XOXO, Violet by Ginger Li
24Violet
Ikept an eye out for Wesley around campus, hoping I’d get a chance to talk to him, but I didn’t spot him or Asher anywhere. I questioned Piper about whether Ash had said anything more, but she just told me that Wesley needed time.
Life went on. School, YouTube, and work at the flower shop continued, and I went through the motions. However, Joy told me that my dreary demeanor was killing the plants and suggested taking a couple of days off. And when I tried making videos, I didn’t have the heart to tape anything. Everything felt too sad and pointless with Wesley ghosting me.
When I got home from school the following Friday afternoon, I crawled into bed and fell asleep, vowing not to leave my room for the entire weekend.
An annoying buzzingdragged me from my troubled slumber. For a second, I debated going back to sleep, but my stomach’s loud rumbling finally forced me from my bed.
Blinking at the bright sunlight, I sat up and stretched, wishing I could hide in my room forever. But hunger won out in the end. I’d eventually have to face my friends and family. And that began now—with checking my messages.
It was Sunday morning. As promised, I’d stayed in bed all day Saturday.
Yesterday 8:00 AM Olivia: Do you want to hang? We could go to the beach. Or we can come over.
8:05 AM Piper: I’ll bring donuts.
9:00 AM Olivia: Pipes and I are at your favorite beach. Come join us whenever you’re ready.
11:00 AM Olivia: Do you want to have lunch?
11:30 AM Piper: Rainbow Sushi at noon. Wanna come?
12:45 PM Piper: Want to get some boba? We’re heading to the place by your house at 1.
1:30 PM Olivia: Do you want to go plant shopping? Or we can do a girls’ night?
1:35 PM Piper: Or we can bring over ice cream and taquitos and watch a girly movie.
1:36 PM Olivia: Or chocolate and cheese?
3:00 PM Olivia: We’re at a new plant store. Look at this pretty polka dot plant.
3:15 PM Olivia: This one has a swirl.
3:30 PM Piper: Look! It’s a succulent sale! Come out and join us!
6:00 PM Olivia: Want to grab dinner?
7:00 PM Piper: We miss you, Violet.
7:02 PM Olivia: Soooooooo much.
Smiling,I typed my reply.
Sunday 8:00 AM Me: Hey. I’m back from the dead.
8:01 AM Piper: *hand clap emoji* *donut emoji* *hand clap emoji*
8:02 AM Olivia: How are you?
8:03 AM Me: I’ll feel better when I get some food in my stomach.
8:04 AM Olivia: That’s my girl!
8:06 AM Violet: XOXO. Thank you both for trying to cheer me up.
8:08 AM Olivia: We love you, Violet!
8:11 AM Piper: Sooooooooo much.
“The Mole Woman emerges,”Micah said when I appeared downstairs. He scrunched up his nose and sniffed the air. “And she kind of reeks.”
I did not. I sniffed at my armpit.
Okay. Maybe I could do with a shower.
“Well, you’re always beautiful to me.” Mom came over to give me a hug, but she pulled back at the last second and patted me on the shoulder instead. “Maybe you’ll feel better if you brush your teeth and take a shower. You know, indulge in some self-care.”
I grabbed a bowl and gave my father a big kiss and a hug. “Morning, Daddy. You love me the way I am, don’t you?” He grunted and rustled his magazine but said nothing.
See? Told you he was a smart man.
The four of us ate breakfast in silence. Every so often, Micah and Mom would exchange looks, but neither of them said anything. I didn’t say a word either. I had nothing more to say since I’d already told them everything that had happened.
Mom thought Wes just needed space, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d already lost him. I peered down at my stained sweatshirt, half-expecting to see a hole where my heart used to be. Because that’s how I felt right now. Empty inside.
Pull yourself together, Violet. You need to distract yourself with something else.
“Micah, do you need some tutoring in precalc?”
He arched a brow. “You do know that I’m in advanced calculus too, right?”
Yeah, I knew that.
“Why don’t you work on a video?” he said. “Or go pot something. That’s always helped you before. But take a shower first. Seriously. I mean it.”
I sat up straighter, determined to work my way out of this funk. “Alright. I will.”
