Love's Next Door

Selena was undeniably a breathtakingly beautiful lady. Her long, flowing blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, shimmering in the sunlight. Her piercing green eyes seemed to hold a touch of mystery, captivating anyone who dared to meet her gaze. But it wasn't just her physical appearance that made her stand out; Selena possessed a captivating personality that was truly one-of-a-kind.

Although Selena had graduated from college, she was yet to secure a high-paying job. Currently, she works as an assistant in a local company in Mexico to make ends meet. Despite the humbleness of her job, Selena approached it with utmost dedication and enthusiasm, always going above and beyond to ensure everything was in order.

As Selena closed from work that day, she headed straight to her parents' charming flower shop. The air was filled with the soothing scent of blossoms, and as she entered, she found her parents, Mr. Franco Martello and Mrs. Elena Martello, engaged in laughter and merriment.

"Hey, Mom, and Dad," Selena greeted them with a warm smile. "What's so funny?"

Mr Martello wiped away a tear of laughter and responded, "Oh, Selena, you won't believe the prank your mother pulled on a customer today! We've been sharing a good laugh about it."

Her mother, Mrs. Elena Martello, joined in, chuckling. "Oh, it was nothing too serious, just a little confused customer."

Selena leaned in, intrigued. "Tell me, tell me! I could use a good laugh."

"Selena, if I tell you, you won't believe what happened earlier today!" Mrs Martello exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face.

"What happened, Mom?" Selena asked, eager to hear the story.

"A customer walked into the shop, confidently pointing at a bunch of sunflowers and asking us for roses," Mr. Martello chimed in, chuckling as he recounted the incident.

Selena looked at them both, utterly confused. "What? Did you give him the sunflowers or the roses?"

"That's the funny part! At first, your mother gave him the actual roses, and the man still insisted that it wasn't what he wanted," Mr. Martello continued, the laughter in his voice infectious.

Mrs Martello interjected, "I couldn't understand what was going on! He kept pointing at the sunflowers and saying, 'No, those aren't roses, I want roses.'"

Selena couldn't help but laugh, finding the incident amusing as well. "So what did you do next, Mom?"

"Well, I thought, 'Why not give him what he wants?' So, I brought him the sunflowers he was pointing at and I told him, "These are your roses, sir, specially prepared for you," and he suddenly exclaimed, 'Yes, these are the roses I was looking for!' Your father and I couldn't stop laughing."

Selena joined in, amused at the man's confusion. "That's hilarious, Mom. I can't believe he couldn't tell the difference between roses and sunflowers."

As her parents recounted the amusing tale of the flower mix-up that had caused a customer to receive a bouquet of sunflowers as roses, Selena couldn't help but laugh along. It was moments like these that made the Martello flower shop more than just a place of business-it was a sanctuary of joy and shared experiences, the sight of her parents laughing and enjoying themselves brought a warm feeling to her heart. The love and closeness they shared as a family were evident, and Selena was grateful for such a supportive and nurturing environment.

Selena's best friend, Maria, was her partner in crime and the person with whom she shared her deepest secrets and wildest dreams. They had plans to visit the club that night, an outing they had been eagerly looking forward to. As Selena continued discussing her work escapades, she couldn't help but narrate the incident to Maria over the phone, hoping to bring a smile to her friend's face as well.

"Maria, you won't believe what happened today at work," Selena began, excitement evident in her voice.

"What happened, Selena? You always have the craziest stories!" Maria replied, curiosity piqued.

Selena chuckled before starting her tale. "So, this customer comes into the office, right? And he starts flirting with me, making all these cheesy pickup lines. I couldn't help but giggle at first, but then it started getting uncomfortable."

Maria burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. "Oh no, Selena! You always attract the attention of the oddest people! Did he do anything too outrageous?"

Selena joined in the laughter, her voice echoing through the receiver. "Well, he started complimenting my looks and even asked me out for dinner! Can you believe that? I had to politely decline, of course, but he just wouldn't take the hint!"

