Ravan's POV
Rylan had asked me to come over today to help him with a surprise for Rowan. He was planning on asking Rowan to the school formal but wasn't sure how. I thought it was a sweet idea so I got there at 12. Rowan would arrive at 3, so we only had 3 hours to prepare the house.
Walking in the front door, I was greeted by Rylan, who had an anxious look on his face.
"Ravan! Thank God you're here, I don't know what to do. We only have 3 hours! How are we meant to be ready in three hours? It's simply not possible, I should tell him to come later. Yeah? Sounds like a good idea." he rambled before swiftly whipping out his phone.
I snatched it off him before he could message Rowan, which was actually quite difficult because of our height difference. It was strangely sweet seeing him get all flustered and lose his fancy words. Exams had only finished two days before and our nerves were all still frayed.
"Don't you dare! I'll message Muun and see if she can come help. Now, I'm going to keep your phone until he gets here, then I'll record the surprise for you." I told him without room for argument. "Do you have any idea of what you want to do?"
"Um, no. I was really hoping that you, as a girl, would know. He's effeminate and enjoys all that sentimental crap..." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. It was kind of... cute?
I'd never seen this side of him before; the sweet way he acted around those he truly trusted. I was proud that I could now count myself amongst that short list.
I was too tired to combat his sexist comment, so I rang up Muun and asked her to bring a dozen bouquets of Rowan's favourite flowers, dahlias. I was very lucky that on our fishing date we had discussed that topic.
With my hands on my hips, I surveyed the room with a critical eye, mentally planning out my masterpiece.
"Okay Rylan, I'm thinking you start making a poster that looks something like this but obviously change the 'grad date' to 'formal'," I said as I pulled up a picture of a formal invitation on my phone. Rylan looked bewildered and wrinkled his nose in distaste.
"I hardly think-"
I shushed him with a wave of my hand and continued with my instructions, not pausing to let him get a word in edgeways. If he wanted my help, he would damn well get it and like it. It was strangely thrilling to cast aside my usual timid persona and be in command; freeing for me, but not for those I was bossing around.
"I'll get started on the lighting, and organising balloons. Do you have any fairy lights around here?" I asked.
"No, why on earth would I possess a set of fairy lights? Do I look like a Pinterest aesthetic girlie to you?"
I looked him up and down in his perfectly pressed white shirt and beige pants, and decided not to comment. As a self-proclaimed 'Pinterest aesthetic girlie,' it wasn't my place to judge.
"In that case, I'll have to go to Kmart and get some. I'm taking your phone with me too or else you'll be tempted," I stated matter-of-factly. "When Muun gets here can you please tell her to organise some floating balloons, or even help you with the sign because I don't trust you to do it right."
Rylan made an offended noise and tried to snatch his phone back from me. I was able to dodge his large, grasping hands just in time by jumping out of the way and onto the couch but he chased me up. I stood on the headrest and giggled while trying to dangle it out of his reach, but he dragged me closer by grabbing my arm with a firm grip. I fell onto the main part of the couch and somewhat into his warm body.
"Hey! No cheating!" I squeaked, still striving to keep the phone away from him.
Rylan made a noise that was somewhere between a growl and laugh before managing to grab the edge of his device by reaching over my head. However, when he tried to pry it from my firm grip, he found that I was still clinging to it valiantly, determined to thwart his efforts.
His insistent jerking on the phone in my hand unbalanced me suddenly, and my vision tunneled. I yelped in surprise as a flash of vertigo overcame me. The floor swooped closer as I toppled to the ground.
Before I could collide with the hardwood floorboards, a solid arm looped itself around my waist and pulled me upright effortlessly. On my still-shaky legs, however, my flailing arms weren't enough to steady me and I crashed face first into Rylan's chest with an undignified "oomph!"
"Watch it," Rylan ground out stiffly. I heard the words reverberate in the cavity of his ribcage and couldn't help but shiver.
"I am so sorry!" I stumbled away from him, managing to right myself. "It's my iron deficiency, I can't- I just get so dizzy sometimes. The doctors have tried everything but I'm hopeless," I laughed awkwardly, feeling my face flame as my traitorous red blood cells made their presence known.
Rylan raised his eyebrows and shrugged, leaning against the edge of a table casually.
"I understand completely. I used to be iron deficient too."
I found myself smiling at the information. It was strangely exciting to find that I had something in common with the boy who I had despised for so many years.
~~TimeSkip~~
After a quick look at Kmart, there was nothing that I wanted so instead I had moved over to Target, where I was able to spot the perfect lights. I grinned to myself uncontrollably as I purchased them.
While there I also decided to buy some beach-themed lollies. When I returned to the house Rylan had finished his poster and Muun had placed some of the dahlias in a path towards the living room. Some balloons spelling out 'Formal??' were floating above where Rylan would be standing waiting for Rowan.
The soft, velvety petals of the dahlias reminded me so much of Rowan's eyes, with their azure and carmine hues mixing and practically glowing as the slanting beams of sunlight coming into Rylan's kitchen shone through them.
The lollies glimmered like jewels in a crystal bowl on the benchtop, and the foil of the balloons refracted the light in all directions. The sun was just beginning to set and cast everything in orangey-pink.
There were still 10 minutes before Rowan would arrive and Rylan was clearly stressing. I wasn't too sure why seeing as we had finished 20 minutes beforehand and Muun had left.
I was doing one last run through of the plan with Rylan while walking through the house.
The plan was I would welcome Rowan at the door and lead him to where the dahlia path started. From there I would tell him to follow said path and I was to tail him slowly while recording discreetly on my phone.
When the doorbell rang, I quickly laid a comforting hand on his arm. Rylan's tinfoil eyes met mine and crinkled with joy and nervousness.
"Go get him," I whispered gently, feeling nothing but the same feelings in my own soul.
Long story short, Rowan's answer was an enthusiastic yes, as he threw his arms around Rylan and kissed him senseless while I filmed it. Rowan and I had already agreed that we would go together, too, so the three of us would make a trio. The date of the formal loomed, and I quickly began to stress over what on earth I would wear!