In more ways than I could count, she was just like me.
Envious, impulsive, resentful...
We both walked down the wrong path.
Wallflower Blush had, by chance, found the Memory Stone, thrown into this world by Clover the Clever. She had the ability to erase memories, while the ability to restore them was just an afterthought for her.
She lay hunched down on the parking lot’s pavement, disheartened. I… didn’t actually know how long she had the stone, but… it seemed like a lifeline to her. A way for Wallflower to work through her awkward tendencies without anyone remembering.
That just made it hurt more.
The more wounds she got, the more the power of the Memory Stone got to her head; that’s how we ended up here. This would be the first time in Celestia – sorry, princess – knows how long she had felt a twinge of remorse.
“Everyone matters, Wallflower. No matter how insignificant or invisible they feel.”
I tentatively approached her, a warm smile on my face. I extended my hand out to her, and she turned around, pupils wide, beaming with a blush on her cheeks.
I don’t know what you’ve been through, but...
I pulled her up, quickly wrapping her in a warm hug. I could feel her breath steady as she was overwhelmed with relief, happiness, and warmth.
It must’ve been hard, Wallflower...
“Sunset! Over here!”
A few months had passed since the incident with the Memory Stone, and I should say, Wallflower Blush had gotten much better. She’d made new friends and tended to the school’s gardens with care that rivaled Fluttershy. Honestly, the gentle scent of roses, the shade of the tall trees, the soft rustling of leaves… it was really calming.
“Yeah? What’cha got there?” I asked, stepping closer to a small flower bed.
Wallflower beamed. “I planted sunflowers!” she exclaimed, patting down the soil before drizzling it with water. Tiny seedlings sprouted from the ground.
“Sunflowers, huh?” I covered my eyes from the sun’s rays. “No wonder you planted them here.
“Mhm. These little ones should bloom in the next few weeks, I can’t wait!” she giggled.
I smiled. She was really enjoying herself. Glancing around, I could see the numerous volunteers helping her take care of the garden. Yeah, this place shaped up to be worthy of the yearbook. Even got a quick snap of Wallflower while she wasn’t looking! I mean, of course I asked her permission to use it for the yearbook, and I got her consent, so no harm done!
Wallflower calmly stood up, walked over to a bench shaded by trees planted behind it, and sat down. She glanced around with a smile plastered on her face as I followed suit and gently plunked myself down beside her.
I smirked. “You seem happy.”
Wallflower nodded. “I’ve come a long way since back then, you know?” She gestured around her. “Cultivated the garden, made some new friends…”
She paused and looked down wistfully. “But I haven’t owned up for my mistakes…”
“Wallflower, no,” I hastily replied. “You have come a long way, and you’ve definitely made up for what you did with the Memory Stone.”
“How? All I’ve done is nothing!”
I sighed. “So, you think you’ve done nothing?”
She nodded.
“Alright, now, look around you.”
Wallflower tilted her head in confusion, but tentatively glanced around the garden. Her eyes locked onto the different, blooming flowers, then switched to the tall trees, and stopped at the various volunteers.
“I don’t get it,” she deadpanned.
I shook my head, holding back a laugh. “You’ve already done so much. You propagated new life, leaving behind what happened before.” I gestured around the garden. “Sure, it won’t change that you did it, but you’re moving forward and are being a better person.” I gently poked her chest. “All of that, came from your heart.”
I leaned back. “You gave the school new life, the fruits of your labor. You made new friends who you can count on.” I gave her a thumbs up.
Wallflower restrained a giggle. “I… I still… never really made it up to you, though.”
“Wanna make it up to me? Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
“What have I been doing?”
“Be happy, be yourself,” I smiled. “Hang out with us, if you want. As long as there’s a smile on your face, and you aren’t feeling lonely like before, that’s more than enough.”
I winked. “Plus, your smiles are too cute to pass up on.”
Wallflower’s face flushed red. She quickly closed the distance between us and gave me a shove, and I fell off the bench.
I laughed. “I deserved that, huh?”
Wallflower glared. “Yes, yes, you did.”
I got up, getting back on the bench. “Feeling better, though?”
She pulled on one of my arms, wrapping it around herself. “Yes,” she mumbled.
I felt heat rise to my cheeks. I fought it off with a giggle and pulled her closer.
“If you wanted a hug, you could just ask.”
