This short story is mainly rooted in my other story, "Where Wallflowers Bloom." I've tried to write this in a way that reading the other one isn't required, but certain events and pairings will make more sense if the reader is familiar with it. I hope you enjoy it.


>The cold winter wind hits you as you walk through the snowy landscape that's become of the school grounds
>The snowstorm that passed by a few days ago would usually mean time off for most students
>Not for the gardening club
>And specially not for it's club president
>You are Wallflower Blush, gardener extraordinaire
>And for the last couple of days you've had extra work literally piling up on you
>Though your fellow club-mates have helped, you were not expecting the sheer amount of snow that would gather up
>As such, you've spent most of your time off from school making sure your garden isn't suffocated
>To your friend's dismay to say the least
>Two of them were asking if you'd be doing anything in particular today
>As if they didn't know the answer already
>Even if this snowstorm hadn't happened, you doubt you'd be doing anything special today
>You aren't particularly fond of Valentine's Day to say the least
>The shenanigans surrounding the memory stone ensured that you spent a couple of them completely and utterly alone
>And the times you went out of your way to seek someone out
>Yeah, love hasn't been kind to you
>Perhaps this year could've been different
>The fact that people started to notice you again could've meant that this was the year to try
>But you weren't willing to tempt fate
>Even if there was someone you were looking forward to spending the day with
>Well, there is
>But you don't know if they feel the same way, yet at least
>The shovel's spade digs into the last of the snow under your feet
>Looking at your garden again, it seems like your work here really was over yesterday
>The branches won't collapse under the snow's weight
>The flower's have enough breathing room to avoid suffocation
>Nothing leftover to fix
>So why did you came back
>Letting out a sigh, you walk over to the bench in the garden
>Sitting down, you pull out your phone and check the time
>13:09
>Still plenty of time to kill before the day is over
>You peek over the bushes, and are afforded a glance at the streets of Canterlot 
>Couples walking hand in hand, heading to who-knows-where to enjoy a day together
>You spy one small, gray-skinned blonde girl skipping along next to an absolute hunk of a man who's mere muscles are enough to warm him up
>An aquamarine-skinned girl dropping onto the dirty snow to make angels, and a girl with fuchsia stripes along her blue hair shaking her head in mild amusement
>You see in them that same feeling you've been afraid of feeling again
>Love
>Not denial, or a way to cope with life, not whatever you would've chased after if you tried to ask someone out for the sake of having a date this day
>But a real, unquestionable bond 
>Your heart feels heavy in your chest as you think to the two closest people to you
>In one, a past flame
>In another, a devoted companion
>You knew very well how you felt before you decided to use the memory stone
>Not a day goes by that you don't cuss yourself out for it
>Throwing all that love away, and you're suffering for it now
>Maybe it's warranted you're spending the day alone
>Your phone buzzes in your hand
>A message from a girl who never once left your side, until you pushed her away
> "You're at the garden right?? Come back in! You look like you're freezing!" The text is adorned by an emoji of a deep-blue face with icicles under it and a snowflake next to it
>You turn to look at the window of the gardening club
>Though it's foggy, you can discern the raspberry-colored hair belonging to her even from here
>You feel the wind pick up, feeling a tinge of pain on your face for a moment
>Even though you're bundled up, you still feel the sheer cold ushering you to go back inside
>You stand up and begin heading back
>And stop in your tracks to look at the source of your love troubles
>The memory stone sits on a pedestal in the middle of the garden, covered by a thin layer of snow
>You should've shattered this thing so long ago
>And yet you haven't
>Maybe to remind you of your faults
>Maybe as a keepsake of who you'll never be again
>Or maybe just in case you ever fall in your self-destructive spiral again, and ease up their minds the night when you're finally gone
> "Hey Wallflower! Didn't you see Rose's text? Shit, it's freezing out here.."
>Your thoughts are interrupted by the voice of the guy you were sure you'd never hug again
>You turn around to face him, and feel your face aching from the cold once more as you do
> "Wallflower? Are you feeling alright?" He adds, concern clear in his voice
>But why wouldn't you be
>Is it really that apparent what you're contemplating?
