Cross Pollination

[Ruggahissy]

Ciara sat at the lunch bench fretting. She chewed her lip as Beatrice ate a sandwich and Amy read Seventeen.

"What the heck am I going to do, guys?"

Amy shrugged and flipped a page. "Move?"

Beatrice swallowed. "Buy a new one?"

Ciara buried her face in her hands. "No! Mrs. Umbra is totally going to kill me when she comes home and finds out I forgot to take care of her plants! This was supposed to be a test run to my folks that I could take care of a dog!"

"I think this just shows you probably shouldn't have one of those either," Amy said without looking up.

Ciara slapped the magazine out of her hand. "Not helping!"

"Maybe I can help you."

Ciara nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the deep voice next to her. She turned and saw a young man, smiling quite peacefully.

"Are you Batman or something!? Don't do that! Wait, you said you can help?"

"I can fix your plant, but I only if you do me a favor," he said nodding.

"Pffttt. You a gardener?" Amy asked, arms crossed.

"No," he admitted. "But plants like music and I'm pretty good if I may say so. And I'll water it, something you may have forgotten."

Ciara blushed with embarrassment. "I've only got a few days. Whaddya want for a trade?"

"Write my book report for Mrs. Frank's English for next week," he said almost immediately without missing a beat.

Ciara thought a moment. She had nothing to lose, the thing was almost dead anyway. "'kay. Deal."

He grabbed her hand and shook it.

______________________________

One day before Mrs. Umbra would be home. Amy, Ciara and Beatrice walked into the house she was sitting for and Ciara had her eyes squeezed shut when she went into the living room. What if it was still a wreck?

She opened her eyes and saw Paris sitting on a couch, stroking a leaf. "Ta dah."

"No f---ing way," murmured Amy.

Not only was it alive, it was thriving. Green, perky leaves and everything. Ciara stood there, open mouthed as the boy got up.

"I need the paper by the weekend," he said cheerfully, trailing his hand across her cheek as he walked by.