Greenhouse || Xavier Thorpe x Male Reader

foxglove || chapter 11

 Had any other person been in Wednesday's place this morning, I would have never been allowed to forget what they walked in to. But, it's Wednesday. She moved on as soon as the door to the greenhouse closed. Or at least, I thought she did. I've gone through the entire day without hearing a peep from her. We're all in the quad, eating dinner, when she mentions it again.

"Enid, I don't believe I told you what I had the unique pleasure of having to witness this morning," she begins, voice dripping in sarcasm.

"No, you haven't," Enid responds, a curious edge to her voice.

"Wednesday, can't you wait until AFTER dinner?" I ask. She scowls at me and begins to speak.

"What is this about?" Enid cuts in.

"Wednesday walked in on us kissing in the greenhouse. Not a big deal," I tell her. "It's almost like the time I went to the beekeeping hut, and got stung because I screamed so loudly when I saw-"

"At least it wasn't cutting into a finance meeting," Wednesday interrupts. Enid blushes furiously at the reminder of the beekeeping incident.

"We still got the hive boxes ordered, so it's not that big of a loss," I point out. "And before you say anything about Eugene, know that he was outside the whole time during the beekeeping incident."

"What the hell is the beekeeping incident?" Xavier asks. The rest of us look at him wide-eyed.

"You don't want to know. All I'll say is that it was like this morning, just worse. Be grateful you aren't in beekeeping," I tell him. He shudders.

~=~

The botany classroom is abuzz as I enter and sit down. Everyone is beside themselves with excitement for this year's Rave'N, which falls on Valentine's Day.

"Okay, everyone, calm down. I still need volunteers for the decoration committee, by the way," Miss Featherfell tells the class from her desk. Almost every hand goes up. "Just see me after class, then."

"Aren't you excited for disco balls and spiked punch?" Xavier asks with mock enthusiasm. I shake my head.

"No. If I'm being honest, I'd rather garden. But none of our friends will leave us alone in the greenhouse again, so I think we're going to be forced to attend," I respond. He nods. "Which brings me to the topic, do you want to ask Enid or Wednesday to pretend to be going with you? I can do the same if it makes you more comfortable."

"Actually, I'd like to go with you. Without any faking of dates. Hopefully everyone will be too busy focusing on their dates to notice us, but even if not, I'm willing to take the chance," he says. I smile and squeeze his hand under the table.

"I'll actually have a reason to want to go now, then."

He returns the smile, and I feel my stomach flip in a way it hasn't before. I know he has some issues with his mental health and his family, so he doesn't smile too often. But when he does, it's a genuine smile, bright and happy like a small ray of sunshine. It's a sweet smile that makes me unable to do anything but smile back.

Miss Featherfell begins her lesson, but everyone's mind seems to be on the dance. Every answer to her questions has some connection to the Rave'N. At some point, she just gives up.

"Look, I know you all are excited, and I see that we're not getting anywhere with this. The Rave'N is in two days, so... Decorating committee, you can come up here now. Everyone else, you're free to go," she dismisses us with a sigh. I jump up and try to run for the greenhouse, but Wednesday gets in my way.

"Hold it. Beekeeping club is next, and we're not having a repeat of yesterday. Enid is on the decorating committee, so if you're going to the greenhouse, you're going with me," she tells me flatly.

"Hold on there, mother dearest. What if I said I was going to the art shed?" I ask. She pauses, weighing her options. Annoy the plant psychic in a botany class or let him go to his greenhouse?

"I'll be in the beekeeping hut. If you're so much as a minute late, I will string you up on the rafters of said hut," she finally decides. I nod and leave, locking the greenhouse door behind me. I survey my plants, realizing I have no more roses to sell. It's not any use to grow them now, they'll be too young to last very long.

I decide to try visualization instead. I managed to grow the white roses that way a few times, and the more I hone that skill the better I'll get. When I set the pots and soil down on the work table, I hear a knock. In the doorframe stands Eugene, eyes closed.

"Hello. You're alone, right?" he asks.

"The door was locked, Eugene. I opened it for you. Of course I'm alone," I tell him. He opens his eyes.

"Good. I wanted to talk to you about your idea for winter wildflowers. Wednesday will be gathering specimens today, and I wanted to know when you would have the plants ready if she gave them to you today," he explains.

"It depends on the plant. I'll definetely have them by the time the ground thaws, though," I respond. He nods.

"Okay. I'll see you in a bit," he says as he leaves. I wave before turning back to the soil and visualizing a foxglove plant. Beautiful, but good to use in case Wednesday comes barging into the greenhouse again, even when I'm by myself. When I open my eyes, there it is. A bit shorter than I would have wanted, but still. Foxglove.

I move the pot to a table further back in the greenhouse, out of Weems's sight if she decides to come for a surprise inspection. My watch chimes, and I lock up he greenhouse before making my way over to beekeeping club.

the part about the smile was actually drawn from my very own texts to a friend of mine, the same friend who's been helping me with the whole
'table'
scene. 

i was going through some clips i had and found my xavier clips. two of them featured a smile, yet both of them were such sweet and genuine smiles that they made me smile at my laptop. then i texted my friend and told her about it before deciding to incorporate it here. if you also have clips of any sort, go through them and look for smiles. they're the most precious thing ever.