Voices were coming from an adjoining room. ‘The bats have to be ready for their release at ten sharp!’ Olivia overheard Lucia the wedding planner directing. ‘The couple simply cannot leave without a flock to herald their new start. It’s bad luck not to have bats!’
Olivia chuckled to herself. Vamps! They have some crazy traditions. She walked along, appreciating the gardens and the starry night, the soft grass sinking under her high heels. The night was so tranquil that she was startled by the sound of her phone beeping.
She pulled it out of her clutch bag. The screen glowed green, looking radioactive in the darkness. Her heart flip-flopped. It was a text. From him.
Miss you xoxo
Olivia hugged the phone to her chest. Maybe the rose was wrong. Blue could mean all sorts of things, right? Since when did it mean ‘impossible love’, anyway? Plus, Olivia wasn’t a vampire, she was human. The Free Rose of Summer might work differently for her. It was possible. Perhaps . . .
Olivia plucked a pink primrose from one of the flower beds and held it up to her nose. Pink was more her colour, after all. As she wandered the grounds outside, a funny feeling started to take over. She felt light, happy even. Sure, Jackson was far away and had his exciting movie career, and Ivy was leaving her to start a new school – but perhaps there were new opportunities ahead for Olivia too.
Who knows? she thought. Maybe this just means it’s time for me to focus on . . . me!