Genre: Friendship, Fluff 🦙
Word Count: 1,743 🦙
Series Tie-In: None 🦙
Warnings: None 🦙
Prompt: None 🦙
Written: 01/05/20 🦙

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Addi smiled brightly as she stepped into Magnolia Blossom park, her eyes scanning the nature around her. Although the pond and the river, and the various flora and fauna were quite nice to look at, she had something else that, in her opinion, was ten times more beautiful; a cherry tree, in full bloom at the beginning of summer.

No matter what emotion she was feeling, she felt happy sitting under the cherry tree. Sometimes, she wondered if its roots were filled with magic.

She paused when she noticed a boy around her age standing beneath the tree, his head tilted back as he looked up at the pink petals. Her head tilted to the side, curiously. Addi had never seen this boy before, not even at school.

Putting on a friendly smile, she approached the boy. “Hey, there!”

He turned to look at her, his expression staying neutral. He didn’t reply.

Her smile didn’t waver. In fact, it grew when she noticed the shirt he was wearing. “You like Deadpool? Me too! He’s the best anti-hero. Although he’s cool in the comics, he’s way cooler in the live-action version.”

He quirked a brow. “You really like him? I’ve never met anyone else that does… Most people say he’s annoying and prefer the heroes.”

Addi scoffed, waving her hand to express her displeasure. “They say that because they can’t understand the genius that is Deadpool. I mean, sure, heroes go around saving people and obeying the laws, whatever. But anti-heroes also save people but they do it in a cooler way! Think about it, how many heroes have put the law above saving people? That’s not how a hero should be. Saving people should come first, ya know? Otherwise, you’re basically just a beefed-up cop.”

His lips twitched up as she ranted on about her beliefs when it comes to heroes and anti-heroes. He had never met anyone, let alone a girl, that had such passion for the same thing he enjoyed so deeply. He thrust his hand out at her, making her pause. “My name is Adrian Webber. I just moved here from Brindleton Bay.”

Her eyes lit up with excitement as he shared the small detail with her. Her hand slid into his, enthusiastically shaking it up and down. “Addisyn Sanders, but you can call me Addi! Welcome to Willow Creek.”

“You know, I was worried about moving. It’s kinda hard to be the new kid in the middle of senior year, ya know?” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “It might just be a bit more bearable now…”

Addi laughed, slapping his arm. “You say that now, but I get annoying real fast, ya know?”

Adrian hummed, thoughtfully. “Guess we’ll see, hmm?”

After standing around and debating heroes versus villains for about fifteen minutes, the two teenagers decided to head over and have a seat at the picnic tables to continue their conversation.

“Personally, I don’t think the Joker is actually mentally unstable,” Adrian commented. “I believe he knows exactly what he’s doing and he just wants people to think he’s unstable.”

“Maybe,” she tapped her chin. “But he’s not very relevant anymore. Harley Quinn is the queen of the villains, now!”

He chuckled. “So you’re a Harley fan, then?”

“Totally! After seeing her in Suicide Squad, you’d have to be insane not to love her.”

“Hey, Addi!” Cassandra Goth, Addi’s best friend, approached the two of them, plopping down across from them at the table. “Who’s your friend?”

Addi didn’t miss the way Cass’ eyebrows wiggled as she eyed Adrian. It was clear on her face that she found him attractive and, honestly, Addi couldn’t blame her. He was a teen after her own heart.

“This is Adrian, he just moved here.” Addi introduced. “And this is Cassandra, but everyone calls her Cass. She’s in our year.”

“And Addi’s best friend,” Cass added with a wink. “Nice to meet you, Adrian.”

His smile dropped, but it was so minuscule that neither girl noticed. “Hello,”

“What were you guys talking about, hmm?” Cass raised a brow, pushing up her glasses.

“Superheroes and villains!” Addi grinned, making the ravenette roll her eyes.

“Not that stuff again,” she frowned at her friend before turning to the male. “Sorry about her, she’s totally obsessed with that stuff and once she gets going, it’s like stopping a bullet train.”

Adrian’s lips formed a straight line as his brow furrowed. “Actually, I enjoy it, too.”

“Good, she can gush to you instead of me.” Cass joked, making Addi stick her tongue out at her.

He checked his watch before clearing his throat and standing up. “I’ve got to get home. See you at school?” His eyes met Addi’s and she smiled brightly.

“Of course! See ya~”

After he was a safe distance away, Cass sent her a knowing look.

“What?”

“You totally have a crush on him,” she smirked.

“I do not,” Addi scowled. “We just have a lot in common, is all…”

“Sure, sure~” Cass stood up, brushing off the seat of her skirt. “I gotta get going, too. Bye, Addi.”

