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“Your boyfriends kinda a dick.” Kaja pulls her lollipop sucker out of her mouth and points it at Kimi to emphasize her point.
“I know.” Kimi scans the note oh so lovingly tucked into her purse.
Happy Anniversary babe!
Sorry I couldn’t be there on our actual anniversary, work stuff you know? I picked out your present though! I know you’ll love them ;)
Love, Reid
“Please don’t say he actually wrote out a winky face.” Kaja sighs.
“He did. Sideways and everything.” Kimi turned the note over to reveal and address for a nearby flower shop while ignoring Kaja’s faked vomiting.
“Why are you even with that dishrag?”
“Okay first off. Dishrag? Really.” Kimi levels her glare at her friend.
“Bobo doesn’t like it when I curse, you frigid bitch.”
“Fair enough. And as for Reid, my father likes him.” Kimi rolled her eyes.
“But you can’t stand him. So why put up with him?” Kaja leans forward from her frankly absurd seating position. Her feet were previously above her head and moving just put her into an even more ridiculous position.
Kimi looks at her friend. Kaja was a very handsome woman, and while some might say that as an insult Kaja truly fit the description. She was the type of girl that Kimi was never allowed to be friends with as a kid and if Kaja wasn’t a famous musician Kimi’s father probably wouldn’t approve still.
“I don’t know.” She simply said.
“Okay, I won’t push.” Kaja stood up and put her sucker back in her mouth. “He’s sending you to Amphithea Florists right? Bobo works right across from there, we can meet up with her.”
“Are you driving?”
“Fuck, I guess so.”
“Let’s go then.”
~
You’d think that a rising star musician and the heiress of the country’s most popular modeling agency would attract a lot of attention going out. Especially with the way Kaja drove, Green Day album blaring out the windows of her shitty Jeep. But Kaja promised that the people on the side of town were cool about that sort of thing.
“Yeah the Queen’s brother and his secret girlfriend are down here all the time, I don’t know why but apparently Royce is really uptight about what he drinks.” Kaja shouts over the music.
“Kaja slow down or I swear to God I will call the cops on you myself.” Kimi has one hand on the roof handle and the other has Kaja’s shoulder in a death grip.
“Haha, alright princess. We’re almost there anyway.” Sure enough, Kimi can see a bright pink sign sign a few blocks head of them.
Lilith Bakery and Confections
Kaja pulled into a spot in front and wasted no time getting out of her car, leaving Kimi behind.
Kimi tried not to swear in such a cute establishment but her hair had gotten caught in the seat belt so she figured she had a little room for leeway.
“For fucks sake Kaja I-“
“KAJAAAA!!” A girls voice squealed. The rockstar soon found herself with an armful of frills and lace.
“Bobo baby! I came to see you!” Kaja lifted her girlfriend into the air and spun her around. “How’s my precious buttercup?”
“Happy to see you!” Bobo replied. Kimi’s eyes drifted from the display of public affection to the counter Bobo was supposed to be attending. A girl with pink hair swirled her equally pink milkshake as she watched the lovers with a smile.
Pink eyes drifted to gray ones and the girl smiled at Kimi and waved for her to sit at the barstool next to her.
“Hello, I’m Kimi Appleton of the Apple Modeling Agency.” Kimi was so used to introducing herself to famous buisnessmen and women that the script flew off her tongue effortlessly.
“I’m Nikki.” The pink girl stated simply and shook Kimi’s extended hand. “You must be Kaja’s friend I’ve heard so much about.”
“Kaja talks about me?” Kimi asked and Nikki laughed though Kimi didn’t know why.
“Not directly. But me and Bobo have been friends since I moved here so I know plenty about Kaja.” Nikki smiled so brightly Kimi was distracted.
“I uh- where did you move from?” Kimi stammers as embarrassment heats up her cheeks. Nikki tells her the name of a country she’s never heard of, with a hint of a sad smile.
“Is that very far away?”
“Yes. Very far.” Nikki smiled. “What about you? What brings you down here with Kaja?”
“Oh-“ Why was she so flustered? “-I needed to pick up some flowers from uh, Amphitheater?”
“Amphithea?” Nikki giggled.
“Yeah. That one.” Kimi was burning red.
“Well you’re in luck! I work there and it’s just across the street, I’m just on break.” Nikki grabs Kimi’s arm to help her off her seat.
