Hated to Loved

Chapter 1: The blacksmith

Ember's POV

I sat by the foot of a tree and mindlessly stroked my pet husky's large furry ears. She was a beautiful dog with one brown eye and the other was blue. I had named her Slush.

The reason why was because I had found her as a puppy about two years ago in the cold, wet winter and she was sleeping in the snow, wet from rain.

Since then she had been my best, and only, friend.

Slush licked my hand snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked down at her, then stood up and she did the same.

"Come on, you hungry?" I asked softly.

She looked at me and excitement showed in her eyes. I let out a small giggle and we started walking to the steak and shake, a restaurant where my mom worked.

On the way there I noticed a blacksmith chasing some kids who appeared to be stealing.

"Lets go help" I said to Slush, only to see that Slush had already started running toward the children, running in front of them and the children dropped the metal to pet Slush.

"Th-thank you" the blacksmith said, and looking towards him I saw he was blushing.

"Uh, it wasn't me, Slush did all the work" I said before asking "Um, so what happened? Were these kids, uh, stealing, or...?" I asked nervously. Why did I feel so nervous?

"Oh, we were just playing, right children?" He said, and I looked at the children. They were nodding but, they looked, well, I didn't know how to explain it. I shrugged it off.

"Slush, heel. Sorry to bother you, I guess I thought they stole"

"No, not at all" the blacksmith said as he ushered the children to the road. "My name is Thayne, yours is?" He questioned turning to me.

"Oh, erm, E-Em...ber... My name is Ember, nice to meet you Thayne!" I said, extending my hand for a handshake, he quickly shook my hand before stooping down to pick up the metal, but I figured he was doing so to hide the fact he was blushing again.

I suddenly felt nervous, and started walking to the steak and shake again, but turned around and hesitated before asking if he'd like to come with me to get something to eat.

"I-i can pay for your food if you like!" He exclaimed dropping the metal back to the ground as his head snapped up. He was blushing like crazy, and it looked kinda cute to be honest.

"I... No one's offered before... Uh, if you want to I guess" I said as I tried to smile, but it probably looked so forced.

He nodded and hurried over to me and Slush and we both seemed a little awkward.

"So, you're a blacksmith?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah, do you work?" He asked and I shook my head.

"No, I think I'm gonna start next year when I'm 16"

"Oh, cool! I'm 17..." He said, and then there was a awkward silence.

"I'm sorry, I don't, uh, often talk to people, normally I talk to Slush, so sorry that I'm kinda awkward" I said with a awkward laugh.

He smiled and blushed again.

"I-i don't talk often either, I bet I'm more awkward"

I smiled back before looking down as silence engulfed us again.

Thayne's POV

When Ember had started talking again I had thought she would call me out for being awkward. Instead she had said she was awkward.

She was really nice.

We walked in silence till we reached a building. The name read "Steak and Shake" and it was a nice looking building. We started walking inside and Ember's husky, I believe she had called her Slush, sat outside the building.

"Well hi there little buddy, you sure are cute..." I said, rubbing behind her large furry ears.

"She's a good girl" Ember said and held the door open, waiting for me.

"Oop, sorry!" I said, springing inside, I didn't want to keep her waiting.

She walked up to the counter.

"Hey mom! So, I'd like the usual, and, uh..." She turned to me and I felt Ember's mom's eyes on me.

"What do you want to eat Thayne?" She asked, I couldn't deny that I liked how my name sounded falling from her lips.

"Oh, uh, nothing, I already had my daily rations" I said and she looked at me confused.

She turned to her mom.

"That will be all mom..." She said, then turned to me, narrowing her eyes on me while her mom went to get her daughter her order.

I squirmed nervously as I explained quickly.

"I'm sorry, it just my master doesn't allow me to eat anything other than his, slop" I said, and her eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking upset and I heard her murmer " gotta stop this somehow... "

"Oh no no no, he is one of the most special people in my life, his slop is delicious, and after I returned home from the war I received new that my parents were missing! he took me in when he saw me begging on the streets, he is the kindest person I know!"

I felt myself blush again. "Well, after you that is"

She still didn't seem to know what to think.

"Well," she said, I could tell she was choosing her words carefully.

"Maybe he should name it something else. Slop doesn't sound very delicious"

I laughed. "Yes, perhaps he should"

I was glad I didn't make things awkward by saying she was nice. Ember was, I think I liked her.

Her mom came out giving her the food.

"Here you go!" She said, a smile on her face.

Ember thanked her mom and gave her $5 and we went to leave.

I realized I didn't pay like I said I would.

"Oh crap! I didn't pay like I promised!" I said rather loudly.

She laughed and assured me it was fine, she gets to much money in her allowance anyway, I shouldn't worry.

I still felt like I should've paid, but I nodded.

"I probably should go back to work now..." I said and she nodded. I started walking back to the blacksmith shop when she called my name.

I turned around and saw her cheeks were red, for the first time today. I realized she was talking and heard her say "W-wanna see each other again soon?" She asked, and I blushed myself.

I nodded, I definitely wanted to see her again soon.

"Y-yeah! Uh, I'm free tomorrow, i-if you are"

"Yeah! See you then!"

We both waved at the other and Slush barked and I laughed, turning to go back to the blacksmith shop.

Later that night thoughts of Ember ran through my head.

She was really pretty, kind, and actually seemed concerned when I told her about my master.

I couldn't wait to see her tomorrow.