Wallflower, unsurprisingly enough, got along really well with the rest of the girls. Fluttershy and Applejack had green thumbs, Rainbow Dash always treated her to a challenge, Twilight enjoyed some quiet company, and Rarity fawned over how adorable she looked in dresses. Honestly, I had to agree. Rarity’s dresses were always going to look great on people, but there was a sort of charm whenever I saw Wallflower wear them.
I invited her a few times to our outings to, you know, keep her busy over the break. I liked the company. Plus, seeing her smile always made me happy.
“So, anyway, Sunset went all ‘whoosh!’ on her bike!” Pinkie exaggerated, sat on the floor, with all eight of us sitting in a circle. “Then Rainbow Dash was like ‘eeeeee!’”
… and Pinkie was Pinkie.
“Uh, yeah, I remember that. I was kinda there?” Wallflower tilted her head.
Pinkie gasped. “You were?! I didn’t noti–”
“And that’s enough for the night,” Applejack interjected, clamping Pinkie’s mouth shut. “How ‘bout we get some rest? Been a long day after all.”
Pinkie’s muffled voice was vaguely heard. Fluttershy and Twilight giggled softly while Rainbow Dash laughed outright. It was getting pretty late. I could tell that even Pinkie was getting worn out, though Rarity sliding her sleeping mask on her forehead said a lot.
“I must agree, there’s much to look forward to tomorrow. We may as well get a bit of shut-eye,” Rarity said.
Pinkie pried off Applejack’s hand. “But I–”
And she was out like a light.
“Whelp, that’s that,” I joked. “When Pinkie sleeps, we all sleep.”
“Mhm,” Fluttershy agreed with weary eyes.
I noticed Twilight’s hand shifting towards the notebook by her side. I nudged her with my elbow. “You can review the schedule tomorrow.”
“B-but, I need to make sure that we’ll even be able to wake up at that time!”
“We will,” Wallflower chimed in. “We’ve had to wake up earlier while sleeping later, you know?”
“Yeah, school sucks,” Rainbow Dash yawned as she got up. “Shy and me are gonna–”
“Shy and I,” Twilight and I echoed.
Rainbow groaned. “Shy and I—” she paused to glare at us “—Are gonna go to our room.”
“Okay, see you girls in the morning,” Fluttershy gave us a tiny wave as she and Rainbow left the room.
“And I.” Applejack hoisted Pinkie in her arms. “Am gonna help take this one to her room. I’ll help clean up when I get back, Rares.”
Rarity waved her hand dismissively. “There’s nothing much to clean up, darling. Sure, we have a few pillows out of order and a slightly unruly rug, but, frankly, I’m too tired to care.”
I blinked. Twice. “Rarity, are you feeling alright?”
“Never better.” She smirked.
Twilight stood up. “Payload secured, Applejack?”
The farmgirl nodded, Pinkie still asleep in her arms, and they left the room.
I got to my feet, patting down my shorts before helping Wallflower up to hers. “Goodnight, Rarity.”
“Have a wonderful night’s rest, darling.” Rarity smiled. “And you too, Wallflower,” she added with a wink.
Wallflower blushed. “Thank you.” She was suddenly staying closer to me.
I rolled my eyes. “Rarity, isn’t it a little too late to be teasing?”
“No such thing.”
I laughed. “Alright, alright, goodnight.”
The door clicked behind us as we left the room. A little outing outside of town, and we’re already having the time of our lives. Hopefully, we’ll get some great photos tomorrow. I reached into my pocket, pulling out a tagged key.
"Where's our room, again?" Wallflower asked, I glanced down at the key.
"Uh..." I held the key up to get a better look at it. Wallflower grabbed my hand, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Hmmm... looks to be two-o-four," she said, having spread my fingers a bit.
"Ri-right." I stammered. "Two-o-four."
We quietly walked along the hall of doors. I followed the even numbers carefully, while Wallflower seemed more interested in the decor. Maybe she hadn’t been in a place like this before? The wallpaper had a modest color of russet, circular ceiling lights lined the ceiling, and a few paintings of forests were hung on the walls, though I couldn’t tell if they were paintings or photos.
It didn’t take long for us to reach our room. I pushed the key into the keyhole, twisted it, and a soft click opened the door. Turning the handle, I pushed it open, met with the familiar sight of two beds to the left, a television to the right, and a bathroom adjacent to the entrance. We came here earlier to drop off our stuff, but we didn’t really get to savor the comfort. Curtained windows were directly opposite to us.
