When flames blossom from embers

There are moments in life that freeze. When it appears that time stands still, it’s those moments that every color seems brighter, that every sensation seems amplified, and every thought feels like its going to explode your freaking head. When you think, “ oh crap” as the chocolate colored coffee with pink swirls from the sugar slowly spills onto the creamy white carpet, the sky blue mug crashing down on the carpet smashing into blue crystals, almost like rain droplets.
She immediately started spewing apologizes, taking her napkin trying to soak up the spill. “ I am such a accident prone cluts. I’m so sorry.” She kept repeating. She wondered if there was a possible way to permanently stay red from blushing. She could feel her ears turning crimson. Great the thought, first time I meet his parents and they think I’m an uncultured cluts.
But they sat there and smiled and waved their hands as if someone spilt coffee on their nice carpet daily. She was a nice enough girl they thought, a little young but nice. She had a career, she had a job, and she had a life plan. She seemed well enough for their son. The spill got cleaned up, for the most part, and they continued the interrogation.
“ So where do you want to go for your graduate program?” his mother asked, her French tipped manicure fingers caressing her blue sky mug, the mug had tiny pink circles on it.
The girl took a breath and smiled,” I would like to go to UT for my graduate program and my dream is to get my PHD in England, Cambridge to be more specific.” She gave a smile and thought god I hate this part of relationships. Why am I even sitting here meeting the parents? I’m not marrying him, why am I meeting them she thought as she gave the most sincere smile she could muster. It felt heavy on her face.
“ Cambridge? That’s pretty hard to get into.” His father questioned. He was from over the pond, Scotland was his home. So he knew all about the old ivy league schools. And this girl sitting across from him didn’t look like she was up to scuff.
Chad smiled and took her hand, “ She has been on deans list for the past year, a 3.7 to be specific. She is a bit of a smarty pants. And a book worm.” He kissed her hand and tried to reassure her that it was okay. She got so nervous in situations she couldn’t control, she was a bit of a control freak but with the life she had, he didn’t blame her.
His mother gave a shocked smile, “ A 3.7? That is impressive. Did you take a full study load?” she asked sweetly.
The girl gave a proud smile, “ Yes, I took 16 hours- both semesters. I worked 20 hours a week at school, I was a student instructor for my anthropology course along with my history course, oh! And I had a boyfriend the whole year- which in itself if a full time job.” She chuckled at the last part. She always thought of relationships as an adventure, it was always fun but exhausting.
His parents were a little taken back by her answer, she seemed proud of the pressures she put on herself, along with the fact that she had achieved it all ( well maybe not the relationship part since she was now seeing their son). His father cleared his throat,” Well aren’t you just a hard worker.”
Chad laughed, “ You have no idea.” He turned to look at the girl besides him. She was trying so hard not to run screaming, he could see that in her tight smile. And the way her eyes tried so hard to focus on one object. “I’m going to take her to go see the land, I’ll see you two later.” He stood up with her hand in his and led her outside.
When they were out of sight from everyone he turned around and placed his hands on her face, cupping it in his hands, he brushed his finger tips across her cheek and kissed her. He kissed her as she was the air he needed to breath to stay alive. He kissed her as there were no one else in the world. He kissed her and felt her mold and melt to him. They broke and he leaned his forehead against hers, “Hey.”
She took a second to make sure that she hadn’t floated off the ground and she looked deep into his green eyes smiling, “ Hey back stranger.” She was such a sucker for eyes. And he had the greenest eyes in the world.

