chapter 4

" let's walk, I still have to take you to my favorite place here " he said to her

She held his arm as they slowly walked towards the entrance of the park in the hospital

As they walked closer and closer

She could smell the fresh scent of green grass that spread all around, and the sound of the birds that chirped their sweet melody

She felt alive, a tiny little bit more than she did this morning

She had never appreciated the small things in life as much as she did now

Maybe knowing you had much less time to live

Made you appreciate things more often

As they walked on to the stone trail that lied amongst the grass

She could slowly see dark purple flowers that bloomed into her sight as they walked closer

The purple flowers were hanging in bunches from the tree

It was late- mid summer, that's why they were blooming so beautifully

"It's beautiful isn't it?" he asked

" Yes " she answered in awe as she looked around, but eventually she turned to face him

"Almost as beautiful as your eyes" she continued as she turned her face away, a bit shy.

This was a bit embarrassing, but she must persist she thought

After hearing her a blush crept up on Xavier's face, however a small chuckle left his mouth as he felt it was a little funny

" That can't be, in comparison your much more beautiful than any flower here " he said as he smiled brightly at her

That smile ...it was definitely a lady killer she thought

He didn't seem to smile enough, just like her

"You know, these flowers are known as delta blue vitex Theyre aromatic, dark purple flowers that burst into bloom in mid- to late summer. The aroma attracts both the butterflies and hummingbirds to this place, that's why this place is more beautiful" Rhen said as she rambled on about what she knew in a slight daze

Her head shook slightly as her daze cleared

A small chuckle left her lips as she turned to face the flowers, her lips twitched on the side however when she had her face turned away from Xavier

'That was dangerous..... his smile is quite charming' she thought

" You seem to know quite a lot about flowers "

Xavier said as he looked at her instead of the flowers

" We'll, it's become a habit of mine to learn things like this " she said as her ears burned red

"How come?" he asked

"We'll i'm a painter" she said with a smile

"When I paint, i like to know what I paint so that I can put as many of my feelings into what I make, it adds more depth and meaning to what i create" she continued

He smiled as he heard her

"You look happy, when you talk about painting" he said as he turned to see her smile more

"No I look happy when I talk about the things I like" she said as she turned to face him

I'm sure you'll make me look happy too sooner or later she thought, her heart felt a little funny

That face,that figure and that smile it was a critical hit , who could resist

"Im told quite a lot that I look less cold when I talk about the things I like too" he said

"You? Cold" she replied

"Your anything but that "she continued as she looked at him confused

"To you , I might not look cold" he replied with a small smile

When he said that Rhenea couldnt help but feel a bit weird, he looked a bit familiar

"You know these flowers are also known as Vitex Agnus- Castus" she said as she pointed to the blooming flower trees

"Really? Which name do you prefer" he asked curiously

"I prefer the name Agnus-Castus instead, since the word delta reminds me of the Greek alphabet rather than something like blooming flowers" she said

Xavier let out a small chuckle as he heard her

"Yes you're right, I did indeed think of the Greek alphabet when you said the flowers name the first time"

he said as his specs shifted a bit due to his laugh

He adjusted them, as his well sculpted hands were brought up to his face to adjust the gold spectacles

"See I knew it!" She said certainly like it was a matter of fact

A butterfly had wondered on her head while they talked, and it had laid itself to rest on her soft pale golden hair, she had no clue about it as it seemed quite calm as it sat on her

Seeing that Xavier moved his hand gently to pick up the butterfly

Rhen was a bit startled when she saw Xavier show her the insect

She smiled wryly

"Theyre pretty but they're just a bit weird aren't they? " she said

A deep chuckle rumbled across his chest

"I thought Artists were supposed to find the beauty in everything" he teased her

a lighter chuckle continued to fall out of his lips

"They are beautiful! But that's not all it is, it's about preference more than anything, their wings are beautiful and I love to paint them, but I wouldn't touch one willingly" she said exhasperated

Almost as if she had explained this to multiple people before

Which she had

A smile floated on Xavier's lips as his hand reached out to rub the top of her head, he couldn't help it,

it was almost addicting to him

" There iv removed any evidence of it sitting there now " he said as he rubbed his fingers a bit once he had stopped touching her fluffy hair

'He wanted to touch her hair more'

"Give me your other arm now " she said as she chuckled

"Other arm? Don't tell me? Do you despise the hand that touched that butterfly" he asked as his eyebrows raised up slightly

As Rhen turned to look at him deadpan

with a face that said ' isn't that obvious '

" It's not you, it's just..I don't like touching insects " she said as she shrugged

" Neither do I" Xavier said as he shrugged too

"But you jus- "she said but before she could finish saying that

" Yes but that doesn't mean I like touching them either, but they're just insects ultimately, it's just a matter of the amount of bacteria their body contains on the surface and where they transfer it " he continued on to say

"Yes you're right it is the bacteria,

I mean my immune system has weakened as it is " she said

" What if I get more sick because of them " she continued on to say as she fake coughed twice in an attempt to convince him

"But your feeling alright now right? No symptoms?" Xavier asked her

"Yes thankfully you saved me from the bacteria" She said as she turned to face him with a slight smile on her face

Xavier felt his heart warm from the inside-out when he continued to talk to her

And for the first time she saw him laugh out loud properly that day,

It made her smile even more genuine.