The Right Words

Of all the boys, he was the best. He was funny, he was intelligent, he was beautiful, he was friendly, he was popular, he was rich. The girls fell at his feet like dominos, but he walked past them with a dazzling yet disconcerted smile. He could have had his pick of the pack, he could have had anyone - the only girl he wanted, was the only one who didn't want him.

She was the complete opposite to him. She was short, slim but obviously not athletic, moody, poor, and the lowest of the low in the popularity hierarchy. It was her differences that made him want her, with her waist length dark red hair, nose piercing, purple jeans and skeleton hoody.

When the first set of flowers turned up on her doorstep, she read the card, scowled, and stomped on them, before throwing the flowers on her compost pile and the plastic wrapper into her recycling box. Andrew sighed as he watched from his own home across the road, and dialled the number for the florists again. He would send a bigger, better, more beautiful bunch this time - maybe that was what was wrong.

The second bunch got the same, if not worse treatment. She found them, picked all of the petals off, and cut the stems to ribbons, scowling all the way; then she turned the roses into mulch, which she then soaked in perfume and dried into potpourrie. At least, he thought, she didn't burn them. He picked up his phone again, and dialled a different number.

When the chocolates arrived in a box at her door, she looked around, that funny little scowl still on her face. After she'd signed for the package and opened them, her scowl deepened. She took them inside the house, and Andrew watched what she would do next. She was gone for a small while, before coming outside with a giant white sheet; she hung it across her window. It read 'I'm a vegan' in giant black letters, and was surrounded by almost photograph-quality drawings of pigs and lambs and bunnies.

Andrew hit his forehead with the heel of his hand, thinking himself stupid for forgetting that crucial fact in the moment. Right then, he thought; this time, he'd bring out the big guns. He flipped his phone open once again.

The crease between her eyebrows was still there in annoyance when she opened the door once again to the delivery man. This time, he handed her a box with holes cut out of it, and the box moved in her hands. She looked puzzled this time, and Andrew sighed in relief and anticipation. She opened the box and the smallest pug puppy jumped out at her, licking her face cheerfully. She started giggling and threw the box to the floor, holding the puppy in her arms and cooing. She signed for the package and entered her house, cradling the puppy like a baby.

Finally, Andrew thought, some headway.

On seeing the appreciation of his gift, at last, he came down from his pedestal and crossed the street to her house. He straightened his polo-shirt and his acid-washed jeans, and swanned up to her door, knocking happily.

She opened it with a smile, which quickly dropped into her usual scowl. She looked him up and down, glowering as she did so.

"Yes?" she asked.

"D-did you get the things I sent?" he inquired.

She lent against the doorjamb, her arms folded, her jaw locked and her eyebrows turned downwards.

"You mean the flowers that were bred to be cut down and wilt in my living room vase? The chocolates that go against the things I believe in?"

Andrew gulped and pulled at his collar, sweating slightly. "And the puppy?"

"A nice thought, but just an example of your thought that you can buy anybody."

Andrew felt the words sting in his ears, but instead of backing down, he scowled right back at her and stood up straight, holding his ground.

"Actually, I sent you those things to show you that money means nothing to me, I can do without it. I gave you those things to enjoy in the hope you'd enjoy me too. I don't want to buy you; I want to earn you."

She opened her mouth the retaliate, but could come up with nothing. Instead, she threw herself backwards into her house, and slammed the door in his face. Andrew sighed and hung his head, turning away from her home and making to walk away. The door opened behind him and he turned, bracing himself for her acidic late comeback.

Instead, she threw herself at him and locked her lips with his. In shock, he couldn't kiss her back. She pulled away instantly, biting her lip.

"What the...?"

"No one's ever said something like that before. No one's ever stood up to me and held their own," she interrupted. "No one's ever wanted to earn me before."

Andrew blinked, and grinned at her, leaning down to kiss her again.

He'd won her heart - that's all that mattered.