Chapter Text
“Don’t you guys just always zone out when that priest starts yapping? All he does is talk, talk, talk, you know?” A small girl with messy blonde hair said, sighing loudly. “Oh Violet…you get bored with everything,” a girl with long black hair and soft, brown skin said. Violet stared into the girl’s light blue eyes, the girl staring back before clearing her throat. “Giselle…getting flustered staring at me~?” Violet teased, Giselle blushing back at her. “Oh shush,” Giselle retorted, but she smirked back at Violet. As the two stared into the others’ eyes again, Giselle’s twin brother Gabriel walked into the library, followed by his best friend Stacey.
“Hey Stacey~,” Violet greeted, Stacey giggling at Violet. “Are you flirting with Giselle again? It’s pretty obvious she likes you too~,” Stacey teased, Giselle’s face turning bright red. “N-no, it’s not! I just-,” Giselle started, before clasping her hands over her mouth. “What, you admit you like me~? You’re too adorable~,” Violet teased back, pinching Giselle’s cheek. “Everyone knows at this point, just spill the beans,” Gabriel said, patting his sister’s shoulder.
Before Giselle could respond, the doors burst open, and in stride Zinnia and Hortensia, their hands tightly intertwined together. “Hey you lovebirds~,” Violet teased, her eyes shining as she smirked at the two. “Heyy, I just wanted to see what you guys were doing,” Zinnia said, Hortensia resting her head on Zinnia’s shoulder. “Where are the nonfiction books?” Hortensia asked, Gabriel pointing down an aisle nearby. “Thanks,” Hortensia simply said, striding down the aisle. “Have you seen Kristina? I wanted to ask her about our project,” Violet asked, Zinnia putting a finger to her chin. “Hm…with Galaxi again. You know how they are,” Zinnia responded, sitting on a nearby chair. “What were you even doing out with Hortensia today? Kissing~?”Stacey asked, causing Zinnia to erupt in giggles. “Noooo, I’d get detention from that and Lilac would scold me for infinity,” Zinnia replied, blushing at the thought. “Staceyyy, maybe they were exploring some secret basement down underground the school. I bet it’s romantic down there, all dark and being with your lover, waiting for any moment for a monster to come down and have Hortensia step in and protect you-,” Giselle fantasized, before Gabriel slapped her back. “Come on, you’re making Zinnia blush! Just look at her face, she loves it,” Gabriel teased, eliciting a snort from Violet. “Hey, you should really tease people more often, I like this side of you more than ‘let’s get to work before Mr. Byrne decides to kill us and have us expelled’ Gabriel,” Violet exclaimed, punching Gabriel’s arm playfully.
“What’s all the laughter for?” Hortensia asked, a soft smile on her face. “Ooh, here comes your girlfriend~,” Stacey shouted, Zinnia laughing at the words. “Stacey, stoppp!! You’re breaking her!!” Giselle joked, Violet and Gabriel chuckling as Zinnia only laughed harder. “Ah, I see. The usual teasing?” Hortensia asked, her head tilting. “Oh my gosh girl, you’re gonna make Zinnia go into cuteness overload from that head tilt!” Violet bantered, Hortensia chuckling. Hortensia set her books down, sitting on a chair next to Gabriel. “Edmund suggested that I read about frog dissection, he was about to do one soon anyways,” Hortensia told Gabriel, who was looking at Hortensia’s book about frog anatomy. “Is high school really that complicated? I mean, I thought it was just right now, but older and ready for romance,” Gabriel wondered, Hortensia shrugging. “Romance doesn’t seem easy even for high schoolers. Adelaide doesn’t have a boyfriend, and Felix can’t get with that girl he likes,” Hortensia said nonchalantly, Gabriel suppressing a snicker at the mention of Felix’s failing love life.
“I honestly can’t keep track, which brother is Felix?” Giselle asked, her eyes narrowing. “The environment one. He kinda looks like Tim,” Hortensia said, flipping a page of the book. “To refresh your mind, Felix is the Tim lookin’ one, Edmund is the nerd, Asher is the twink, Adelaide is the perfect one, Maybelle is the popular girl, and Claudia is the tomboy,” Violet said, Giselle nodding. “Your siblings sure are strange, Hortensia. How did you turn out sane?” Giselle asked, chuckling at Hortensia. “I don’t know, maybe insanity equals complete sanity,” Hortensia said, everyone frowning at her in confusion.
“Zinnia, come with me. I wanna find Kristina,” Violet said, and Zinnia nodded, the two walking out of the library together. “Oh Hortensia, what are you going to do? Your girlfriend’s gone,” Stacey said, frowning comically. “Read,” Hortensia retorted, smiling as she saw Stacey’s dissatisfaction at her answer.
***
“You know Elena! Always fretting over this and that, so honestly, I wasn’t surprised she was so touchy about the files. But you won’t believe the reason why!” Galaxi explained cheerfully, her eyes glimmering as she stared into Kristina’s emerald green eyes. “Just tell me already!! I’m dying to know,” Kristina replied, impatiently stamping her foot. “So-”
“KRISTY!!”
Kristina and Galaxi turned, Violet running towards the two and sitting on the grass. Zinnia followed close behind, the sun illuminating her blond curls so that she looked as bright as the sun itself. “Hi Zinnia! Galaxi greeted, waving sweetly at her. “You wanted to talk about the project, Violet?” Kristina guessed, Violet sighing. “Of course! If we don’t pass, my grade goes to a D and it’s all gonna be your fault,” Violet screamed, wiping away a fake tear. “Oh shush, I’ve been doing research on the Yoons the entire time you were chatting with Giselle!” Kristina exclaimed, folding her arms and huffing.
“Well, thanks for being so generous! I’ve been the one adding all the photos to the presentation, but whatever. Let’s meet up at the library after school and work on it together,” Violet said sarcastically, Kristina nodding. “Kristina, Galaxi, do you guys have any advice on how to…uh…get closer to Hortensia?” Zinnia asked, blushing in embarrassment. “Aww, you wanna confess to her?” Galaxi asked, her hands pressing against her chubby cheeks. “What? Galaxi, they’ve already confessed at this point. Haven’t you seen the way they look at each other?” Kristina asked, Galaxi chuckling. “Ohhh, you’re so right Kristy,” Galaxi chuckled, Zinnia’s face turning bright red.
“Is it really that obvious?” Zinnia asked, covering her face in her hands. “Yes,” Violet said, smirking as her simple answer seemed to make Zinnia even more embarrassed. “Hey, if you both like each other already, then it’s easy to get closer because she wants be closer to you too! I say, show Hortensia a side of yourself you’ve never showed anyone else! I bet that’ll make you the closest you can be,” Galaxi advised, Kristina and Violet nodding in agreement.
“Would that really work?” Zinnia asked, Violet putting her hand on Zinnia’s shoulder. “Of course! Just get the girl, it’ll be absolutely amazing!” Violet exclaimed, smiling brightly as Zinnia smiled back.
…
I didn’t know how big of a mistake that advice would become.