkish bluish color with purple frills and it’s just… so gorgeous. “I’m not worthy!” I cry.

Crissy just stares at me. “I think your insanity is finally breaking through, Sis. Finally.”

***

It’s late when I finally come home. Surprisingly, I find Nick fast asleep on the couch, the television remote in one hand, and his cell phone in the other. He must’ve been expecting an important call from someone. Unfortunately, it looks like they never did call. Poor guy.

I go to my room and change into some pajamas, a t-shirt and some sweat pants, and then walk to the kitchen for a quick snack. After pouring the cereal into my bowl I check the fridge to see if we have any milk left. Luckily, we do, but it’s just enough for my cereal. I guess I’ll go to the store and pick up some more tomorrow.

I sit on the floor in the living room to eat, watching whatever channel is on. Apparently it’s some kind of show about the FBI or something. The computer girl is pretty cool though. That is some wacky hair. I just stare at who I think is the youngest member of the team, some guy that is really, really smart. I don’t think I could ever hope to be that smart.

After the show is finally over, I take my empty bowl out to the kitchen again and rinse it out. Yawning, I return to the living room again afterwards and walk over to Nick, taking the remote and phone from him and putting them on the coffee table. I highly doubt he wants to stay out here all night. “Hey, Nicky, wake up.”

“Mmm…” is all I really hear from him as he continues to sleep there. He looks really cute like this. I hate to be the one to wake him up, but I kind of have to. It’s better to sleep in a bed than on a couch.

I try again, shaking his shoulder lightly, but he still doesn’t stir. “Come on, Nick, get up already. It’s time for you to go to bed.” I wonder if I should spray him with water… No that would be too mean. So what else should I try then?

I kneel down closer to his face, saying loud and clear as I shake him, “Wake up, dude. Your bed is waiting for you.”

And finally I get an actual response, as he cracks open an eye to look at me sleepily. Gaaaah, he’s soooo cuuuuuute!!!! The way his face looks right now is so priceless!!! I shall never forget this lovely image!!!

“You’re blushing…” he comments, still watching me with that one eye, and I freeze. That sort of sounds familiar.

“I-I’m sorry,” I try telling him. Oh wow, this whole conversation sounds familiar now…

What happens next isn’t so familiar though, as he closes the gap between us and kisses me, and this time, I’m wide awake! Oh… my gawd… Does he really like me after all?!!! His soft lips… I hope this moment never ends.