Blossom of May

BLOSSOM OF MAY

Chapter 1: The Gift shop (Part 1)

“Hmm-ugh,” May groaned, locking her fingers and stretching her arms high above her head. “Finally, I finished my homework.”

She stacked the books neatly on her desk, a small reward for surviving her summer holiday assignments. Standing up, she headed straight for the living room to watch TV. With a soft click, the door slid open, and she stepped inside.

The living room was empty and there was nobody to be found. Seeing the room empty, May hopped with joy. This was perfect for May to watch her favourite show. Usually, whenever it was a holiday and May tried to watch her favorite show, either her brother would change the channel to a sports one or her father would suddenly grow an interest in news. Other times, it would be her mother’s serial time. But today no one was going to disturb her.

Excited for this, May picked the remote from the table. She hopped onto the couch and stretched her legs out. With the remote in hand, she switched on the TV. Just as she was about to select the channel

“May! Are you there?”

Ugh. Did someone just call my name?

"May, have you completed your homework?”

Hearing the question, May turned her head back. Her mother stood near the sofa, still wearing an apron.

“May, if you have completed your homework, could you please visit the market to buy some groceries?” her mother said to her.

“Ugh, can’t big brother just do it?”

“Sweetheart, I would have sent him, but he isn’t home right now.”

May tried her best to pass the buck, but her mother’s knowing smile made it clear: there was no escaping this trip to the market.

“But can’t you call big brother and tell him to bring you groceries on his way home.”

“He said he had some important work to do, so I don’t think he would be returning soon. Also you haven’t left the house in days so this is a good opportunity to go for a walk”

May made one last attempt to avoid leaving her beloved TV, but it was useless against her mother.

“Now come on hurry up. Go change your clothes. I will leave the bag on the table” her mother said.

Knowing there was no point arguing anymore, May turned the TV off. With slumped shoulders, she walked toward her room. She hadn’t changed her night dress since morning as she was doing her homework after breakfast. She had even eaten lunch in her nightdress

“What was so important for my brother to do today. Couldn’t he have gone after shopping. He really is such a slacker.”

“Darling, I can hear you, and what is with this person who hasn’t even bothered to change her nightdress since morning calling someone else slacker”

May was muttering to herself when her mother heard her. She gave May a reality check about who was the real slacker.

Closing the main door of the house, May made her way towards the backyard. She swung the bicycle keys around her finger. She raised her other hand over her brow to block the sunlight.

“Ugh, so much brightness. Am I really supposed to ride a bicycle in this hea—”

Wait, how could I have forgotten. Dad had taken the bicycle to a repair shop two days ago. Well, it seems I won’t be able to go to the market today. I was really excited for this trip. Well, who can fight destiny? It is how it is.

With a charming smile, May retraced her steps back towards her house. Excited to tell her mother about the cancellation of the trip to the market, May opened the door.

“Mom the —”

May stopped in her tracks. Her mother was standing in front of her, still wearing the same apron and holding a ladle.

“Yes, my dear. I suppose you bought everything I asked for. That’s why you’re back, right?” her mother asked, slapping the ladle against her palm.

“No, I was just saying, the bicycle.”

“Your dad took the bicycle for a repair. What about that?” her mother replied, now slapping the ladle against her palm more rapidly.

May opened her mouth, but her voice abandoned ship. Her eyes zipped left and right, scanning the hall for an escape route, a distraction, or perhaps a sudden meteor strike to save her from this interrogation. Finally, she said,

“Yeah, I… I just forgot and took the keys. I just came to leave these here.”

“Ok, Mom. Goodbye”

“Take care, dear! Love you.”

She tossed the keys onto the entryway table, spun on her heel, and bolted out the door before her mother could ask a follow-up question.

The moment the front door clicked shut behind her, the summer heat hit May like a physical blow. Outside, the world was melting. The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the sidewalk into an oven and making the air dance with heat haze in the distance.

May dragged her sneakers along the shimmering pavement, tracking the meager slivers of shade offered by the neighborhood trees. It wasn’t just hot; it was the kind of humid, breathless afternoon where even breathing felt like inhaling soup. She pulled her mother’s grocery list from her pocket, using it as a makeshift fan that did absolutely nothing but move warm air around her face.

“Important work,” she muttered under her breath, mimicking her brother’s voice. If anyone was doing survival work today, it was her.

How am I supposed to walk in this heat? I might become a barbecue before reaching the market.

The heat was unbearable, though May was making it sound far worse in her head. May’s condition was that of a mole exposed to light. She had spent most of her summer vacation in her room procrastinating on her homework.

The afternoon heat stayed heavy and stubborn. Walking along the riverbank, May wiped sweat from her forehead, letting her mind drift into a vivid daydream. What if I collapse right here? She could see it perfectly: the dramatic faint, the frantic rush to the hospital, and her final, moving goodbye speech to her family from a crisp hospital bed. Naturally, she would arrive in a sleek white ambulance. Sure, the local ones were a tacky yellow, but May felt a white one suited her grand finale much better.

A sudden whoosh of wind scattered her imaginary funeral audience. The cool breeze rolled off the river, chilling the sweat on her forehead. May exhaled softly as the wind caught her long, dark hair, cascading the strands over her shoulders and sending them dancing around her face. Blinking, she stepped closer to the railing to look at the water. The river stretched out wide and vast beneath an endless canopy of white-speckled clouds. The view under the bright sun was breathtaking. The water was clear, its gentle currents catching the sunlight and mirroring the brilliant blue sky from horizon to horizon.

“...It is beautiful,” she whispered.

She stood captivated, unable to tear herself away from the pristine sight. Looking down, the blue sky reflected perfectly in the water’s pristine surface, making her eyes look as though they had captured the vast universe itself. She was so deeply lost in the view that she could have stared for centuries without a blink. Just as she was about to completely dissolve into the horizon.

“Pass it here!”

The sudden shout made May jump. Her quiet moment was completely ruined. Annoyed, she turned her back on the river and looked across the hot road.

Just past the street, the ground sloped downward into a large playground. It was loud and dusty. A group of high school and college boys were running around in a messy game of soccer. On the edges of the field, a crowd of girls stood watching, clapping and cheering loudly every time someone kicked the ball.

May squinted down the slope, trying to find the owner of that familiar voice. She sighed. Of course. Running right in the middle of the field, sweating and clearly trying to show off for the girls on the sidelines, was her older brother.