not roses

Her name is Claire Louise and he’s loved her since the first time his eyes met hers. It’s her smile, mostly. He gets lost in it. He’s not exactly sure how that happens, but it does. Just yesterday, he said to her, “I’d like a double vanilla latte with whipped cream and some chocolate sprinkles,” and he felt his heart trip, catching himself before he said "spronkles." She works at the Starbucks at the corner of Smith and Wesson streets in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and lives with her boyfriend, Todd, who drives a van for the state correctional facility in nearby Laramie. He plans to send her flowers for Valentine’s Day. Not roses. Something a bit less showy. Carnations, maybe. He’s started saving his money. His name is Roy. He’s a 10th grader at Wyoming Central High School. He's in the band, plays tenor sax. It will be the first gift he’s purchased for a girl, the flowers. His hopes are high.