Finding Flowers in the Wasteland

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At my boyfriend Jayden Rowe's birthday party.

I'd been drugged by Shirley Fox, his little childhood sweetheart.

My whole body burned. I grabbed his collar and pressed myself against him.

Shirley peeked out from behind his shoulder and clicked her tongue.

What did I tell you? She'd use the excuse of needing an antidote to force you into bed with her.

Jayden flung my hand off hard, his face full of disgust.

"Amelia Summers, are you really this cheap?"

He grabbed the scholarship student, Martin Harding, from behind him and shoved him at me, sneering.

"If you're so desperate for a man, then sleep with him."

Shirley, all shy, pressed a box of condoms into my hand.

"You take one box, Jayden and I take the other. Let's have a contest and see who uses more."

Jayden pulled Shirley close, threw a scornful glance at Martin and me, his voice indulgent.

"You have that little faith in what I can do? Hmm?"

The two of them walked straight into the room without sparing me a thought.

The itch gnawing at my bones left no room to think.

I dragged Martin into the room next door.

If he was so set on doing this.

Then I didn't want him anymore.

01

When I woke, my waist and legs ached, weak and loose.

But deep in my bones there was a pleasure I couldn't deny.

"I'm sorry." Martin's face was full of apology.

I looked at that face, his eyes hidden behind his bangs, and felt a tangle of things.

"It's fine. It wasn't your fault."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the clothes I'd flung everywhere the night before, now folded neatly on the sofa.

I looked at him, startled.

He explained softly, "I woke up early, so I straightened them up."

I gave an awkward little "mm" and started to get up to dress.

The moment my foot touched the carpet, my legs gave out.

Martin reached out and caught me steadily from the front.

That familiar scent from the night before wrapped around the two of us.

The memory of last night sent blood rushing to my cheeks.

I shoved him away, grabbed my clothes, and went into the bathroom.

I'd just washed up and gotten dressed.

Then Jayden sent me a string of voice messages.

"Amelia, I know I'm the only one in your heart. There's no way you'd actually sleep with Martin. Just admit you lost."

"When you're up, come help Shirley wash off. I wore her out last night, she doesn't have any strength left."

The pleasure in Jayden's voice came through in every word.

In the background I could hear Shirley whining and complaining at him.

"You're awful, you don't even know how to be gentle, hmph..."

The last few seconds of the message must have been sent by accident.

Just the wet sounds of the two of them tangled together.

I gripped the phone tight, then slowly let it go.

I didn't reply.

I set the phone aside and fixed my hair.

Last night was Jayden's birthday party.

I'd wanted to surprise him, and never expected Shirley to come out of nowhere.

She'd gotten someone to tamper with the drink I was having.

I didn't know a soul here, so all I could do was go to Jayden.

I just never thought I'd end up as part of their bet.

Jayden and I had been together for two years.

We'd already agreed we'd get married the moment we graduated.

He'd even had me start working on the wedding design.

Last night, he'd chosen to believe that childhood sweetheart of his, the one who'd just come back.

Without the slightest thought for whether I was safe.

He'd even turned it into a bet for a laugh.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Only to see Martin still standing there, waiting for me.

He was tall.

A little taller than Jayden, even.

He was just very thin, from years of not eating well.

His bangs covered his eyes, so you couldn't make out his real face.

But even from the lower half, you could tell he was good-looking.

And he was a top student on top of that.

No wonder, even though Martin's family was from deep in the mountains.

At school there were still girls who chased after him.

"Are you all right?" Martin's voice was low.

I froze for a second, then took out my phone.

"Let's add each other."

Martin was just like Jayden had said, obedient.

Once the request went through, I sent him five thousand outright.

"Sorry for the trouble."

Martin went still for a moment, and the air around him dropped a few degrees.

"I don't want it."

He tapped to return it.

I sighed, wanting to say something more.

But Martin cut me off first.

"Let me drive you back to school."

Martin's voice was hoarse, with a stubborn edge.

I could only agree.

I had barely stepped out the door.

And there was Jayden, carrying Shirley in his arms like a princess.

He looked refreshed and pleased with himself; she looked flushed and glowing.

She'd been curled up against his chest, but the second she saw me and Martin, she hopped right down.

See, I told you Amelia was already awake!

Jayden looked at her, all charm and sweetness, his eyes full of adoration.

I just didn't want you struggling to walk, that's all.

Though looking at you now, I guess I didn't try hard enough. You've still got the strength to stand.

Shirley laughed, shy and coy, and gave his chest a soft little punch of mock anger.

You're so bad. I don't like you anymore

Jayden caught her small hand and kissed it lightly.

I'm bad, I'm bad. Just don't cry next time, okay?

The two of them, wrapped up in each other like no one else existed.