I plopped myself onto my bed. “Ah, finally!”
“Tired?” Wallflower asked.
“You think?” I snarked with a laugh. “Pinkie runs around too much.”
She nodded. “Is it just me, or is she always on a sugar high?”
“The latter.” I tugged on the blanket and slid beneath it.
“You must be really tired if you’re going to bed already,” Wallflower snickered.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, at least I didn’t fall asleep on all three car rides.”
She huffed and fluffed her pillow aggressively. Wallflower laid down on her bed, staring up at the white ceiling. “So, where’d Twilight say we were going tomorrow?”
“I think it was an animal refuge center for Fluttershy, then a ranch for Applejack,” I answered. “Come to think of it, you might like those places, too.”
“Yup,” she agreed. “You might like the animal place, though.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I’ve seen how you are with cats.” Wallflower made a cutesy expression with wide eyes.
I chuckled. “Like you aren’t the same with your garden.” I shifted my body to the side to face her, followed by raising my hand to pet an imaginary plant while cooing softy.
“Sure.”
“I only state facts.”
She glared at me while I smirked. After a few moments of silence, we began giggling childishly. Wallflower always tried to tease me, but they were always easy to turn about. Plus, she was easily – and cutely – embarrassed.
I stretched an arm before flopping back onto my pillow. “So, goodnight?”
Wallflower nodded. “Goodnight, Sunset.”
“Night, Wallflower.”
I flashed her a gentle smile as I reached for the light switch beside our beds. The room dimmed in a flash, though some of the moon’s light invaded through a small opening in the curtains. Closing my eyes, I sighed fondly. It was a great day. We got to spend time with each other, and Wallflower’s a joy to be with. I stayed close to her a lot to make sure that she didn’t get left behind, or just to talk to her about what she thought about the location.
I smiled as I laid back in bed. Yeah, today was a great day. My mind drifted lazily to Wallflower's smile before the lights went out. She had such a cute smile... it honestly always brightened up the room.
My heart fluttered for the second time this night. What was it about her that made me feel like this?
She was driving me crazy, I knew that…
But why was she driving me crazy?
What is it about simple touches and little smiles that made me feel like I was running a marathon?
“Uh, Sunset?”
I felt a jolt run throughout my body, and my eyes shot open. I glanced to my right to see Wallflower kneeling beside my bed, resting her hands on the mattress.
“Y-yeah?” Sweat trickled down my cheek. “What’s up?”
“Uhm, you were… breathing really fast.”
“Huh?” I placed a hand on my chest.
Thump-thump-thump
Wallflower reached forward, placing her hand on my own. “Did you have a bad dream?”
I felt heat rush into my cheeks. “N-no! I’m not a kid, you know?” I laughed awkwardly.
Wallflower retreated immediately. “Oh, right…”
Taking another quick look at Wallflower, her face seemed a little more pink than usual.
“How about you? Couldn’t sleep?” I sat up.
“No… not really…” Wallflower rubbed her forearm, avoiding eye contact.
I sat up. “Hey, are you okay?”
She jumped at the question. “Yeah! I am! Perfectly fine!”
“Sure?” I placed my hand on her forehead. “Your temp seems kinda high.”
There was a sudden spike in the heat coming from Wallflower’s forehead as she pushed my hand away. “I-I’m fine, really, just…”
She stammered for a second before taking a deep breath. I sighed. Well, she was definitely nervous about something. I tugged on her arm while I patted down on my bed with my other hand, telling her to sit beside me. Wallflower nodded and slowly climbed up onto my bed.
“What’s on your mind?” I asked softly, wrapping an arm around her. I ignored the marathon my heart was running.
She leaned closer to me. “I… I hope I’m not being a bother, here…”
I felt my eyes widen ever so slightly. “Why would you think that?”
“Because I don’t belong here?” she laughed airily. “I’m basically like a lost puppy trying to fit into a new home.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Well, I’m glad that you find us home-y.” I let her take that in for a moment. “Also, puppies are really cute…”
She blinked, stared at me, then her cheeks flushed red. Wallflower suddenly threw herself into me, burying her face into my shoulder. The force with which she propelled herself... I had to catch myself on my bed, or risk falling on my back.
“Dumby,” she mumbled.
