The bell above the door chimed softly, announcing another visitor to Evergreen Petals. The sound was delicate, like a wind chime caught in a gentle breeze-just the way Aria Bloom liked it. She looked up from her arrangement of pastel ranunculus and eucalyptus leaves, her fingertips still dusted with pollen.
Rain misted the large shop windows, giving the world outside a dreamy blur. Inside, though, the shop was a different world. Rows of blooms stretched across pale wooden counters-roses, hydrangeas, baby's breath, tulips, and forget-me-nots. Each flower was labeled in tiny cursive tags, with meanings scribbled lovingly beneath them.
Aria, with her warm cardigan sleeves slightly rolled up, tucked a lock of her ash-brown hair behind her ear. She was twenty-five, soft-spoken, and far more comfortable talking to dahlias than people. She loved flowers not just for how they looked, but for the way they could say things without needing words.
She smiled politely, ready to welcome another customer-but then paused.
The girl who had just stepped inside was soaking wet beneath an oversized hoodie and black baseball cap, the brim pulled low enough to nearly shadow her eyes. Her breath came fast, a little panicked, and she hesitated at the door like she'd just dashed in to escape something.
Aria tilted her head slightly. "...Hi," she said gently. "Would you like an umbrella towel? I've got a few by the heater."
The girl looked up, startled, and for a moment their eyes met. Aria blinked. Even beneath the hood, she could see the delicate lines of her jaw, the curve of her cheekbone. She looked familiar-but not just in the everyday way.
She looked like someone Aria had seen on a screen.
"...Ah." The girl glanced behind her. Through the fogged window, a shadowed figure lingered near the street corner, craning his neck. Her voice came low, hurried. "I-I'm just here to buy some flowers."
Aria didn't question it. She simply smiled and nodded, stepping aside. "Of course. Please, take your time."
The girl wandered deeper into the shop, visibly relaxing as she moved among the petals. She touched a pot of lavender and then paused at the daisies, brushing a single white petal with her fingertip. Her hoodie still dripped slightly onto the tiled floor.
Aria walked over slowly, not wanting to startle her. "Daisies," she said, voice soft. "They mean innocence. And new beginnings."
The girl looked at her, this time really looked. Her eyes were striking-a kind of doe-like gaze, big and expressive. Her lip curled slightly in a quiet, thankful smile. "Is that so?"
Aria nodded, folding her hands in front of her. "Are you... alright?" she asked after a beat. "You looked a little... lost."
The girl hesitated. "I was being followed."
Aria's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't panic. "Stalker?"
"...Yes."
There was no need for further explanation. Aria simply turned toward the little counter at the side of the shop and picked up her phone.
"I can call someone, if you want. Or... you're safe here for now. He won't come in. It's a flower shop, after all."
The girl's lips quirked. "A surprisingly good hiding place."
Aria smiled. "You'd be surprised how many people underestimate flowers."
A beat of silence stretched between them, comfortable now.
"...What's your name?" Aria asked.
The girl hesitated, then tugged her hood down slowly, revealing a face Aria immediately recognized. Sleek black hair now slightly damp, perfectly shaped brows, high cheekbones, a doll-like beauty.
Aria's mouth parted in quiet recognition.
"...Kaelira Solene?"
Kaelira winced. "Please don't scream."
Aria didn't. She simply blinked again and tilted her head slightly, as though she were being told a dahlia was a celebrity.
"I won't," she said, matter-of-factly. "You look tired. Would you like tea?"
Kaelira looked at her like she wasn't sure if she was dreaming. Then, slowly, she nodded. "Tea... sounds nice."
Aria moved to the tiny kitchen in the back, calling gently over her shoulder. "I have chamomile, mint, or jasmine. Jasmine's my favorite. It helps with anxiety."
"Then I'll try that one."
By the time Aria returned, Kaelira had seated herself on the stool beside a tray of baby pink peonies. Her hoodie was half unzipped now, and she was holding a pale white tulip delicately in her fingers.
Aria handed her the steaming cup. Their fingers brushed briefly.
"Thank you," Kaelira said, sincerely. "I didn't think I'd... feel calm again today."
Aria smiled. "Flowers tend to do that."
And as the rain tapped softly outside, the petals rustled gently around them-two girls, one with roots deep in soil, and the other lost in the wind, meeting quietly beneath the bloom of something new.