“I don’t want to intrude on your break time!” Kimi follows her to the door, distinctly aware of her touch on her arm.
“It was over almost ten minutes ago, don’t worry! Bye Bobo! I’ll see you after work!” Nikki calls back.
Nikki leads Kimi across the street where a much more conservative sign labels the shop as “Amphithea Floristry”.
“Momo I’m back!” Nikki announces to the shop before rushing behind the counter. “How can I help you?” She says to Kimi.
“I was sent by my boyfriend to pick up and arrangement, the name should be Reid?” Kimi says.
“Oh!” Nikki’s face changes dramatically. “Yes, Mr. Reid was in yesterday and he took great care in picking out the flowers for you Ms. Kimi.” Nikki’s sudden formal tone made Kimi uncomfortable.
“He was a dick, wasn’t he?” Kimi sighed.
“Little bit.” Nikki sounds lighter at her declaration. “Just let me get it from the back for you.”
Nikki disappeared into a cooler door off to her side leaving Kimi to look around the store. A sudden blur headed straight towards her caused her to jump with surprise before she realized what it was. In front of her was a small white cat with a yellow cat-sized hoodie on.
“Hello there little guy.” Kimi pet the cat and looked for a tag on his collar. “Momo huh?” The cat purred.
“Momo! Kimi isn’t going to give you treats!” Nikki appeared and the cat slinked off the counter to disappear among the displays.
“Cute cat.” Kimi says.
“Thanks, but he’s a little turd.” Nikki stuck her tongue out at the display table Momo had snuck under. Kimi laughed and the sound caused Nikki to smile even more.
Kimi noticed she was staring and quickly turned away, choosing instead to inspect the arrangement Nikki had brought out.
It was undeniably beautiful, full plush red roses and delicate pink lilies.
Idiot. He knew she preferred hydrangeas and chrysanthemums.
“It’s gorgeous.” Kimi said honestly as the other girl beamed at the praise.
“Thank you! I do admit it was a little troubling getting those lilies in such a short notice, but the end result makes it all worth it! Now if you don’t mind I’ll wrap it up in a box after I get you all rung up.” Nikki moved to the register and it took Kimi a moment to register her words.
“I thought they were already paid for?” Kimi questioned and Nikki turned as pink as her hair.
“O-Oh! Mr. Reid said you would be paying when you picked it up, did he not. . .” She trailed off.
“I’m afraid he didn’t.” Kimi said through gritted teeth as she reached for her wallet.
“If you have his credit card number I can just use that.” Nikki was dead serious and the unfitting tone of her voice made Kimi snort, an unflattering sound she immediately regretted.
“No it’s fine. We’re having dinner tonight and I’ll just make him pay me back then.” Kimi handed her card over, trying not to go wide-eyed at the $200 price tag. Nikki dutifully rang her up and when she thought Kimi wasn’t looking she slipped a small box of chocolates in with her order.
“What are those?” Kimi asked.
“Just chocolates! They’re um, a little expired so I can give them out for free. Just don’t tell Lunar.” She winked and Kimi felt her face warm up.
“Thank you.” She said so quietly that she thought Nikki wouldn’t hear but the pink-haired girl perked up even more somehow.
“My pleasure! Consider it an official apology from Amphithea!” She handed over her purchases and then tucked around the counter to hold the door open for Kimi. “Have a nice night!”
Before she knew it Kimi was on the street outside the cutesy florists shop, cheeks flushed and a little light-headed. She sure hoped she wasn’t allergic to flowers all of a sudden.
Shaking those thought led from her head Kimi signed. She still had to get Kaja to drive her home.
“I’m coming in AND YOU BETTER HAVE PANTS ON KAJA THIS IS A PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENT.”
~
Later that night Kimi found herself checking into Royal City, the nations most famous restaurant. Just saying her name at the door got her right in, ignoring the line possibly a hundred people long, and brought her right to the center of the floor where Reid sat with a bottle of wine on the table.
“Kimi, babe.” Reid greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and pulled out her chair for her.
“Reid. How are you?” Kimi asked, leafing through the menu.
“Happy as I can be on our anniversary babe.” He held up his glass for a toast. “Happy one year.”
Kimi obliged.
“But wait.” Reid said. “Where’s your anniversary bouquet baby? You should have brought it in for the table.”