“I’m just–”
“Stating facts, I know,” she continued for me, at which I smirked.
We stayed like that for a minute or two. Wallflower occasionally pulled me closer or let out a tired sigh, but, really, the one making the most noise was the air conditioning.
“I’m not a bother, am I?” Wallflower asked tentatively.
I shook my head, pulling her closer. “Never.”
“Really?” she sniffled.
“Yes, really.”
My arm suddenly felt moist. I pushed Wallflower back a little bit before wrapping both my arms around her in a hug. She sobbed gently against my chest. I didn’t really know for how long she had been alone, but I was here for her, now. I’d never leave her.
“Feeling better?” I caressed the back of her head.
“W-well…” she stuttered. “There is one more thing…”
I looked at her anticipatingly. “What is it?”
“I-I, uhm…”
I leaned in closer.
“Sunset, I…”
“Mhm?”
Wallflower cupped her hands together and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Sunset, I love you!”
I jumped back in surprise, while my heart started to beat at full force. It almost felt as if it wanted to leave my chest. I stared back at Wallflower who started looking around anxiously, with her hands restlessly rubbing her forearms. I thought back to the times where we were together.
Friends.
We were just friends.
Yet, as time went on…
My heart fluttered more and more… like a butterfly’s first flight...
The reason for that beauty?
Wallflower Blush’s eyes sparkled in the dim room. I could see her vividly, no matter how dark. She was my light, and her smile warmed my heart.
I was crazy for this girl.
She was always on my mind.
And, now, I knew why.
I took a deep breath, ignored the deep thumps against my chest, and softly spoke my reply, gently holding her hands.
“I love you too.”
Well… it’s official.
Wallflower and I were dating.
I hummed in thought as I glanced over a selection of clothes. I had a lot of jackets, not a lot of hoodies… and skirts… I’d rather not.
We’ve been on a few dates, none of them really escalated too far, but we were both happy the way we were.
“Sunset!” Wallflower called out.
I turned around. “Yeah?”
“What do you think?” She held up a black hoodie which had some yellow accents.
“Looks nice,” I answered. “But don’t you have a lot of hoodies already? Why not go for a shirt?”
Wallflower blinked before hanging the hoodie on her arm. She rubbed her forearm while smiling sheepishly. “Not a fan of t-shirts.”
I raised a brow. “So you don’t wear anything under there?” I pointed at her sweatshirt.
“W-what?!” She crossed her arms around her chest while her cheeks erupted in a fierce blush. “Of course I do!”
“Your face says a lot.” I rolled my eyes.
Wallflower huffed, placing the hoodie back in its rack. I smirked and quietly approached her from behind. I slowly wrapped my arms around her, savoring her little surprised squeak, though she stiffened up.
“S-Sunset?”
“Hm?” I rested my head on her shoulder.
“N-nothing!” She hastily returned to picking out new clothes, though she held one of her hands on top of mine.
I loosened my hold on her, meaning to let go, but quickly added a peck on her pink-ish cheeks. That pink soon turned into red before I pulled back, giggling.
“Come on, you, let’s get you a nice, cute hoodie or something.”
Wallflower stared at the floor for a few seconds before she rapidly shook her head. “R-right! Whew… okay, hoodies!”
I patted her on the head. “You sure you don’t want a shirt or something, though?”
“I…” She broke eye contact with me for a moment and rubbed her forearm again. “I have enough at home,” Wallflower affirmed.
“Well, alright, then. So hoodies galore!” I chuckled.
She… usually isn’t like this.
Weird.
Shopping, quickly followed by dinner, summed up our time in the mall. We made our way to the parking lot where I had parked my bike, and we rode beneath the night sky. One glance up, and the stars would greet you.
Though, I was more focused on Wallflower. Had to get her home, after all.
I revved my bike’s motor as we accelerated from a stop sign. Behind me, I felt Wallflower tighten her grip around my waist, pressing herself closer against me.
Feeling heat gather in my cheeks, I took a deep breath and focused on driving. It wasn’t long before we reached her house, so I guess I had that to be thankful for… or not. Depends on the context.
“Your stop, madam,” I said haughtily while taking off my helmet.
Wallflower giggled as she stepped off. Bowing her head, she gave me a small curtsy. “Thank you, my lady.”
