The White Bellflowers Were for My Brother Chapter 2

My fingers hooked the pink envelope, and without a moment's hesitation, I pulled it out.

As the letter unfolded, Leo’s familiar, elegant handwriting filled the page. He wrote about falling for Quinn the first time he saw her, about envying her when she brought me flowers, about his internal struggle, afraid to get close.

I patiently flipped through the pages until I reached the last line:

"If you agree, please give me a single white bellflower."

My gaze froze.

So it wasn't a coincidence. That white bellflower by his bed—that's how it got there.

The teacher was lecturing animatedly at the front of the classroom. I bit back my fury, slamming the letter onto Quinn’s desk, glaring at her.

The grating sound of my chair scraping the floor was too loud. The teacher frowned, calling out my name.

"Alex, what's with the fidgeting in class? You answer this question."

I stared at the formula on the blackboard, my mind a blank, filled only with the contents of that letter. Quinn whispered the answer to me, her voice laced with urgency and reassurance.

But I didn't want to say a word.

The teacher waited for a long moment, his face darkening. "Alex, what do you have besides a pretty face? Your grades are worse than your brother's, you're spoiled and arrogant, always stirring up trouble with girls, making a mess of this class!"

I just kept my head down, gritting my teeth, silent.

I didn't care what people said about my personality.

But I hated, absolutely hated, being compared to my brother.

I didn't look at the teacher, didn't look at Quinn, just walked out of the classroom, my face cold.

I'd barely splashed water on my face in the boys' room when I heard Quinn's hurried footsteps behind me.

Her face was etched with anxiety, completely unlike her usual composed, accommodating self. "Alex, please don't be mad."

"You know I hate being compared to him!" I glared at Quinn, my eyes blazing.

"Quinn, don't play dumb. You know that's not what I'm most angry about."

She pressed her lips together, a hint of hurt in her eyes, explaining softly, "The white bellflowers were specifically for you. I didn't know he wanted them, and I certainly didn't plan to give him any."

I demanded, "Then what about the white bellflowers by his bed?"

"He must have bought them himself, trying to make you misunderstand," Quinn sighed, her voice laced with resignation.

"Lots of girls in class like you, saying they'll confess after exams. I was scared of losing you, so I just wanted to make you a little jealous, to let you know I cared."

Her eyes held a pleading look. "I've already explained things to the teacher, don't take it to heart. I can wait, until you're ready to accept me, until exams are over, however long it takes."

Looking at the stubbornness in her eyes, remembering her unwavering presence for the past ten years.

The fire in my chest cooled a bit. I said, my voice still cold, "Alright, after the exams."

Quinn's eyes immediately lit up, and that gentle smile returned to her face.

On the way home from school, she took a call, frowning. "Something urgent came up. You go home first; I'll find you after I'm done."

I nodded and walked on.

After only a few steps, I remembered my water bottle in the classroom and turned back.

As I reached the classroom door, just about to push it open, I heard Leo's voice, a hint of a whine in it.

"Quinn, are you really going to wait until after exams?"

I froze in place.