Upstairs, I grabbed my favorite robe and headed to the bathroom. After a lengthy session with my toothbrush and a half-hour of scrubbing, shaving, and moisturizing, I felt like a new woman. When I slipped my robe on afterward, my hand brushed against something small and hard in my pocket. What was this? I pulled out a tiny brown box wrapped in twine.
Strange, I didn’t recall putting that in there. I headed downstairs into the kitchen to ask my mother about it.
“Well, this is a welcome sight.” She gave me a lingering hug. “How do you feel?”
“Better.” I held up the wrapped box. “I found this in my robe pocket. Did you put it there?”
Mom took the box from me and studied it. “No. I haven’t seen it before. Maybe it’s from Micah?”
I dashed upstairs and found my brother sitting on his bed, playing his guitar.
“Knock, knock.” I stepped into his room. Stacks of vintage records and books on coding, photography, and car maintenance lined his shelves. Framed posters of guitar chords and surfboards hung on the walls.
“Do you know what this is?” I showed my brother the box. “I found it in my bathrobe.”
He set down the guitar and shook his head. “No idea. You should open it. If it was in your robe, it’s probably for you.”
“Who’d give me a tiny box?” I sat on Micah’s bed and undid the twine. Inside the box was a folded slip of paper.
Micah leaned in closer. “What’s on it?”
I unfolded the paper and read, “If music be the food of love, play on. Twelfth Night. PS, bring your teddy bear jacket.”
I turned the paper over. “Why would someone give me a quote from Shakespeare? And where am I meant to take my jacket?”
Micah shrugged and returned to plucking his guitar strings, the faintest whisper of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
He knew something, the sneak!
“What’s this about, Micah? Only you refer to my jacket as teddy bear skin.”
Micah continued plucking. “Really? I’m the only person who calls it that?”
“Well, just you, me, and…” I swallowed. “Wesley?”
My brother tapped the side of his nose. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He returned his attention to his guitar.
I instantly brightened. Wesley sent me this message? Did that mean he wanted to talk? And why was the word food underlined?
“Maybe it’s alluding to places we’ve eaten. Like the school cafeteria? Space Donuts? Or…” I paused. “Mo’s Tacos. Wes and I went there on our date.” I shook my brother’s arm. “Micah? Stop playing the guitar and help me! Is that where I’m supposed to go? To Mo’s Tacos?”
Micah looked up and grinned at me. “Don’t forget to take that ugly jacket of yours.”
“You mean my favorite jacket!” I seized hold of my brother and gave him a quick hug, then ran downstairs.
“Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad,” I said, grabbing my jacket from the closet. “I’m going to see Wesley.”
“Have fun, honey,” Mom called back.
“Be home by eleven,” Dad added.
After I hopped into our truck, it occurred to me that neither of my parents had seemed particularly surprised at my leaving. Hmm, I’d ask them about that later.
One quick trip on the highway and a short drive alongside the beach, I found myself in front of a familiar blue taco restaurant. Any doubts I was on the right track evaporated the second I spotted Ophelia.
“Violet!” She jumped up from her seat and bounded over to wrap me in a hug. I accepted it, grateful that Wes’s sister didn’t hate me for accusing her brother of being a jerk.
“You look really pretty.” I eyed her curled hair and shiny green dress.
“Thanks.” She swayed her hips, causing the hem of her dress to dance across the tops of her knees. “I felt kind of fancy today. How are you feeling? I heard about the other day. Oh my gosh. If I’d come face-to-face with an old bully, I don’t know what I would have done.” Ophelia’s eyes shone with concern.
I chuckled uncomfortably. “Not sure I handled that situation the best, but I’m feeling better now. Is Wesley here? Or out in the backyard?” I peered at the restaurant, remembering our time in the magical hidden garden.
Ophelia shook her head. “He was here. You just missed him.”
Oh no! Had I found the box too late?
“Don’t worry. He left you something.” Ophelia pulled a box identical to mine from her purse. Already knowing what to expect, I opened it and read: “The course of true love never did run smooth. A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
This time, he underlined the word run. Was this another clue?
“Wes and I ran together near my house.”
Ophelia grinned. “You got it. And do you mind giving me a ride?”
“Sure.” We both hopped into my dad’s old truck, and I began driving back to my house. What game was Wesley playing? If he was leaving me clues, that must mean he’d forgiven me. Right?