I got off the bike as well, hanging my helmet on the handlebars. “Don’t forget what you bought,” I chided as I opened my bike’s seat. I pulled out a small paper bag with clothes from the shop.
“Oh, right, thanks.” She reached for the bag, and when she did, I pulled her towards me, wrapping her in a gentle hug.
“Love you,” I whispered.
For once, her cheeks didn’t flush red, but only tinged pink. “I love you too,” she replied.
I smiled and pecked her on the cheek. I carefully got on my bike, heart racing. Though, before I was able to put on my helmet, Wallflower called out to me again.
“Sunset, wait,” she said with a shaking hand.
“What’s up?” I asked. “Forget something?”
“N-not exactly…” She closed the distance between us. Bringing her face closer to mine, she looked at me with steeled resolve in her eyes as she held my hand.
“Uh, is there something wrong?”
Suddenly, I could feel her breath mingle with my own. She closed her eyes and inched closer, until her lips tentatively met mine. A muffled squeak managed to escape my throat while my fingers wrapped around her own. Despite the cold night air, warmth suddenly encapsulated my form. My eyes slowly closed as I melted into the kiss.
Wallflower pulled back almost too soon. “I-is that alright?”
I put a finger on my lips. They were tingling… not to mention the fluttering in my stomach.
“You…” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her back in, at which she squeaked.
“Are so cheeky.”
I pressed our lips together again. She placed one of her hands on my bike’s seat, while the other rested on my thigh. I cupped a hand around her cheek, caressing it gently. I held the kiss for longer than she did, but that was fine. We were both enjoying this moment.
We loved each other.
I slowly broke the kiss, smiling warmly. “Well, I have to go now…”
“Huh– what?” Wallflower asked in a daze. “O-oh, right!” She gave me a quick hug before stepping closer to her house. “I’ll see you in school, Sunset.”
I nodded, reaching out for my helmet. I gave her a sly wink before putting it on.
Wallflower blushed and waved goodbye with a warm smile as I drove into the streets.
That smile.
I didn’t want to see it fade.
The next week, we decided to head to the park. It was late in the afternoon, at about dusk, and we had a clear view of the sunset. The cheers of kids running in the playground was a bit too much for me at first, but I got used to it. Actually, I thought it added to the peaceful atmosphere of the place. A stone path led us around, while benches were spaced evenly throughout. Leaves danced in the wind, rustling gently as we sat beneath the shade of a tree.
“You know why I scheduled us to go here at this time?” I asked Wallflower, packing a small lunchbox into my backpack.
Wallflower tilted her head. “Why?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s sunset. Get it?” I pointed at the sky. “Sunset.” Then to myself. “Sunset Shimmer.”
She giggled softly before staring out into the distance, almost wistfully. I don’t know why, but… I feel like she didn’t like today? Did she not like parks? I mean, there were a lot of gardens here… so I thought…
Might just be overthinking.
Darnit, Twilight…
I reached over to place her lunchbox in my backpack as well. I prepared both of them, after all! I picked it up and was surprised by its weight… did she not like what I made? I peeked through the lid and saw that at least half of what I made was left unfinished.
I frowned slightly before I closed the cover and tucked it in my bag.
To my right, I heard Wallflower sigh. I glanced at her. Her eyes looked weary, even though we hadn’t done anything exactly tiring today. Actually… even lately, she hasn’t had much energy.
“Tired?” I asked tentatively.
Wallflower quickly whipped her head towards me. “Nah, I’m fine.”
“I mean, it is getting late, so it’s fine,” I reassured.
She sighed again. “Sorry, I’m just… tired.”
I chuckled. “You could just say so.”
A hint of a smile graced her face, and I stood up with a grunt before extending a hand to help her up. We walked through the park towards the main exit-slash-entrance fence. Her house was only a few blocks away from here, so I had opted to park my bike there, instead.
I didn't know why, but when Wallflower walked out to greet me earlier, she seemed… out of it, like she had no energy at all. I asked her about it, though she quickly reassured me that she was alright.
After a few short minutes, we reached her house. I escorted her to the front door. Surprisingly, she didn’t invite me inside. She simply unlocked the door with a key and headed in. My bike was parked in a secluded spot behind her house, so I guess I could just go around?
But…
I stopped the door from closing. “Hey, Wallflower?”
“Yes?” She peaked through the door with drowsy eyes.
My heart sank. “Are you alright?”