I bit down hard on the soft flesh inside my cheek and just wanted to slip past them sideways.

But Shirley grabbed me, all wide-eyed innocence, a challenge in her expression.

Amelia, don't you want to know how many of the ultra-thins Jayden and I went through?

I stood where I was and looked at her.

She took my silence for defeat, her eyes gleaming with triumph.

Jayden and I used four whole ones!

And you, Amelia? How many did you and Martin use?

Let me guessat least three, right?

Jayden glanced at Martin, standing a little behind me, and scoffed:

Him? Three times? He'd be lucky to manage one.

And Shirley, you're really selling me short here.

Amelia's my girlfriend. She'll be my wife someday. There's no way she'd let another man touch her

We used them up. I cut him off.

Jayden didn't understand at first. Then his brows drew tight.

Amelia, are you telling me you and that broke little nobody?

Shirley wrapped both arms around his and cooed at him:

Jayden, don't be angry.

Amelia's obviously just lying to you!

Here, I'll just go in and check. Easy.

Shirley came running back out shrieking, her voice full of shock.

Oh my God! Jayden, this little sidekick of yours is really something!

He and Amelia actually used the entire box!

Jayden had still firmly believed I would never betray him.

He never imagined I'd actually done it.

He looked at Martin, whose eyes I couldn't read, and ground his back teeth so hard they nearly cracked.

Watching him like this, I only found it funny.

Wasn't it you who told him to sleep with me?

So what is all this now?

Jayden hadn't expected me to say that. His face went dark, and unwilling to believe it, he yanked me to one side and grabbed my collar.

Buttons popped loose, and the bruises at my collarbone came into view.

Jayden stared, disbelieving.

Amelia, are you doing this on purpose to get back at me?

Just because I didn't believe your little prank yesterday?

I looked at the man about to lose his mind in front of me and simply shook his hand off.

You still think this was a prank?

Whether it was or not, why don't you go ask your precious childhood friend?

Jayden turned to Shirley.

Her eyes welled up, and she shook her head, explaining:

Jayden, it wasn't me

I shook his hand off and walked straight toward the elevator.

Seeing me leave, Martin moved to follow, but Jayden blocked him.

Shirley, meanwhile, came chasing after me in tears.

Amelia, let me explain, I didn't mean for any of it

She was running too fast and tripped over her own feet.

And on the way down, she shoved me.

I couldn't get out of the way. I slammed into the corridor wall, and blood seeped from my temple.

Ah!

Shirley's scream snapped Jayden out of his scuffle with Martin.

He rushed over, pulled her into his arms, his voice tight.

Are you okay? Did you hit anything?

Shirley touched her head weakly. I'm a little dizzy.

Jayden's eyes filled with worry. I'm taking you to the hospital right now.

He carried her past me without so much as a glance, leaving only a warning behind.

Amelia, you've gone too far this time.

Think long and hard about what you did wrong.

Shirley and I will be waiting for your apology.

"You're bleeding."

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

Martin bent down and scooped up my dizzy, spinning self, and we went to the hospital.

It wasn't until they'd finished bandaging me that I noticed the cut at the corner of his mouth.

"Jayden did that?"

Martin gave a low "mm," his voice hoarse.

"It's fine, doesn't hurt, ssss"

There was nothing for it but to bring him back to my place.

He wouldn't let me put ointment on it, so all I could do was press a hot water bottle against it.

"Aren't you afraid Jayden will come after you for it?"

Martin lifted his head at my voice and looked at me, but said nothing.

That afternoon he went back to campus.

I went to find Jayden.

"Let's break up."

Jayden looked at me, his eyes dark.

He couldn't believe I'd actually say something like that.

"Amelia, are you serious?"

"I'm serious." My voice was calm.

Jayden pulled Shirley over into his arms.

"Just because Shirley played a little joke on you?"

I stared at him, disbelieving.

"You call ruining someone's good name a joke?"

When he saw my composure crack, the dark in his eyes melted away, replaced by amusement.

"So that's what you're upset about."

"What's the big deal? You got off on it too, didn't you?"

"Besides, I'm not calling off the wedding just because you slept with someone else."

I gripped the hem of my shirt, my palms sweating.

"Jayden, you really are disgusting."

He froze for a second, then quickly went back to smiling.

"All right, all right, I'll stop teasing you."

"I know you and Martin didn't sleep together. The wedding's still on as planned."

"Don't be angry anymore."

He still had one arm around Shirley, yet he reached out with the other to take my hand.

I stepped back.

That move set him off.

"Amelia, don't push it again and again."

"My patience has a limit."

I didn't respond. I just turned and walked away.

I'd thought that was the end of things between him and me.

But when I went back to class Monday, I found the rumors about me had spread across the whole school.

Somewhere it had started that I'd come out of some poor mountain backwater.

