The small motor on Eli's scooter puttered rhythmically underneath him as he drove through the streets of Nabias. It was just another Tuesday afternoon in a small town in the middle of nowhere, so main street and the square was pretty much dead. A few of the old people sat out on the porch of the cafe, playing checkers, but other than the occasional car, which was always headed somewhere else, no one else was there. Eli cut the motor of his bike, parking it haphazardly in front of the little row of shops that lined the square, facing the courthouse. No one would get onto him for his horrendous parking job, because they knew him, or his mother. Besides, it wasn't like anyone was going to care.
Even though the town had settled into its Tuesday afternoon doldrums, it looked like romance was alive and well. Eli turned on his bike and picked up the bouquet of roses that was carefully strapped on the back. His mother always got onto him for being careless with the flowers, so Eli was careful to brush off any invisible dust that may have collected on the plastic wrapping. Eli's mother was always nagging him about something or other. She wasn't suited to run a business, Eli thought, and she always made a big fuss about all the sacrifices she made to keep food on their table. Eli usually ignored her whenever she started talking about that, because he was usually the one to work the cash register, or cut the flower arrangements. He even delivered the flowers for the customers. It was easy work, and it certainly beat any other summer jobs, so Eli didn't complain. It wasn't like he had anything better to do in this small town.
Sighing through his nose, Eli looked at the address on the card attached to the bouquet, then up at the shops. It was for some lady who worked as a clerk for the local attorney. Eli walked along the sidewalk, peering through the windows inside at all the shops, pausing when something caught his eye. He didn't want to go in just yet. Girls always made a big fuss about receiving flowers, and always talked in loud voices so all of the other girls would get jealous. Why, for little old me? Who on earth could have done this? Thank you, sweetie, for bringing me these be-autiful flowers! Postponing the inevitable, Eli paused in front of the closed travel agency shop, looking at the big map of Sa'fir Coast.