“ I have something to show you.” He led her to the garage where a candy blue motorcycle was parked. She walked over to the bike admiring it, honestly she didn’t no squat about bikes. She knew she liked them and knew that they went fast- something she liked even more. She read the logo. Kawasaki ZZR600.
“ Nice…” she let out a whistle. If nothing else the guy had taste. “ Is this what you wanted to show me?” she sat on the bike pretending to go fast giggling.
He made a smirk and went to pick up a helmet, “ Yes, but I want to go riding with you.” He handed her the helmet. It was black and sleek. It suddenly felt really heavy in her hands.
She gulped and looked up at him. “ Me? Alone. On a bike!” She was excited but nervous. She had never been on a bike alone, yeah she had ridden with him before but never alone. She just barely learned how to ride a bicycle. Was he nuts?!
He smiled and showed her the ins and outs of the bike. The brake ( she made a mental note of that one) , the clutch, the speed meter ( she would check on that often) and the list went on and on. Finally he jumped on his bike and revved up the engine. “ Ready?” he teased.
She just knew this was going to end bad. “ Yup,” She gulped. Her throat felt really dry, and her stomach was threatening to show her the coffee she had just drank. But she revved up the engine and was off.
The first minutes were amazing, the feel of the engine between your legs, the sound of the wind zooming by. The unlimited freedom. It was as if she had just taken the best drug in the world. But like all drugs there is the coming down part. She went for a turn and the bike slide under her. She felt the bite of the gravel, millions upon million of rocks bore into her skin. She gritted her teeth in pain as she rolled onto her back, she felt every cell in her body pulsing with adrenaline and pain.
She laid there for a second wondering if the earth would swallow her up and save her the embarrassment of facing Chad. Maybe she would be lucky and there would be some terriostic attack and the attention would be drawn away from her. She heard Chad’s footsteps, he was running to go check on her. She groaned and tried to stand up.
She stood up on her own accord and took off the helmet and began to inspect the damage. Her arms were scratched up, her face was fine since she was wearing the mask. Chad began to touch her face asking if she was fine and she kept repeating yes. Until she felt something wet on her jeans. She looked down and saw blood seeping out from above her thigh, her jeans were shredded and she saw bits and pieces of skin, along with blood, stained on her jeans. It was at the moment when the ground below her seemed to move and everything went dark.
She woke up to Chad above her face asking if she could hear him. “ Yes you big dummy, I’m cut up not deaf.” She groaned. She felt something sting her leg. “ Son of a bitch what was that?!” She turned and saw his mother applying rubbing alcohol to her thigh. She threw her head back and sighed. Great, another embarrassing moment to add to my list. “ Sorry,” she mumbled.
His mother chuckled, “ No you are quite all right. I would be cursing too, this wound needs to be stitched. Chad is taking you to the hospital.”
She groaned. Could this day possibly get any worse? Spilt coffee. Weird conversations. Bike accident and now the hospital. She looked up at the ceiling and silently had a conversation with the big man upstairs, “ You totally hate me huh? What it’s not enough I spilt the coffee, you think it’s funny that I got to go to the hospital too!? Ooo.. so not cool.” She cursed silently in her head.
She spent the next two hours in the hospital as the nurses ( if they should even be called that. The indolent little shrews ) stitched her up. Chad never left her side, he held her hand and whispered apologizes after apologizes.
Finally she turned to him for the hundredth time, “ babe, it’s okay. I’m accident prone. It’s not your fault.” She kissed him on the forehead. She had to be careful with this one, he’d beat himself up if he thought he had hurt her ( which in fact she was hurt, the five stitches now accountant for that) but she didn’t want him beating himself up.
He looked at her face, her soft brown eyes and smiled. “You are too forgiving. Will you at least let me make it up to you?” he pleaded with her.
“ Will it make you shut up?! And quit bugging me with this ‘ I’m sorry crap’?” she teased. She really hated him spending money on her. She knew that he loved doing it, it was just in his nature to give but she was not an old fashioned girl. She liked splitting the bill evenly.
“ Yes. But you have to promise no to throw a fit and to agree to it.” He stuck out his pinky.
She narrowed her eyes. “ … nothing… sexual?” she asked suspicious.
He laughed,” If I wanted to seduce you I’m pretty sure I’d lose and end up getting seduced by you. So no, nothing sexual… unless..” he chuckled at the end. “ Nothing sexual, I promise. “
She took his pinky and made the promise to let him make it up to her. “ So how do you plan on making it up to me? Movie?” she asked curious.
He gave a wicked smile. “ I was thinking more of a trip.”
She looked at him, her eyes narrowed again in suspicion. “ The coast?” she asked lightly. He shook his head. “ Baytown?” again he shook his head. “ Austin?” again another no. “ Where?”
He gave a big grin. “ I was thinking my families ranch.”
She shrugged, “ Doesn’t sound too bad. Where is your family ranch?”
“ Arizona.” He smiled.
Her mouth dropped. “ Arizona?! Like the state?!” she moaned. That meant… they were either going to spend 18 hours in a car or.. “ are we flying?” she asked.
He nodded. “ Yes, my family is flying out there this weekend. And they had asked if you wanted to come and I think it’s the perfect thing. You’ve been stressing over a lot lately- though you still wont tell me what. Any chance you will now?” he looked at her questioningly. He had an inkling what she was stressing over. But didn’t want to ask and be wrong.

She stuck her chin up, “ No, especially not now since you’re making me go out of state. That’s kidnapping!” she laughed. He was so not finding out why she was stressed. That was her own plate of stress. No one else, she gave a bitter laugh when she remembered why it was just her own plate. Asshole. But she smiled and didn’t let it show that the thought brought back a lot of pain and resentment.
“ You promised.” he reminded her, kissing her on the forehead and walking her out of the hospital.
She shrugged and agreed to let it happen. Maybe she did need a get away. She had been stressing a lot. It would be nice to go a weekend and not think about anything. He dropped her off at her house and kissed her good night and promised to see her in the morning. She limbed to her room and laid on her bed starring at the calendar. 7 flipping weeks and nothing. She didn’t know why she was waiting. She didn’t know what would come when she finally came to gripes with reality. All she knew was that keeping a secret and falling in love were two really difficult things.