She stared at me blankly for a moment. “Yeah… I’m fine,” she answered unconvincingly.
“Are you sure?” I followed-up. “You haven’t been… how do I say this… yourself? Like, you have less energy and all that. Are you having trouble sleeping?”
“Sunset, I–” she sighed. “I’m fine, really. And you should go home, it’s getting late.”
“Wallflower…” I reached out to her.
Her lips began to quiver. “J-just go…” The door slowly swug closed.
“W-wait!” I stopped the door again at which she glared at me. “What’s wrong? Did I do something? Did someone else do something?
“Sunset!” Tears rolled down her cheek. “It’s none of those! Just… just please, leave me alone for a while!”
I choked on my breath. “P-please, Wallflower! I’ll help you with whatever it is! Let me be here for you.”
A steady stream of tears began to flow from her eyes. “Y-you can’t…” she sniffed. “You can’t… h-help me... with this!”
“Even if I can’t,” I retorted, “let me be here for you.”
“Sunset… I…”
I paused, took a deep breath, and met her teary-gaze. “Please…”
Wallflower bit her lip. Her entire body was shaking, and I wanted to hug her, comfort her. I didn’t know what got her like this. I wanted to know. Otherwise, how would I understand her situation? She stared at the ground, tears still rolling.
“Wallflower?” I called out to her.
I extended a hand towards her. I was so close, yet she felt so out of reach.
“I-I’m…” she stuttered.
I reached for her.
She slapped my hand away.
She pushed me away.
I softened my gaze.
Even then…
Cupping a hand around her cheek, through the crack in the door, I whispered.
“I’m here for you.”
Wallflower looked taken aback. Her eyes shot wide, her mouth hung open, and her entire body froze, sans her breathing. The door she so adamantly held closed creaked open. Inside, I saw that her living room had random objects on the ground, while her kitchen had multiple dirty dishes, seeming neglected.
As I glanced around, I felt Wallflower starting to shake again. She shed even more tears, and her legs trembled. I threw my other arm around her on time to catch her as she collapsed on her knees.
“I-I’m sorry…” she sobbed. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
She repeated that phrase over and over again.
I entered her house, closing the door behind us, and knelt beside her. I wrapped my arms around her, gently caressing her head.
“It’s okay…”
Wallflower sniffled. “It really isn’t…” she flashed a smile.
I brought my forehead against hers. “You get most of it out?”
“I think so…” she nodded wanly. “I should… tell you everything…”
“Only if you want to…”
“I do…” She took a deep breath.
Wallflower gingerly held her right forearm, pulling down her sleeve. I gasped. I traced my finger along her forearm, covered in scars. Line after line… some of them looked younger than the others. Her breath hitched every time I passed over a scar. I could only imagine… some felt smoother than the others, as if a scab formed then was torn off again.
“I.. I can’t help myself…” she began. “Every time my chest hurts… this… this numbs the pain... “
I leaned closer to her. “The pain of what?”
“I’m… I don’t deserve you,” she answered. “I’ve done so many bad things… the memory stone… for so long…” She teared up again. “I don’t deserve to be so happy. I’m not worth any of it.” Wallflower held my hand. “Sunset, I love you… but I can’t bear the thought that you’d be with someone like me. I don’t deserve any of it… not even something as simple as friends…”
“Don’t say that.” I held her closer against me. “You recognized what you did wrong, that’s more than enough for another start. You deserve to be happy, like the rest of us. And… well… even if you say that you don’t deserve me… I’ll still be by your side,” I blushed lightly.
Wallflower nodded, resting her head against my chest. “Thank you…” she mumbled.
“You don’t need to thank me,” I retorted.
“But I want to.”
A tiny smile graced her face. Her tears slowed to a halt, though she still sobbed softly. I hugged her for a few minutes, getting as comfortable as I can on the floor with her. I rocked her back and forth, caressed her head, and hummed a gentle tune.
I thought Wallflower fell asleep, but those thoughts were shoved away when she nuzzled my chin. “Also…”
“Hm?”
“This is the first time you blushed first,” she smiled. She stopped shaking, and her rolled up sleeve was left that way. I had both arms around her.
I huffed. “So?”
She giggled bashfully. “Nothing…”
I shook my head. “Well, since you’re so lively now… feeling better?”
“A little bit.” She rested her head against my chest. “You won’t tell anyone else?’
