Chapters 4- 6 By Karolina
Chapter 4: Saturday morning, Laurel wakes up early and grabs her mom's guitar, wandering out to the creek behind her parents property. She sits for a while and softly plays - a bug lands on her back, and as she reaches back to swat it away, and feels a bump on her back. She surmises that it is the appearance of her first ever pimple and makes her way back home. Her mother is awake by this point, and Laurel quickly checks with her about the bump. Her mum confirms that it's probably a pimple and asks if she's started her periods yet. Laurel answers negative. She starts to worry about the emergence of the pimple, thinking about the ones she has seen on other girls, and how it would be awful if one appeared while she was at David's. Laurel makes her way to David's for their study session and she literally runs into Chelsea, who is out for her morning jog. They chat a bit, and when Chelsea finds out that Laurel is going to David's place, she laughs and welcomes her to the 'David Lawson fan club' which she announces she is president of, but offers the position of treasurer to Laurel. Laurel denies that she feels like that, even though she isn't too sure that she doesn't feel anything for David. Chelsea and Laurel walk around the corner to find David mowing his lawn, in jeans, and shirtless, the girls stare for a while, until David notices them and meets Laurel's gaze. She quickly looks down and David moves to put his shirt back on. Chelsea, after mouthing a quick appreciative 'wow' in Laurel's direction, leaves the two, using her jogging as an excuse to exit. Laurel and David move into his house to study. On the Monday, after the bio exam - David checks in on how Laurel think she went on the exam, and they shyly agree to make their study sessions a regular thing. At lunch that day, it's raining, but Laurel is still joined by David, Chelsea and their friend Ryan outside. David and Ryan playfully throw food at each other, as Chelsea referees. She and Laurel then start talking about their hair, Chelsea envying Laurel's straight hair, while Laurel compliments Chelsea's curly hair. Laurel admits that all she has to do to get her hair clean is rinse it really well with water - Chelsea looks at her sceptically, but shrugs it off. The next morning, Laurel wakes to find that the pimple on her back has grown to the size of a quarter. She panics a bit, ready to go tell her mom about the strange bump, but decides she's over exaggerating and puts some of her mom's salve on it, and wears a loose fitting top to hide it. By Thursday, the bump is the size of a golf ball and Laurel is horribly distracted, worrying that it could be a tumor. She has not told her parents yet about the bump. Chelsea shows her concern when Laurel doesn't listen to her while they are talking, and David is hurt when Laurel unintentionally snaps at him. David tries to cover that up by walking Laurel to class and asking if she wants to go to the beach with him and his friends on Saturday. While Laurel wants to spend time with David, she does not like the beach, due to the sand and salt water not agreeing with her, and she is scared she won't be able to hide the ever-growing bump, so she declines. By Friday, the bump is the size of a softball, and Laurel is convinced that it's a tumor. She runs out of the house and is completely distracted in all her classes. She avoids both Chelsea and David when she can. Laurel comes to the decision that she will tell her parents of the disturbing lump if it is not gone by Monday. David tries to confront her after school, cornering her near the bleaches. He asks if she's okay, and if he's done anything wrong. Laurel tearfully tells him that he's great, and that she'll be fine. He starts to walk away and Laurel calls to him, but loses her nerve when he turns around. She timidly wishes him a good day at the beach, and he leaves.
