{ i was screwed over yesterday when... } - WLP No. 15: The Irony of Lilies

Every girls’ dream is to receive flowers for her birthday.

When she first found that Yamanaka Ino’s family owned a flower shop, she was secretly envious of the blonde.

Because she was a girl, and a fairly feminine one at that, and because she herself was named after one, Sakura loved the spring blossoms, from the butterfly-like morning glories to the golden chrysanthemums, whose curved petals stretched out like dancer’s arms in the morning sun.

But, it was when she found the white lily lying on the wooden sill of her kitchen window that she felt she loved flowers the most.

The thick, almost fleshy petals–perfectly formed and white as frost–were cool to touch, and fell graciously into her hand as she picked up the stem.

Her lips unconsciously twitched upwards as she remembered that lilies were part of a traditional wedding bouquet–she had personally helped Ino arrange dozens in the past. Roses, for love everlasting. Baby’s Breath, for sweetness. And, lilies, for happiness.

But, this lily was white, and white represented the absence of colors. The absence of happiness, then.

She walked slowly into the kitchen, searching for a vase, and had climbed upon the counter to reach the top cupboards when she suddenly realized that she had seen just that kind of lilies in front of the Uchiha Compound.

She smiled, widely this time. Filling a small crystal vase with water and dropping the lily into it, she set the single symbol of Sasuke remembering her birthday onto the table.

A warm glow now about her, Sakura walked out of the house and towards the bridge where Team 7 always met for training, leaving the absence of happiness behind.

~~~~~