"You okay kid?"
The older gentleman, with faded black hair, wearing an apron and a salmon colored dress shirt, called out to Jack.
A young man with red and black hair with blue eyes, who was sitting a ways towards the back of the little coffee shop, trying not to be noticed.
"Huh?" Jack replied, the mans voice pulling him from his thoughts.
"Y-yeah I'm okay, I was just thinking to myself" Jack said.
He wondered why the barista had called out to him but, when he looked around the shop he had realized he was the only customer.
The man came out from behind the counter and walked over to Jack's table.
"Ive seen you come in here and order a glass of my renowned tea time and time again." He paused then continued.
"You always sit in the back away from the other customers.
You never come in with anyone.
Just you and yourself.
Yet you always seem to have a lot on your mind."
Jack pondered at why this man was suddenly so interested in him.
"It's nothing really.
I wouldn't worry about me sir."
He said.
The barista said his name and persisted with the conversation.
"Please kid, call me Cole.
Now, you clearly have a story to tell.
It's written all over your face.
Why don't you tell me how you got to New York.
You seem far too polite compared to some of the citizens I've come across."
"Hmm, I guess it couldn't hurt to talk about myself if you're that willing to listen."
Jack thought for a moment.
"Where to begin..."
Jack began to tell his tale.
Starting with his name, his hometown.
His hope and dreams.
And a girl he left behind...
Cole spoke then.
"I see, so you basically ran away from your past."
"W-what? No i didn't!"
Jack cried.
"Sure sounds like you did kid.
As you said, when you were younger you fought with friends and family in your hometown.
You caused problems.
You were a delinquent.
But there was one person that cared about you.
And even then, according to you, you hurt her.
So you ran away."
Cole relaying the story back to Jack hurt his soul.
"Yeah, I guess I did run."
Replied Jack.
"Well why did you run away in the first place?"
The barista questioned.
Jack answered while still dodging the main question asked.
"I...
I promised her I'd come back one day.
When I was better..."
Cole narrowed his eyes then in a questioning glance.
"Would you mind explaining?
Who is this girl anyway?
You talk very highly of her."
Jack's face grew a little hot then.
As his faced turned red, Cole couldn't help but tease the young man.
"Ha, I see by the blush on your face." Cole paused.
"You love this girl, don't you Jack?"
He questioned.
Jack grew ever more embarrassed at this and in a fluster of words with a cheeky smile, Jack exclaimed hesitantly "Yes, more than anything in the world but I doubt she'd feel the same.
After all, it's been five years since I've seen her.
Five years ago I left her at a train station with a promise and a deep red carnation...
Her favorite flower.
I don't think she'd remember me now."
Cole asked again, wanting the full story this time.
"So why are you here in New York then if your heart is with her?"
Jack smiles at Cole then.
"Because, I'm... I'm not healthy."
This answer bewildered Cole.
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Jack decided to start from the beginning once more.
Only this time with more detail. Explaining how he and the most amazing girl in the world met.
"We were just kids..."
Chapter 1: End
YOU ARE READING
Carnations for Emily
General FictionA young man struggles with who he was in his past as he tries to protect his childhood friend, Emily. Not just from his enemies but, himself too. When his foggy past catches up to him, he'll have to balance the multiple "selves" in his mind or he ma...
