Hearth of Heart: A Chicago Franchise Fanfiction [Mature]

Chapter 7

My days were starting to get ridiculously annoying. Grey came back to teaching, and with it the population of girls surrounding him, just as I was beginning to mend our broken bridges. I have no intention of getting back together with him, but I do want to have a friendship with him. Maybe with the occasional benefits. Probably not. But again, the increasing numbers of teenage girls surrounding him, drawn like sharks to blood is getting on my nerves.

Grey opted to accompany me most of the times, but that soon became old, too. The girls hated it when Grey's attention focused on me, and I've been on the end of hate stares, even hate mails, even though I'm their teacher. That's a bit of a long way for me to go just to be friends again with Grey. I've said this to him multiple times.

Don't get him wrong. He tried all he can to make the crowd of girls go away, even literally shooing them like a bunch of cats. Nothing, and I mean nothing works. Insufferable lot, those teenage girls are.

I was on my way home when my engine spluttered weakly. I hoped it was nothing and kept on going, then the overheated symbol lit up. I groaned and cursed. Then I pulled over and stopped the engine. I opened the hood, and everything looked fine. The radiator was full, and no smoke everywhere. I thought it was maybe just the lamps acting up. I went back in the car, but it won't start. I tried tens of times, but the ignition won't turn and start. I finally surrender, and observed where I am. North side of Chicago. A bit shady neighbourhood.

I got out of the car again, then scrolled through my phone contacts for Dufay, my mechanic. He's a good friend of mine from England. He moved to Chicago a few years before I did, and he helped me settle into Chicago life. I found his number and dialed.

"Fay ?" I said when he picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, wench. What's up?" He asked.

"My damn car broke down again. Can you help me ?" I said.

"Sure. Where you at now?" He asked.

"I'm really sorry to bother you, Fay. I've no other way. I'm at 35 Vermont," I said again.

"Silly. It's nothing. I'm a tad busy though, so I can probably be there in a little over an hour ?" He said.

"That's completely, absolutely fine. I'll even wait for the entire day," I said, relieved.

"You just be careful there. Dangerous neighbourhood you're in, that is," He warned me.

"Sure thing, Fay. Thank you thank you," I said. He mumbled a yes and hung up. I looked around. It is known for being a shady neighbourhood, but there's nobody outside. Surely it's safe to go out ? I decided to answer that myself with a yes, then turned the key in the ignition, turning off the machine, and with it the heater.

I took my wool gloves out of the glove compartment and wore them over my hand. I opened my side of the door and got out of the car, then I locked it. I'm feeling thirsty. I walked around, looking for a minimart. I found a 7/11 on the end of the road. I considered the risk of my car being hijacked, but it can't work anyway, so I made my choice and walked toward the 7/11.

I got in, then quickly chose my favourite lemon beverage from the fridge, handed the amount I owed to a grumpy old lady behind the cashier, and got out of the minimart, all under 5 minutes. I was walking back to my car when I saw a couple of guys standing besides it, looking around. I ran as fast as I could, hoping to prevent them if their motive was carjacking, although with no idea how I would fight them by myself, but just before I turn to the open road, I heard gunshots.

I screamed, my reflects kicking into high gear as I duck onto the sidewalk, then sticking myself to the worn-out wall, right on the crossroads. I risked a peek, and saw the two guys that were hovering over my car laying on the ground, appears to be dead as the blood oozed from their body onto the asphalt road.