Burn for You

12

Grayson
I didn't sleep much after I left Serena. I wasn't really tired, to be honest, but I might be after this.

"Grayson! Come on man!" I ran across the lawn, my eyes on the ball and my hands close to my chest.

I jumped up, the ball landing between my palms. I began to drop, my legs limping as I prepared to roll over.

I grunted slightly as I tumbled before getting back on my feet and running towards the designated end zone on my cousin's side. I dodged through fired-up men, my shoulder landing into one's side and knocking him over as I continued.

"Run Grayson!" Cheers rang out from the sidelines. My mother being the loudest.

I dove the last few feet, my long body rolling into the end zone.

"Yea!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" I was bombarded with cheers and aggressive pats on my back and shoulders, even a punch in the chest from my older brother.

I smiled as I wiped the sweat from my brow and walked toward my parents and other relatives.

"You did so good Gray!" My mom laughed as she pulled me down for a hug.

"Mom," she laughed as she accepted the other whining adults looking for praise. "We did good too ya know?"

She nodded as she continued the group hug from her five children.

"If it wasn't for us, Gray couldn't have made it that far." I rolled my eyes as I wiped my face with the hem of my shirt.

"Let's just eat. Too hungry to argue."

I haven't actually seen my family in a long time. At first, it was out of embarrassment. I got a girl pregnant in college, I married her and we didn't even end up with any kids, and now I'm a nearly thirty-year-old man getting a divorce.

The only thing I had left to make them proud was my job and I quit to become a firefighter.

Now, all I've got is my capability but when you grow up watching your parents be these multimillionaires and be praised for their extreme success, you can't help but feel you failed a little if you can't even achieve half of that.

Disappointment is never shown by my parents but I'm sure they feel it.

...

"Gray! Your wife is here!"

"She's not his wife doofus," Molly stood at the bottom of the stairs, her hair in low grey ponytails. "You have a visitor, Gray."

I pulled down my suspenders as I walked down the stairs. "You're 'visitor' is outside. Make sure she's not here if we have to go, ok?" I nodded at Molly as she patted my chest before walking off behind me.

"Grayson." Her voice was soft and almost innocent. She stood there, arms crossed over her stomach, a pink mini dress, and her brown hair tied up in a messy bridal bun.

"What do you want Emilia." I rubbed my eyes together, her presence giving me a headache.

"I don't want the divorce." She sniffled, the back of her hand wiping at her nose as she tried to hold back forced tears. "I thought about it, about us. I know I wasn't a good wife but I can change..." she stepped toward me, her hands resting on my sides.

"We can try again ya know? Sometimes things take a few tries before they work Gray. We could have a family..." her voice softened as she tried to convince me of hell.

"Stop Emilia, ten wasted years is enough of a try for me. It's over, you fucked up. It's done." I harshly pulled her hands from my body, her nails digging into my shirt in an attempt to hold on.

Her face crumpled up in anger and sadness, "you don't know what it's like Gray. Being blamed for failing your family! You just got to be the amazing husband while I was the whore wife!" Her hands slammed into my stomach as I sighed, looking away at my dramatic ex-wife.

It's not that I don't believe that she struggled too but I will never let her make me believe that it was my fault. Not again.

"Are you even listening Grayson?!" Her clawed hands gripped my chin, forcing me to look down at her.

"No, Emilia. I stopped listening to you when you fucked somebody else." I forced my chin out of her hand and began to walk away. "You have to go, Emilia, my boss wants you gone."

"Grayson! You can't just leave me here!" She whined.

I was just about up the steps when she grabbed onto the back of my shirt, catching me off guard and causing me to fall backward. I turned mid-fall to see her standing directly behind me, a truck behind her.

I moved as quickly as I could, cradling her body in my arms as we fell backward. It all felt as if it went in slow motion.

I felt dizzy as my head hit the bumper, liquid dripping down my neck as I lie on the cold concrete.

"Grayson!" Her nails ran across my stubble as she weeps above me.

"What happened!" I opened my eyes a bit wider, my vision was slightly blurry so I wasn't sure if I was really seeing her.

"Go get somebody!" The familiar voice yelled, small heels clicking off into the distance. "Grayson? Can you hear me?" I groaned slightly at the sound of her voice.

"I'm fine," I mumbled.

She chuckled softly, her warm and soft hands cupping my cheeks. "You're not fine but at least I know you can hear me. Just stay awake."

"I'm sorry, flower. I don't think I can."

If you enjoy 'Burn for you' please remember to vote and to check out my other book 'smile'! Thank you!