Chereads / Infernus : The Flame Within Us All / Chapter 2 - Gregory Hawthorn

Chapter 2 - Gregory Hawthorn

Waking up with a headache was something Gregory was used to but todays headache felt a little more head splitting than normal. He slid out of bed and began getting dressed for the day. Gregory's morning we're pretty routine; get up, get dressed, get to work. As he was about to head out of the door he saw a painting he had made of a four leaf clover and began wishfully thinking that just maybe by looking at the painting he'd have some luck today. He let off a disappointed sigh and headed out the door knowing he had tortured himself enough meditating on the idea that maybe just maybe today would be different.

Maybe today wouldn't be as bland and dull as every other passing day in his life. Wake up, work, come home, sleep, repeat. That was it every single day and he was more than ready for a change but the life he had got him by just fine. The bills were paid, he had some clothes maybe not all that clean but it worked, and with his spare money he had just enough for two cups of coffee. One for him and one for Emerly Smith, the woman who steals his heart every time she even him passes by. Not a day goes by that Gregory doesn't think of her and the soft smile she does when she's happy or how her hair curls at the bottom or how she loves her coffee with extra sugar and 4 creamers. He often thought of what their wedding would look like the day she was finally his, big red drapes would be fluttering in the wind as she glided up the isle. Her dress would be red and accented with white but don't be fooled the dress may be beautiful but it was her that made it pop. Her smile, her hair, and even her elegant strut as she finally makes it in front of Gregory. In a very informal fashion she suddenly throws off her dress and leaps into Gregory's arms and…

"-HEY buddy the hell you doin huh?"

Gregory was quickly pulled from his day dream by a man in a taxi cab waving frantically for him to move from the middle of an intersection.

"I….I'm sorry I was just-"

"-DUDE IF I HAVE TO SAY MOVE AGAIN IM LEAPING OUT THIS CAR AND KICKING YOUR ASS"

As aweful and rude as New Yorkers may seem this was honestly just hospitality. A hospitality Gregory knew not to challenge so he just nodded back and walked out of the way. He was very confused on how he had even gotten into the middle of the road but an answer soon fell directly into his lap. Somehow he had subconsciously walked himself to the coffee shop that he and Emerly would go to every other day.

"I need to check the time, I'm going to be late, I cannot be late again I just can't…"

Gregory had almost successfully convinced himself to walk away but fate had another idea. Right as he turned and began walking away he heard his name called in the most indescribable sweet and soft tone. He was sure she had to have whispered his name and somehow he heard it as clear as day. Emerlys voice, as elegant as it was, had such a powerful hold on Gregory that he found himself spinning around as if he was yanked by some invisible force.

"E-emerly hey how are you this morning?"

"I'm fine a little tired but I'll make it. What about you Greg?"

"Oh….well I guess I'm doing just fine now but earlier I-"

"- almost got run over because you were daydreaming in the middle of the intersection?"

"Y-yeah….so you saw that huh?"

"Oh cmon Greg don't be all anxious It's okay-"

"- it's not though-"

"-No Greg listen it's okay I swear I mean I sleep walk all the time in fact this one time I had woken up in my kitchen from having some nightmare about this like fire demon thing chasing me into..."

Emerly could've been telling gregory the nuclear codes, the secrets to immortality, or how to become filthy rich and he wouldn't have heard a lick of it. He had almost completely forgotten she was even speaking being completely fixated on how her lips parted as she spoke. He focused on how rosy her cheeks were when she told him of her own embarrassing stories just to comfort him, weather they were true or not was debatable but she could've told him she could fly and he would believe it.

"-yeah….so just don't worry about it okay we all do it at some point."

"Thank you Emerly honestly I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Be utterly and absolutely bored," she responded through a yawn.

There it was again, Emerly smiled at gregory this time out of pure playfulness knowing she was truly his best entertainment he got all day. For just a moment gregory and Emerly stood there starring at each other as if they were examining the other waiting to respond to a question that hadn't been asked yet. Emerlys gaze drifted down toward Greg's watch.

"OH SHIT, GREG ITS 10!"

Greg almost froze from absolute fear after hearing the time. Had he actually been sitting there talking to emerly for 2 hours and worse been a whole hour late to work.

"Oh shit you're right I have to go I'm late we-uh-I want to finish this conversation later okay," Greg called racing away.

"I'm sorry Greg and sure thing," and then gregory heard something that could've made his entire soul melt, "have a good day….I love you."

I love you…..had it been just another day dream or did he somehow misinterpret another sentence. He stopped in his tracks for just a moment with a burning want to go back to her just to hear her say it up close. Just to be sure that she had actually said I love-"

"- HEY….HEY ARENT YOU THE BOZO FROM EARLIER-"

"-Goddamit sir again I'm sorry I honestly didn't-"

"- GET YA ASS OFF THE DAMN….AM I GONNA HAVE TO COME BEAT YOUR ASS MY GUY BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY WILL FREE OF CHARGE!"

Gregory was quickly realizing maybe the guy had a point he'd be upset too if someone just stood in the middle of the road twice. Instead of saying anything gregory nodded and began to sprint to work.

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