It was stupid to cry like this. Stupid to cry over some stupid boy because he stupidly broke up with her. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Elma sniffled, scuffing her shoes against the sidewalk. Just because it was stupid didn't make it hurt any less. A few stray tears made their way down her cheeks; she wiped them away irritably with the edge of her red Kilika Beasts t-shirt. She was stronger than this, she just knew it. "At least I've found a quiet spot to blubber like an idiot," she muttered hoarsely, putting her head in her hands. St. Zaon's Park was always relatively empty this time of day, and she had sat on a bench a long ways away from any prying eyes. Trees surrounded the secluded area, and Elma watched an errant, white blossom fall to rest near her feet. She picked it up and twirled it around, glancing up at the sky. It was beautiful; bright blue, with white, fluffy clouds. This was certainly not a day to mope. "Today is a beautiful day! I shouldn't sit around crying on a day like this!" "You're absolutely correct, young lady," a voice responded. Elma glanced up so quickly her head spun. A very pretty woman was standing above her, her eyes glinting in a mixture of amusement and concern. She had red hair, pulled back into a loose, messy bun. As Elma observed her, a stray strand fell over her eyes, and she brushed it behind her ear. She wore a navy blue, tailored suit, and Elma caught the glint of a cell phone at her hip. Great. She had been caught talking to herself by some businesswoman. She was probably an entrepreneur or something, maybe she was a stockbroker, or a Secret Service agent, or something equally cool and important. This beautiful day was becoming less beautiful by the second. "I'm sorry," Elma mumbled. "I thought I was alone around here. I never see anyone around..." She ran a hand through her dark hair, wishing she could sink into the ground. How embarrassing! She knelt down and tugged at the cuffs of her jeans, biting her lip. The woman responded with a chuckle, and sat down on the bench next to Elma. "It's alright," she said, brushing away another loose strand of hair. "I don't usually come here around this time of day myself." She had a very smooth, cultured voice, Elma realized. "I was just...a bit surprised that there was someone else here today, but I suppose I should have expected that..." she trailed off and gave the girl next to her a soft, sympathetic smile. "You were crying, I gather?" "Yeah." Elma glanced down at her sneakers to hide her blush. "My stupid boyfriend broke up with me." "Ahh, so that's the problem." The woman nodded sagely, tapping her fingers against her thigh. "I don't mean to pry, but what happened?" "I don't know. He met someone else, I guess. Isn't that how it always is?" Her voice cracked; she sniffled again. "Sorry." The woman handed her a white cloth. "There you are. If you don't mind my saying, er..." "Elma. I'm Elma," the girl muttered, wiping her eyes with the cloth. "Right, Elma. If you don't mind my saying, is the boy really worth all that? How old are you, sixteen, seventeen?" "Eighteen. I'm enrolled in St. Zaon University." "Excellent school," the woman said, impressed. "I went there. And a fan of the...Kilika Beasts, I see? I attended a concert of theirs once..." Elma grinned sheepishly, noticing the aggrieved expression of the woman at her side. She stared down at the legendary horned beast, Ifrit, on her t-shirt and grinned. "Go Beasts! It's my favorite band. You went to a concert?" "Front row seats. I know a member of the band." The look on the woman's face made it seem as if she hadn't enjoyed the privilege very much. "I suppose it's an acquired taste?" Elma glanced up at her, wide-eyed. "Wow! An acquired taste...I guess...but you really know a member? That's so cool!" "Yes, I er, I suppose so. But as I was saying...is the boy really worth all that?" "Well..." Elma thought for a moment and frowned. Bickson was a real jerk sometimes, and she had only dated him because her friends said she was lucky that he liked her so much. "I...I guess not. No. Wow." Elma leaned against the park bench and smiled. "Why was I crying again?" The woman laughed. "That's the spirit, young lady." Her cell phone rang, and Elma recognized the ringtone. "Firestarter? That's a song by the Beasts! I thought you said it was an acquired taste!" The woman gave her a mysterious smile. "I said it was an acquired taste. I did not say I didn't enjoy anything about the concert. It was a very...interesting song." She glanced at the caller I.D. and frowned. "I must be going though, Elma. It was nice meeting you, and remember, there are more important things to cry about than silly boys." "I'll remember that...hey!" "Hmm?" "I er, didn't catch your name." The woman grinned. "I'm Lucil." The name sounded familiar to Elma, but she couldn't place it. "Alright! Bye Lucil!" she waved until the woman was out of sight, and put the white cloth in her pocket. After a moment's thought, she stood to her feet, still twirling the flower in between her fingers, and left the park far more cheerful than she had been when she entered it. Today was a beautiful day indeed; she should go out and enjoy it.
Back to Of Silly Boys and White Flowers Index - Back to Final Fantasy 10 Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction