Her gray hair danced in the breeze.
She was sitting on a patch of ground covered in yellow flowers, lost in thought about her boring life.
???: "You think they're pretty?"
The boy turned his head and saw a girl with jet-black hair and dark eyes.
"Yeah, they're pretty," he said.
The girl smirked. "I think they're kinda pointless, though."
The boy raised an eyebrow, not expecting that. "Why do you say that?"
She ran a hand through her soft, dark hair. "All they do is sit there, stuck in one spot, living their little lives until someone steps on 'em or they rot."
The boy plucked a flower and studied it closely. "Maybe you're right."
The girl flashed a warm smile. "Course I'm right. Name's Aya, by the way."
"Rio," he replied. "Rio Parkinson."
---
He stared patiently into the pit, frowning as the rats scattered, revealing Tai's unharmed body underneath. "This ain't fun. You heal way too quick."
Tai slowly got up, stretching. "If you had a brain, it'd be more fun."
His dad's face hardened, giving him a sharp look. "Oh, you want me to hit the red button?"
Tai's cocky attitude flipped to panic real quick. "Sorry, my bad!"
A grin crept back onto Mr. Parkinson's face as he looked at Tai with a bit more warmth. "Go find that girl. She's probably worried about you. You've been bustin' your ass for her all this time, so you deserve a little hangout time."
---
From that day on, he was always stoked for tomorrow, just to see her again.
He started putting more effort into his appearance—taming his messy hair, throwing on nicer clothes, the works.
This time, he had something else with him: a few flowers wrapped in red paper.
With slow steps, he walked up to the girl, her black hair floating in the air, and held out the bouquet with a soft smile.
She looked at him, surprised, but soon her shock turned into a bright grin. "You know, when they're from you, they don't feel so pointless anymore."
Then she pulled him into a warm hug.
His smile grew wider as he hugged her back. After a moment, he whispered, "I love you."