Chapter 5: On Saturday Morning, Laurel wakes up to a beautiful sunrise - and to find that the bump is gone. However, in it's place is something long and cool, much bigger than the bump. She tries to see what it is, but gives up, sneaking into her parents' bathroom to have a look. What she sees are beautiful, huge blueish white petals, with a blue center, and little green leaves on her back. Instead of the lump, she has a giant flower on her back, the petals almost looking like wings. She is startled by her mom knocking on the door. Laurel tries to quickly pull on one of the petals, but has to hold back a scream at the pain that causes. She manages to slip past her mom, by hiding her petals under a towel, and goes back to her room. She closes her door and wedges a chair under the doorknob and continues to inspect the petals coming off of her back. Laurel starts to notice the scent of the flower on her back, as it fills the room. She decides to tell her mother that she found a new perfume. After several attempts, Laurel manages to hide the petals under her clothes by wrapping them around her body and tying them down with a scarf. She sees her mom in the kitchen and tells her that she is going for a walk. As Laurel walks, she starts thinking about her predicament, and how she is going to solve it. Her thoughts start to center around David, and that maybe he can come up with a scientific explanation for the flower- and maybe use his microscope to have a look at a portion of the petal to ascertain what it is. She decides that she will go to him. She returns home to find her dad in the kitchen, awake because he has to open the book store. He gives her a hug and Laurel worries about him feeling the petals underneath her clothes. She quickly escapes her dad, and phones David, asking if she can go over to his place.
Chapter 6: Laurel sequesters herself in her room again, and grabs a pair of her mom's nail scissors. She tentatively snips a bit of petal off of her back and hisses at the sting. Translucent fluid pools there and Laurel blots it away. She quickly bounds back down the stairs, past her parents eating breakfast, trying to act normal and telling them that she is going to David's. When she gets there, she sees David's mom in the garden and they chat a bit, until David comes out and saves Laurel, stating that they need to work on their biology assignment. Once in David's room, he closes the door. He assures Laurel that they will not be disturbed by his mom, and waits for Laurel to tell him what is going on. She asks him if he could have a look at something under his microscope, and hands over the petal. David is a little surprised but takes the petal and dissects it (with Laurel's permission). He confirms it is from a plant, and when Laurel questions whether it could be from an animal, he says no, and proceeds to show her the difference between plant cells and animal cells through his microscope. When Laurel looks scared, David begs her to tell him what is going on. She makes him promise to keep this secret forever, and then tells him that the petal came from her. She tells him of the lump on her back, and her fear of it being of the David says that he needs to ask her a question, but he promises he will only ask once, and believe whatever answer she gives. He then asks if she's joking, or if she actually believes what she just said. Upset, Laurel starts to leave, but is stopped by David. He swears again that he will believe whatever Laurel tells him - so instead of just telling him, she shows him. She unwraps the scarf holding the petals in place. David is shocked, and asks if he can have a closer look. He states that he can see why she had been acting strange. Laurel stands near the window , in the sunlight, letting the sun hit the petals. David asks if she wants to tie them up again, and she answers that they feel better loose. He asks if she can feel with them, and if cutting the piece of petal hurt, she answers that it stung. David then queries whether she can move them, and maybe they're more like wings, than petals. They talk about telling Laurel's parents, which Laurel is adamant that she doesn't want to. David states that he is still going to the beach with their friends (something Laurel forgot about) but asks whether he can check in on her later, to make sure she's okay. She answers that he can - and questions whether he thinks she will be okay. He answers that he hopes so.
People involvedLaurel
Sarah Sewell
Chelsea
David
Ryan (Friend of Chelsea and David)
Laurel's Dad
David's mom
People mentionedMolly
Joe (friends of Chelsea, David and in the group Laurel hangs out with)
Places VisitedDavid's place
Laurel's place
School
Memorable Quotes
Chelsea: “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Chelsea said, not bothering to hide the appreciation in her eyes.
David: “Wait,” David said, holding on to her arm. “Don’t go. Not when you’re all freaked out like this.” He tried to meet her eyes, but she refused to look at him. “I’m really worried about you. Can’t you just tell me?”
David: “There’s not even a seam here. They flow right into your skin. It’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.”
David: “Well, if you can feel them, they might be more a part of you than just a…growth. Maybe it’s not really flower petals, maybe they’re more like—well, wings.” He laughed. “Sounds really weird, huh?”
Laurel: Laurel giggled. “Weirder than the fact that they’re growing out of my back in the first place?”
Questions
1. What do you think is happening to Laurel? Why did the flower grow from her back?
2. Do you think it was a good decision to share this revelation with David, even before telling her parents? Why/ why not?
3. Is there anything you wanted to comment on in these chapters?
4. What's your favorite quote?
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