The Love within

Chapter 2

I straightened up and just when I was about to run for my life; past the front doors, past my house, and past the river at the bottom of the mountain, he spoke.

"Are you okay, miss," he asked me, his rich, colorful eyes clouding with concern.

I was taken aback. Miss? Did I look like a miss? I shook the idea out of my head and tried to answer him but all I did was open my mouth and stare at him. He was Growlithe, I saw now that I had a full body view. He sat in front of me with his chest puffed out, but not in an arrogant way, it looked like a natural pose. His hair was messy and while I was observing him I noticed his tail. It was adorably fluffy tail and it was wrapped around his feet. All I wanted to do at the moment was to nuzzle my snout in that thick, fuzzy tail. What? What is wrong with me today? Snap out of it. I looked at the floor before speaking, so I wouldn't get lost in his dreamy eyes again, and tried to think out my words carefully.

"Uhm.. yeah, I'm fine. I mean, yes. Yes, I'm okay, " I stated quickly tripping over my words and blushing so bright that I could feel my cheeks burning. So much for carefully.

All he did was smile at me, his smile was charming and toothy. It made my heart speed up and I caught my breath until he replied.

"Are you sure, you seem to be a little uneasy," he said sarcastically with a playful smirk on his face.

I laughed," Well, it's not everyday I run into a cute Growl-..." I stopped dead in the middle of my sentence. What did I just say? Did I just say cute? Kill me. Kill me now. I was paralyzed there with my eyes gaping and my mouth open. I could feel the heat from my cheeks spread to my nose and the tip of my tails, I turned my face to the ground. What is wrong with me? The silence between us seemed to last a lifetime, it was all I could do to not pee myself right there. I tore my eyes from the newly swept floor and looked up at him and his beautiful eyes glimmered in the light, but not with concern this time, it looked like shock with a mixture of pity. He was surprised from I said, which was odd, he was obviously attractive, he could probably have any type of pokemon he wanted. Maybe he isn't surprised that I said it, maybe he is just surprised that low life Vulpix had the courage to say it, I thought. How could I be so stupid?

He opened his mouth as if to reply to my comment, but was interrupted by the sound of Theresa's voice cutting through the air.

"Violet? Violet, where did you go? Violet, Walter wants you to go see him. He said it's important."

"I'm coming," I replied and turned down the hall to find her. As I walked away I heard the Growlithe whisper something to himself, but I wasn't going to stop to ask. What he said sounded familiar, but I couldn't put my paw on it. What did he say? Did he even say anything? Or maybe he was just laughing at me? That's probably it. But why did it sound like a word? What did he say?

I went to Walter's office and knocked. "Walter, you need something?"

"Yes," he said while shifted through the papers on his desk. Walter was so unorganized, the officewas a mess of papers and folders skewed about. It was also dirty, it needed to be cleaned and dusted desperately. "I need you to go and clean rooms 103 and 201 before you go home."

"Why?," I asked.

He tossed his papers on his desk and threw his hands in the air,"Because I thought it would be nice to have those rooms cleaned, just for the hell of it, Violet," he spit crossly. "While you're at it, why don't you clean all the rooms on the fourth floor and then the boiler room." He rested his head in his palms and sighed, he rubbed his eyes and sat there staring at the wall.

"Walter, are you okay? You seem uptight... well more than usual."

He looked at me and smirked while shaking his head,"I like that you always say whatever's on your mind, but sometimes it's best not to ask." He looked out the window into the distance, it seemed he almost forgot that I was there until he said,"Don't worry about it, it's above your pay grade."

"Well then," I said,"That means I must deserve a raise."

He threw his head back and laughed, it was probably the first time I had ever seen him laugh in the whole time he had been here. Then he looked at me with his beady red eyes, as if he had secret he so desperately wanted to tell me, but in flash the look had vanished and he was back to being Walter.

"Go clean those rooms, will ya," he said looking back to his desk searching for new papers to sign. It was his way of letting me know I was dismissed.

Urg, I thought. I know I was going to sound like a whining child, but I didn't care. Today had been so bad and I didn't want to go clean rooms, I wanted to go home and sleep away the bad memory that the day had obtained. "Why can't Theresa do it?"

He looked up slightly shocked at what I has said. I usually just did what I was told with either a smart remark or a growl, but not after the day I had had. I wanted to leave and never come back to see that guest.

" Uhm, well...Theresa left. She said something about a date and needing the night off," he grumbled while shuffling around his papers angrily to find the one he needed.

There was no way I was staying here, I didn't care what I had to do to get out of this. "Could I possibly come in early tomorrow to clean them," I asked sweetly, making my eyes bigger, looking as innocent as possible.

He rested his head in his palms again, I could tell I was breaking him. Please Walter. Please. Please. Please, I silently prayed. "Fine, but be here tomorrow early. I mean it. Early! Before Dawn."

"Okay," I said and scurried out the room before he could change his mind.

Once I left the office, I walked down the path home. It was such a beautiful night, the moon was high in the sky, the mountain was peaceful and the wind blew quietly through the trees. I wasn't enjoying it like I normally would, all I could think of was that Growlithe. What did he say? Why did it sound so familiar? Was he insulting me? Wait... Why do I even care? ... Because he is the most gorgeous creature you ever met in all of your life. Oh... That's why.

I got home, but all my family was fast asleep in their rooms. I quietly creeped upstairs to my room, so I wouldn't wake anyone up. I collapsed onto my bed and snuggled under my covers, I tried to close my eyes and sleep. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop thinking about that Growlithe. What had he whispered as I walked away? Why did I need to know so badly? I was frantically searching my vocabulary for what he could have said, all of them seemed wrong. Why couldn't I find this word?! Calm down, it's okay. Deep breathes, Violet. Deep breat-.

That was it. That's what he said! I had finally found out what that boy has whispered as I left him standing there by himself. He said my name, he had said Violet.