>You blink, your eyes sting
>Your tears have been freezing at this temperature

"Yeah, I was just trying to finish up with the garden. I thought I'd make sure that it was cleared up before the ice formed" You lie through your teeth
>Your words can't hide the sadness in your voice, and he picks up on it easily
>He takes off his scarf and wraps it around your neck
> "Even so, it's far too cold to be out here. Let's go back inside, alright?" He adds, offering you his mitten-covered hand
>You fix the scarf to cover your mouth and nose, warming up your freezing face
>It smells like him
>You take his hand and together walk towards the gardening club's classroom
>He can't see the smile on your face, nor the faint sadness with which you carry it
>He opens the door for you to walk in
>And as you step inside, you're pulled into a warm embrace 
>By the sheer difference in temperature in the room compared to the outdoors
>And by a cheery redhead wrapping her arms around you in a hug
> "Gosh, Wally you're absolutely freezing!" She says, warm to the touch 
>Her body heat like a blazing fire comfortably encompassing you
> "Why did you felt the need to go out in this weather? Anon, didn't we finished yesterday?"
>The raven-haired boy struggles to close the door as a gust of wind barges in
> "Yeah, we made sure it was clear specifically so we'd have the day free today." He says, slamming the door shut with his whole body
>Today
>This again
>You pull down on the scarf to speak up
"Guys, I told you I didn't want to go out today." You complain, backing off from Rose's hug
> "And why not? Cause it's valentine's?" Rose says as she sits on a nearby stool close to a radiator working overtime
"Yes, just so. I don't feel comfortable with all those couples out there, even if they ignore me"
> "Well, when you said you didn't want to go out, we didn't thought you meant not hanging out at all" Anon chimes in, warming his hands close to that same radiator
"I just, I mean" Your words die in your throat
>It's not that you don't want to hang out with them
>You want to spend every waking second with them
>You want to hold Anon the way you used to
>You want to talk hours with Roseluck over meaningless things
>But today in particular
>Today fucking sucks
>You look at the two of them, warming up
>And you're standing here, still freezing by your lonesome
>You let out a frustrated sigh, feeling your eyes watering up properly
> "Wallflower, we want to be here. With you" Anon's voice once again breaks you out of your trance
> "Yeah, don't you remember? We searched high and low for you. We're not going anywhere again!" Rose's cheery voice reassures you of her statement
>You take a tentative step forward
>Your body is freezing
>You don't want to lose them again
>Your heart aches so desperately for what you lost
>Maybe too strongly
>But you can't let it stop you from being with them
>With tears in your eyes you stumble towards them
>You're about to fall and just weep your worries out
>Only to be held up by the people you've hurt the most
>Anon to your left, Rose to your right
>They share a look full of worry
>Roseluck gives you a gentle smile as she hugs your side
>Anon wraps his arms around you both and rests his head on top of yours
>Your tears fall, and your body would as well were it not for them
>You cry silently in their embrace, like you did when they first found you 
>Your arms lay limp to your sides
>You don't return the hug, you simply weep for everything you've lost
>And for not recognizing that they want to find it again
"I love you guys" You whisper, your weak raspy voice breaking as you continue
"I've loved you so much, I want to- I love-" You're full on bawling now
>You feel a kiss on your forehead
>And at the same time, a kiss on your right cheek
>There's no more room for words
>They simply hold you as you cry your heart out
>You spend a couple of minutes trying to control your breathing once again
>And failing over and over
>Until you're finally able to breathe without sobbing
>You gently pull back from the hug, sniffling
>Anon offers you some napkins that you then blow your nose on
>Rose wipes some of your snot off her and Anon's coats
>Wait, napkins?
>You wipe your eyes and look to your side in confusion
>Looking at the place where Anon grabbed the napkins from
>A few bags from your local burger joint lay on a nearby table
>Hidden behind Anon and Roseluck's schoolbag
> "We thought that, maybe you'd like to eat somewhere you were more comfortable in?" Rose suggests
>The doubt in her voice making it clear they weren't sure if it'd work
>You feel like ugly crying again
> "And um, we've got something for you." Anon moves to his backpack, and opens it
>Roseluck doesn't miss a beat to follow him and finds something in her own bag
> "Can you turn around for a second? Please?" Though Anon is the one speaking up, you feel Rose's pleading eyes echoing his notion 
>You do so, your hands fidgeting with the scarf as thoughts rush through your head faster than you can understand them
>Though if you were to describe them, it'd probably be something like
>Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh
> "Alright, you can turn around now" Rose's voice is a mixture of eagerness and doubt
>You close your eyes
>And turn around to face your friends
>Your heart beating so fast you're worried you'll have a heart attack the moment you open your eyes
>You're oh so scared of doing so
>But eventually, you take a small peak 
>And then your eyes shoot open
>Anon holds a poorly wrapped small box of chocolates in front of him
>While Roseluck holds a more neatly wrapped one out for you to grab
> "Happy Valentine's Day, Wallflower"
> "Happy Valentine's Day, Wally!"