“I could barely lift that thing from the shop to the car. Oh, and were you going to tell me that it wasn’t paid for or did you just forget?” Kimi usually wasn’t the type to pick fights with her boyfriend but Reid had really screwed up this time.
“That? Oh yeah.” He chuckled. “I was going to pay for it but I thought that Micky girl would sell it to you for cheaper.”
“Her name is Nikki.” Kimi found herself defensive of the girl who wasn’t there to defend herself. “As why would you think that?”
“Ah well. . .” He leaned in close like they were sharing a secret. “She seemed a little dyke-y to me. Thought she’d let you off the hook.”
Kimi felt her blood run cold. “What are you. . .”
“I’m just saying! She looked like one of those. Had a little pronoun pin on and everything.” He chuckled.
“You do know that my best friend is a lesbian right? That I’d pick her over you any day? She’s been with me longer than I’ve even known you and you know that and you’re talking to me like this?” Kimi didn’t raise her voice when she was angry but the look in her eyes was enough to make Reid wilt back into his chair.
“Yeah I know but Kaja’s a butch so it’s. . . Different with her. She’s fine with getting called a dyke.”
“NO SHE’S NOT.” Kimi stood up. “Just because she doesn’t tell you to stop means she’s fine with it. You. . . I can’t believe you.” Kimi made her way to the door, ignoring the leering eyes of the restaurants inhabitants.
“Baby wait!” Reid called after her.
“Don’t call me.” And she was out.
Once she was out in her car the events of the night hit her hard. Tears pricks at the corners of her eyes and she shook her head rapidly to get rid of them.
She needed to go somewhere. She needed to talk to someone. Not Kaja, not right after that.
Kimi didn’t realize she had started the car until she pulled into traffic. The road was deserted at this time of night and Kimi thought of nothing at all as she drove, recalling the path by memory.
When she parked outside of Amphithea Floristry she let go of a breath she didn’t knew she’d been holding. A smudge of pink was all she could see through her windshield-when had it started raining?- and she opened the car door with a shaky hand.
The rain was falling heavily enough that he was drenched as soon as she walked outside and her legs propelled her forward with a mind of their own.
“Kimi?” Nikki looked at her with concern-filled eyes and Kimi felt herself burst into tears. Real, ugly, snotty tears.
Nikki embraced her right there in the pouring rain. “Come on, let’s get inside.”
Kimi let herself be led into the shop and to a back room, set up like a little kitchen. Nikki pulled out a chair for her (oh and wasn’t that just a wonderful parallel to earlier this night) and Kimi soon found herself absentmindedly petting a fat cat in her lap.
Noticing she had stopped crying, Nikki came back into the kitchen holding two mugs of tea. Kimi thanked her with a nod and brought the mug to her mouth.
“It’s rose tea, some people find it a little to flowery but it’s my favorite.” Nikki left her co untouched as she watched Kimi with a cautious eye.
“It’s wonderful.” Kimi gulped it down, letting the warm liquid soothe her throat.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Nikki asked.
“No. Not yet.” Kimi replied, looking down at her lap.
“That’s fine. Have you had dinner yet? We don’t keep the store stocked but there’s a Thai place down the street that’s open 24/7.” Nikki let it drop.
“No, no that’s fine. I really should be going I’m sorry for-“ she stood up to leave but Nikki reached out for her hand and she froze in place.
“Kimi. Have you had anything to eat today?” Nikki’s face was full of concern.
“. . . No. I’ve been to busy.” And starving herself for her planned anniversary feast.
“Then sit right down. Momo, you keep her there.” At her words the white cat climbed back onto her lap, purring like a motor.
Nikki moved to the old-fashioned landline phone by the table and Kimi found herself staring at her again. Kimi scouted models for a living and Nikki had something that all her employees lacked, a natural and effortless beauty. Kimi could easily see her as a model, plastered on billboards and posters all over the nation. For some reason, the thought made her sick.
No. Kimi thought to herself. Not her. I’m going to keep her for myself. It was selfish and stupid but Kimi couldn’t bring herself to care. Nikki belonged here, amongst her flowers and with sunshine in the air.
“You know,” Nikki’s voice brought her out of her reprieve. “You can stay here tonight. If you want to of course. Me and Lunar- she’s the boss- live in the back but she’s off spending the night with her boyfriend so we have an extra bed-“
“I’d love that.” Kimi said, and she was surprised to realize she was telling the truth.