Incendiary Hearts

Chapter Three

"So, what made you choose an apartment instead of dorms?" Michael asked after a few minutes of silent driving.

Kevin had been fidgeting with his hands, trying to come up with something to say. This was so typical! A perfect opportunity had presented itself with this drive, a moment he'd been waiting for only God knows how long, yet now as they sat in the car, he couldn't for the life of him come up with something interesting to say. He thanked the lucky stars when Michael spoke, even though it wasn't a topic he wasn't very keen on. Though he'd rehearsed the answer in his head multiple times should such an occasion present itself. "I've already experienced the dorms for four years, and now that I've gotten into Albert Einstein College I really need to focus on my studies," he explained. "I was also sick of the dorms. I swear it was never a moment of silence there. Someone was always having a party of sorts," he continued, and Michael smiled nostalgically. Getting his bachelor's degree in fire science contained some of the best years of his life.

"And so, you ended up in my apartment building," Michael finished.

Kevin nodded his head, mumbling, "which is insane."

Michael just hummed, still not quite over this fact. What were the odds? What were the freaking odds of this happening? Slim, he could tell you as much.

Kevin looked out the window, at the passing trees in the darkness, at the sliver of the moon behind the curtains of clouds, wracking his mind to come up with something to say. 'How you've been?' Already covered that during dinner.' Do you enjoy your job?' Check. 'Do you like New York?' Double check.

'I've missed you...' Not check.

'Do you still remember it all as well as I do?' Double not check.

Do you miss me too...? So not check mate.

"Do you know... which specialty you're going to choose?" Michael asked, not able to handle the silence. Everything but the silence sufficed for him. Silence meant thinking, and the thoughts ready to occupy his mind right now were not ones he wanted to dwell on. At least not right now.

"Oh, um," Kevin tried to clear the thoughts that were clawing at his insides, begging to be let free. To be spoken out loud. Declared to the world. But, especially, declared to him. Michael. I'm still not over you... "I think a pediatrician or an internist, but I'm not sure."

"Well, there's still plenty of time before you have to decide, right?"

"We have until year three."

"Your parents must be proud. I know Jonathan would've been." Why the fuck did you just go and bring up Jonathan? They'd gone an entire evening without bringing him up specifically, and now he and his stupid mouth! Like he wasn't guilt-ridden enough as it was. He glanced over at Kevin who was already looking at him, and the expression of his face melted away any regrets of the words spoken. "Thank you."

Michael swallowed and nodded shortly, then returned his focus to the road. He didn't say anything more on the subject, but his grip around the steering wheel tightened.

Kevin cleared his throat and decided to change the topic. "What's your favorite thing about being a fireman?"

Michael didn't have to think for long, he, too, tankful for the change of topic. "Whenever I get to help someone, I feel blessed."

"From a fire, you mean?"

"More things than that. Automobile accidents, medical emergencies, bomb threats, suicides, trauma, we are included to help all of those situations," Michael glanced over at Kevin. "Or even when you get to save someone's cat."