The Boy Without A Name

Chapter Fifteen

"I don't want to impose.." Emmett trailed off uncomfortably.

"It is on me, son. I know that you have your reasons to take refuge in this abandoned park but I'd like to at least offer you some food, and then again, it is a win-win situation. You'd have some food in your tum, and I wouldn't have to eat alone. What say you?" He offered him a welcoming smile.

"Very well, I'd accompany you then." Emmett returned his smile.

"Then, it's settled. Word of advice though, we'd have to walk some distance since I don't have my car with me today, will that be okay for you?" He asked, a bit apologetically.

"Definitely. I do enjoy walking, so it will mostly be a pleasure." Emmett responded as they walked out of the park.

"Thank you for understanding. I just realised that I never introduced myself to you. Well, I go by the name of Arthur Campbell, what about you?" He politely introduced himself.

"Emmett Anderson, it's nice to meet you, Mr Campbell." Emmett returned the gesture.

"Please, call me Arthur, I am not that old. Besides you look like you have just graduated from high school, is that right?" He beamed at him.

"Yes, indeed." Emmett quickly answered.

"What would you like to pursue in the future?" He asked, whilst kicking off a pebble from the gravelled road.

"Writing mostly, but I do have a keen interest in drawing sketches, so I might pursue them both." Emmett truthfully answered, seemingly possessed by his passion for his skills.

"That is a good approach, you don't seem to be Scottish, are you from Manchester? It's because of your accent, it quite feels different so I thought I'd ask." He chuckled a bit, masking his nervousness.

"Yes, my Dad moved us here when I was only ten years old. It feels different to be here, honestly. I had never expected to see the Scottish Highlands from up close but I am glad that I did." Emmett kept his cool as his eyes followed the road.

"Yes, I can imagine." He gave a nod.

"What about you...are you a teacher?" Emmett thought to ask, as he gave him a sideways glance before concentrating ahead.

"Something like that but fortunately, I am just a counsellor, I like to help youngsters like yourself, Emmett. I know how hard it can be for kids your age since I have been there too, and it can become quite overwhelming, especially when there's no one around to listen, to understand your pain, and I take it you feel the same, don't you?" He elaborated, expecting Emmett to say something.

Emmett was silently striving to achieve temperance as he instinctively thought to equivocate and deflect Arthur's question to a mildly, more agreeable reasoning but it was as if the aforementioned man knew his mind's galavanting escapade, a traipse to somewhere safe since he didn't implore him further so to speak and share his story. Moreover, Emmett was not certain if he could even word his feelings, it was all too much for the boy.

"Gloria's Diner, seems to be cosy, doesn't it?" He commented after some minutes as he noticed the quaint, little restaurant.

"Yes." Was all Emmett could say.

"Come on then, son. Let's devour their delicacies, God knows how parched I am to eat their waffles."

"Waffles?"

"Yes, Waffles. I fancy them a little too much which, does not bode well with my diabetes but life's short, eh?" He shrugged.

"I agree." Emmett chuckled slightly at him.

Windchimes whistled-tuned with the windy weather, withstanding the whiff of the oceanic currents fuelled by some scented candles from the shop adjacent to the fanciful diner. Emmett was aghast by the old-fashioned splendour of the place, the antiquated bronze-lit lanterns peculiar, were unusually artistic, aided by some decorative mirrors that he had piqued his curiosity. Truth to be told, Emmett was but a boy who held an adoration for antique, and the diner was made to represent an outdated theme, or so it appeared as they took their seats on the quite elegant-looking chairs.

"This is lavish, I did not expect it to be so decorative." Arthur interrupted the silence that had enveloped them.

"Yes, it has been ornately embellished in the image of some royal Scots castle," Emmett observed, still amazed at the diner's beauty.

"Yes, it looks like Claypotts Castle's interior or maybe Glamis', have you explored them yet?" He asked, interestingly.

"I haven't heard of Claypotts Castle but Glamis has to be a favourite of mine." He told him frankly, faintly smiling at the resurfacing memories of yesterday.

"And why is that, Emmett?" He quipped.

"No particular reason. I...just like the fables that have been fabricated around its past." He stumbled a bit with his words before shrugging it off.

"Spectacular, is it not? How people can fabricate lies, so to deceive someone's faith." Arthur nonchalantly commented.

"I would hardly call it a faith given it didn't even exist in the first place." Emmett scoffed.

"But surely, you'd believe in the world of Supernatural?" He asked again.

"I don't actually, believe in that," Emmett emphasised the last word, telling him exactly how ridiculous it was to him.

"Oh, well I suppose we should order, what would you like to eat?" Arthur passed him the menus.

"I'll have some water first if that's fine with you?" Emmett asked, feeling a bit thirsty.

"Of course, I will ask someone to fetch it for you." He nodded before signalling someone to take their order.

As he beckoned someone to take their order, Emmett fumbled with his fingers, feeling the exhaustion that had been overpowered by his day-dreaming and his thoughts pertaining that charming stranger. He slightly yawned, sighing at the day that he had yesterday. Sleepless nights had become a somewhat lousy custom for him, instilling a sense of euphoria that was lost to him, leavening his desires to some unfathomable extent, to leaving him breathless on some daisy nights, where he'd be sure to feel him so close to him, as if he lived in a home; made of heartbreak and dreams, inspiring Emmett to get off from his high esteem and get on the boat to the starry seams. And there he was, thinking about him like he was his life's ambition, his only living condition, as he stared at his hands. God, he was going insane for him, he thought to himself.

Arthur Campbell, on the contrary, was a jovial individual. He was so full of life, so jubilantly alive, that Emmett couldn't help but be inspired from him. He deemed to be a selfless, self-effacing human being, to the point wherein Emmett had a hard time believing his existence. As they talked whilst eating to their heart's desire, Emmett realised that Arthur had turned out to be a friend, whom he needed in such times. He was magnanimously noble and he could use his altruistic attitude to guide him through the carnage his life had inhibited, he thought before offering him a smile.

Life was surely turning out to be some kind of a weird rollercoaster ride for him. 

                                                                        ↯↯↯↯↯↯↯↯↯↯↯↯↯