“Bye!”

Addi returned home in high spirits, but it wouldn’t last long. Her dad hopped up from the couch when she entered, quickly flicking off the TV. She instantly recognized the nervous look on his face and she felt her heart pick up speed.

“Honey, I need to tell you something.”

Addi frowned. He only called her honey when he was about to say something he knew she wouldn’t like. “What is it?”

“You know I had a meeting with my boss the other night, right?”

She nodded.

“Well… I got a promotion!”

“Dad, that’s awesome!” She threw her arms around him. “You’re one step closer to your dream~”

“Yeah,” he breathed, holding her tightly within his arms. “There’s a catch, though…”

Addi pulled back with a furrowed brow. “And that is?”

“We’re moving to San Myshuno…” He paused a moment for her reaction, but she just stared at him blankly. “Surprise?”

She forced a smile, “That’s great. When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow… you’re not upset?”

“Nah, it’ll be fun! Oh, I should call Cass.” She turned away from him so he wouldn’t see her frown. Her father had been working so hard his entire life to reach his dreams and he had sacrificed so much to keep her happy and provide for her. What right did she have to deny him after everything he’s done? It sucked, but it was the cards she was dealt.

She dialed Cass’s number before pressing the phone to her ear, releasing the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “Hey, Cass? I, uhh… I need to tell you something.”

🌸 The 🌸 Cherry 🌸 Tree 🌸

A year had passed since Addi and her dad moved away from Willow Creek and, now that she’s an adult, she has flown from the nest and returned to her childhood home. Naturally, the first place she decided to visit was the park.

Her lips slid upward on their own accord as she breathed in the warm summer air, watching two birds fly from tree to tree as they chased one another. She felt warm and happy being back in her hometown.

To be honest, she wasn’t really expecting to find Adrian under the cherry tree as he had been upon their first meeting, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at least a little hopeful.

Although she missed many things after moving, one thing that often came to her mind was Adrian. Every time the topic of heroes was brought up, his face would flash in her mind and her heart would skip within her ribcage. She didn’t understand it.

They had known each other for only an hour or two, and yet she spent the better part of the year thinking about him, wondering where he was or how he was doing. Did he hate her for disappearing? Had Cass told him about the move? She said she had, but Addi still had to wonder.

She assumed that he probably had a girlfriend by now and was on the path to follow his own dreams. The thought upset her and she didn’t understand why he had such a hold over her.

“What are you doing?”

She looked up at the man staring down at her, a brow raised in question. “Huh, isn’t it obvious? I’m cherry blossom gazing!”

“You’re… what?”

“Ya know, cloud gazing but instead of gazing at clouds, I’m gazing at the beautiful cherry blossoms!”

He hummed thoughtfully. “You must really like cherry trees,”

“I love them!” She grinned before letting it soften to a smile. “Plus… I met someone special here when I was younger.”

“Special?”

“Well, special to me, anyway.” She chuckled, sheepishly scratching her cheek. “I wonder how he’s doing…”

“Addi,”

“I bet he has a girlfriend, too. I mean, he’s gorgeous, how can he not?”

“Addi…”

“Did he move back to Brindleton Bay? He wanted to be a teacher… I wonder if he’s in college.”

“Addisyn,”

“What?” She shot up, staring at him suspiciously. “How do you know my name?”

He quirked a brow. “Have I changed that much?”

“I… what?” Addi hopped to her feet, moving her face close to his as she squinted her eyes, trying to recall who this man was. “No way… Adrian?!”

He nodded.

“Oh my grim, this has got to be some kind of fate or something!”

“Fate? I don’t know about that…”

“It definitely is! I mean, honestly, what are the chances that we’d meet under a cherry tree as teenagers and then again exactly a year later?!”

“I’d save about fourteen percent,”

“It was rhetorical!”

His lips twitched up. “You’re as excitable as ever. I’m glad,”

She grinned, rubbing the back of her head. “Once a goofball, always a goofball!”

“Do you mind if I join your, uhh… cherry blossom gazing?”

“Of course I don’t mind,” With a smile, Addi plopped back onto the grass, with Adrian slowly lying down beside her.

“To answer your questions,” he started softly. “I’m doing well. I don’t have a girlfriend. I stayed in Willow Creek. Yes, I want to be a teacher and no, I’m not in college. I’m working at Rainy Day Entertainment.”

She couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. “I’ve missed you,”

Adrian hesitated for a moment before gently grasping her hand in his, their fingers lacing together. “I’ve missed you, too.”

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