One Chance

Those words are enough to rip me back to reality, my eyes snapping open and breath flowing quickly into my lungs in a soft, tired gasp. I sit myself up, glancing frantically around myself, quick to realize that I’m laying in my bed, in my room – at home.

“O-Oh my god…” I breathe out the words, reaching up and clutching my chest as if the wound would still be there. Much to my relief, my skin was intact. “It… It was a dream…”

I sit there on my bed for what feels like hours, just trying to process the dream. Trying to process how real it felt. It had to mean something, didn’t it? My first thought; my first thought once I realized that I was going to die, was of Mr. Reed. That has to mean something.

After all, fantasies can last a person a lifetime. I could spend the rest of my life dreaming of what it would’ve been like to be with Mr. Reed, to love him every day and not have to restrain it. I could imagine it a thousand different ways, and it would be perfect – flawless. It would be a dream, literally and figuratively. But, if I never told him how I felt, if I never even took that risk, it would never have a chance at becoming reality. The thing is… Reality doesn’t last forever; it isn’t perfect. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. And people, well – they die.

“I have to tell him,” I murmur to myself, standing up from my bed. The night sky outside my window scatters gentle moonlight all over my bedroom floor through the slits in my blinds, reminding me that I’m likely past driving curfew. Oh well. I shakily grab a shirt and jeans from my closet, running to the bathroom and throwing them on. I run a brush through my hair and brush my teeth, not caring for one minute that all of this could be for nothing. That nightmare came to me for a reason.

I grab my phone, typing out a shaky message and sending it to him as I make my way to the key hook by our front door.

To: Mr. Reed
From: Ellie
Hey, Mr. Reed. Have something really important to talk to you about, I’m going for a drive… You’re on shift right now, right?

Knowing that he works a slow station, I hop into my car, hastily shutting the driver’s side door. As I start it up and pull out of my driveway, I can only hope my mom doesn’t freak out on me when she reads the note that I left her, saying only, Hey mom, heading out for a couple hours, be home soon. Have phone w/ me, love you! The lecture that will be waiting for me when I get home is going to be hellish.

I race along the freeway, my breathing shaky and quick and my eyes focused on the road ahead of me. I hear the tone of my phone going off, a text popping up on the screen.

Mr. Reed: Yup. U ok? It’s crazy late

I smile softly at his words and nod to myself, turning up the music on my radio as I sink a little more into my seat and let the speedometer drop back into a legal limit, breathing in and out slowly and carefully.

Stay calm, Ellie. No need to panic.

My car rattles a little beneath me and I silently curse my insistence upon buying my own car with my own tiny amount of money, wishing a little that I had instead agreed to let my dad buy me one that wouldn’t need a new repair every other month. Oh well, I tell myself.

I take in a deep breath as I get off of the freeway, driving through the quiet night towards Mr. Reed’s station. Their firehouse is a little bit out in the middle of nowhere, at the end of a long stretch of road just outside the city. Fields of drying grass lines either side of the road as I drive, and I crack the windows enough to get some oxygen into my lungs. That dream was totally insane; should I really be doing this? Doubts fill my mind, but there’s no longer any time for that. I pull up in front of the station, parking out of the way of the driveway and shakily tugging my keys from the ignition.

I text Mr. Reed, my phone lighting up the otherwise dark interior of my car.

To: Mr. Reed
From: Ellie

Yeah, I’m alright. Be there in a few minutes

I sit there in the driver’s seat, letting my head fall back against the headrest. My heart slowly and quietly thumps in my chest, telling me just how nervous and afraid I really am as I stare up at the ceiling. Moments later, my phone beeps with another text. Out of the corner of my eye, I glance at the text waiting on my screen.

Mr. Reed: I can see ur car outside…

A soft, embarrassed giggle leaves my lips and I feel a harsh blush coat my cheeks, ducking my head and slipping my phone and keys into their pockets in my jeans. Carefully, I step out of the car, shutting it up and locking it as I make my way toward the firehouse’s front door. I take in a quiet gulp of air and reach up, knocking quietly on the door so as not to wake Mr. Reed’s fellow fighters from their sleep.

A moment passes and I hear the door click open, watching as the adorable, smiling, and curious face of my teacher appears on the other side of it.

“Hey,” he whispers softly, smiling at me as he stands next to the door. “Come on in.” I duck my head once more and thank him softly, stepping in past him and letting him close the door behind me.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” I murmur as I reach up to brush some of my brown hair back behind my ear. He shakes his head and sets his hand onto my shoulder, biting his lip. Even that sends a flutter through my stomach.

“Not at all, Ellie. I couldn’t sleep anyway… But, what brought you out here…? Everything okay?” His chocolate eyes stare into mine, concern all over his face as he leads me down the hall towards the living quarters. I follow him into the kitchen and he gestures to a row of bar stools by the counter. I smile sheepishly and sit myself onto one, resting one elbow onto the counter beside me and watching him happily. Just being around him is a wonderful feeling.

“Yeah, Mr. Reed… All is well. I was just thinking about some things, and I realized there was something that…” I trail off, furrowing my brows, “What is that fantastic smell?”

“Oh!” he exclaims quietly, excitement overcoming his features, “Here, close your eyes real quick.” I tilt my head to the side and raise a brow at him, trying not to laugh at his adorable enthusiasm. He rolls his eyes and sets his hands on his hips. “C’mon, Ellie, just close ‘em. Real quick.”

I giggle and shake my head, obliging him and closing my eyes. I hear the open-and-close sound of the fridge door, followed by the opening of a drawer and spoons clanging quietly together.

“Mkay, open up. You’ve gotta taste this,” he says. I can hear the grin in his voice. I open my mouth, feeling a spoon invade it just a moment later with a creamy pudding-like substance on it. I close down on the spoon and let him tug it away, keeping my eyes closed as I taste every bit of the food in my mouth. And oh Lord, is it the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.

“Oh my god,” I mumble as I swallow, “That’s amazing, what is that?” I peel my eyes open, my brows raising completely as I stare at him. He laughs softly and gestures to a small cup of what looks like custard in front of him, the top of it interrupted by a single spoon-scoop and caramel stripes running up and down the middle of it.

“I’m glad you like it,” he smiles, “I just made it tonight. It’s crème brulee, topped with a light, homemade caramel syrup.” I shake my head at him and cross my arms over my shoulders. “…What?”

I can only laugh, having to resist leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips. “Mr. Reed, c’mon. I bet the guys almost killed each other over this.” He blushes a little and leans back against the counter, reaching back to rub the back of his neck. “I can’t believe you made the whole thing from scratch. It’s delicious.”

“Thanks, Ellie…” he says softly, cocking his head to one side. His eyes slowly glance up and down over my face, as if searching for an answer. “So… What was it that you wanted to tell me? You said it was really important.”