“Never, if you don’t want me to.” I patted her head.
“Just… just stay with me… don’t leave me…”
“I won’t.” I kissed her forehead.
“I’ll keep you safe.”
“Are you sure I need these?”
Wallflower and I went to a doctor a few days after her initial breakdown. I knew that she needed help, so seeking professional help seemed to be the best bet at the time. She shook a pill bottle in her hands repeatedly.
I’ll make sure she’s happy.
“The doc said so,” I answered.
She grumbled in her seat. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” I deadpanned. “If it’ll help you get better, might as well. He said to take it in the morning and before bed.”
“Kay, mom!”
I glared at her from the kitchen. “What, are you surprised that I can cook?”
Sighing, I went back to making lunch. Something simple to start her off, especially since she hadn’t been eating well or, sometimes, at all. I borrowed some spare ingredients she had in her fridge. Hopefully this turned out alright for her to eat.
And who would’ve thought she’d have tortillas…
“Here,” I said, placing a modest plate of burritos in front of her. “I found some ground beef in your fridge, mixed in some corn in the rice. Oh, there’s a bit of salsa in there, too.”
I’ll take care of her.
Wallflower stared at the dish for a moment before taking a bite out of a burrito. She hummed in approval while I sighed in relief. “Pretty good.”
I took a seat beside her and helped myself to my own lunch. She brought her chair closer to mine in a not-so-subtle way. As she was about to lean against me, her phone vibrated. Our eyes met before Wallflower gently put down her burrito to check her phone.
“A message?” I asked.
She had more friends.
“Mhm.” She nodded. “Twilight and the others are inviting us tomorrow to go to… a swimming pool?”
I chuckled. “Well, it is summer.”
“B-but, I…” she made a subtle motion to her arm.
“Wear a rashguard?”
She paused, blinked, and answered, “That works.”
Wallflower was getting along well with the girls… that was great to see. From then on, she’d have people to rely on, people who would keep her safe, to share happy moments with. I couldn’t be happier for her.
“So, what’s on the agenda?” I casually burped.
“What am I, your secretary?” Wallflower deadpanned.
I booped her nose. “A cute one at that.”
Wallflower’s face erupted in a fierce blush.
“Sunset!”
I’ll love her.
They were what kept her going.
What kept me going.
Her happiness, all the love that surrounded her…
I thought she was happy.
I thought I had kept her safe from the dark path which she tread.
I’ll keep her safe.
Everything was going so well.
She was healing.
Good news, I’m here.
Bad news, my eyes are filled with white.
They could at least tone it down a little bit!
I sighed as I unlocked a door, numbered 102. I turned the handle, entered quietly, treated to the sight of a sizable window with curtains, a television to the right, and a table with two chairs to my left. I took off my backpack, hanging it behind the door. The sound of dripping liquids gently grazed my ears.
“Man, you wouldn’t believe how long it took to even be allowed up here…” I sighed. “Seriously, they had to check my identification, how many times?!”
I chuckled to myself. There was a bed right in front of me, and I gingerly sat on it. The mattress wasn’t much, but there were arm rests as well as a button to adjust the raisivity of the bed, seeming like it would fold upwards.
I looked up at the bright, white lights. They were blinding, and I quickly regretted staring directly at the light bulbs.
“Ah!” I groaned, wiping my eyes.
At the bedside table, a simple pot of flowers brought even a little bit more color into the plain room. I wish I could bring more, honestly…
Maybe something like sunflowers...
“I hope Twilight and the girls come soon,” I muttered.
I adjusted my body to face the bed directly. The breathing, living form of a green-haired and freckled girl slept soundly. She didn’t seem to be in distress, so that was a good sign.
Reaching a hand into my pocket, I pulled out a pill bottle. These… these were hers… they were supposed to keep her from being sad.
Why didn’t it work?
Why did it end up this way?
It was so sudden. A call, the news, then panic.
I clenched the pill bottle tight. “If only I was more careful…”
I glanced at the sleeping form of Wallflower Blush. I extended a hand to gently stroke her hair. “This isn’t your fault… don’t worry…”
She… overdosed on her antidepressants…
I whispered, “It’s mine…”
I could have stopped this.
I could’ve saved her.
I felt my eyes begin to water. I hastily wiped the tears away, sniffling softly.
I loved her.
I pressed my forehead against hers.
I couldn’t keep her safe.
