training wheels. // evan 'buck' buckley

xxxii. strength in numbers

the hum of the call center was a familiar rhythm for me, the beeping phones, the soft clicks of keyboards, and the low murmur of voices steadily helping people through crises. today, however, felt different - maybe it was just the collective exhaustion from weeks of stress due to the ongoing serial bombing spree, or maybe it was something deeper gnawing at my subconscious. whatever it was, i couldn’t shake the feeling of tension in the air.

i leaned back in my chair for a brief moment, glancing around the room. maddie was a few desks down, chatting quietly with josh. may had just returned from her break and was busy with a call, her voice calm and professional. it was strange how we had all grown used to this - used to chaos, to constant danger looming, to the fear that every call could lead to disaster.

my phone buzzed on my desk, the screen lighting up with a message.

buck: thought about you today. missed your face.

i couldn’t help but roll my eyes at his message, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. i quickly typed a reply.

charlie: you saw me yesterday, don’t be so dramatic.

i hit send, watching the three dots bubble up almost immediately in response.

buck: that was yesterday. today’s a new day. plus, yesterday, you didn’t give me a proper goodbye kiss.

i flushed, glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention to me. not that it mattered - maddie knew about me and buck, of course, and so did the rest of the team at the firehouse. but still, something about it felt so private.

charlie: we were at the station! how much more of a goodbye did you need?

buck: i’ll let you know after you make it up to me.

a chuckle escaped my lips. as usual, buck was being his playful self, always knowing exactly how to keep me on my toes. i considered typing something flirty back when may caught my eye.

“is that buck?” may asked, her eyebrow raised with an amused look.

i laughed, putting my phone facedown on the desk. “is it that obvious?”

“only because you’re smiling at your screen like a lovesick puppy,” may teased.

before I could respond, maddie’s voice broke through, sounding concerned. “we’ve got another report of a possible bomb threat,” she said, her fingers flying over the keyboard. “third one today.”

josh groaned from his station. “if this guy keeps it up, we’re going to run out of fire trucks at this rate.”

the seriousness of the situation quickly returned to the forefront of my mind. for weeks now, the serial bomber had been targeting random locations across the city, throwing the entire emergency response system into overdrive. it seemed like every time we thought we were getting close to finding him, he slipped through our fingers and detonated another bomb.

my phone buzzed again, but i ignored it this time, my attention now fully on my work. as much as i wanted to be distracted by buck’s texts, there were bigger things at stake today.

“dispatching engine 118 to the location now,” maddie announced, her voice steady. she shot me a brief look, and for a second, the weight of our shared worry hung in the air. i nodded, understanding without needing to say anything. it was always hard, sending the people we cared about directly into danger.

later, during my break, i found myself alone in the breakroom, scrolling through my phone aimlessly as the news played on the TV in the corner. my earlier exchange with buck replayed in my mind, lightening my mood despite the grim day.