Chapter 1: Books are great company

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Chapter 1: Books are great company (Edited)

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I wasn't allergic to pollen, and for that I was glad.

The nursery was saturated with an exquisite fragrance of gardenias brought in just this morning, but the rare fragile scent of the succulent orchids still fought amidst the overwhelmingly populous opponent, uncompliant as per the norm.

The warm bright sun rays were unhindered as they passed through the walls and high ceilings of the giant glass structure that formed the greenhouse, however, the dull rumble of Houston's bustling summer life was held off with considerable efficiency, granted the nursery was located in the busier part, almost near the city centre.

Sinking to my knees I wiped off tiny droplets of perspiration from my brow with the back of my wrist, while trying to avoid getting mud caked onto my face from my soil sheathed gloved hands and continued to work on removing the many small obnoxiously invasive plants from the beautifully groomed innumerous potted shrubs.

After only a few years of gardening, I had created a comfort zone for myself amongst the pretty greens with the earthy raw odour that surrounded them and the calming dirt that helped me focus.

I even grew to enjoy the company of restlessly fluttering swallowtails and made peace with the murmuring bees which hummed annoyingly as they went out and about their lives, much like I did, only, I hummed a song instead.

"One hundred and seventy-three punnets!" Noah burst in through one of the glass doors while I was trying to uproot a particularly stubborn dewberry vine.

His tall frame was towering over me even though he stood a good distance away with a tall rake in his hand that he twirled with mindless dexterity.

Noah Rodriguez is that annoying friend from school who also happens to be working with me, in fact, I distinctly remember helping him get this job. I obviously had sent my common sense packing when I did that, and so I've been thoroughly regretting my decision ever since.

Mercifully his loud company is escorted with a few redeeming, and quite a few debatable qualities, as he's one of those always happy and optimistic-in-the-eye-of-catastrophe sorts of person who would undeniably get your mood up if ever you are feeling down in dumps.

He is charmingly funny, outrageously flirty, and attractive in an obvious kind of way with his dirty blonde hair, deep blue eyes and a contagious smile.

And worst of all, he knows it.

Noah has this annoying habit of turning everything into a competition regardless of his co-participant's wish, and I happen to be the victim of his absurd lifestyle.

I looked up at him while he grinned with a smugness that practically wafted off of him in waves. "Think you can do better than that Davis?" He arched up an eyebrow at me in a challenge.

He also deliberately and without fail used my last name to address me, because he knew how passionately I hated it.

I turned back to my task at hand and used a small sickle to cut through the layer of soil while speaking "Not bad, I hope you double-checked, last year's repeat would be a pity." Referring to how he had miscalculated.

"Triple checked actually, I'm going to beat you this time, just you wait!" He was talking about his contribution to our annual strawberry harvest and how he's quite confident that it's going to be more than mine this year.

"It really doesn't surprise me anymore how you manage to brag about your wasted time," I rolled my eyes.

He wasn't at all offended by my remark, as he fake gasped. "How atrocious! I am of the opinion that I'm full of surprises, Davis!"

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