While Selena was on the phone with Maria, sharing this amusing story, her best friend burst into laughter on the other end. "Oh my goodness, Selena, you seriously have the most entertaining job ever!"

Selena grinned. "Yeah, it's never boring around there. Hey, speaking of tonight, are you still up for our club plans?"

Maria's excitement was palpable through the phone. "Absolutely! It's been forever since we had a girls' night out. I can't wait to dance the night away!"

Maria's laughter turned into mock indignation. "If only Romano were there! He'd teach that guy a lesson, for sure!"

Selena's voice turned mischievous. "You're right, Maria! If Romano catches him, he'll give him a piece of his mind, or maybe even his fists!"

Both friends laughed uncontrollably, the image of Maria's boyfriend, Romano, defending Selena's honour becoming too amusing to handle. They continued swapping stories and sharing their excitement for the night ahead, filling the air with joy and anticipation.

As they continued to chat, Selena noticed a man standing outside the flower shop, staring at the flowers. She took a second glance only to discover that it was the customer who had made unwanted passes at her earlier at her place of work. She felt uneasy and cut Maria off mid-sentence. "Maria, I have to go. This guy is giving me the creeps," Selena said, hanging up the phone. Her tone shifted to a mixture of curiosity and slight concern. She stepped outside the shop and approached the man, who seemed to be browsing the colourful displays.

"Can I help you with something?" Selena inquired politely, her voice carrying a touch of caution.

The man turned towards her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, I was just passing by and thought I'd stop to smell the roses."

Selena raised an eyebrow, not buying into his casual demeanour. "Well, we've got a lot of flowers to choose from. Is there something specific you're looking for?"

The man leaned in slightly, his tone suggestive. "Maybe I'm looking for something as beautiful as you."

Selena's patience wore thin. "Look, I appreciate the compliment, but I'm not interested. Now, if you're here to buy flowers, I'd be happy to assist you. Otherwise, I have to get back to work.".

The man's expression changed from a grin to a scowl. "Why are you being so unfriendly? Do you also work here?"

"I think you should leave," Selena said, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'm not interested. Please leave," Selena said firmly.

The man continued to stand there, staring at Selena. She could feel her heart racing as she tried to remain calm.

Just then, a man walking his dog stopped and approached them. "Is everything okay here? Do you need help?"

The man turned to the newcomer and smiled. "No, we're fine. I was just admiring the flowers."

The dog-walker, whose name was Isaiah, didn't seem convinced. "I think it's time for you to leave. The lady asked you to go, and you need to respect that."

The man scowled once again and finally walked away, muttering under his breath.

Selena breathed a sigh of relief and walked back into the flower shop. She immediately called Maria back to tell her what had happened.

"Oh my god, Selena, are you okay? That guy sounds like a total creep," Maria said, worry in her voice.

"I'm fine. It was just really scary. Thank god that man showed up and scared him off, I can't believe he followed me here," Selena replied.

She hung up the phone and turned to her parents, who had been listening to the conversation. They looked concerned.

"What happened, Selena? Are you okay?" her mother asked.

Selena explained the situation to them, and they both looked angry.

"We can't believe some men think it's okay to treat women like that. You did the right thing by not engaging with him, but we're glad Isaiah was there to intervene," her father said.

Selena nodded. "I know. It was just really scary. I'm just glad he's gone now."

They all stood in silence for a moment before Selena's mother spoke up. "Let's get back to our business. We can't let some creep ruin our day."

Selena smiled and got back to assisting her mom, she usually assisted her parents at their flower shop on days when she didn't have a busy schedule at work and she closed early. She was feeling grateful for her family and for Isaiah for stepping in when she needed it most.

In the end, Selena's beauty wasn't just in her physical features; it was her radiant personality that truly made her shine. Her captivating charm, coupled with her loving family and loyal friends, made her a magnetic presence wherever she went. And as for that persistent customer, Selena knew she had an army of support behind her, ready to protect her from any unwanted advances.