That I'd do anything to stay in the big city, so I was marrying Jayden at any cost.

I heard it was because she wormed her way in that Jayden and his childhood sweetheart couldn't be together.

Isn't that just knowingly being the other woman? So gross!

If you ask me, Amelia and Martin are the perfect match. One becomes a mistress to stay in the city at any cost, the other becomes a lackey to scrape together some spending money.

It had started as talk about how I was chasing Jayden to escape being poor, clinging to him for a relationship and a title, wrecking the perfect match between him and his childhood sweetheart.

But the more they talked, the more the flavor of it changed.

And now they'd dragged Martin into it too.

These past two days had been rough for Martin and me.

Everywhere we went there were pointing fingers, and we could even hear them discussing and sneering at us.

It had already seriously disrupted our lives.

I went to find Jayden.

And overheard him talking with Shirley.

Shirley said, sounding worried:

"Jayden, I didn't mean to let Amelia's business get out."

"It's blown up so big now, everyone's calling her a mistress."

"What if she really is angry?"

Jayden leaned back against the couch, expression calm.

"Relax, she won't be."

"She's from the mountains. When something like this happens, she'll just come crying and begging me."

"All you've done is give her a way to save face."

I pushed the door open and walked in.

"What way to save face were you planning to give me?"

Jayden didn't expect me to show up.

"So you finally came to find me?"

I ignored that and kept talking.

"What is it exactly the two of you are trying to give me? A graceful way out?"

"You're the ones who spread lies about me, and now you call it giving me a way out?"

Jayden caught the chill in my voice and answered impatiently.

"Amelia, that's enough."

"Don't scare Shirley. She didn't do it on purpose."

"Who could have known it would spread like that? And besides, isn't it the truth anyway?"

Shirley hid behind Jayden, her eyes full of provocation.

I looked at Jayden and said, not believing what I was hearing,

"So you think I was with you for your money too, is that it?"

Jayden didn't answer. His eyes, which had been on me, started to slide away.

"If that's how it is, then let's not get married at all."

I went to find Martin.

"I'm sorry. I dragged you into all this."

Martin was quiet for a moment, then said slowly,

"It's fine. I'm used to it."

The words came out calm, but they held a bottomless kind of bitterness.

I transferred him a sum of money.

This time I made him take it.

The last few days had been a whirlwind.

I'd wanted to finally get some rest, but then a message came from the wedding planner.

By the time I rushed over, Jayden was there laughing and chatting with Shirley.

"What if I switched out the flowers for the wedding to chrysanthemums? Do you think Amelia would like that?"

"White chrysanthemums would be even better. They symbolize how pure and spotless your love is."

Jayden agreed to Shirley's suggestion without a second's thought.

"Whatever you say."

"She'll definitely love it."

Shirley flipped idly through the catalog, then tossed it aside.

"But honestly, I'd love to wear a wedding dress too. Walking down the aisle with you, Jayden, must feel amazing!"

"I really envy Amelia. Imagine having a boyfriend as wonderful as you."

Jayden raised an eyebrow. "That's nothing. I could walk it with you once, couldn't I?"

Shirley gave him a giggling little kiss on the cheek.

"Jayden, you're so good to me."

"But if Amelia found out, I don't know if she'd be angry."

Jayden tapped the bridge of Shirley's nose, doting.

"Don't worry. Amelia's just some poor kid from the sticks."

"She'd never bear to leave me."

I froze where I stood.

So that was the real reason he'd let Shirley bully me so shamelessly all this time.

"Miss Summers, you're here?"

A staff member nearby recognized me and greeted me.

The two over there heard it and saw me too.

Shirley greeted me brightly.

"Amelia, what brings you here?"

"Didn't Martin come with you?"

I turned my head and looked at her.

"Why shouldn't I be here?"

"This is my wedding with Jayden. What are you doing here?"

Shirley's face went pale, and she looked to Jayden for help.

He was leaning back against the sofa, both arms spread across it.

"Shirley just came to help us with ideas. What's the problem, is that not allowed?"

He looked at me with something complicated in his eyes.

"Shirley just suggested changing all the flowers at the wedding to chrysanthemums. I think it's a great idea. What do you say?"

I took a step back. "Chrysanthemums, to mourn you?"

Jayden's face darkened.

Shirley instantly moved in front of him, playing the protector.

"Amelia, what are you saying!"

"I was kindly helping plan the wedding for you and Jayden, and you go and call him a dead man!"

Jayden's face was so grim it looked like it might drip.

"Amelia, have you finished reflecting on yourself? Did you come to apologize to me?"

"But do you really think you look like someone here to apologize?"

I pulled the ring off my finger and threw it straight at Jayden.

"I'm not here to apologize."

"I'm here to call off the wedding."