It is Caden, and he is carrying a bouquet of roses.
When he sees me, his forehead wrinkles up for a split second, and then it smooths out, and he smiles.
“Hey Belly. Hey Keisha, hi Summer. How is everything going?”
Summer gives him a million dollar smile. “You brought roses.”
Caden flushes as he set them down on the counter. “Yeah, my… uh… Mom got flowers, but… uh… she didn’t like them.” he nods, even though nobody is buying...

Look, I know that this isn't that creative, therefore, many people will do this woman, but i'm not trying to fit in here. when i first read the prompt, i thought: my mom.

no, not because she gives me hugs, and kisses, and smiles at me, and tells me i'm beautiful even when i look like a piece of crap. no, not because she tells me boys aren't worth it, and makes my favorite dinners, and takes me shopping.

no.
...

so... someone from WtW likes one of your recent pieces. you go, and look at their stuff, and see that they have one really good piece, so you like it, and follow them (or maybe you don't follow them, but i do, because i love following people, and getting new writing perspectives) but then you start looking at everything else they have written. they have some pieces that they published in 2017. if you like the piece, they might get...

Why Not Me?    

Why not me
    to be
    starving and cold,
    why not me
    to be
    treated like trash?
  
 Why not me
    to be
laughed at, and beaten,
    why not me
    to be
    sick from what I’ve eaten?
  
    Why them
    Why them?
    What did they do?
  
 Why them
    to die
of sickness, and
    why them
    to die
    of hunger?
  
 Why...

I click on the text message from Caden, and read it. I have to read it twice, to see what it says, but then I read it a third time to be clear.
belly, if i couldn’t ask u in person, i’ll do it now. will you plz go 2 the back-to-school ball w/ me plz?
I take three deep breaths, and try not to drop my phone.
Caden Thatcher the King of the school just asked me out.
Just....

in a world where you can be anything, be kind.